Asian markets have proven, the future Leans Into Superapps. The pandemic forced businesses to get creative when it comes to loyalty programs, and the superapp could be the star when it comes to tapping local markets for a domestic recovery. “It’s a very powerful model,” said Peggy Fang Roe, global officer of customer experience, loyalty and new ventures for Marriott International.
If you own a restaurant, bar, spa, beauty supply store, tourist attraction, event venue, or hotel, or offer services to any of these sectors, you’ll want to have a superapp listing. Like Tencent-owned WeChat and, to a lesser extent Meituan in China, as well as Grab in Southeast Asia, these are the most powerful all-encompassing superapps. In other words, a superapp can do it all, or nearly everything, relatively speaking, and obviates the need to call up specialty apps to perform specific tasks. Superapps are having a signature moment, with virtually every major brand having a presence. They evolve into a quasi-operating system, dominating industries if not the wider economy.