The Sharing Economy: The Method To Outsource Your Core Business

I have been in the UCaaS industry for 12 years in both customer service operations and product.

The pitch for Cloud.

"Let us manage your phone system in the cloud while you focus on your business."

Other words, outsource anything that is NOT CORE to your business. You 'Share' with others in the Cloud.

The sharing economy takes it to the next level - it is the opposite - you leverage external resources TO SUPPORT YOUR CORE business model. Physical services can not leverage the cloud to reduce costs; therefore, a ‘Shared’ community driven by apps in the cloud is the perfect opportunity.

Uber, Handy, and Lyft are just a  few of the  businesses built on the sharing economy, which is expected to hit 335 billion by 2025. Whether your business is backed with millions from VC, labeled as a ‘Unicorn’ with a valuation in thebillion dollar range, or a new startup with a small piece of the market - it is your brand and your responsibility to create a consistent experience.

You must carefully plan the desired outsource or sharing resource strategy to support the best customer experience - or it will fail.  The competition is fierce, and the bar set high by the best brands. You can win with the right strategy and focus.

Some companies like Shyp, for example, are already starting to hire contractors to overcome challenges like training (hint: one of the key areas of success I highlight in my next post). It will be interesting to watch how these businesses adapt their sharing and outsource percentage of business over time.

As a business operations leader, a member of a shared community, and a consumer that is keen to a great experience, my next post will highlight three quick tips that are key to success in the sharing economy, followed by comments from each perspective.

Yours Truly,

The Pukka Panda

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