The plight of delivery partners of food ordering platforms has been highlighted in many stories shared on social media lately. And the blazing sun this season has only exacerbated the situation.
This Twitter user recently shared her experience of waiting a long time for her order to be delivered, only to discover that the delivery executive was coming on foot.
I have an active @swiggy_in order since the last 1 hour and 53 minutes. I just found out that the delivery executive is coming by foot. It is a summer afternoon in Mumbai and the restaurant was 4.5km away. This is absolutely inhumane. 1/n
— Parizad Baria-Unwalla (@BariaParizad) May 4, 2022
In the thread, she underlines the harsh situation, which draws attention to a larger issue.
I have been on calls and chats with multiple @swiggy_in customer support executives begging them to get him to take a cab or an auto rickshaw, assuring them I will pay for it. All they can say is, “We have noted your feedback for future orders.” 2/n
— Parizad Baria-Unwalla (@BariaParizad) May 4, 2022
@swiggy_in I live atop a hill. The last 500 metres to get to my building alone is enough to exhaust a young and healthy person even on a winter morning. Please help him, NOW!
— Parizad Baria-Unwalla (@BariaParizad) May 4, 2022
@swiggy_in my food is not as important as this person’s health and life. How can you be so callous about this?
— Parizad Baria-Unwalla (@BariaParizad) May 4, 2022
I did not expect this to blow up, was just looking for a way to get Swiggy to take quick action. My order was picked up by a different Delivery Partner, on a motorbike, and delivered. Will update this thread when I have more details of how this panned out. https://t.co/VqQ1OZHt7Q
— Parizad Baria-Unwalla (@BariaParizad) May 4, 2022
Twitter is sympathising with the delivery partner and is up in arms.
Have to use delivery apps, don’t want to feel guilt by aiding exploitation as well. I draw the line at walking in this heat, but it’s fine to come on a 2 wheeler. They have air conditioners now apparently https://t.co/ttr7o6rZ6M
— . (@DoomerCFC) May 5, 2022
This is disturbing. This definitely shouldn’t happen. https://t.co/Id1dkPZXYx
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) May 4, 2022
Story of India. Highly tech adaptive, kindness all over but with an economic reality that’s scary. https://t.co/ZWhYT5f03d
— Sripal Sama (@sripalsama) May 5, 2022
This thread and the replies show the bitter reality n state of the companies that deliver n their execs. The fear of the ppl about the job of the guy are not unfounded. I do not see reply by @swiggy_in responding to what they did to help the guy! Pathetic! https://t.co/MdEKULTohv
— Latika (@imlnk) May 5, 2022
Definitely need more empathy and it’s gotta come from customers otherwise the businesses will not take note. I think as consumers we have to actively be willing to pay more in tips/service fees to help with this too. https://t.co/FycsUqCTSi
— quark (@durdendisco) May 5, 2022
Definitely need more empathy and it’s gotta come from customers otherwise the businesses will not take note. I think as consumers we have to actively be willing to pay more in tips/service fees to help with this too. https://t.co/FycsUqCTSi
— quark (@durdendisco) May 5, 2022
wtf why no one files a goddamn petition about swiggy and Zomato exploiting thier delivery parteners beyond human limits ????? https://t.co/CkFwDxvC1a
— hypocrite 🧣 (@slybird_) May 5, 2022
On a radical note, law-enforcement agencies should come down heavily on companies like Swiggy for the exploitative conditions their workers are kept in. It will be a blemish on India’s startup story but their “eye-watering” valuations anyway are because they earn by exploitation. https://t.co/jcuIvO6DmB
— Rishi Kant (@RishiKant98) May 5, 2022
literally same thing happened to me 3 months ago. ordered on Zomato and waited for it for the longest time, delivery guy finally called and turns out he was a boy who CYCLED for over an hour in RAIN to deliver the order. least i could do was tip him. https://t.co/Ls32VDOiQA
— 🍋 (@kazuhaszhongli) May 4, 2022
Honestly, we’re glad that social media is being leveraged to its maximum potential to raise the issues that matter.
