AFTN TALKS TO TOM DEWHURST
Ordable, the brand new application that allows you to beat the queues and pay for your coffee and lunch from your phone, has just been launched in the app stores. The application is poised to take Bath and the UK by storm, capitalising on the growing ‘mobile order and pay’ trend. AFTN speaks to the brains behind the operation and recent Bath University graduate, Tom Dewhurst.
How did you come up with the idea for Ordable and can you tell us a bit more about the application?
I had just finished my meal in a café at University and fancied ordering some coffee, but there was a huge queue at the counter. I thought to myself, if only there was a way to send up my order via my smartphone then it would make the whole process so much easier. After delving into some research I found that creating a mobile ordering channel could save the customer a considerable amount of time and effort, rather than having to standing around for 5 minutes or so every morning for coffee, especially if they’ve got a busy schedule. Also, digitalising this process goes hand in hand with transitioning to coffee loyalty cards to our smartphones — finally we get de-clutter our wallets and purses!
My vision is for Ordable to become a leading digital interface for any establishment with a menu above a counter, providing the resources for independent stores to access the mobile ordering channel. Customers can order exactly what they want on their phone and swing past to collect it, without queuing. We’re trying to build an innovative and cool brand and are working with a number of forward thinking cafés and coffee shops who recognise the growing need for mobile ordering and payment channels.
What are your ambitions for Ordable?
I have high growth ambitions for the company. We hope to have 15 outlets in Bath by March and after that, we want to expand into Swindon, Bristol and London. We’ve got a few more people coming on board in order to achieve this and we’re looking to rapidly roll this out, whilst building upon the technology that we have. We intentionally created the product to be highly scalable, so that more cafés can join easily in the future; it’s now just a case of convincing them that they need this, and they need it now.
I also hope to bring in loyalty card functionality in later builds, but our main proposition at the minute is that you can beat your daily queue and pay on your smartphone.If it goes well then we can look into whether people want to see added functionality, such as digital loyalty cards or quick re-ordering of favourites.
What has it been like setting up your own business coming straight out of university?
It’s been tough; with a really small team at the moment I’ve got a lot of different hats, sometimes I don’t know which hat I’m wearing! As a result, I’ve had to be really disciplined in terms of what I focus on and what I’m doing at certain times. It’s been a great journey so far and it’s been incredibly exciting With our launch just a few days ago, it’s great to hear people talking about Ordable already and to actually have something in the marketplace that I’ve helped create is very satisfying.
Some advice I would give to others in the same position is to make sure that you focus on what is important and what you are trying to achieve at all times. A lot of people say they’ve got all these game changing ideas and that they can do it all, but this kind of thinking can side track you very easily.
Do you see ‘mobile ordering and payment’ taking over in the future?
Yes, definitely! The current trend is that people want to be able to save time using their smartphones and this includes being able to order and pay for almost anything. ‘Just Eat’ for example offer a similar product, within a different market, and they have been very successful. It’s still the same basic premise of ordering on your smartphone, whether it’s a takeaway or a cup of coffee and people are becoming more accustomed it. I also think this technology will take over on busy high streets or in offices where people are tight for time. The beauty with Ordable is that we deal with a large number of outlets, so that you can do all of this, without having to download an app for every different café.
Finally, would you encourage other people to take this ‘leap of faith’ into running their own business and at what point would you say, if you’ve got an idea just go for it?
Yes I would, I think it’s a great experience. I don’t think there is anything more exciting than working on something you’ve created and I’d always recommend going ahead and doing it, if you can justify it. However, I would place a large emphasis on doing a lot of research beforehand. The key is going out and asking your target audience what they think of your idea and whether or not there is a gap in the market. You can have all these assumptions, but unless you do your research, you are just guessing.
Timing and deciding when to do it is a bit more of a challenge. If you’ve got significant costs and overheads, then you may need to build in enough of a safety net, by raising enough money to cover your expenses and ensuring you have a diverse and valuable network.
I think building something that is yours and creating something that you can put your name to, is very satisfying and I love getting up to work on it every day. If you’ve got the ideas then go for it, you’re never going to know unless you give it a go.
Ordable is now available on the Apple App Store and Google Play. Check out the app and see how you could save time ordering ahead at your favourite cafes and coffee shops. Don’t hesitate to bombard Tom with your feedback; he would love to hear it.
Apple App store: Click Here
Google Play store: Click Here
