StartupTalky

Tag: contactless services

  • Paytm Coming Up With A New Idea To Have Contactless In-Store Ordering For Restaurants

    Indian e-commerce giant Paytm has come up with this new idea of having a ‘contactless in-store ordering’. They said that the idea of Paytm contactless ordering will help in promoting the process of minimum physical contact.

    Paytm in a statement said that they have developed an online menu system where a QR code will be given to the restaurants and the users can scan the QR code which will help them getting the menu on their mobile phones and can place the order without having a contact.

    Paytm will include contactless ordering

    This process of contactless ordering and dining will help to avoid the unnecessary need of touching of the menu that could possibly be unsanitised and there will also be a certain distance maintained between the customers and the waiters.  

    Also Read: Paytm Revolutionizing The Cashless Economy In India [A Case Study]

    Paytm has already introduced the process of contactless payment or billings few years ago. Making a greater hold in the market soon after the demonetization phase.

    As the lockdown has been lifted , Paytm is mainly aiming for the top 30 cities to start with with over one lakh restaurants which will work this way. This concept can be a great success as it is helping the restaurants to restore their business which had been closed for a while.

    This concept of contactless ordering and dining has been brought to stop the spread of coronavirus infection after the reopening of the country. Restaurants have also been told to properly sanitize and create a particular distance between the customers and the owners.

    Also Read: How to Provide a Contactless Experience to your Customers

    Zomato Also Coming Up With A New Idea

    Zomato which is an online delivery platform has also said in a statement that they are working towards adding some new features on their app in which it will allow the diners who are having food in restaurants and placing order can have an online menu which will promote contactless delivery option.

    Statement By Paytm On Contactless Ordering

    Paytm has said that its solution will support all of their payment methods which includes Paytm wallet,  Paytm UPI, net-banking and cards and the orders will be updated time to time as the restaurant changes them.

    “In the first phase, the company is in the process of onboarding over a lakh restaurant which will help them to ensure social distancing amidst covid-19 fears. This, in turn, will also enhance the restaurant’s efficiency and trust for the customers to recover their business while reducing cost overheads,” Paytm spokesperson said in a statement.

    contactless ordering by Paytm

    Paytm also added that it will extend this unique solution to many big franchisees and  dine-in restaurants so that it could reach out to maximum people.

    Paytm Vice-President Nikhil Saigal in a statement said, “We understand that after the lockdown, our country will require a safe dining and food ordering experience. Therefore, we have built this technology to help restaurants and their customers to follow social-distancing norms. With our ‘contactless in-store ordering’, they will avoid touching menu cards and cash for a safer experience”.

    Paytm has been an revolutionary industry for the Indian market. When they brought in the method of online payment services it created a great impact in the market for a while now. When they brought in the concept of online payment it was not a big hit but the promotion of this concept at the right time which was just after demonetization helped them to have a good hold in the Indian market.

    By bringing in this new concept of contactless in-store ordering this can help them creating a good impact in the market once again. At this time of crisis people are looking at the ways which can help promoting the concept of social distancing with no human contact as it has become a necessity now. By launching of this concept it can become a major hit among the people and will also help in promoting this concept.

  • Top Companies Providing Contactless Services to its Customers

    As we look forward to the next normal, customers are already indicating a preference for companies who delivering contactless services by taking care of proper safety measures, reducing risk all along the customer journey. Companies are moving forward quickly to institute new policies that will allow them to resume their operations post COVID-19

    As India is going into a recovery phase, all its companies are looking for ways to provide goods and services seamlessly to its customers keeping in mind the safety of both its customers as well as its employees. Here is what the big companies are planning to do to provide a  contactless service to its customers.

    1. McDonald’s

    Westlife Development, the company that owns and operates McDonald’s restaurants in India has launched fully contactless take-outs in selected cities. The company stated that this move is aimed at providing a safe, hygienic, and convenient food take-outs for its customers who decide to step out of their homes to avail essential services. This contactless service delivered by McDonald’s allows its customers to place their take-out orders from their preferred stores ( nearest McDonald’s restaurant), pay online, and pick-up their order from the take-out counter on their way to home or work.

    The company ensured that the entire process from placing the order till receiving the order will be completely safe, contactless, and with adequate social distancing at every step. The company was one of the first QSR brands to resume their services with contactless deliveries and are currently delivering out of more than 150 delivery hubs.

    McDonald's 'contactless service' policy
    McDonald’s contactless policy

    Also Read: How to Provide a Contactless Experience to your Customers

    How Does This Contactless Service Works?

    • Open the McDonald’s app and select the take-out option.
    • Select the preferred store for the take-out ( nearest restaurant).
    • Order your meal and pay online.
    • Collect your order at the take-out counter at the restaurant

    1. Swiggy-Zomato-Dunzo

    The Directorate General of civil aviation (DCGA) has given permission to Swiggy, Zomato, and Dunzo to deliver the products to its customers using Drones. This will mark the first step in India’s plan to develop local drone-based services capabilities. This will set a benchmark for other companies as this will be the most appropriate method for contactless delivery. All these companies launched ‘contactless delivery’ in early March when India had less than 100 cases of the novel coronavirus. The companies continued their services throughout the pandemic with safety and hygiene measures being taken by their employees. As the cases in India have crossed lakhs and the fact that the virus’s impact is going to continue in the near future too, made these delivery startups to take the bold decision of serving its customers through drones.

    “We will start flying in the first week of July and plan the clock around 120 hours of flights in two and a half months.”

    said Nagendra Kandasamay, founder and director of Throttle Aerospace, which received approval from the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation in March along with Dunzo. India is looking at these experiments as a way to fast-pace its policies and preparing the local industrial sector to push into the drone service segment on a global basis.

    Volume of drones in Amazon's fleet from 2016-2020 (per 1000 people)
    Volume of drones in Amazon’s fleet from 2016-2020 (per 1000 people)

    Also Read: The Role Of Drones In The Upcoming Future

    2. Uber-Ola

    After four iterations of nationwide lockdown, the Indian government has lifted the restrictions from public transports as well. As public transportation services resume, Uber and Ola have come up with guidelines using which they will be rendering service to its customers in a ‘contactless’ way. With the fear of contagion of the virus being in the people’s minds, these companies have released guidelines using which a person can travel confidently. The things to be taken care of while using cabs are:

    • The driver should ensure that there are only two passengers traveling in the cab at a time
    • Wearing of masks is essential
    • Cab users can only occupy the back seats
    • Both Uber and Ola will need to discontinue their pooling services,i.e. Uber pool, and Ola pool
    • Cabs should be disinfected after every ride
    • Both the drivers and the customers should maintain hygiene inside the cab.

    Keeping in mind the Government policies, Uber also issued some guidelines which were also reflected on the Uber app.

    a) Checklists

    The online checklist available on the app cross-checks that both the driver and the customer are taking required precautions before requesting/accepting the ride.

    b) Mask Verification

    Uber is urging the drivers to click a selfie with a mask on before accepting a ride and also allows the driver to cancel a request if they feel that the customer is not wearing a mask.

    c) Free Cancellation

    The updated policy for cancellation by the company now allows the passenger to cancel the ride anytime if they feel that precautions are not being taken by the driver. The driver has the same rights to cancel under such circumstances.

    Similarly, Ola cabs have also taken such measures to ensure the safety of both its drivers as well as the customers.

    Conclusion

    As India struggles to get back the normalcy, the government, as well as the different sectors, are coming up with policies and guidelines for its citizens who do not have the luxury of staying at their homes and have to come out of their houses to do their respective jobs and duties.