The Future of Business Is Through the On-Demand Economy
On-demand applications are a rapidly growing industry that are already displacing a wide variety of traditional services. Whether you’re getting groceries, a ride, delivery, or something else, you’re participating in a 57 billion dollar market that is only going to continue expanding in the near future.
These applications are primarily marketed to and used by millennials, meaning that the percentage of people using them over a competitor will keep increasing. Companies like Airbnb and Uber paved the way for similar business models and service options to become successful in other fields.
The Potential of On-Demand Services
Following some of the early success stories in this area, you can now book almost anything from a mobile application, making it easier than ever to access the services you need. The on-demand model is already being applied to new industries and services, with innovative solutions being added to the marketplace seemingly every day by iphone developers.
Simply put, on-demand applications offer a much higher degree of convenience than their more traditional competitors. While not every service has the potential to take over an industry like Airbnb and Uber, they can still fill lucrative niches and offer their customers a better user experience.
Furthermore, investors have taken notice of the success of early businesses like Uber, leading to significantly increased investment in similar companies over the last several years. On-demand services will almost certainly become more prevalent in the 2020s and beyond.
Of course, these companies face a number of obstacles that could impact their expansion into new areas, and traditional structures offer their own advantages. Only time will tell whether this business model has the potential to replace traditional alternatives in a wider cross-section of industries.
Transitioning to Temporary Work
Short-term and contract-based employment have always existed, but on-demand services vastly increased the number of people in temporary jobs. In turn, this development reduced the power of unions and transformed the way in which industries are regulated.
Temporary employees made up just 1% of all workers as recently as 1990, but they’re now nearly significantly increased investment. Similarly, union membership has dropped dramatically over the same period.
Rather than staying at one job for a long period of time, young workers move from one position to another roughly every three years. Millennials are now looking for better jobs at new companies rather than attempting to move up within the same organization.
The Impact of Temporary Employment on Workers
These changes have led to a completely different work environment, including both positive and negative developments for temporary workers. While they can switch jobs more easily than workers in previous years, they don’t necessarily have more control over their experience.
Without the support of a union or other workers’ organization, temporary workers are relatively expendable and have less leverage than unionized employees, especially against large corporations like Uber and Amazon. In fact, a recent study found that many Uber employees earn less than minimum wage.
Another important perk of on-demand workers for businesses is that they can often be classified as contractors. Unlike full-time employees, contractors aren’t entitled to critical benefits such as health insurance and workers’ compensation, even if they work 40 or more hours per week.
One key contrast between traditional taxi companies and businesses like Uber and Lyft is that rideshare workers provide their own vehicle instead of receiving one from their employer. Employees may not realize how much of their wages are being lost to depreciation.
How Can This Apply to Different Fields?
The key takeaway here is the fact that on-demand services are a strong need in the modern economy, and businesses that fail to take this into account will likely fall behind their competition. Finding ways to implement this model in a variety of industries is therefore paramount to both short- and long-term success.
No matter what field you’re in, it may be worth reaching out to a mobile app development company, another rapidly growing sector. Even services that once seemed firmly rooted in the traditional marketplace, like hotels, have been successfully displaced by modern alternatives that are more efficient and easy to use.
Customers also appreciate the personalization and user experience that is associated with these models. Rather than being forced to shop around in the traditional manner, call references, or otherwise waste time with conventional service industries, many of these options make it easy to compare options and make decisions directly from the app.
The future of on-demand service applications is limitless, and even with all the progress made in the last several years, we’re still at the beginning of a long-term transformation. Getting in on the ground floor of these changes will help your business stay ahead of the times and build a sustainably profitable future.
Cover image: https://pixabay.com/en/iphone-4s-technology-mobile-app-830480/
About the Author
Bibhuranjan Editorial Officer, technofaq.org I'm an avid tech enthusiast at heart. I like to mug up on new and exciting developments on science and tech and have a deep love for PC gaming. Other hobbies include writing blog posts, music and DIY projects.
Related Posts
How To Choose a Coding Class for Your Child: What To Consider →
Is Linux Beneficial for Programer Students? →
Java Outsourcing: How Does It Work, Benefits And Downsides →
