Too often have we heard headlines about the challenging conditions facing gig-economy workers; the most prominent of which is that they do not actually earn a decent wage for their hard labor. Estimates put 1.6 million people worldwide as full-time gig-economy workers and millions more work within the gig economy in addition to their full-time job or study. In the UK alone, it is expected that 7.25 million people are going to be gig-economy workers by the end of 2022 (that’s over 1 in 6 of the total population).
So, at MOBIX, we are excited to be introducing the MOBIX Family to the existing MOBIX app. The Mobix Family is a new, equitable way for gig economy workers to find gigs. In this post, we’ll be explaining what the MOBIX Family is, how it works, and how it differs from existing, centralized gig economy platforms.
The MOBIX Family
The MOBIX Family is the catchall name for gig-economy workers that will be using the MOBIX app to find gigs. Unlike other apps, such as Uber and Deliveroo, workers using the MOBIX app will be able to find a variety of gigs- from pet sitting to picking something up in the shop. The MOBIX offering is one of versatility. Unlike other apps, users seeking to offer jobs to workers will not be limited just to food pickup or a taxi service. Also, unlike other apps, this is a decentralized network that will not be under the direct control of a centralized entity (like Lyft is). It is a protocol that provides users with the opportunity to interact with each other and enter into their own transactions. The only requirements for gigs are that they are not illegal in any form.
In order to add this functionality to the MOBIX app, the team has been hard at work developing a new API (an interface) for the app. Here’s a sneak peek:
Of course, MOBIX’s existing functionality isn’t impacted at all by this change. Users who have become accustomed to using the MOBIX app to find nearby e-scooters and earn MOBIX Miles will not find this new addition to the API any impediment to their existing activities.
So how will it work in practice?
The best way to illustrate how the protocol works are simply to provide an example of a basic service that could be created on the platform…
Mo is in the process of cooking a meal for dinner- but has just realized that he doesn’t have all of the needed ingredients. He can’t leave the house or he’ll ruin the meal. So, he loads up the MOBIX app and creates a gig for someone in the MOBIX Family to pick up the necessary ingredients. The requirement stipulated is that the individual to conduct the gig has to be nearby. Sarah, who is nearby, gets a notification from the MOBIX app that a gig has popped up. She isn’t busy at that time so she accepts the job. Sarah goes to the local store on Mo’s behalf and picks up the required ingredients. She is informed of Mo’s preferred drop-off location (in this case, the outside of his apartment block) and she travels to him. Mo receives a notification that Sarah is outside and quickly runs downstairs to pick up his request. Upon the completion of the job, Sarah is paid and Mo is prompted to leave a rating for Sarah’s service (more on this in a moment).
The above is a very simple example, which readers may be familiar with through their experiences with delivery apps such as Deliveroo and UberEats. However, the functionality of the MOBIX app provides the opportunity for users to create any request for MOBIX Family members to fulfill. But, I hear you ask, some jobs obviously merit the services of someone who is highly trustworthy. This is why functionality has been added to the protocol that allows users to set a ‘trust level’ requirement for jobs. On that topic, here’s another example…
Trusted Family Members
Rebecca is looking for a cat-sitter for her upcoming last-minute trip. So, she creates a gig on the MOBIX app to find someone. Her requirements are that the user must have a 5-star rating as she adores her cat, fondly called ‘That Cat’, and wants someone highly reliable to look after him. Gustav sees the gig when looking for gigs on the MOBIX platform and applies. Rebecca examines his rating and approves him for the gig. Rebecca and Gustav converse through the app, addressing the logistics and requirements of the job. Prior to her departure, Rebecca meets Gustav and drops off That Cat. A few days later, Rebecca and Gustav meet again so that Rebecca can pick up That Cat. Once the job has been completed, Gustav is paid and Rebecca rates Gustav based on his service.
The use cases for this free-form method of employing gig workers are endless- for example, a restaurant could even fully outsource their deliveries to those in the MOBIX Family!
How this is different from existing gig economy apps?
MOBIX is fundamentally different from any gig-economy app that has been created before, and benefits from the existing infrastructure within the MOBIX app. In a nutshell, here are the key differences from other gig economy apps:
- The MOBIX Family will be a protocol using the existing MOBIX app to provide gig workers with gigs. It is fully decentralized, so it provides users with the freedom and autonomy to engage with each other outside of the auspices of a centralized entity.
- On the MOBIX family, any legal gig can be created, with stipulations based on the creator’s preference, which provides users and gig workers with an unprecedented amount of freedom.
- Through the MOBIX family, gig workers will receive a far larger cut of the profits from their labor than they would by using an existing, centralized, service. MOBIX Family charges a reasonable maintenance fee that is dramatically lower than the fees seen on other platforms. All other money earned through their gigs on the app will go straight into the gig worker’s pocket- a marked difference from the low-wage model currently seen within the gig economy.
- Through the app, users can opt for sustainable-only gigs by adding this as a stipulation when they create the gig.
In closing
At MOBIX, we firmly believe that by introducing the MOBIX Family we will fundamentally change the gig economy. The MOBIX Family presents gig workers with the opportunity to earn more for their labor while retaining the other benefits of working within the gig economy (such as freedom). The MOBIX Family provides gig creators with the freedom to create any kind of gig, giving users the option to source a gig worker for any kind of job they require in a single app, saving them time and providing a trust rating service. All of these benefits are being provided without a centralized entity taking a cut and, at the user’s choice, in an eco-friendly manner. We hope that you are as excited as we are! If you are currently a gig worker (or want to become one) then please register your interest in joining the MOBIX Family here.
In other MOBIX news, there are some highly exciting developments occurring behind the scenes. Make sure to check this blog and follow our Facebook, Twitter, and Telegram for more updates. Let’s go MOBIX!