Ford & Postmates tackle local business services

Ford today announced a partnership with Postmates to expand on-demand services for small business at CES. Postmates reports that SMBs joining its network see “4X revenue growth” and claims it has the most extensive on-demand delivery fleet in the U.S. A variety of companies will enter this space in 2018, among them HERE Technologies which announced a competing service that aggregates on-demand mobility options yesterday.

“Expanding access to smaller, local merchants is at the core of our business,” Vivek Patel, Postmate’s vice president of Business Operations, said. “We view self-driving vehicles as another potential tool that can level the playing field for these businesses, and ensure that geography alone does not equal destiny.”

We applaud the focus on small business. It is where the on-demand economy can take root and develop opportunities in every community.

Delivery without people remains problematic, as it is the last few yards or flights of stairs that presents the most significant barrier to automated deliveries. Sure, a car can get to the curb in front of an address, but how to get the package inside with the appropriate brand experience, requires a human. Postmates will likely utilize Ford autonomous vehicles to streamline its workers’ travel. The companies are working together on how to support the last-yard fulfillment, as well as improve consumer discovery of, and purchases, through automated deliveries.