When ‘a small service’ is a big help

An efficient delivery service helps busy mothers cope with their schedule, writes Syida Lizta Amirul Ihsan

IHONESTLY love honestbee. It happened one afternoon when I was strapped for time between work and taking my son for his paediatrician appointment.

With only an hour left for me to get home, organise his outing bag, pump milk, pray and get the laundry from the line, I decided to order my favourite quiche from Yeast via this service.

So I got home, made myself a latte, did all of the above and 15 minutes before I needed to leave, my order came and I could enjoy what I love and headed out the door to pick him up from his babysitter, to the clinic.

Timing is crucial for me to trust a delivery service. One food delivery came 40 minutes late without any early update and I have heard my friends complain about another food delivery service’s no-show. They ordered, paid and the food never came.

It goes without saying that urban people with busy lives like the convenience of delivery. Hence, the delivery timing has to be upheld because customers won’t be home all day waiting for groceries or food beyond the time promised.

GROCERIES MADE EASY

I made four grocery orders with honestbee after that — from Aeon, MaxValu Prime and Hero Market for heavy and bulky items like rice, cooking oil, canned food and diapers — and all of them were delivered within my request window.

Some items were out of stock at the store, but I was given alternatives and the concierge even sent me photos of similar things on the shelves in case the stated alternative didn’t suit me. I like that they went out of the catalogue list to make sure I’m happy since the original item was not available.

Groceries delivery is great for bulky items and repeat purchases. I don’t have to lug diapers from the mall lobby to my e-hailing ride with a baby in tow. And because these items are essentials, you know the price and if there is a discount in that particular store that merits bulk buying, then you’ll save quite a sum.

There are charges for concierge — or shopper at the store — and delivery, but both amount to about RM12, which equates my two-way car fare to the mall. If you drive, that means no parking nightmare, which is often the case on weekends and school holidays in any Klang Valley mall.

My only wish is that Village Grocer is on the merchant list because I get my fruits from there. It is the only place that sets a consistently high bar for fresh fruit so trusting a shopper to get my weekly stock is easy.

Also, I find that Hero Market on honestbee has so many items out of stock, especially baby products so that makes shopping cumbersome. I could order from more than one outlet but that would increase the delivery and concierge fees. Merchants should keep their stocks updated because if many items are OOS, then customers will find other supermarkets to shop from. So far, for me, the best is to order from big malls like Aeon which offer good prices and a wide selection of items.

There are also other specialised stores selling organic food, fresh produce from Selayang market and meat, but I prefer to get perishables myself.

GOOD SERVICE

Special mention needs to be given to the honestbee customer service team. It reminds me of the efficiency of the Uber team before Grab took over.

In all instances that I asked for help, the team was prompt and swift in helping me resolve any issue. I once used a promo code but cancelled an order and asked the team if my code was nullified. The team helped me out and let me know that it is safe in my rewards page — like a promo code pocket — whenever I am ready to order again.

And when Streat Thai cancelled my order one afternoon — I cannot cook if I am alone with my son at home because he’d be clinging on to my legs — I was notified via SMS and email, got RM10 voucher and my subsequent order arrived 10 minutes early.

I even chatted with the service team on the app and Tania assured me that the matter will be brought up — I was not given any reason for the cancellation; it wasn’t lunch or dinner time and neither was it raining — and the merchant would be notified of my complaint.

CUSTOMER FIRST

I suppose with high service expectation and the proliferation of online delivery services to cater to busy urbanites, providers need to ensure that not only are orders accurate and deliveries made on time, customers should be happy. One unhappy episode will give them a reason to try another service and that’s one business lost.

So far, this is one service that keeps me happy. Customers get to rate everything from the items delivered, the shopper and the rider who delivered. If customers use this well, then honestbee can monitor its merchants, overall service and the quality of products and delivery.

I am not a brand loyalist. I am a service loyalist. And so far, honestbee has my vote.

PICTURES COURTESY OF HONESTBEE Seventy per cent of honestbee customers are women and they appreciate the time saved by using this service.

In all instances, all the orders I made were delivered on time.

Afzan says the company honestbee is a food ecosystem that caters to customers’ food needs.