Home delivery supply chain ? here to stay

It took one virus to bring the world to its knees. One virus not only changed the way humans interacted, but also affected the way businesses function. Things, activities and hobbies we indulged in and thought couldn’t survive without became irrelevant. For everyone’s sanity and survival, getting access to medical and general utilities/essentials became a priority. As people were not able to step out at all, it became critical for supply chains to act fast as well as comply with the safety norms to make sure the demand for essentials goods is met. 

There has been a surge in online orders since COVID-19 has hit us and delivery chains are struggling to meet the soaring demand. The extended confinement has truly tested the elasticity of the hyper-local delivery supply chain. Currently, doing business is not a concern, but meeting the demand is. The primary growth rate in perishable goods and food and beverages has seen a 3 X growth, and essential goods' share of orders on digital platforms has doubled. 

The biggest priority for us right now is the safety of the entire supply chain as we all gear up for a ‘back to businesses’. The delivery supply chain could look towards normalcy in their operations once the Unlockdown 1.0 happened as the government allowed them to provide essential and non-essential services.

Having mentioned that, supply chains are also conforming to the highest standards of safety in the interest of the wellbeing of their employees and customers.

 New normal is coming into play for every sector and in no time we will all be used to -  

• Undertaking contactless delivery and pick-up 
• No ringing of doorbells
• Placing the packages at a handover point the customer is comfortable with
• Adopting digital payments for contactless transactions

The global pandemic has moved human’s conscious on what we use, what we give back to the environment, how to best conserve the natural resources, and how to connect back with the Mother Nature. 

For instance, people are even rethinking the idea of getting an RO installed in their houses. An RO, as per the studies by NGT, wastes 70% water in the purification process. ROs manage TDS but not pH. People are realising these everyday health concerns which they have been unknowingly following for years. While the world steps towards going digital for their everyday needs, more and more subscribers are joining the list- to order safe and packaged drinking water too. This aids the supply chains to strengthen their fleet further. 

Before the COVID-19 hit the globe, there was still a taste that a certain generation or a big part of the target group had, which was a lot in the favor of brick and mortar way of shopping. They would just not encourage online shopping. Parents would discourage their children from online grocery shopping. They preferred visiting local kirana stores physically to inspect the products they buy. However, the way world shops now has witnessed a major overhaul. Most shoppers have got a taste of digital shopping, home deliveries, and ordering their general utilities online. This sure will lead to a certain level of acceptance in their minds and this sure is a good time for all things digital. And that's why- home delivery supply chains are here to stay.