How b2b sharing helps during times of uncertainty

How sharing helps businesses save money, find alternatives to lost goods and services, learn new development strategies and support a circular economy

The current situation is the very embodiment of uncertainty: here is geopolitical instability, and the uncertainty of future decisions of partner countries regarding sanctions, inflation and volatility in world currencies. This is felt by both markets and consumers.

A characteristic feature of this period is the inability to plan actions in the long term. Decisions must be made in the “here and now” format. Add to this a temporary increase in the key rate and we will get an increase in the cost of attracting borrowed funds and a decrease in real incomes of the population at the moment. All of these factors could lead to a short-term momentum for sharing as a way to cover needs without resorting to large loans or financial investments. And this makes the ideas of the sharing economy in demand not only among certain categories of society, for example, young people striving for minimalism and mobility, but also among businesses that see environmental and economic impact in this process.

Forced sharing

Sanctions restrictions have disrupted supply chains, increased the complexity of logistics – both in terms of prices and delivery times, and affected the exit of large corporations. As a result, there are various kinds of shortages and the need to look for alternatives to familiar goods and services. In such a situation, sharing becomes a real solution.

As an example, there are several b2b services that can ease the economic burden for companies. The Cosloops service gives retailers the opportunity to avoid the cost of buying expensive equipment by allowing them to rent everything they need. In the field of logistics, pallet sharing services will bring clear benefits (one pallet can be used up to ten cycles). With these services, companies reduce operating costs, reduce the effort to manage pallet logistics, reduce wood consumption and waste generation, thus contributing to the development of a circular economy.

It is important to note that the development of a b2b-sharing economy requires large online platforms. This line of business may look like a “blue ocean” (that is, a completely new market without established rules and competition. – Trends), but require significant financial investments.

Service sharing

Based on the current situation – the release of a large number of labor force, the fall in income of SMEs (which can lead to the irrationality of keeping employees at full time) and the decline in real incomes of the population – we can predict the spread of freelance sharing services. The development of household and corporate services is facilitated by the presence of developed Russian sharing consolidated platforms (Profi.ru, Yandex.Services and others). The development of the sharing economy in these areas can be slowed down by an increased supply of such services: if a large number of new employees enter the market at the same time, the sector will find itself in a situation where supply exceeds demand.

Business and community

In addition to introducing the sharing economy into business processes, an important role for companies is to involve employees in the sharing economy.

Such motivation and stimulation can be expressed in:

• partnership with a certain sharing system or platform that gives corporate discounts for the use of its functionality;
• allowing employees to share relatively rare benefits that they do not have access to in everyday life – for example, a limited opportunity to rent premium cars at a lower price, which will draw the attention of employees to the possibility of car sharing;
• conducting educational activities in the sphere of the sharing economy, allowing employees to look at their consumption patterns in a new way;
• assisting in the organization of local swaps, since the theory is better to consolidate in practice.

Such approaches will help maintain the usual standard of living while reducing financial expenses.

Also, a business can stimulate interest in using sharing services not only among employees, but also among their target audience. This strategy will work especially well if the company’s activities are complementary to the sharing service.

For example, a strategic partnership was concluded between the METRO network and Yandex.Drive carsharing — carsharing customers receive discounts on purchases in the hypermarket, and hypermarket customers enjoy special car rental conditions, which allows both companies to attract new customers.

In general, in the conditions of economic turbulence, various forms of business collaborations that develop the idea of ​​sharing are becoming more profitable. Thus, the sharing of personnel or goods will allow companies to discover new, sometimes unexpected, development strategies. A fruit producer can productively cooperate with reusable packaging rental services, concert halls with costume rental services, shopping centers with car sharing, attracting new audiences, returning the old ones as cyclical customers and popularizing the sharing economy.

The result?

The active participation of businesses in the sharing economy will increase the economic efficiency of all participants by reducing the cost of purchasing equipment, services or irrational logistics. In addition to lowering economic costs, the turn towards sharing will also reduce COXNUMX emissions.₂that will be in line with global trends and satisfy the concept of sustainable development.