The consumerization of the services economy

Businesses have long used staffing firms and outsourcers for their talent needs. In recent years they have started to try out crowdsourcing sites.

Over the last couple of years I have cataloged a number of providers who are focused more on services to consumers and small businesses.

They include

• Zipments which is focused on couriers for home deliveries
• Uber which is disrupting the taxi market in many cities
• Homejoy focused on home cleaning services

They share several characteristics – they have taken advantage of the mobile economy (most consumers use their apps to book the services, they provide details of the service provider via your phone etc), they are providing a more professional veneer to the occupations they cover,  they have to factor local licensing authorities etc.

These are first generation providers in their spaces, but as with so much else which catches the eye of consumerization tech, the evolution should be rapid, and even larger enterprises may soon be asking them to disrupt current services and staffing sources.