A look into India’s addressing system
If you live in India, then if not more at least once you must have directed someone to your home or office. Even when according to you, you share the most precise landmarks and accurate zip code, you get multiple calls from the cab driver coming to pick you or the food delivery executive coming with your order. This may seem like a very normal, day-to-day problem that most of the Indians have to go through but in reality, these phone calls, multiple stoppages and delays in delivery are affecting the success of many eCommerce companies in India. This whole mystery of cracking the code of where customers live hinders the flow of delivery. But why is addressing so confusing in India? There are several reasons like the lack of street signs, ever-changing landmarks, half-built buildings, hidden or narrow lanes and chaotic streets. Also, the buildings and roads don’t have standardized numbers or names, which makes the whole task of locating an address more difficult and challenging. Also, many times it happens that the route leading to the address is either dug up or is operating on single-lane two-way traffic control. So, when you book a cab or order your meal online, you get multiple phone calls from the driver or the delivery boy asking for alternate routes.
Today, when the pandemic forced people to stay indoor and increased their dependency on online stores for everyday needs like groceries, veggies, fruits, etc. this addressing issue is proving to be more problematic than ever. Say, if a delivery boy has 50 parcels to be delivered and for every single address he has to make at least one phone call if not more or ask for directions from passersby then how much time will it take for him to deliver those parcels and the cost of phone calls and fuel is an addon that can’t be ignored for sure. In fact, delivery boys calling multiple times to find a customer’s location ranks as one of the top annoyances for customers. Even to cut down on these calls, a cab app introduced a feature in its app that allows drivers and riders to share information and directions through an in-app chat. GPS navigator and map apps are available at our disposal and many deliveries and cab services even use that, but still, the issue of locating the address with ease remains intact to a huge extent.
Because these apps can give you live traffic updates, but they fail to tell you if there is diverted traffic on the route or if the construction work is going on. And despite following all the instruction correctly people do end up on wrong addresses or dead ends. If you use such apps and have been in such a situation then maybe it is time to move to smarter addressing solutions like Pataa. This smart and seamless digital addressing solution simplifies all the issues that arise due to complex addresses and optimizes commuting, navigation, logistics and last-mile delivery. It simplifies your long complex address into short and unique custom code, making it easy to share and remember.
