ex: on the way to work you realize your car is out of gas. You go on the website, type in the address of where your car is parked. Then the company comes and fills it while it is parked.
2. My belief is that people waste too much time pumping gas at gas stations. There needs to be a quicker and easier way to keep your gas tank filled without having to stop at a gas station. This need applies to anyone who owns the automobile and has been relevant since cars have been invented. Currently, when people are low on fuel they have to drive to a gas station and put more gas in their cars. I am 60% sure that other people are also annoyed by having to stop and get gas.
3. The prototypical customer is anyone who owns a car and regularly has to stop and get gas.
4.
Person 1 (My dad)-
What is the exact nature of the need?
Getting gas without having to stop at the gas station.
When do they become aware of the need -- that is, do they experience their need all the time or only sometimes?
"Only when my car is low on gas."
How long have they had the need?
"Since I got my first car."
When did they first become aware of their need? Why?
"Honestly, I never thought about something like this until you mentioned it. I have never known something like that existed."
How are they currently addressing their need?
"I stop and get gas whenever my low gas light comes on."
How satisfied are they with this solution?
"A good idea, but would have to be as cheap as pumping gas at a gas station."
Person 2 (my Mom)-
What is the exact nature of the need?
"Getting gas without stopping."
When do they become aware of the need -- that is, do they experience their need all the time or only sometimes?
"Only sometimes (when my car's fuel is low)"
How long have they had the need?
"Since I started driving"
When did they first become aware of their need? Why?
"I realized that pumping gas was annoying after like the fourth time I ever did it."
How are they currently addressing their need?
"I stop and pump the gas myself."
How satisfied are they with this solution?
"Would be a cool business, if it becomes a real thing. Would save me a lot of time."
Person 3 (My sister)-
What is the exact nature of the need?
"Not having to stop and get gas."
When do they become aware of the need -- that is, do they experience their need all the time or only sometimes?
"When my car is low on gas."
How long have they had the need?
"Since I got my drivers license."
When did they first become aware of their need? Why?
"When I was late on the way to school the other day and needed gas. It made me even later."
How are they currently addressing their need?
"I stop and pump gas myself at the gas station by my apartment"
How satisfied are they with this solution?
"Not very satisfied."
5.
Reflection:
After asking three people what they think about my idea on how to solve stopping at gas stations, I realized that the cost of the gas was a major concern. All three of the people I interviewed questioned how much the gas + service would cost. (more or less expensive than gas stations). If the service and gas costed far more than what it costs to pump it yourself, it would probably not be a popular thing.
7.
How much of your original opportunity is still there?
My original opportunity is still 100% there, it just needs to be adjusted and researched more.
Do you believe that your new opportunity is more accurate than when you started?
Yes, because after talking to people about my idea I realized that people care more about the price of the gas they are buying than the time spent pumping the gas into their cars.
How much do you think entrepreneurs should 'adapt' their opportunities based on customer feedback? (In other words, is there a trade-off between adapting and staying firm?)
I think entrepreneurs should most certainly adapt their opportunities based on customer feedback because without their support your opportunity is less likely to succeed. People like companies that benefit them.
The opportunity presented in this post identifies a possible solution to a very legitimate problem. The purpose for the mobile gas service is clearly evident, and would more than likely be able to operate under the correct business model. I agree with the author that the original opportunity for this service is indeed available for the many people who also find inconvenience in pumping gas manually. Similarly to another critique, I would just make the recommendation that the service cannot exceed the original price of gas by too much.
ReplyDeleteHey! This is a really good idea. There has been countless times where i have been on my way somewhere and i would not have time to go get gas, so i would risk my car stalling or stopping to get to work or where i would need to be. There could definitely be a way to fine tune this idea, or even present it to a company like Uber or Lyft.
ReplyDeleteI spend a lot of time driving, and I am one of those people that will make a U turn and go on the other side only because gas is 1 cent cheaper, but I would certainly be one of your customers! Many of us let cars run almost empty only because we have to stop and waste time at a gas station.
ReplyDeleteHey Chase really like your idea, it’s really smart to have the gas come to you. It seems like a really smart idea especially if you could incorporate it with something like uber, and do a version like uber eats but instead uber gas.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea
Jackson