My 2021 year-end summary - low-code development platform and maximizing vehicle rental rate
One thing is accomplished in a year, but surprisingly, two things were accomplished in 2021.
The first thing is to iterate my low-code development platform to the point where it is relatively mature and can be officially used.
The second thing is to solve a common problem in the field of Internet car rental: maximizing the vehicle rental rate. (The first and only product on the market to solve this problem)
Let’s talk about the first thing first.
In 2020, it took a year to iterate and mature its own BAAS platform, which is a back-end as a service cloud computing platform.
In 2021, we began to continuously iterate our own low-code development platform based on BAAS. By now, it is basically mature. It can be formally used in actual projects.
On the whole, the overall architecture of one cloud and multiple terminals has basically taken shape.
BAAS+ low-code development platform, the problem to be solved: 90% that reduces the trial and error and development costs of an Internet product
Currently, for some types of projects, trial and error and development costs can be reduced by 90%, while other projects can only be reduced by about 70%.
Main things included:
I won’t release the architecture diagram, and I won’t talk about the bottom layer. Let’s just talk about something bigger.
SSO: Single sign-on.
Routing and access control system: Cooperate with the BAAS authority control system.
portal system
Group system
workbench system
Form engine: Form engine, used to configure various forms.
Views engine: View engine is used to view the database from various dimensions through configuration and list various lists.
The above are the most basic things.
WeChat applet hooking system: Integrated into WeChat applet and works perfectly with native pages.
Block Editor: In 2021, regarding the low-code development platform, it will be the most important achievement and the one that took the longest time. (In the future, we plan to make something based on Block Editor)
From the data modeling of this thing in 2019 to 2021, it took more than two years to build this thing on a bunch of bottom layers of BAAS and low-code development platforms.
Finally I have my own, original Block Editor.
I won’t say much about the value of Block Editor. Let’s talk about two things.
Abroad, since WordPress' Gutenberg editor was officially used in WordPress 5.0 at the end of 2018, no one has used or bought the page builder plug-ins that have been widely used and sold well in the WordPress ecosystem.
In China, haven’t you noticed that Feishu’s online documents are block editors?
Gutenberg, this is the name of a person, the man who invented movable type printing in Europe. I believe you already understand.
In addition, in 2021, there are several things that we have not had time to do on the low-code development platform. The most important ones are the process engine, template engine and data analysis engine (the basis for building a configurable visual analysis platform)
Let’s talk about the second thing – maximizing vehicle utilization
I built an inventory system for a car rental platform for a startup company. This is the first and only product on the market that solves the problem of "maximizing vehicle rental rate (that is, maximizing vehicle utilization rate)".
Please don't ask me how I solved it, as it will embarrass me. Thank you for understanding.
This is a product that emphasizes architecture, strategy, and algorithms.
This is also an automated and intelligent product. (No human intervention is required. It also provides underlying support for the overall automation and unmanned operation of the car rental business process in the future.)
Vehicle rental is a matter of two dimensions: car and time, and is rented in time periods. Even if the vehicle is not returned, its "future inventory" can be assigned an order. However, in the field of Internet car rental, all platforms have a common problem: after each car is rented out, it cannot be allocated to other orders before returning the car.
In other words, after the car is rented out, because the return time is uncertain, the "future inventory" of the rental vehicle is uncertain and therefore unavailable.
Let’s give an example.
Suppose, you have 10 cars. All 10 cars have been rented out, and none of them have been returned yet. In other words, now, you don't have a car.
According to the scheduled return time, one car will be returned at 9 a.m. tomorrow, one car will be returned at 10 o'clock, and one car will be returned at 11 o'clock.
Now, I'm going to rent a car from you and I want to pick it up at 12 noon tomorrow. So, will you accept my car rental order or not?
If you pick up.
It is very likely that this situation will happen: the order for returning the car at 9 am tomorrow morning will be extended one day in advance, which means that the car cannot be returned until the day after tomorrow. The order for returning the car at 10 o'clock was 10 minutes overdue, and then the rental was renewed. The car cannot be returned today. The order for returning the car at 11 o'clock was overtime, and the car was not returned until after 12 o'clock. I don't know when I can return the car or whether the lease will be renewed. (These three situations often occur in the car rental industry)
So, by 12 noon tomorrow, you still don’t have the car, and I can’t pick it up.
If you don't answer.
It is also very likely that this situation will happen: all three cars will be returned before 12 noon tomorrow.
Therefore, by 12 noon tomorrow, you will have three free cars in your hand, and you did not take my order, so you will not be able to earn the money you could have earned.
If we follow the logic of other Internet car rental platforms, no order will be assigned before the vehicle is returned. Once all the vehicles are rented out, no more orders can be accepted. After all the vehicles of a certain model have been rented out, no car rental orders can be placed for this model. In other words, the above example is handled as "no answer".
This results in a waste of vehicle utilization. (In the field of car rental, there is a special word for vehicle utilization: vehicle rental rate)
This is the “future inventory unavailability” problem with vehicle rentals.
The inventory system of the car rental platform I built for this startup company solved this problem by making "future inventory available" under the premise that "future inventory is uncertain".
In other words, the above example is handled according to "pick up", but it can avoid not being able to get the car.
In this way, the vehicle rental rate can be maximized. That is to maximize vehicle utilization.
So, what is the significance of solving this problem?
There are two meanings.
1. Maximizing the vehicle rental rate means that the cost of the car rental company remains unchanged and the profit is maximized.
This is very attractive to car rental companies. Therefore, it is very important for the growth of the B-side of this car rental platform (currently, it is the only product on the market that solves this problem). The growth of the B-side means the growth of the total number of vehicles on the car rental platform. This is important for increasing supply.
2. Maximizing the vehicle rental rate means maximizing the supply of rental cars.
In order to increase order volume on a large scale, the premise is that there must be sufficient supply.
Maximizing the vehicle rental rate means maximizing the "inventory" of rental cars under the condition that the total number of vehicles remains unchanged. Therefore, it means that under the condition that the total number of vehicles remains unchanged, the supply of the car rental business is maximized.
To put it simply, the car is still the same car, but it can take more orders and make more money.
Therefore, the key point on the supply side of the large-scale growth of order volume is this issue: maximizing the vehicle rental rate.
In fact, the reason for solving this problem is also to solve the problem of large-scale growth of this platform.
This can be regarded as a bit of "hard power" that I have done for this company.
The above are the two things that will be accomplished in 2021.
Farewell, 2021.
