AS news of the first shutdown measures were announced, the restaurant sector was among the first threatened with closure. Dining in the alluring atmosphere of restaurants was banned and the threat to jobs was significant.

Rising to the challenge, many restaurants resorted to pushing delivery and kerbside pickup, while others opened new catering services for families that stayed at home.

It was a move which showed that restaurateurs were not going to roll over and let their businesses die. Those who enjoyed a meal at their favourite eatery also responded by placing orders online and showing solidarity with workers by adding larger tips. Ordering in advance and picking up was not novel, but it revived the practice of eating at home with family.

Catering services emerged to fill a gap, with offers to provide specially ordered meals for family sit-downs. One enterprising chef/caterer used WhatsApp to circulate a flyer offering an exciting meal plan for Mother’s Day.

Though online ordering has always been available, the changed circumstances showed how valuable the service could be in any effort to save businesses and jobs.

The lockdown restrictions have shown companies and their clients the real value of using online tools to order, pick up, and deliver meals that excite the palate, and to share satisfaction on social media. Businesses have also embraced emailed ‘Thank you’ notes to let customers know exactly how they feel.

But the restaurant sector is not the only one in which delivery has been stepped up. Several delivery companies across Jamaica report a steep rise in traffic as businesses resort to a higher level of dispatching of goods and services. It is becoming commonplace for businesses to offer delivery in a renewed thrust regarding customer service.

It’s a global trend. A worldwide study titled Is 2020 the End of the Delivery Economy? revealed that “customers expect low-cost, fast and highly transparent delivery of goods”.

83% of customers do not expect companies to give up fast delivery in an economic downturn.

89% of customers do not expect companies to sacrifice visibility/transparency during the delivery process or expected arrival times in an economic downturn.

60% of customers said they would pay more to shop from a company that practised sustainable shipping practices even during an economic downturn.

w80% of supply chain professionals say the delivery economy has increased the amount of data they manage and store on customers.

82% of customers feel companies need to do more to protect the security of their personal data.