· Delivery executives can reach the ambulance service instantly by tapping the SOS button on the partner app or through a toll-free number
· The current average response time is 12 minutes
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Bengaluru, January 16, 2022: Swiggy, India’s leading on-demand convenience platform, has launched an immediate and free ambulance service for all its active delivery executives and their dependents in the case of emergencies. Swiggy has partnered with Dial4242 Ambulance Services for this industry-first initiative. Delivery executives can reach out on the toll-free number: 1800 267 4242. Sometimes, making a call might not be an option, and executives can just tap the SOS button without leaving the partner app in the case of an emergency before, during, or after a delivery.
The process will require no documentation; delivery executives only need to confirm their partner ID.
Swiggy has launched this service pan-India after piloting the service in Bangalore, Delhi, NCR, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, and Kolkata. In the test runs and the cases raised so far, the service’s response time has been an average of 12 minutes. Dial4242 can dispatch different Ambulances such as BLS (Basic Life Support) ambulances, Cardiac ambulances, ALS (Advanced Life Support), Inter-state ambulances, Covid-19 ambulances, and Hearse Vans based on the severity of the case.
The service is free for all active delivery executives and their dependents (spouses and two children), who are covered under the insurance provided by Swiggy. Delivery executives can also choose to avail of the ambulance for family members not covered under their insurance at a subsidized cost.
Mihir Rajesh Shah, Head of Operations at Swiggy said, “Swiggy is committed to the safety of our delivery executives, and over the years, we have been investing in products and policies that prioritise their safety and well-being. Every day, lakhs of deliveries are carried on smoothly by our delivery executives, however, emergencies have a way of coming unannounced. With the free ambulance service that is fast, on-demand, and comprehensive, Swiggy has got our executives’ back, giving them safety and peace of mind and getting them help when they need it the most.”
Speaking about this industry-first initiative by a platform, Jeetendra Lalwani, Co-Founder, of Dial4242 said, “We are all accustomed to seeing hundreds of delivery executives on the road on a regular basis. However, unlike countries with a reliable emergency support mechanism like 911, we lose critical time in an emergency. We are glad that Swiggy addressed this proactively for their delivery fleet and partnered with Dial4242, which has 10000+ ambulances across 500+ cities in India with varied capabilities and on-ground support to reach the victim in a matter of minutes, saving a precious life. The nearest cashless hospital is also identified by Dial4242 for Swiggy’s executives ensuring they get timely treatment. Further, Dial4242 ambulance will wait till their treatment begins. We hope this sets the precedence for more platforms to follow.”
Anwarpasha Syed, a delivery executive from Pune who has availed the ambulance service said, “I contacted our Swiggy Hotline team, and the ambulance reached my accident location in under 15 mins. They took me to the hospital, which I had suggested and I got timely treatment for some major scratches on my body. This is a great service from Swiggy and I will inform all my fellow executives and friends regarding it.”
Another delivery executive from Gurugram, Sanjeev Kumar shared his experience, “When I contacted the toll-free number directly, the ambulance reached in 10 mins. I am grateful to Swiggy for helping us with this prompt and free emergency service.”
In 2021, Swiggy launched the Emergency Support Services (ESS) enabling the SOS button on the partner app to silently connect executives on the Swiggy hotline, ambulance, or police. All delivery executives were also given an ID card with details like emergency contact and blood group.
With the launch of this service, Swiggy has established an active emergency support mechanism to ensure delivery executives are attended to at the earliest in case of any unfortunate accident. The platform currently has over 3 Lakh delivery executives across the country. They receive benefits such as accident insurance and medical cover, personal loans, legal assistance, covid income support, income support during accident or illness recovery, bereavement leaves, period time off, and maternity cover among others.
