As COVID-19 continues to sweep across nations, individuals are increasingly being urged to stay indoors. In an attempt to curb the spread of the virus, social distancing and self-isolation have become the order of the day. As the saying goes, “one man’s pain is another man’s gain”, and an offshoot of this quarantine period has been in a spike in the traffic experienced in online/app based shopping sites.
Amazon India, and Flipkart, being the industry’s giants in the Indian landscape, have publicly announced that they will be taking steps to, not only meet the demand surge, but to do so in a responsible and safe manner.
Amazon worldwide recently stated that it would be hiring 100,000 new employees. The company also released its plan to best serve its customers and employees during this period. This involves keeping a check on vendors artificially raising prices on essential goods, and round the clock communication with selling partners to ensure product availability.
At @amazonIN we believe our role in serving customers and the community during this time is critical. We are working hard to fulfill our responsibility to ensure our customers get what they need and at the same time our employees and partners are safe.
— Amit Agarwal (@AmitAgarwal) March 17, 2020
Realizing that the logistics involved in the fulfillment of orders, as well as direct contact with delivery partners, pose opportunities for transmission of the virus, both Amazon and Flipkart have taken steps to best tackle these concerns. Amazon has vowed to work closely with public and private medical experts to ensure the right precautions are taken for associates, delivery and transportation partners, while also restricting entry into their fulfillment centers and increasing the frequency of cleaning at all operations sites across India.
Flipkart too, has insured its facilities are being sanitized at regular intervals, while its delivery partners are adhering to WHO’s Hygiene Advisory during deliveries. Both companies have imposed Work-from-home policies for all employees whose jobs are conducive to the same.
Amid rising concerns around #COVID_19, @Flipkart is stressing the importance of health and safety of employees at our offices and across our pan-India supply chain. Also, our sellers & ecosystem partners. @WorkAtFlipkart https://t.co/XqGx985tM8
— Flipkart Stories (@FlipkartStories) March 13, 2020
Given the current scenario, these implementations by the leaders of an industry essential for the continuation of trade and commerce, could prove invaluable.
