Deepinder Goyal, the founder of Zomato, took to Twitter to clarify the food-ordering app’s latest 10-minute delivery service, a day after the move was criticised heavily as a move that will force delivery partners into a difficult and dangerous working environment.
Mr Goyal tweeted, “Hello twitter, good morning. I just want to tell you more about how 10-minute delivery works, and how it is as safe for our delivery partners as 30-minute delivery. This time, please take 2 minutes to read through this (before the outrage).”
Again, 10-minute delivery is as safe for our delivery partners as 30-minute delivery.
God, I love LinkedIn 😛
(2/2) pic.twitter.com/GihCjxA7aQ
— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) March 22, 2022
The 10-minute delivery service, according to Mr Goyal, “will be for specific nearby locations, popular and standardised items only.”
Zomato delivery partners, he claims, are unaware of the promised arrival time for both 10- and 30-minute deliveries. “No penalties for late deliveries. No incentives for on-time deliveries for both 10- and 30-minute deliveries,” Mr Goyal said. “We are building new food stations to enable to 10-minute service for specific customer locations only.”
Yesterday, several people on social media criticised the 10-minute meal service as unnecessary and perhaps hazardous for delivery partners. Jiten Jain, a cyber security specialist, was one of numerous persons who raised worry that Zomato’s 10-minute delivery guarantee would make delivery partners’ jobs more difficult.
Mr Jain said, “10 minutes sounds amazing as a customer. But honestly this would surely make your delivery staff tense and reckless. Am sure, 30 minutes is worth waiting for delicious food arriving at our doorsteps.”
The 10-minute delivery offer from @zomato is both dangerous and unnecessary: more than anything, it will endanger the lives of both riders as also people on roads and so something best avoided. No one is in such a rush or such an idiot to decide what to eat only 10 mins before!
— SUHEL SETH (@Suhelseth) March 22, 2022
Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union on 10-min food delivery promise: #Zomato should understand that delivery executives are not machines but human beings. Competing against each other companies are forgetting that lives of delivery executives at stake. #ZomatoInstant @TGPWU
— Paul Oommen (@Paul_Oommen) March 22, 2022
10 minute delivery is a bad idea for any city traffic and it’s safety.
The irrational pressure you put on these delivery persons will take a toll on safety! #ZomatoInstant
— Shishira (@shishirar) March 22, 2022
.#ZomatoInstant is a perfect example of how gig economy does not care for people's lives.
Imagine 10 minutes for food delivery in Bangalore traffic. #Nightmare— Lavanya Ballal (@LavanyaBallal) March 22, 2022
A big NO THANKS @zomato @zomatocare
Ever heard of of the old phrase "Speed Thrills, but Kills"?
I'm sure your delivery guys have heard of it. But they also have mouths to feed – theirs and ours. Delivery Execs can do it only if they are safe and alive! #Zomato #ZomatoInstant https://t.co/StYioKPFcV
— Mohan (@mohan_author) March 22, 2022
In response to the criticism, Mr Goyal stated in a tweet today that 10-minute deliveries will result in less time on the road per order. “We continue to education our delivery partners on road safety, and provide accidental and life insurance as well,” Mr Goyal said.
“Bread, omelette, poha, coffee, tea, biryani, momos, etc,” Mr Goyal said in response to a query on what customers may expect in 10 minutes.
