25- What's Next?

Existing Market

1. I believe the next step in my business is to incorporate this app into other schools and maybe into other libraries or areas on UF’s campus so that students can save time looking for a study spot anywhere on campus. I think expanding the business will allow for a bigger market as well as an increase of word of mouth, especially if it is successful at other major universities.

2. Interview 1: Meredith (3rdyear biology major)

a. “What should we be doing that we aren’t planning to do?”

I think you could use this app for places not even related to education, like maybe restaurants or certain types of stores. That is something I would look into if I were you.

b. “What do you think about my ideas of what customers might want next?”

I think that you have a good idea to expand your business into other areas and it seems like that would go over well if your first attempt is successful.



Interview 2: Garrett (4thyear finance major)

a. “What should we be doing that we aren’t planning to do?”

I think you need to somehow implement a system like a sensor or something so that when students sit down it is automatically logged into the app because one issues I feel like you will have will be people who don’t log where they are sitting, throwing the whole app off.

b. “What do you think about my ideas of what customers might want next?”

I think reaching out to similar audiences in the country, like other college students, is going to be a smart thing to do so that your business doesn’t just level off from only using it at the one library here at UF with the app.



Interview 3: Erica (2ndyear journalism major)

a. “What should we be doing that we aren’t planning to do?”

It would be a nice feature to add something like saving seats to the app. Because when I go to the library I usually am saving a seat or two next to me for my friends after class. So maybe a way where someone could put “Saving this seat for 4:00 pm”.

b. “What do you think about my ideas of what customers might want next?”

I think your ideas is good and will open you up to a more diverse audience which could result in feedback that you may not have thought of on your own or have gotten from your original market.



3. I am really thankful for the feedback that I was able to get from interviewing people in my target market. I believe they all made really good points that I will be able to build upon for my business. My path towards the future will first begin with evaluating how well the app does in Library West at the University of Florida. I am interested in seeing how accurate/inaccurate the logging of taken seats on the app is (a point made by Garrett) in order to further improve the accuracy if I were to implement the app elsewhere or if there seems to be an issue with it at the library. I believe making the app the most accurate that it can be will allow for tremendous growth within my existing market. If the app is doing its job correctly, more students will continue to use it and want to use it.

In addition, I believe in the future, depending on the success of the app at UF, I will be able to bring the system to other schools or even types of non-educational related establishments, like restaurants (a point made by Meredith). I think I should first focus on implementing it at other buildings at UF or other schools in order to keep a similar target audience until I am ready to expand my audience even more. Overall, to grow my market I will need to take in and adapt to feedback from users and formulate some sort of way for the app to function effectively and smoothly so that it makes those who use it lives easier.



New Market

1. I decided to go the B2B approach, and target the University directly, meaning they would purchase my software instead of individual students.

2. I believe my venture concept will create value for people in that market by allowing more students to use the university’s facilities, ultimately increasing potential business at vending machines and eateries on campus because of the increased number of students on campus.

3. Interview 1: Jill (UF employee)

a. “How would this business help to meet customers like you?”

This business would help with a lot of chaos that goes on during busy times on campus and really organize how things run especially in library west. It seems smart to sell directly to the source, in this case the University, to ensure equal advertising and marketing to all students.

b. “What kinds of adaptations to the product/service mix do you think we should make to be successful in this new market?”

I think you will need to change your marketing strategy to sell it to the university as more of a software and not like and individual who is just buying an app. Other than that, I don’t really think there is much that you would need to change.

Interview 2: Evan (UF employee)

a. “How would this business help to meet customers like you?”

We are always looking for new innovative ways to make campus better and this business would be a great way for us to meet those needs. It would give us a way to beer connect to students on campus as well by introducing a tech savvy app that meets their needs.

b.“What kinds of adaptations to the product/service mix do you think we should make to be successful in this new market?”

I don’t think there is anything that you need to do differently in relation to the app and its set up. It is just important to remember that you would be targeting a business instead of consumers which could alter your whole strategy.



4. I learned that this new market is just as concerned with marketing these services to students at the end of the day which is exactly where I am at with my business right now. I think I was most surprised that both individuals that I interviewed didn’t have too much to critique when it came to adjusting the app to fit their market. I believe this is mostly because, as mentioned before, they are going to end up marketing the app to students as well. I did come into these interviews expecting to hear how I was going to have to change how I marketed the product since the university is a business and not a consumer. I also expected to hear that I may need to completely revise my marketing strategy, since what make a business want to buy a product is not the same as what makes a 20-year-old student want to buy a product.



I originally was planning to target this business as my market at the beginning of my venture. However, I began to have second thoughts when I realized how long it would take to go through the university then to have to university begin getting the app out there before it became successful versus just selling it to students themselves. It seems to be an attractive option. But istill believe marketing to students will prove to be the most successful when it comes to my app. I am thankful for the input I received because it has given me a glimpse at another route that I could go should marketing to students prove to be troublesome.