Uber’s Message To Those Who Are Protected

Uber’s Message To Those Who Are Protected:  your job is in jeopardy.

The public’s response to technologies and services like Uber:  we will no longer protect those who are protected.

Uber’s not the only technology startup (or upstart) that should have people worried about their job security.

The other day, I got in a cab for the last time.  It will be the last.  I will only take Uber from this point on.

Why?

The cab was filthy, the driver distracted, the car smelled and when I tried to roll down the window, the hand crank (another bad sign) broke off, the cost seemed more than it should be, the cabbie got lost for a moment and the door nearly fell off when I got out of the car.

Unfortunately, cab companies don’t see this rapid decline in quality and feel it’s appropriate to respond to competition by bitching to our governments to increase the level of scrutiny and protection for their business.

Other industries are in the same boat.

If you’re a teacher, in the shipping business, hotel worker, work in delivery, operate in the medical field, a university professor, LCBO employee, performer or work for any other trade that benefits from (excessively) regulated infrastructure, you’ve got something to worry about.

But it’s not too late to respond and make things better for yourself.

Improve your attitude.  Invest in quality.  Stop ‘working to rule’ and putting kids in the way of a nice, fat pay raise (I’m talking about you, Ontario teachers).  Acknowledge the simple fact that the jewels of protection are also the kernels of your demise.

Getting back to the cab companies, buy new cars.  Make it mandatory for drivers to keep their vehicles clean and if they do, limit the chemical cleaning treatments for their cars.  Build apps that let me review my ride.  Abide by a strict ‘3 strikes’ rule where 3 bad reviews result in probation and 3 more bad reviews result in prohibition.

Ultimately, companies like Uber prove to the world that the consumer will choose that which is cheaper, but also that which is best, safest and most accessible.

Failure to understand and act on this will result in your failure.