Zomato introduces voice directions on its app…

“… Expect the industry to grow to $7.5 billion to $8 billion at 25-30 per cent CAGR over the next three years…,” said the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Google India in a January 2020 report on India’s online food industry.

While the forecast may have looked bleak during the COVID-induced lockdown, things appear to be coming to pre-lockdown and pre-COVID levels. In an August 20 report, Mint quoted Zomato as saying: “India’s food delivery industry is nearing pre-COVID levels, with the sector now registering 75-80 per cent of pre-COVID GMV, or gross merchandise value.”

And now, in the post-lockdown world, seeing a Zomato food delivery agent on a motorcycle has once again become a common sight. What’s also common is the agent calling us, asking for directions to our residence because, let’s face it, quite often, maps can point you in the wrong direction.

It’s an annoyance for both the customers and the delivery agent. During lockdown, a large number of people decided to, or had to, embrace online food delivery services. For first-time users, such an experience casts a poor impression and they may be reluctant to order food online again. It’s not only a loss for the brand, but also the entire sector.

Someone at Zomato must have heard about it, or experienced this annoyance because it has released two ads to announce the introduction of ‘voice directions’ on its app.

The first ad’s voice-over is similar to what you would find in the opening paragraph of a chapter in your Hindi textbook at school … But stay till the end, and you’ll enjoy it.

The second ad’s protagonist reminded us of Shrivardhan Trivedi of `Sansani’ fame (“Chain se sona hai toh jaag jao”), but as a paranormal expert.

Both ads use humour to introduce Zomato’s new app feature, which is a welcome change because convenience is one of the best ways to cast a solid first impression if you, as a brand, are into delivery as a service.

We (afaqs!) recently came across ads from Paytm that addressed KYC myths and used social media influencers and moment marketing to talk about fraudulent calls.

On the other hand, PhonePe, the Bengaluru-based digital payments company, released five 20-second ads where each spoke about one particular aspect of its app.

As per a November 12 Scroll report, “India’s digital payments sector is estimated to be worth $1 trillion (Rs 74 lakh crore) by 2023.” Several customers of Zomato pay for their deliveries via digital payments app because it’s convenient.

Thus, it’s not surprising to see Zomato, and even other digital brands, advertise how easy they are to use, for first-time users and also regular ones. India is one hot pie for such users. Speaking of pie, are you planning to order one today?