In a recent blog post by Mila, the topic of how trust is the cornerstone of the collaborative economy is explored. Without the ability of consumers to trust one another and act on that trust, peer-to-peer marketplaces like Uber and Airbnb couldn’t exist. What we’ve learned however, is that trust doesn’t simply happen. In fact, in a recent report on the sharing economy, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) found that 69% of Americans do not trust sharing economy companies unless they have been recommended by word of mouth. It’s not just about trusting the brand either, 89% of PwC’s survey respondents also said that the trust lies between the providers on the platform and the consumers using them.

“How do you create that trust between providers and consumers? It comes down to ensuring the quality and safety of the service providers. Consumers basically want to feel secure that the person who they are asking to do a service, and who may enter their home to complete it, will do the job to a high standard, and will do it safely without harming them.”

Here are 4 surefire ways to build trust:

1. Curating 3rd Party Talent: One of the fastest ways to ensure quality is to bring in 3rd party providers. Working with corporate partners establishes marketplaces and provides an extra level of customer service. Be sure to test the knowledge of potential providers before they are allowed to begin delivering services.

2. Rating System with True Identities: Services are the main product, so it’s absolutely necessary to show the real names of the providers if consumers are to feel safe and trust them. Providers, too, are much more motivated to deliver a high quality experience if their reputation is on the line.

3. Social Media and Background Checks: Social media checks were one of the original ways that collaborative economy companies tried to ensure that both providers and consumers were trustworthy. As the collaborative economy evolves and the more adventurous early adopters give way to more mainstream users, more companies are conducting background checks on their providers.

4. Building a Community Around Your Crowd: One unique way that partners are ensuring the quality of their crowdsourced services and to reward providers — who are essentially brand advocates — is to build a provider community.

We’ve discussed multiple times how trust is not only paramount, but is one thing that is tugging at the heals of the industry. The staff at Mila made some solid points on where companies can greatly increase trust with their customers. Now that the sharing economy is here to stay, it will be the season of background checks and quality control. The people have spoken, they want security and they want it now. So, what are we waiting for?