Takeaway riders become a high-risk profession? Two takeaway platforms: set flexible time

　Chasing time-sensitive takeaway riders as "high-risk occupations"?

　　A reporter from Beijing Youth Daily learned that the article "Takeaway Riders, Stuck in the System" caused heated discussions.

In this regard, Ele.me released a message in the early morning of September 9 that it will add a new "I'm willing to wait 5 minutes/10 minutes" function, and at the same time, it will provide an incentive mechanism for outstanding blue knights with good historical credit and good service. , Even if individual orders are overdue, the rider does not have to take responsibility.

　　In the evening of the same day, Meituan Food Delivery issued a statement stating that the dispatch system will allow 8 minutes of flexible time for riders and improve the rider reward model so that riders can obtain more practical returns while ensuring safety.

　　The article "Takeaway riders trapped in the system" stated that, driven by the algorithms and data of the takeaway system, the delivery time of the takeaway riders is shortened. If the delivery time set by the system is exceeded, it means bad reviews, reduced revenue, and even loss. Eliminated.

A series of related data has sparked the discussion that "Takeaway riders have become a high-risk occupation."

In the first half of 2017, data from the Traffic Police Corps of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau showed that in Shanghai, an average of 1 takeaway rider was injured or killed every 2.5 days.

In September 2018, Guangzhou Traffic Police investigated and dealt with nearly 2,000 cases of traffic violations involving takeaway riders.

　　Behind the abandonment of safety and the pursuit of speed is the urgency of the food delivery industry for "timeliness".

A reporter from the Beiqing Daily learned that the takeaway platform will have a regulation on the delivery time after the order is placed, which is generally within 3 kilometers, mostly about half an hour to 45 minutes.

The platform has also launched products with guaranteed timeliness, and consumers can purchase them at the same time they place an order.

Users who have purchased this product will receive a certain amount of compensation if the rider’s delivery "times out" for more than 10 minutes.

The system also has different penalties for “overtime” of takeaway riders, but in general it will affect the income of takeaway riders.

　　"Even if the platform can relax the time limit, maybe we don't want to slow down." Another takeaway rider said that for a takeaway rider, the difference in monthly income between sending 12 orders a day and sending 10 orders a day is still very obvious. .

However, he also made it clear that he wanted to receive more orders and the platform to compress the time limit is two different things, "Now the time limit is getting shorter and shorter, and I hope that the platform can also give some space."

　　Photo courtesy/Visual China

　　Two food delivery platforms issued a statement on September 9

　　Are you hungry: "I'm willing to wait 5 minutes/10 minutes more" function will be added. For outstanding blue knights, encouragement mechanism will be provided, and individual orders will be overtime, and riders will not be responsible

　　Meituan: The scheduling system will allow 8 minutes of flexible time for the rider, and improve the rider reward model, so that the rider can get more practical returns while ensuring safety.

　　Response

　　Are you hungry? Add "Wish to wait" button Meituan set "Flexible 8 minutes"

　　Regarding the meal delivery time for riders, Ele.me announced in the early morning of September 9 that a new feature will be released as soon as possible: a small button "I'm willing to wait 5 minutes/10 minutes" will be added when the payment is settled.

Users who use this function can get feedback from the platform such as red envelopes.

In addition, Ele.me will provide an incentive mechanism to outstanding blue riders with good historical credit and good service. Even if individual orders are overdue, riders do not have to take responsibility.

"The system is dead, and people are alive. Comparing your heart to your heart. Are you hungry? On the basis of ensuring that orders are on time, I hope to do better."

　　Earlier, people close to Ele.me told a reporter from Beijing Youth Daily that the takeaway system may not be perfect, but Ele.me wanted to work hard with users to build platform rules from "elevator report" to "5 minutes button".

　　On the other hand, Meituan issued a statement on the evening of netizens and media shouts.

"We have received all the attention, comments and suggestions from everyone on the external sales brother and the platform system. Failure to do well means failure to do a good job. There is no excuse. After all, system problems need to be solved by the people behind the system. We are duty-bound."

　　Meituan Waimai said that it would better optimize the system: give the rider 8 minutes of flexible time, leave it to the rider to wait for the delayed elevator, and slow down at the intersection; under bad weather, the system will extend the rider’s delivery time or even stop picking up Single; At the same time upgrade the rider complaint function, for overtime and complaints under special circumstances such as bad weather, accidents, etc., after verification, it will not affect the rider's assessment and income.

　　Meituan Waimai will also improve the rider reward model, shifting from order-delivery rewards to rewards that comprehensively consider reasonable order ranges and safety indicators, so that riders can obtain more practical returns while ensuring safety.

At the same time, the intelligent meal-taking cabinets are installed in special meal delivery areas to make the delivery of the rider in the last mile more convenient.

Meituan stated that it will listen to constructive opinions from all parties by regularly holding rider forums and setting up product experience officers to better optimize scheduling, navigation, and appeal strategies.

　　sound

　　Netizens: On the Ele.me Weibo, netizens expressed a variety of opinions regarding the latest response to the platform.

Those who agree with this method are very loving, and suggest that other platforms follow up.

Some netizens said that most consumers also have very high requirements on the timeliness of external sales. It is more reasonable for the platform to allow consumers who are "not too anxious" to wait 5 minutes in exchange for platform rights.

Some netizens also believe that giving customers the "understanding button" is not as good as the platform directly set aside more time for the rider, or plan more reasonable rules for delivery time.

There are also people who think that the food delivery industry is highly competitive. Give him 5 more minutes. He will not use it to drive slowly and to follow the traffic rules. It will only be used to take another order.

　　Insiders: At the Shanghai Consumer Protection Commission’s report on the consumption evaluation of online fresh food platforms on the afternoon of September 9, Tang Jiansheng, deputy secretary general of the Shanghai Consumer Protection Commission, said in an interview with the media, “You take the takeaway rider’s fault, he The violation of the rules, his hitting people, his running the red light and letting consumers bear it is obviously against the basic logic."

　　Analysts said that objectively speaking, takeaway riders speeding, running red lights, retrograde, etc. have become old problems. It is not only the platform that relaxes the requirements of delivery time and can solve them. After all, takeaway riders still have the demand for more orders and more money. .

The online delivery operator to which the takeaway rider belongs is a new occupation just established on February 25 this year and is included in the national occupational classification catalog.

The release of new professions means that unified standards will be gradually established.

Prior to this, it seems that leading companies need to make more efforts to regulate this industry.

　　Other analysts believe that, for large companies, business is sometimes a balance of responsibilities and interests, and how to choose inclination.

The two major platforms have made a certain statement about this, which at least shows that they recognize the problem.

How to solve the problem specifically still requires multi-party cooperation between the platform and the society.

　　This group of articles / reporter Zhang Xin