Mumbai’s 10-minute delivery promise hits a reality check amid delays and staff shortages

Quick commerce in Mumbai has turned tardy in the recent weeks A Sunday midday test run has shown that in the areas of Santacruz West Vile Parle East Borivali West Goregaon West and Lower Parel are some of the few areas affected by a general delay in delivery from anywhere between 20 minutes to an hour in the last few weeks We spoke to a few store managers about why the slow down in businesses is happeningStores SpeakSafin Shaik along with his colleagues manages one of the quick commerce delivery points of an instant delivery app which claims to deliver anything from food to skincare in 10 minutes to residentsL to R Safin Shaik store manger Anna Tony Avantika Biswas app usersBut the delay in delivery in the recent weeks has led to him also hearing an earful from customers as well as the riders Shaik said ldquoWhile we were managing very well till a few weeks ago we have suddenly encountered an issue with the packers We have enough riders to deliver the orders but we donrsquot have enough packers Nowadays the issue is that there are about seven people to pack 50 orders while the drivers who are picking up the 50 orders wait outside the storerdquoIn the daytime Shaik has observed that even if there are enough riders available they are delayed due to traffic leading many to believe that there are not enough riders as well ldquoIn the daytime the delivery gets delayed due to lack of riders or heavy traffic or some not working because of the heat or they may be on holidaysrdquo he saysBut itrsquos fulfilling orders after sunset that has become a bane in particular ldquoBig trouble comes in the night because we are taking orders in bulk for goods that are to be stocked on our shelves This while also packing orders to be delivered at the same time since the stores run 247 has been a challenge There are situations where the inventory that comes in is so high in volume that we have to pull people from the packing line and handing it to riders Usually this is the time when lsquotry again in 15 minutesrsquo flashes on customersrsquo appsrdquo Shaik saysMeanwhile an assistant store manager who spoke to us on the condition of anonymity tells that the companies have promised more packers he said ldquoThe parent company has told us that they are hiring packers in the coming weeks but till they come in orders will be delivered in 20 minutes instead of the usual 10 While this may cause inconvenience for our loyal customers we request them to understand that we pay extreme caution to the orders we pack so that we donrsquot pack the wrong orders for our customersrdquoHe is attached to a quick commerce app which also delivers food and confesses that to make up for the lack of manpower managers have begun to fold their sleeves and join in ldquo Our store managers are now packing and unloading which we donrsquot have an issue with but it takes time to bring the orders to the pigeon holes for the delivery drivers to pick the orders uprdquoA store manager in Vile Parle also echoed this struggle he said ldquoWe donrsquot know if this is because of the heat or some other reason but we are trying our best As of now our main issue has been on spot resignations that are being given by the packers This leads to us having more stock than usual I have had 12 people quit on me this way in the last month Our hope now is that the parent company hires people soonrdquoApp Users SpeakAnna Tony who is a resident of Santa Cruz West and a daily user of these apps said ldquoUntil a few weeks ago deliveries even at midnight would come on time or maybe even earlier but recently it has become so that I get the deliveries about held an hour after placing the order Since the inception of these apps we have become very dependent on them hence the delay does affect our daytoday work especially if we are in a hurry for something I have now resorted to ordering things earlier than needed or even a day prior based on my plans for the next day to avoid facing the heavy delaysrdquoWhile Mumbai faces the issues a resident of Kharghar Navi Mumbai Avantika Biswas said ldquoIn the area I live I have not faced any difficulties in fact the orders come right on time or a minute or two early But I have heard from my friends in Mumbai that they are facing these issues over the last few weeks I only hope that things will not affect my area in the same way in the coming daysrdquoWhere we tested the deliveriesgtgt Santa Cruzgtgt Vile Parle Eastgtgt BorivaIli Westgtgt Goregaon Westgtgt Lower Parel