With apologies to none at all
By Vikas Mehta
The omnipresence of digital has its drawbacks. Not only are we inundated with messages galore but there is also the temptation to use technology and data in a half=hearted way. One which leaves the consumer frustrated and many a times move away from the brand. Sometimes, even category. In the rush to go digital or for everything to be online, some categories are actually doing a great disservice to customers.
And my favourite whipping boy for this is online pharmacy brands. I have been inundated with messages, offers and marketing efforts trying to persuade me to try these brands. I have tried a few times. I have tried not just Netmeds but also 1mg and PharmEasy. But I have always ended up in frustration.
Let’s look at this category from a consumer behaviour viewpoint. More often than not, one needs medicines in a rush. If I am unwell and the doctor prescribes some medicines, I need them immediately. But none of the online portals/apps can deliver the medicines to me in a jiffy. Not at least in Tier 1-2 towns like Dehradun. Whenever I have tried to buy prescribed medicines the minimum time required has been at least 48 hours. So, all you online pharmacies kindly tell me can I wait that long for the medicines?
And clearly there is an over-promise and miscommunication. Netmed says same day delivery. PharmEasy says family ki healthwali sab zaroorat Pharmeasy deliver karta hai woh bhi same day. The communication left me confused. Digging a bit deeper you realise that what they mean is all health-related needs except medicines!
Seriously, you want me to use your portal/app because I can get a blood pressure meter the same day or get a vitamin supplement the same day? And there is an asterix there also. In selected cities only. Isn’t it a case of miscommunication?
I spoke to some friends and they advised me to get only long-term medicines or medicines that have been prescribed as precaution for illness like diabetes or BP which one takes daily. For all other illness, which could be small illness or an emergency, you cannot depend on these portals.
So, what’s the point in sending me mail or messages asking me to buy online at 20% discount or limited time period offer. The category has to realise that limited time is about delivery in a limited time not about discounts for a limited time.
Yes, associated categories like wellness or medical check-ups are a good revenue spinner but shouldn’t the players first focus on medicines?
Quick delivery is the need of the hour for medicines. So, the ecommerce model has to be closer to that of Blinkit and Dunzo. Not like Amazon or Meesho. There are some category challenges like storage under controlled temperature but isn’t disruption the name of the game and shouldn’t the category be finding its disruption rather than depending upon adjacent categories?
When my neighbourhood Reliance Smart offline shop opened an in-shop Netmed counter with white lab coat assistants manning it (that definitely is a nice touch. Lab coat cueing medicine) I thought that the quick delivery problem will now be sorted out. But, no, they were worse than chemist shops. Hardly any stock. They check online availability and then call you back to say that the delivery will take 1-2 days. And the situation has not changed for over a year. Frankly, It’s a waste of retail space. Reliance Retail can generate more revenue by stocking more groceries than having two chemists twiddling their thumbs.
The only good thing that has happened out of this situation is that the local chemists have started giving discounts of 10-12%. So, the whole rationale of buying online cheap stands defeated. It will be interesting to see how developments unfold in this space.
The problem of using technology half-heartedly manifests itself in many ways. For last six months, I have been getting mails and messages from HDFC telling me that I have qualified for an upgrade of my account to a higher category. I am given a link to upgrade which says enjoy your exclusive benefits. The problem is that the link takes me to the home page of the bank. Now, am I supposed to navigate and find my benefits? Or am I supposed to login to my netbanking and find where are the benefits? Why should I struggle to find these out? The result is that I haven’t upgraded and am still not aware of the benefits.
I have a personal banker assigned by the bank. He keeps on calling me anytime during the day. And if I am in meetings or am busy and do not take his calls, I get a message that he tried to call me and if I need any help, I can call him back. When I do that to ask him about the benefits of the upgrade, I can’t get through to him as he has moved on calling another customer. The result is that on paper the bank is providing me an omnichannel experience but I am not getting it. Vague and general link, no messaging from the personal banker asking me when can he call or even returning a missed call. All of this actually leads to a situation where the bank may have been better off not telling me that I have an upgrade!
There are many such peeves. Some ecommerce sites orders cannot be cancelled. On Jiomart, if the seller is anybody besides Reliance Retail, then the only way to cancel an order is to refuse to take delivery (yes, that’s what I was advised by customer service). BigBasket keeps on sending messages about BBnow which is all about quick delivery. But when I downloaded the app and try it, I get a message that it’s not operational in my area.
Omnichannel, customer experience, customer satisfaction are all jargon which will remain on paper if technology is misused or used in a half-baked way. Brands and companies must start addressing these issues. Not to forget that the same brands must realise that just by being present in a few cities do not give them the liberty to publicise and talk about their services on a national level. Because when you are actually available nationally, many would have switched off from you.
Technology was supposed to turn brands into your partners in need. But unfortunately, in many cases it’s turning into a foe.