Fastest Growing Companies Own The Customer Interface

Tom Goodwin recently published a great article on TechCrunch about how companies who own the customer interface are milking all the profits.

Uber, the world’s largest taxi company, owns no vehicles. Facebook, the world’s most popular media owner, creates no content. Alibaba, the most valuable retailer, has no inventory. And Airbnb, the world’s largest accommodation provider, owns no real estate. Something interesting is happening.

— Tom Goodwin

The part of the business that deals with the customer, also know as the customer interface, are the place where brand is built and trust is established. This is where the profits are. The supply chain underneath is where the costs are. There are companies who insert themselves in the customer interface side of things are reaping all the profits.

The new breed of companies are the fastest-growing in history. Uber, Instacart, Alibaba, Airbnb, Seamless, Twitter, WhatsApp, Facebook, Google: These companies are indescribably thin layers that sit on top of vast supply systems ( where the costs are) and interface with a huge number of people ( where the money is). There is no better business to be in.

— Tom Goodwin