Skip to Main Content
HBS Home
  • About
  • Academic Programs
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Research
  • Baker Library
  • Giving
  • Harvard Business Review
  • Initiatives
  • News
  • Recruit
  • Map / Directions
Faculty & Research
  • Faculty
  • Research
  • Featured Topics
  • Academic Units
  • …→
  • Harvard Business School→
  • Faculty & Research→
Publications
Publications
  • December 2020
  • Case
  • HBS Case Collection

Urban Company

By: Krishna G. Palepu
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:26
ShareBar

Abstract

Urban Company is an India-based market platform that helps customers book home services and at home beauty services. The company differentiated itself by investing heavily in building customer trust. Rather than merely positioning itself as a lead generating platform, like many other marketplace platforms such as Uber, Airbnb, and Trip Advisor have done, the company invested in training and supporting the service providers, thus getting significantly involved in the service delivery process itself. While this approach increased the company’s costs and slowed down its growth, the company’s founders believed that its strategy would ultimately lead to a more sustainable business model. During the COVID pandemic, while the company’s business was under significant pressure, the founders proposed to double down on this approach even further to build differentiation, and to strengthen customer trust even more. Is this strategy viable? How should the company leverage its current market position as it examines expansion into new verticals, new customer segments, and new geographies?

Keywords

COVID-19 Pandemic; Entrepreneurship; Digital Platforms; Emerging Markets; Strategy; Service Delivery; Trust; Technology Industry; Service Industry; India

Citation

Palepu, Krishna G. "Urban Company." Harvard Business School Case 121-041, December 2020.
  • Educators
  • Purchase

About The Author

Krishna G. Palepu

Accounting and Management
→More Publications

More from the Author

    • July 2025
    • Faculty Research

    Silicon Valley Bank: Gone in 36 Hours

    By: Jung Koo Kang, Krishna G. Palepu and Charles C.Y. Wang
    • June 2025
    • Faculty Research

    Redefining the Edge: Jahez’s Strategic Pivot in Saudi Arabia’s Food Delivery Battle

    By: Krishna G. Palepu and Ahmed Dahawy
    • June 2025
    • Faculty Research

    Fair Value Accounting for Debt Securities and Loan Assets

    By: Jung Koo Kang, Krishna G. Palepu and Charles CY Wang
More from the Author
  • Silicon Valley Bank: Gone in 36 Hours By: Jung Koo Kang, Krishna G. Palepu and Charles C.Y. Wang
  • Redefining the Edge: Jahez’s Strategic Pivot in Saudi Arabia’s Food Delivery Battle By: Krishna G. Palepu and Ahmed Dahawy
  • Fair Value Accounting for Debt Securities and Loan Assets By: Jung Koo Kang, Krishna G. Palepu and Charles CY Wang
ǁ
Campus Map
Harvard Business School
Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
→Map & Directions
→More Contact Information
  • Make a Gift
  • Site Map
  • Jobs
  • Harvard University
  • Trademarks
  • Policies
  • Accessibility
  • Digital Accessibility
Copyright © President & Fellows of Harvard College.