Lead a strategic research project for Suara, a worker-owned social services company, impacting 3,600 workers and 65% of company revenue ($76M). The study focused on assessing risks and opportunities to implement private household services that could compete with the emergent platform economy while minimizing negative impacts for professionals.
Challenge:
Suara, traditionally serving public entities to ensure better worker conditions, faced declining sales in part due to the emergence of platform competitors like Care.com. The domestic work platforms had grown 800% globally (from 28 to 224) between 2012 and 2020, creating an urgent need to adapt while maintaining ethical labor practices, key to the company’s vision and culture.
Solution:
I proposed a dual research approach:
- Industry Research: Analyzed market trends, competitor strategies, and business models to identify market niches, market gaps…
- User Research: Conducted 37 in-depth interviews with care workers to understand their motivations, challenges, and perceptions of new technologies. Insights were synthesized into personas and actionable insights.
Key insights included:
- Identification of 4 distinct platform models in the domestic work sector.
- Recognition of untapped opportunities (not revealed because of NDA)
- Revealed vulnerabilities in worker decision-making and limited awareness of employment conditions.
Impact:
The research influenced strategic decisions of the branch. The company shifted strategy enhancing its market position. Five new product and service pilots were ideated, addressing identified gaps some of those currently in product-market fit stage.
Further details on this case study, including insights and findings, are available upon request. Send an email to melissarenau.ux@gmail.com