The Airbnb app is displayed on a smartphone on April 21, 2014 in San Anselmo, California. ; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Airbnb and Uber both announced this week that they would be partnering with Concur, a business travel and expense reporting company.
Airbnb’s collaboration with Concur is part of the launch of its business travel site, which includes partnerships with Lyft, Eventbrite, and Facebook, and is intended to streamline business travel for professional groups.
Easing the process of expense reports may add credibility to sharing startups like Airbnb and Uber -- for Concur, who might receive the reports anyway as business consumers continue to utilize these companies, the partnership is more about good customer service and keeping pace with the changing market.
Does teaming up with a large professional service company legitimize companies like Airbnb and Uber? How does the sharing economy’s breakthrough into the professional market compare to other shifts in that direction? Would you use Airbnb, Uber, or other sharing startups as part of business travel?
Guest:
Ryan Lawler, staff writer at TechCrunch