In a recent NY Times article, Jenna Wortham (@jennydeluxe) wrote about the "guilt of the digital middleman economy." If you haven't heard, ClassPass is the new way to access as many fitness classes in town without having to own a gym membership. 

She described the issues that face the studios who are allowing users to come up to three times a month to their studio for classes and paying significantly less than the typical member of their studio by being a ClassPass member while ClassPass is making lots of money on their monthly passes.  

This ClassPass story applies to the collaborative economy because marketplaces are the middleman for two entities to interact via renting, buying, reselling, trading, etc.

So, if you're on the end of disruption because of technology or a new app, this is for you.

1. Realize customers really like convenience. DeSoto, cab company in San Francisco, has been dealing with the Uber, Lyft and Sidecar disruption and they now offer an app for riders to call for a cab called FlyWheel. What convenient offering do you provide?
2. A lot of people will pay for the experience. SoulCycle is a growing, cult-like cycling studio that cannot be found on ClassPass. Why? Because true SoulCycle riders are committed and loyal to the experience they receive, and no $100/month ClassPass deal can changethat. The same goes for Taylor Swift, refusing to put her latest album on Spotify because she says her loyal fans would rather own the entire album versus accessing a song here and there. Do your customers value the experience you provide? 
3. Don't fight it. It's 2015. Almost everything is on-demand. Customers don't act the same. Thing's have changed.

Is it time to reflect on your traditional business idea and ask yourself, is it the ClassPass and Uber's of the world that you should be worried about--or is it time for you to step up your game?

Read the source article at The New York Times