As an e-commerce marketplace, Jumia offers consumers speedy delivery on not only goods ordered from the marketplace, but also from restaurants and grocery stores on the Jumia Food App.
Although we initially intended to utilize fixed delivery times dictated by the distance between buyer and seller, we eventually realized that distance wasn’t the only variable affecting delivery time.
There’s our logistical capacity, which fluctuates in real-time - this means that the ratio of the number of riders in one area to the number of orders relating to that area changes constantly. We also face challenges with vendor capacity and situations where a vendor slows down once the number of orders they are receiving escalates.
These variables make it hard for drivers to be very efficient when picking up and dropping off packages, and affect the consumer experience when packages are delayed.
Answering with technology
To respond to this, our team developed a feature called Dynamic Delivery Time that has two capabilities. First, the feature considers both real-time logistical capacity and vendor capacity to determine how much time to add to the estimated delivery time. The result is a delivery time estimate displayed as a range (for example, 35-45 minutes) before the consumer places an order. Before the order is made, we determine the delivery time range using our internal data calculation services. With this technology, we can gauge the severity of our logistical performance by calculating the gap between the number of un-assigned orders and available riders.
Once an order is placed, consumers can track the delivery time based on the rider’s location relative to the consumer’s location. This time can change to reflect a slow down, like a rider encountering traffic along their route.
When the rider picks up the package from the vendor, the feature queries a third party location service for the time taken to reach their destination via motorbike. This time is available to the consumer along with the rider’s real-time location, which are continuously updated according to the rider’s progress.
Benefits of Dynamic Delivery Time
This feature enables us to make realistic promises to consumers regarding how quickly we can deliver their packages. This helps to manage consumer expectations and subsequently improve their experience.
Dynamic Delivery Time also helps drivers to know their real-time progress with each delivery and remain on track to meet their daily targets. More orders are delivered on time, coupled with a positive impact on rider reviews. Through Dynamic Delivery Time, we are able to offer more value to our consumers while also streamlining our riders’ work.
Whether it’s snacks and drinks for kids, lunch for a team collaborating at the workplace, or medication for someone in need, our consumers can rely on the feature to help them plan using the delivery time feature. This feature is available for all products listed on the Jumia Food platform.
*********************************************
Bruno Ferreira
Chief Product Officer for Jumia On-Demand Services
My typical day is mainly deep diving on topics with tech, product, and business individuals in order to maximize the potential of Jumia's technology and product to serve our business needs.
Comments