India's Transportation Industry Adapts Technology to Better Organize Itself

As the pandemic triggered a rigorous national shutdown, many people were forced to move their bases from rented accommodation in cities to their homes in different parts of the country. This led to a significant increase in demand in the segment for Movers & Packers, smart city dwellers who rely on technology to find the best option for their needs. However, as the second wave of the pandemic hits another blow to businesses and jobs, city dwellers who defied the first wave are looking for service providers who can help them relocate with the utmost care.

This is where the technology-based motion and packing aggregator comes in. In an exclusive conversation with Financial Express Online Avinash Raghav, Co-Founder and CEO, Shift Freight shares how they have moved their business forward in the wake of the pandemic, the challenges and what lies ahead. fragments:

Tell us about Freight Transportation in India and about Shift Freight.

The transportation sector in India has historically been vulnerable to many geographic, social, political and economic factors and as a result is quite disorganized and dispersed. However, the transportation sector in India has always prospered, evolved and grown in abundance in sync with hourly needs, even during the pandemic. Little by little, the transportation space in the country adapts technology to organize its activities.

Shift Freight's foray into motion and motion space occurred during the outbreak of the pandemic. Due to the lockdown we had to take a break, which we did to prepare ourselves technically. So we managed to go against the grain and emerge as one of the fastest growing packer and mover aggregators in India in the country, growing 60 percent month over month since launch. In a short period of time, we are operational in Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune and Kolkata, providing relocation services both intercity and within the city. Currently, we provide services to both businesses and end users through our state-of-the-art customer relationship management.

What difference does it make for consumers as an aggregator, rather than a separate transporter and packer?

Aggregator-based startups have disrupted all spaces in recent years. Whether it's Ola for taxis or Oyo for hotel rooms, aggregators provide the easy access and convenience that consumers really want. As an aggregator in the field of moving companies and packers, we have an extensive network of Shift Partners and facilitate numerous services such as relocation of household items within the city, relocation of household items between cities, vehicle relocation and relocation of offices. In less than a year, we created a PAN India network of Shift Partners. Through our Shift partner network, we deliver approximately 2,000 orders per month.

Moving a home or office is one of the most arduous tasks one assumes. That's why we focus on solving consumer problems by providing dedicated moving coordinators, who will help them from start to finish to the last mile of delivery. Coordinators are permanent contact points for consumers during each phase of change, as well as a dedicated hotline for 24-hour support. Additionally, at Shift Freight, we have a set of KYC guidelines for our partners and their workforce. We make sure that there are no crimes or deception involving people and property, as we do not want to endanger consumers and their assets. We also provide high-quality packaging materials, reliable property insurance, standard pricing, security, and property protection.