Is Europe ready for the second wave of the pandemic? Let’s find out.

Europe became the epicentre of COVID-19 in early March which soon wreaked havoc all over the continent. The countries were quick to institute lockdowns, businesses were shut and the world operations came to a screeching halt. The industries suffered a significant blow resulting in absolute chaos for people. But instead of sitting on pins and needles, the industries soon decided to resume operations, but this time with a completely different set of rules and regulations. This consequently gave rise to a whole new world of operations and on-demand services. 

As you’re aware, unlike the pre-pandemic times, people all around the world can now order anything from the comfort of their homes. The way the global markets have harnessed the power of technology to offer immediate services to citizens has been remarkable. Emerging strong from the global economic fallout, businesses have certainly found their way back into the new normal. But wait, is the pandemic over yet?

The resurgence of COVID-19 in Europe 

The loosening of lockdown restrictions and increased public laxity in the past few months, have once again led to the resurgence of COVID-19. As Europe battles the second wave of coronavirus with strict lockdown measures, other countries too are dreading the tough times. However, the unprecedented challenges in the past have left behind a trail of lessons and recovery plans for the emerging industries. 

In this article, we will discuss how, even during the darkest times, Europe along with the entire world dealt with the most pressing global crisis. The onset of COVID-19 may have shaken the world’s greatest economies, but the countries are now in a much better position to fight the pandemic. Let’s take a closer look. 

The rising need for on-demand services amid COVID-19

The COVID-19 outbreak has altered our consumption and buying behaviour tremendously.

The pandemic induced lockdowns convinced billions to go digital. This means that instead of stepping outside to buy anything, consumers now prefer immediate access to products and services. The fear of the pandemic and strict social distancing guidelines further contribute to the rising need for on-demand delivery apps. 

This includes on-demand food services, travel and transportation, e-commerce, groceries, healthcare services, home services, telemedicine, wellness, logistics etc.  The applications come with a range of features suited to the unique business requirements such as real-time tracking, payment channels, same-day delivery options, easy communication channel, excellent interface etc. The need to go out and shop, therefore, has almost disappeared with such efficient deliveries, better options and increased customer engagement. 

With the sudden increase in the number of coronavirus cases across all European countries, the popularity of these apps also seems to be rising concurrently. But the changing buying and consumption patterns bring some respite to the increasing challenges. Here’s how on-demand service apps benefit consumers and businesses globally amid the ongoing pandemic fears. 

Benefits of on-demand delivery apps during the pandemic

Social Distancing 

The governments were quick to institute strict social distancing norms at the onset of this deadly outbreak. This, in turn, encouraged people to digitise all operations, right from settling bills and making payments to buying utilities online.  On-demand delivery apps for food, healthcare, groceries and other home services did not only help people stay at home and avoid any kind of human contact. 

Contactless Payments

The payment modes in the app enable users to make payments directly from their accounts or other third-party money transfer apps. This promotes zero physical contact since there is no physical exchange of money involved. The delivery agents can be asked to leave the package at the door which eliminates the need to come in direct human contact. 

Convenient Shopping 

Panic buying amid coronavirus fears put strain on supermarket retailers which led to the shortage of food. Consequently, consumers were unable to buy regular supplies. The on-demand delivery apps, on the other hand, stops people from panic buying by offering multiple choices and convenient shopping solutions.  

Instant services & collaborations 

By serving the basic needs of people, on-demand delivery apps have earned the consumer’s trust with instant quality services. Improved collaborations is another contributing factor. The food delivery apps have even joined hands with grocery owners to fulfil all kinds of food requirements. 

Are businesses benefiting from on-demand services? 

The on-demand industry has extensively catered to the highly specific needs of citizens during the pandemic. But how exactly are businesses benefiting from these services? What makes them thrive in challenging markets? Here are some top benefits of on-demand delivery services for businesses. 

Wider audience

On-demand apps help you expand your customer base and reach a wider target audience whereas physical stores restrict business growth to a particular area. Better reach results in better growth perspectives. 

Helps you reach specified ROI

An efficient on-demand delivery app will minimize the issues faced by employees and customers and will help your business reach the specified ROI. Better scheduling, tracking and management will boost productivity and minimize errors. Therefore, picking a good dispatch software or app development company is of prime importance. 

Business expansion 

The on-demand service apps can be used for all kinds of businesses, regardless of their size, sector or scale. The efficiency of the app, however, depends on whether or not it can adapt seamlessly to the changing business requirements. While expansion seems like a tough job, on-demand apps with the right functionalities make it relatively easier. For instance, good dispatch software like Tookan offers five different pricing plans for five different stages in a business. Simple pricing that works at any scale is certainly a catch. 

Customer Satisfaction

Fulfilling special customer requirements helps brands strengthen relationships. A great on-demand delivery app will back your business by offering the kind of products and services that customers are looking for. Satisfactory results certainly bring in more business.

Popular on-demand services during the pandemic 

The pandemic has changed the way the world traditionally operated. People are scared to step outside, which makes on-demand services a requisite in the changing business environment. Listed below are some examples of on-demand services performing extremely well during the COVID-19 crisis. 

Grocery Delivery

On-demand grocery delivery has seen a massive surge in the past year. The pandemic fear has forced people to purchase groceries and other essentials online. This controls panic buying, promotes contact-less deliveries and gives customers a variety of options to choose from. They can now take as much time as they need to shop without having to worry about catching the virus. 

Food Delivery

Food delivery apps helped restaurant owners stay in business even during a complete shut-down. The apps strictly follow the precautionary measures such as contact-less deliveries, temperature checkups and hand sanitisation at all pickup and delivery points which eliminates the risk of spreading the infection. 

Retail/ E-commerce

COVID-19 has spurred shoppers to explore a variety of e-commerce apps. Several studies have proven that the percentage of web-only retailers have significantly gone up since the outbreak. Retailers now prefer app-based services over store presence. The right courier dispatch service 

Telemedicine

The cutting back of in-person consultation during the pandemic has given rise to on-demand healthcare services or telemedicine solutions. This enables patients to consult doctors and physicians virtually. You can even have the necessary medicines delivered at your doorstep. 

Health and Wellness

People are more cautious than ever about their diet plans and exercise regime. Since hitting the gym was no longer an option, several on-demand fitness apps came to our rescue. 

Home Services 

The demand for home maintenance, beauty and sanitation services have substantially increased since the outbreak. This is because customers are now extremely cautious about hiring verified personnel who maintain strict hygiene protocols and are well equipped at delivering quality services in specified time duration. This has also encouraged many professionals to build their own home service business app. 

In a nutshell 

The stats above show how the retail trade in Europe emerged after a steep fall in the early months of the pandemic 

With the second wave of coronavirus just around the corner, the European markets are now better prepared to weather the massive economic fallout from the pandemic. How? Well, it can be attributed to not one but several factors. First, the ability to navigate the long term changes and consumer behaviour has strengthened over time. Second, the rise of on-demand services and most efficient dispatch systems have revolutionised operations globally, which helps meet both consumer and business demands with complete efficiency. And third, increased testing capacity and strict protocols. The European countries may have gotten complacent once, but they now know more about the damage control until the vaccine arrives. With all these measures in place, we are certain that Europe will keep situations under control.