House Calls Make a Comeback

Many of us can’t recall a time when we had a milkman, or when “Old Doc Williams” was making house calls.

Whether it’s through film, television, or part of the “the good old days were better” ramblings of an elder relative or your hipster cousin, we’re no stranger to the concept. Over the past generation (or two), many services that were once tailored toward rural America tapered to the point of extinction.

And while technological advancements are to blame for the sharp decline of those types of services, it is technology we can thank now for bringing them back. Today we’re busier than ever, so people are willing to pay a premium for services that simplify our daily tasks.

Thankfully, a number of new apps are combining modern technology with old-school services to create an entirely new path, where old-school and new-school work together.

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KallDoc: Making a visit to see your doctor can be a bit of a hassle. After calling to set up an appointment and signing in at reception, you have to sit in the waiting room, dodging strange germs and sometimes even stranger patients. KallDoc helps remedy that. While it’s only available in the Chicago area right now, it’s expected to be in more than 25 cities throughout the United States in the near future.

With the tap of a button from your mobile device, KallDoc will have a doctor on their way to you within 15 minutes. In a location of your choosing, you’ll have a personal, more focused diagnosis from a medical professional. Once the service becomes more popular, there’s significant potential for expansion to rural areas, too.

Imagine an independent network of doctors available to you, anytime, across the country, with only the press of a button. No automated answering services, scheduling of appointments, or examinations in cold, strange rooms. For patients willing to pay a premium for the convenience, this is an invaluable service.

Blue Apron: They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but don’t let that cliché fool you. Women love it when a man can cook a delicious meal, too. The time-honored tradition of passing your family’s cookbook down to the next generation has stalled, thanks to the food-service industry. The expansion seen over the past few decades in both the availability of restaurants and fast food, has made baking and cooking a rare skill — but it’s not hard to learn.

With the Blue Apron app, there’s no need for a cookbook. Search their recipes — saving your favorites for later use — and then have all the ingredients delivered to your home. Everything is pre-measured, so there’s no waste. Avery dish is calculated at less than 700 calories per serving, and take less than 35 minutes to prepare. Whether you live in the city or in the country, your ingredients will be delivered in refrigerated boxes, though not immediately per se. Order and plan ahead, and you’ll be making delicious meals, on your own, in no time.

Instacart: Taking the idea of the milkman and expanding it to — well, everything — Instacart can have your grocery list delivered within an hour. If there’s no rush, you can even schedule deliveries days out, planning meals for every day of the week if you’re inclined.

It’s frustrating, for you and your family, when you get home from work and realize you didn’t plan dinner. The great thing about Instacart is you‘ll have the fresh ingredients you need to make an impressive meal in a reasonable amount of time. Like many of these types of services, it has limited availability, but exists in 20 states and dozens of cities, with hopes of expanding beyond suburbia.

Taxi Services: You’ve undoubtedly heard of Uber and the controversial challenges it has posed for traditional taxi services across the world. Building on the principle that “competition will make the service better,” even Uber is seeing copycat businesses spring up. In metropolitan areas, residents are accustomed to paying for transportation because so few people own a vehicle, so the need for these services outside of well-populated areas is limited — or, it used to be.

Lyft, Curb, and Sidecar are just a few that offer services similar to Uber, each with its own personal touch to make it a unique experience. And while you won’t need a paid driver on many occasions, knowing it’s available even out in the middle of nowhere is useful. Have a special event, but it’s not special enough for a limo? Most drivers offer well-kept, good-looking vehicles. Finally getting a night out with no children? Don’t worry about who gets to drink the wine and who has to drive. Now you both can enjoy a glass (or nine) and use a driver to get you home safely.

TaskRabbit: Depending on what your need was, chances are there was “that guy” or “that lady” your family would call when you needed a housekeeper, handyman, plumber, lawn mower, or other task completed. Your father may have been “that guy,” but if he ended up causing more damage than he fixed, you needed a professional.

TaskRabbit now acts as “the app” responsible for matching you with people to complete a specified job at an affordable hourly rate. It’s like flipping through a phone book — you remember those? — to find a professional suited for a specific task. TaskRabbit is the new phonebook, but adds many more options like heavily vetting those want to be listed. And customers leave reviews. TaskRabbit is available in fewer than 20 cities nationwide, but as demand rises, you’ll begin to see people in your own area hiring themselves out, just like “that kid” in your neighborhood that used to go door-to-door offering to mow the lawn.

As technology continues to advance, it’s important to know what’s available and how it can help with your daily lives. As younger generations grow into adults, using mobile devices to complete tasks will become increasingly common.

The idea of “going digital” is only going to keep growing and many more services will start to become available as the need grows. The population has never been larger than it is today, and with that comes longer wait times at the grocery store, doctor’s office, and all the other unavoidable inconveniences in life.

But there’s no need to push back against advancing technology. It’s never been easier to use. Not only will you get the services you need, but you’ll save time doing it.

In the future, having some extra time to yourself will be an ever more important need to fulfill.