[cookiecaper]

Upwork/oDesk connects people with long-term providers and are more or less able to avoid disintermediation by providing services that the providers want to take advantage of, like time tracking, payment processing, and tax documents. Companies like HomeJoy need to figure out what services their providers really crave and make those contingent upon using their platform. Maybe there isn't anything lacking like that in the home cleaning business.

[nikolaj]

Agreed! My point was not against the home cleaning industry, as it was the "dispatch-as-value-add" model. Tax and liability are probably the biggest "headaches" that could be managed by homejoy and ensure they retain their position in the relationship.

Anecdotally I pay Molly Maid to clean my apartment, because i don't want to deal with liability, legality or tax complications.