The Gig Economy is Not a Threat to Concierge Businesses

Sep 29

The gig economy is changing the way we use service providers. Uber, Lyft. UberEATS. Deliveroo. Airbnb. Home Away. Rover. DogVacay. TaskRabbit. Air Tasker. These are just a few of the new gig services. The biggest question that many people have is: how will gig services affect my business and personal concierge? Should I be concerned?

What exactly does the gig economy mean?

WhatIs.com says that a gig economic environment is one where temporary positions are common, and organizations contract with independent workers for shorter-term engagements. In short, they are businesses that offer 'gigs' or short-term jobs to individuals without a long-term contract nor the benefits of a regular job.

Most gig service providers, such as the ones listed above, work via an app or online marketplace. Customers list their jobs. People accept or bid for them at a very affordable rate. These services are more popular than others because they have a lower cost and make it easier to get services. These services are often offered by individuals as a side gig to their full-time job. This provides them with additional income and flexibility.

What does this mean for personal concierge services?

It seems that our luxury concierge services needs will decline as more flexible and cheaper options become available. You could also position your service as a low-cost option.

Aside from the many concerns these businesses have for their workers and for the entire industry as a whole I don't believe we should be. My belief is that the rapid growth and potential benefits of the gig economy are in the personal concierge business.

What is the difference?

I have never considered businesses in the gig-economy space to be direct competitors to my services. There are many ways that our services differ from those within the 'gig economy', which will ensure that we have a very strong foothold on the wider market.

We provide personalized services.
People get to know and trust us for their most intimate tasks.
We often have keys and access to their homes, so they aren't needed to be there while working.
Clients no longer need to manage and post a job each time they require something. Instead, they can call us or email us.
We have a network that can help us find suppliers and vendors.
Our service saves them time and effort in all this coordination, responding quickly to applicants for jobs, and meeting people. This is because all this information is combined in our personal concierge.

Which benefits does the gig-economy offer personal concierge businesses?

Is this really a benefit to the industry? Yes. We will see more people becoming more comfortable outsourcing their tasks. These businesses that are based in a gig market won't be suitable for all. Many clients will look for higher-quality service that they can trust. If the gig economy inspires our ideal clients, who will begin to explore outsourcing and ways to make their lives easier in the process, they will likely discover the personal concierge market and the high-quality service we offer.

These marketplaces, apps, and apps are great for some people. My personal opinion is that the ideal client of a personal consulting business needs more than these businesses can provide. It is up to each of us to capitalize on this opportunity and position ourselves in a manner that allows us to take full advantage the opportunities offered by the gig economy. It should encourage us all to make the most of the rapid technology developments these businesses offer, in order to continue growing and strengthening the personal concierge sector.

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