They drive like crazy. They are always in a hurry. Standing out in their black or bright yellow or red clothes, they are the vital connection in the fast moving world of on-demand food.
Unplanned dinners or an instant order for hunger pangs at office depend on these speed bikers. They can be spotted near the takeaway counter of hotels, pacing restlessly, helmet in one hand and money in the other. The ‘here and now’ food culture is a genre, and it is changing lives of enterprising such youngsters in cities like Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai.
“Some months I earn up to Rs. 35,000, sometimes less, say, Rs. 30,000. I am happy that I earn nearly as much as my friends who have done engineering,” says T. Kalyan Kumar, a 20-year-old delivery executive from Swiggy in Hyderabad. “I have been working with Swiggy for nine months and my life has changed. I have been able to clear debt of Rs. 60,000 and gift a car to my father,” he says.
“Some customers also tip us up to Rs.50. Besides, we get incentives based on the number of trips,” says Rodney Scott, a restaurant cashier-turned delivery executive.
Engineers attracted
At Rs. 450 to Rs. 600 per day, weekly payments, tips, flexi-time and no qualifications, the last mile delivery system is drawing many young men.
“Nearly 22 per cent of my workforce is engineers waiting for a job in their field. Many college students, who study in shifts, are able to put in at least six hours of work with us,” says Rakesh Mani, co-founder of Genie, a logistics and delivery support provider in Chennai.
The employees have to bear the vehicle and petrol expenses. The company provides them with only a mobile phone and a T-shirt.
“If we are on the permanent rolls of a company, we get a minimum of about Rs. 15,000 as monthly salary. If it is a weekly fee with delivery-based incentives, it can start at Rs. 600. With more players in the market, it is lucrative for us,” says S. Subbaraj.
While many food delivery companies have stumbled in their attempt to grow quickly and there are horror stories of flying pink slips, the logistics and delivery aspect of the business has been rock steady.
Intense competition
While competition is intense in the Metros and tier-1 areas, many food delivery companies are eyeing smaller markets. “In October 2015 we realised that instead of taking the expansion route it is better to stay focussed on strengthening infrastructure and product innovation. But right now, our plan is to further penetrate Pune and Vizag markets,” says Raju Bhupathi of HelloCurry, who recently acquired a food delivery start-up.
As the market expands, the delivery boys, or executives, as some companies label them, are set for some good times.
(With inputs from Tanu Kulkarni in Bengaluru and S. Poorvaja in Chennai)
