Servicebranding i deleøkonomien: Et casestudie om Uber

Abstrakt

Sharing economy is a fast growing phenomenon based on the idea of sharing things and resources with each other. In the light of the recent spread of organizations within the sharing economy, this master thesis seeks to gain a deeper insight into service branding in the sharing economy. The thesis centres on the controversial app Uber that is currently facing considerable resistance in the media. Through qualitative and quantitative methods we have examined which parameters that affect the final assessment and future intentions with Uber. These two methods are conceived to facilitate an understanding of the feelings and thoughts, which our eight respondents go through before, during and after using an Uber. The theoretical framework is based on an acknowledged model within service branding, The Service Brand Verdict Model. However, in order for us to gain applicable and accurate insight we have made a few adjustments to the model. Among others these adjustments have been made in order to make it more applicable to services within the sharing economy. During our study we have learned that uncontrolled communications, brand name, personal values, feelings and servicescape are some of those parameters in the model, which have a minor influence on our respondents’ final assessment and future intentions with Uber. Instead the three parameters, price, employee service and core service, have proven to be the most influential elements in our respondents’ final assessment and future intentions with Uber. At an early stage all of our respondents agree that the price for the service is of great importance. Furthermore, the respondents emphasise the behaviour of the Uber drivers as being crucial. In this regard, they give credit to the app’s rating system, as our respondents are convinced that the driver’s good behaviour is driven by a desire to receive high ratings. Additionally, the respondents highlight the features of the app, and the rating system being one of them, which make it easy and simple to use Uber. Furthermore, core service and employee service are the two parameters with the greatest influence on the respondents’ trust toward the Uber drivers. Consequently, all eight respondents have a positive disposition towards Uber and intend to continue to use Uber in the future.