Ryde introduces new delivery feature to increase rider productivity and reduce cost per order for grocery and retail businesses

Ryde, a delivery service company, today announced the launch of Hourly+, a new feature that takes a shift-based approach to on-demand delivery. An innovative addition to the company's popular white-labelled logistics solution, Hourly+ will increase fulfilment rates for on-demand deliveries, particularly for clients in the grocery and retail space.

"Traditional on-demand has notoriously bad fulfilment rates - and we expect them to get worse," said Duncan Mitchell, CEO of Ryde. "It's because delivery couriers are opting for more reliable shift-based work, instead of the traditional wait for a job, without pay, on-demand model. Meanwhile, the explosive growth of instant grocery has conditioned consumers to expect their deliveries in 10 minutes or less. This combination causes major fulfilment issues for companies in the last-mile delivery space. So, we responded with Hourly+, a shift-based approach to on-demand."

The launch comes after a three-week trial of the new feature with a select few clients in the grocery and e-commerce industries. The trial successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of re-thinking how delivery couriers receive and complete jobs.

Ryde believes Hourly+ can be the future of on-demand last-mile delivery. It addresses ongoing issues of low fulfilment and poor productivity across the industry. A survey of riders revealed that 90% preferred shift work to on-demand work because it provided more reliable pay and better job security. The findings coincided with a rapid downward trend in acceptance rates of on-demand jobs across clients and a 70% growth in the adoption of shift-based work. Hourly+ takes a "rider-first" approach allowing Ryde riders to retain control of their workdays while accommodating the need for on-demand service.

Mitchell added: "Hourly+ is Ryde's way of recognising the need for on-demand delivery without compromising on our rider-first ethos. Hourly+ is a shift-based approach to on-demand that provides riders with clarity in pay and job security, enabling them to be highly productive, reducing costs for our clients."

Ryde's mission is to develop and continually improve technology solutions that benefit both riders and clients. From its beginnings as a contractor-only platform, the company saw rapid growth by creating a logistics solution that allowed businesses to reduce costs and meet obligations to customers while addressing the many pain points experienced by workers in the UK's gig economy.

"We're excited about the attention the industry is getting from lawmakers, unions, and the press," said Duncan Mitchell, CEO of Ryde. "As a rider-first business, we exist to drive innovation, and we continually transform as we get feedback from our riders and customers."

This new model means there will always be a rider ready to pick up a job so that customers can get their deliveries done faster and without the uncertainty of traditional on-demand. Meanwhile, gamification features will incentivise riders to deliver more efficiently by setting a minimum hourly rate and rewarding more efficient riders with bonuses. Productivity tracking will allow customers to rate drivers based on the jobs accepted or rejected per hour. Additionally, proximity tracking will monitor riders' real-time progress, and bespoke dashboards will help businesses make better decisions on order volume and staffing requirements.

"The UK gig economy is changing rapidly, and Ryde has evolved to meet its trends and complexities while bringing true value to riders and businesses," said Mitchell. "We want to assure those operators – and others who might be looking for positive change – that we will continue pushing the envelope. We believe the gig economy can change for the better. And Ryde will be at the forefront of the movement."

Ryde has nationwide coverage, offering a network of more than 15,000 couriers and a secure, white-labelled delivery-logistics service. It provides a cost advantage to customers through a rebate structure based on the volume of jobs and shifts, and features such as Hourly+ are carefully designed to boost rider productivity. In addition, companies can boost their ESG credentials by partnering with an ethical, rider-first supplier that prioritises happy, engaged couriers.

Ryde provides an integrated delivery solution for everyone from the high street retailer to the eCommerce giant. Built on the basis of high-quality technology, Ryde supports businesses in the establishment of a custom fleet of vehicles and a curated team of riders and drivers, all to supercharge their delivery management. Visit Ryde.team to learn more about how Ryde is transforming last-mile logistics for good.

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