The innovations the internet has provided have given people unprecedented access to crowd-shared information. Entrepreneurs, seeing an opportunity to provide a service, have created countless ways for people to access information on any business. With staples such as Yelp, Foursquare, and Google Reviews, consumers are able to make sure that a business can meet their needs for quality and service. Not only does this let customers know beforehand in order to go to a place that will best fit their needs, but it also provides a check on businesses to incentivize them to provide good service and high quality products. In this way, both customers and businesses are able to use these sites to help themselves, and ultimately help each other.
Similarly, sites like Glassdoor have allowed individuals looking for jobs the ability to see behind the curtain of potential employers' businesses. Before even applying for a job, individuals now have the power to see what kinds of salary options, benefits, and flexibility employers offer, as well as seeing if the work culture is a good fit. Having this kind of insight into a potential future employer empowers people to know if the job is what they're looking for and gives them resources to prepare for interviews. This too creates an accountability measure on employers as well, since work practices that might be seen as shady can get exposed by former or current employees writing on those sites.
This trend of information sharing has created opportunities for people across the board to be better informed to make choices that will work for them, both for consumption, employment, and competition amongst businesses. Increasingly people are turning to this industry to help guide them to making wise choices that will benefit their lifestyles. The growing popularity is shaping the way businesses treat their employees and helping employers understand any attrition or loss of customers they may have. Thanks to the creative power of markets, people and businesses are able to meet each other in the middle with information, the veil of secrecy is being destroyed.
