- Category: Business
- Client: TOM
- Location: USA
- Stack: Angular, Node js
Project Overview
Right Now is a multi-sided platform that connects customers with local businesses, enabling service discovery, appointment booking, online payments, and real-time communication. It provides a seamless ecosystem for customers, business owners, and administrators to manage services efficiently.
Problem Statement
Local service marketplaces often face challenges such as:
- Difficulty discovering nearby businesses and services
- Lack of real-time availability and booking systems
- Inefficient appointment management
- Limited payment integration and payout handling
- Poor communication between customers and businesses
These issues reduce customer satisfaction and limit business growth.
Solution
Right Now offers a centralized on-demand service platform that allows:
- Customers to discover, book, and pay for services
- Businesses to manage services, schedules, and payments
- Admins to monitor and control platform operations
It simplifies the entire service lifecycle—from discovery to payment and review.
Key Features
Discovery & Search
- Browse local businesses by category and location
- Geo-based search (miles radius)
Services & Availability
- Manage services and pricing
- Slot-based booking system
- Blocked time and seat management
Appointment Management
- Full lifecycle tracking (booked → completed → cancelled)
- Real-time updates
Payments & Payouts
- Secure payments via Stripe
- Payment Intents & webhook handling
- Business payouts via Stripe Connect-style flows
Real-Time Chat
- Communication between customers and businesses
- Powered by Socket.IO
Reviews & Ratings
- Customer feedback system
- Business reputation management
Authentication & User Management
- JWT-based authentication
- Role-based access (customer, business, admin)
File & Media Management
- Upload images and files
- Cloud storage integration (S3-style)
Notifications
- Push notifications via Firebase
- Real-time updates for bookings and messages
System Architecture
- Multi-app architecture:
- Customer platform (main system)
- Business management app (Angular-based)
- Admin panel
- REST API backend with real-time communication
- Modular services for booking, payments, chat, and notifications
Technology Stack
Customer API & Web
- Node.js + Express
- Handlebars (SSR)
- AngularJS (SPA components)
- Sequelize ORM + MySQL
Business Application
- Angular 9
- Bootstrap 4
- RxJS
- Socket.IO client
Payments
- Stripe (Payment Intents & webhooks)
Real-Time Communication
- Socket.IO
Authentication & Validation
- JWT
- Passport.js
- Joi validation
Infrastructure & Integrations
- AWS SDK (file storage patterns)
- Firebase (notifications)
- Nodemailer (emails)
- Google Maps API
- Cron jobs for background tasks
Target Users
Customers
- Discover services
- Book appointments
- Make payments
- Chat and leave reviews
Business Owners / Staff
- Manage services and availability
- Handle bookings and payments
- Track performance
Platform Admins
- Monitor operations
- Manage users and businesses
- Handle platform-level configurations
Unique Value Proposition
- End-to-end service marketplace solution
- Real-time booking and communication
- Integrated payments and payouts
- Multi-role platform (customer + business + admin)
Business Impact
Right Now delivers:
- Increased business visibility
- Seamless booking experience
- Secure and automated payments
- Improved customer engagement
- Scalable marketplace model
Future Enhancement
- AI-based service recommendations
- Mobile app (iOS & Android)
- Subscription-based services
- Advanced analytics dashboard
- Loyalty and rewards system
Conclusion
Right Now is a powerful on-demand service platform that simplifies how customers connect with local businesses. By integrating booking, payments, communication, and reviews into a single ecosystem, it enhances both user experience and business efficiency.
