We have all heard of the business models of G2C, B2C and even the outsourcing models of B2B2C etc. These highly traditional models rely on the end user being a purchaser of the good/service you provide. However, as we have seen in the connected age, a new model has come to the surface. The C2B model.
In this model, customers aren't just users, they are collaborators, co-creating optimal solutions. They aren't just a market, they are also a community that needs to be fostered and not strategically penetrated. Finally, the source of revenue in this model isn't just what the end user pays, but how they use the product, the feedback they give, and the data that encompasses this. Which can then be used to improve products and also generate revenue itself.
In mobility, why not implement a C2B model, afterall, we have millions of customers each day going to and from places across multiple modes. Harnessing this data, the mobility provider can tailor-make solutions that best suits the end user.
Let's go a bit further, and use this data to dynamically inform the user? For example, if a user routinely travels to and from work each day by train, but today there's a delay, why not use that information to inform other customers who routinely take that trip so they aren't inconvenienced?
And if we dare to dream, why not have a personal mobility companion who knows you, reads the data from your fellow users, and then suggests the best solution in real-time without user interaction.
In the end, crowdsourcing isn't just about capturing data, but engaging your user to collectively improve his or her experience through this data.
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