As more and more Indian cities face the suspension of multiple consumer facilities, app-based delivery services have found themselves to be the go-to solutions for those trapped inside their homes.
With the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the government has called for the shutdown of most venues of public gather. This ranges from eateries, bars, pubs, and even gyms. This, combined with peoples’ own aversion to stepping out the safety of their homes to do the weekly shopping, for fear of contracting the virus, has meant that Swiggy, Zomato, Bigbasket, and the like, have seen a surge in users.
Abey Zachariah, CEO of Bangalore-based Goodbox, took to Twitter to urge customer to use the website rather than risk crowded marketplaces. The web-based platform partners with supermarkets in order to facilitate doorstep deliveries.
Dear Bangalorelans,
No need to go for panic buying and crowd supermarkets. Grocery supplies will continue. Please order on https://t.co/q5TpkTgLRW with our partner stores.
— Abey Zachariah (@abezack) March 14, 2020
Zomato India has gone a step further in addressing safety concerns pertaining to even delivery partners. The app-based food delivery service announced that it would be introducing “contactless” delivery. This implies that the customer will have no need to personally interact with delivery valet, as the package will be left at the doorstep, and the customer alerted of the same.
Here is what we are doing as precautionary measures to address COVID-19.
Contactless food delivery is already available on the @zomato app through our ‘delivery instructions’ feature. An app update over the weekend will make this explicitly clear to everyone. pic.twitter.com/HJ012g5zfH
— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) March 13, 2020
These platforms have not only proved their ability to take advantage of the prevailing situations, but more importantly, have manage to facilitate the continuance of ordinary life by providing those in the quarantined cities with everyday essentials, as safely as possible.
