ITV

Tag: Dineout

  • Swiggy announces acquisition of Dineout from Times Internet

    Swiggy announces acquisition of Dineout from Times Internet

    Mumbai: Marking its foray into the high-use dining out category, Swiggy India on Saturday announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Times Internet to acquire its dining out and restaurant tech platform, Dineout. Its founders Ankit Mehrotra, Nikhil Bakshi, Sahil Jain and Vivek Kapoor will join Swiggy once the acquisition is completed, while Dineout will continue to operate as an independent app, the food aggregator said in a statement.

    Announcing the development on Saturday on LinkedIn, Swiggy India posted: “It’s a big day for #Swiggy and we’re happy to announce that we have acquired #Dineout – India’s leading dining out and restaurant tech platform.”

    Dineout brings with it a network of over 50,000 restaurant partners along with a ‘proven technology’ and ‘invaluable experience’ that Swiggy can benefit from.  

    “Dineout is a well-loved brand that enjoys loyalty from both consumers and restaurants. Times Internet and the founding team should be credited for the transformational impact they have brought about in the dining out experience through their products, technology and vast selection of restaurant partners,” said Swiggy CEO Sriharsha Majety. “The acquisition will allow Swiggy to explore synergies and offer new experiences in a high-use category.”

    The acquisition will enable the food aggregator to cater to every food occasion by capitalising on Dineout’s assets and position in the dining out space, the statement said. “Swiggy will double down on the synergies with Dineout’s offerings, including dining out table reservations and events. In time, restaurant partners will be able to reach more customers and grow their business,” it added.

    “At Dineout, we always wanted to revolutionise the restaurant industry and this acquisition is an accelerating step towards the same goal. We strongly feel that with Swiggy’s deep understanding of the ecosystem and our shared passion for a superior consumer and restaurant experience, our joint forces will help provide a holistic platform in this industry,” said Dineout co-founder & CEO Ankit Mehrotra.

    Times Internet vice chairman Satyan Gajwani added, “We are proud of the positive impact that Dineout has created for consumers and restaurants, helping streamline and improve the eating out experience. Swiggy + Dineout is a powerful combination, and we are excited to join forces with Swiggy as we continue to look for ways to delight customers.”

    In the last 20 months, Swiggy has strengthened its food delivery business, expanded Instamart, its quick commerce grocery delivery to 28 cities, and Genie, its pick up and drop service to 68 cities.

  • DLF Shopping Malls to go digital to promote contactless dining across malls

    DLF Shopping Malls to go digital to promote contactless dining across malls

    New Delhi: DLF Shopping Malls, the country’s physical marketplace has partnered with Inresto to create a contactless dining experience at restaurants and food courts across its malls. Starting with DLF Promenade, the service will also be available at DLF Cyberhub, Horizon Plaza, DLF 5 and DLF Mall of India in the coming time. 

    The digital technology will empower restaurants and food courts within DLF Shopping Malls to offer a seamless customer journey and a safe dining experience. With convenience features like digital menus, pre-ordering, table booking, digital payments and digital feedback. Thereby, minimizing the chances of touching common areas by our guests. 

    This technology will help food courts and restaurants in the mall to reduce the wait time to the minimum.  It will also enable restaurants to manage their operations at a capacity (as per
    social distancing norms) through its table management software. 

    For DLF Shopping Malls safety and well-being of consumers are the top concern and Contactless Dining is the first step in that direction for making diner’s experience safe and convenient. 

    Through DLF Malls Lukout app or by scanning the QR code our customers will be able to:

    · Browse through digital menus on their phones. It will ensure more safety and zero surface contact.

    ·Reserve tables at restaurants. It will improve social distancing. 

    ·Pre-order their meals thereby cutting the wait time at restaurants and food courts.  

    ·Check the hygiene and safety measures
    and rating of the outlet for assurance of safety.

    ·Give feedback to restaurants so that they can dial up their service. 

    ·Earn loyalty points digitally for their frequent visits. 

    Customers looking for takeaways can simply pre-order the dishes, grab the items from the counter and check out by making contactless payments through their smartphones. Thus, making the entire in-mall experience seamless and contact-free, as much as possible.

    Restaurants within the DLF Shopping Malls portfolio will be integrated with AI-powered video solutions from Staqu which will render specialised analytics on restaurant operations and bring the live feed to the diners helping them monitor safety parameters in the kitchen. 

    A live stream of the kitchen proceedings will also be available to the end customer on the Dineout app and assure them of the hygiene compliance and sanitization standards. This will help reinforce consumer confidence, thereby increasing quality footfalls to the restaurants.  

    Speaking on the partnership, DLF Shopping Malls executive director-Pushpa Bector said, “As we start re-opening our malls, our utmost priority is to provide a secure environment for our guests. So, we have partnered with Dineout’s inresto technology for enabling a contactless F&B service. We want to offer an unparalleled experience to our customers which is driven by technology innovation and making their visits enjoyable without compromising on safety and hygiene.”   

    Commenting on the announcement, Dineout Co-founder & CEO- Ankit Mehrotra said, “The post COVID era would see significant changes in malls from an operations perspective to comply with safe distancing measures within the mall. With our partnership, we are embarking our entry into retail space with inresto technology which will not only help in adjusting to the new demands but also managing the crowd and maintaining the social distancing within the food courts and in restaurants. Our product suite will ensure complete peace of mind for diners as they enjoy the exciting experience and create new memories at their favourite F&B outlets housed in DLF Shopping Malls portfolio. “

  • Dineout’s onward march into contactless future of restaurants

    Dineout’s onward march into contactless future of restaurants

    NEW DELHI: The ongoing COVID19 crisis is paving the way for a ‘new normal’ as most industry experts are arguing. There is positivity about demand reviving sooner than later, there are going to be newer consumer engagement rules, redefined spaces, and modified demands from not just users but also stakeholders. One of the sectors to quickly get back on track, if China is an example to follow, is going to be the restaurants and related services. There is a lot of pent-up demand in the sector to be addressed;  however, a lot of investments in new technologies and ways of indulging a visitor will have to be introduced as there is going to be a lot of apprehensions in a consumer’s mind.

    Taking a positive step in this direction, Dineout, one of the topmost digital products companies in the space, has started a slew of initiatives, with its Contactless Dining Suite, to ensure ‘contactless engagement’ at its partner restaurants. Not just that, it has started to extend these services to other categories as well, including hospitals, grocery stores, airports, and alcohol stores.

    Dineout co-founder and CEO Ankit Mehrotra told Indiantelevision.com: “Even before the Covid2019 breakout, we were one of the largest tech providers in the restaurant industry, helping them from CRM to cost-management, to billing, etc. A total of 15,000 restaurants were already a part of our network, utilising our software.”

    He added: “With contactless, we will have to understand that the idea is not to eliminate contact but make it lesser, taking it out from places where it can be easily avoided.”

    Mehrotra explained that with this whole suite, restaurants of tomorrow will function as cinema houses, where one will be able to book the table in advance, and also pre-order food, in theory reducing the amount of time they will be spending there.

    In addition to these services, there are going to be digital parking receipts and the visitors will be able to alert the valet to bring their car to the porch while paying the bill. The whole idea is to make the whole experience seamless, reduce time spent at crowded places, and completely take away the need to touch the menu, which is probably the most infected thing at a restaurant.

    The exciting part about this the visitors will not have to download the Dineout app to avail these services.

    Not just this, Dineout is offering its partner restaurants a yearly package, which will include a one-time set of PPE kits, sterilisation machines for utensils and cutlery, and software suite to manage the bookings and payments.

    “All these services come at a very cost-effective solution. The charges depend on a case-to-case basis. We are in touch with around 3000 restaurants where we might be offering an initial six months or so of service for free on a trial basis,” Mehrotra told us.

    Dineout is partnering with companies like Equinox to develop these features. It is also in touch with Google to develop certain other features like discovery and reservation models etc.

    Some of the companies that have already partnered with Dineout for the Contactless Suite are The Park (Juhu, Mumbai), Hyatt (Pune), Holiday Inn (Delhi), Radisson (Hyderabad), Mad Over Donuts, Mainland China, Giannis and SideWok.

    Mehrotra also added that in the next phase, their focus is going to be on architectural changes as well. “We are already working on increasing gaps between seats at partner restaurants. Going ahead, at more crowded places like QSRs, we are planning to install physical partitions. Most of the standing spaces in bars will be turned into seating arrangements to control the crowd.”

  • Brands undertake mothers’ day campaigns

    Brands undertake mothers’ day campaigns

    Mumbai: Advertising and marketing world is buzzing with ideas on making Mother’s Day more special for their audiences. Brands are leaving no stones unturned to mark their presence on social media. Today is International Mother’s Day, an occasion that reminds us the reason for our existence. During this lockdown, family is the only thing that is keeping us sane. No matter how difficult the times are, there is one person we can always lean our shoulders on: our mothers. Yes, in this quarantine buying a bouquet of flowers or buying a card may be a little difficult, but you can definitely look at these creative campaigns to make your day little happier.

    We’ve come up with a bunch of fun, innovative and emotional campaigns that will want you to hug your moms immediately. So, let’s have a look at the Mother’s Day campaigns for 2020.

    Mamaearth

    Toxin-free personal care brand Mamaearth has decided to launch a special Mother’s Day Campaign this year. It’s a fun and refreshing tribute to Indian mothers, who are having a hard time during this pandemic. The video of this song showcases Indian moms of all ages, sizes, and communities.https://we.tl/t-hOL7V2e3dX

    Wakefit.co

    Wakefit.co’s Mother’s Day Campaign ‘MaaTeri Lori is an emotional ode to the mother who is currently away from her child due to this lockdown. The company has tied up with film, TV and social media celebrities such as Sumeet Vyas, Rasika Dugal, Atul Srivastava, Abhay Mahajan, Ashish Verma and Sulagna Panigrahi, who feature in the videos.

    ShareChat

    ShareChat, the Indian social media platform, is running a five-day #MAA4ME campaign to commemorate motherhood and recognize all the selfless efforts made by the mothers.

    Glucon-D

    On this Mother’s Day Glucon-D salutes mothers across the nation with its campaign #EnergyGharKi. Through this campaign, users on social media will be able to create virtual packs with their mother’s name embedded with a personalised picture instead of Glucon-D’s logo

    Surprise your mother too by creating a virtual pack: https://glucon-d.com/

    Havmor

    Havmor has come up with an interesting campaign celebrating the essence of motherhood. This is the first time that the brand has taken a digital route to convey a special message. The film highlights the fact that mothers can be carefree and it’s time we live and celebrate the kid in them.

    Dineout

    Dineout celebrates Mother’s Day in a diversified manner. The video showcases the idea of different languages but one love. Dineout’s employees shared videos of the most common dialogues of their mothers.

    Whirlpool of India

    Whirlpool launches a social campaign to acknowledge the lessons learnt from mothers that prepares one for life. The #PreparedToTakeCare campaign has been designed to celebrate the unwavering spirit of mothers.

    https://we.tl/t-nyAZqGHbDq

    Sony Music Kids

    On this special day Sony Music Kids launches ‘Mother’s Day Rap Party’ playlist in an effort to drive up the entertainment quotient for moms. Celebrity parents Soha Ali Khan, Mahi Vij, Tahira Kashyap and Angad Bedi will be seen bopping to these unusual beats.

    bit.ly/SonyMusicKids_MothersDay

    Lotte ChocoPie

    Lotte India Corporation Limited celebrates this Mother’s Day with two unique digital campaigns #PauseToThank (Lotte ChocoPie) and #ArgumentsWithMom (Coffy Bite).

    Titan

    Titan has launched ‘Tune for Ma’ Mother’s day campaign to make this day special. The campaign is conceptualised by Ogilvy. In this film, Titan shares an evocative message on the healing power of Mothers and Music.

    Asus

    Electronics firm Asus has also launched a new campaign #LikeMotherLikeAsus to celebrate the consistent productivity of mothers while juggling with several other tasks.The campaign is conceptualised by Dentsu Webchutney.

    Voltas Becko

    On this day, Voltas Beko is paying tribute to single mothers through its emotive campaign “#IAmEnough”. The video, conceptualized by Momspresso, is inspired by single moms. With this DVC, Voltas Beko is reinforcing its commitment as the ‘partners of everyday happiness’ to mothers across India.

    CK Birla

    Columbus India (A Dentsu Aegis Network Company) created a beautiful and emotional video for CK Birla Group Hospitals which will be posted on all its social media handles to honor the brave health care workers in the hospital.

    AIS

    AIS did an amazing post saluting the mothers for their undying will and unconditional love for the family. Such a simple yet impactful thought to thank the strength of the whole family during this time of the pandemic. A true inspiration who deserves appreciation every day for being our savior like an unsung hero. #ThankYouMa

    Disney Junior

    This Mother’s Day, Disney Junior is celebrating the special relationship between mothers and their little ones across its digital platforms. These mothers along with their adorable kids, gave a glimpse of a few special moments spent with their pre-schoolers.

    https://www.instagram.com/disneyjrindia/

    Some of the other interesting posts that caught our intention include:

    Viviana Mall:

    Balaji Motion Pictures:

    RCE:

    Twelfth Man:

  • Different languages, one love! Dineout celebrates Mother’s Day in this diversified video

    Different languages, one love! Dineout celebrates Mother’s Day in this diversified video

    MUMBAI: There’s no training or licensing protocol in order to graduate as a ‘proficient’ Mother, yet they somehow always know exactly what needs to be done every time. They are caring, patient and the biggest masters of perseverance in our lives. This Mother’s Day, the employees of India’s largest dining out and restaurant tech platform, Dineout have recorded some priceless moments of these tireless and selfless women in their lives to pay a fitting tribute to their mothers. 

    Making it special for Mother’s day despite the nationwide lockdown, Dineout’s employees shared videos of the most common dialogues of their mothers. Despite the diversity in languages and concerns of all mothers, the one thing that remained common was their language of love.

    Check out the video: https://youtu.be/ZpfoIaljEx0

    The video captures the most observed playful banter of mothers in different languages like Bengali, Marathi, Punjabi, Malayalam, Gujrati, Kashmiri, Kannada, Hindi and English, asking their children “when will you come back home?”, “did you eat yet?”, “have home-cooked meals”, etc. A mother may critique her children but she always wishes the best for them, and that is her language of love. The video takes inspiration from those real-life situations highlighting the diversity in voices but united by the mother’s love. The video encapsulates the message “Different words. Same meaning. Their unconditional love. To the ones who always put us first…”

    The video is conceptualised and produced by the in-house marketing team.

    Follow Tellychakkar for the consumer facing news & entertainment

  • Dineout unveils India’s first end-to-end contactless dining suite

    Dineout unveils India’s first end-to-end contactless dining suite

    MUMBAI: Dining out and restaurant tech platform Dineout  has launched the country’s first end-to-end ‘contactless dining suite’ for Indian restaurants to ensure they have the right seamless plug-and-play technology and sanitation requirements to support no-contact dining for the foreseeable future.

    The brand’s in Resto Contactless Dining suite covers the entire dining experience from pre-ordering to the contactless valet, seating, menu, and payments. Online feedback systems have also been put in place that will collect real-time feedback on the dining experience

    Dineout co-founder and CEO Ankit Mehrotra said, “Dineout is on a mission to make restaurants a safe harbour for diners as they re-open for business soon. We believe the role of tech in this post-COVID-19 era is to establish trust and build confidence in the minds of consumers, and our new inresto Contactless Dining Suite would help the F&B industry adjust to the new normal as everything from informing diners about the restaurant’s new safety measures, booking a table, pre-ordering dishes to minimise waiting time, seamless takeaway, contactless payments and ensuring superior hygiene standards are the need of the hour for the entire hospitality industry. Our product suite will ensure complete peace of mind for diners as they enjoy exciting experiences and create new memories at their favorite restaurants in town.”

     Absolute Barbecues CEO Prosenjit Roy Choudhury said, “The Post-COVID decade would be a test for restaurants to earn the respect & trust of their customers. As responsible entrepreneurs, we realise the amount of faith customers put in us when they dine at our outlets, and this product suite by Dineout will help fellow restaurant owners across the country revive their business and adjust to the new demands of the ever-evolving hospitality industry.”

    Besides unveiling the ‘contactless dining suite’ to help restaurants survive and thrive in a post-COVID-19 world, Dineout will also provide a PPE Safety Kit for Restaurants and ensure hygiene measures at the restaurant. Not only should our diners be safe but it applies to all our kitchen and wait staff too. Dineout is also facilitating the COVID-free certification for restaurants through a licensed lab in order to ensure that all the microbiological tests are in place before restaurants restart post the lockdown. Users can see the certified restaurants on the Dineout App with their audit rating. This will help them make an informed decision and are assured of the safety and hygiene standards, which will go a long way in building consumer confidence.

  • Dineout launches Project Thali to donate rations among needy

    Dineout launches Project Thali to donate rations among needy

    MUMBAI: With major economic activities stagnating, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the livelihoods and food security of millions of people across India. Home to one-quarter of all undernourished worldwide, malnourished individuals with compromised immunity including the urban poor, inhabitants of remote areas, migrants, the informally employed, people in conflict areas and other vulnerable groups are most susceptible to the economic and health effects of this pandemic.

    In an effort to end hunger, malnutrition and make food available to those suffering to meet ends during this lockdown, dining out and restaurant tech platform Dineout has launched ‘Project Thali’, a community-driven initiative that aims to connect the dots between volunteers, NGOs and the government ensuring everyone, including our poorest and most vulnerable communities who may not be able to claim daily ration get access to food and nourishment. Hosted in partnership with the non-profit World Help Group, this initiative is inviting people to a) donate rations, b) cooked food, c) volunteer or donate by means of guaranteeing food security for a vulnerable family for 15 days for Rs 1400 only.

    Dineout co-founder and CEO said, “The COVID-19 crisis has had a disastrous effect on the sustenance of our most vulnerable communities including homeless people, daily wagers and migrant workers. Senior citizens with limited resources in this lockdown too have been impacted. This share of our population is most exposed to hunger, malnutrition, exodus, destitution and other problems which may potentially be more widespread than the disease itself. In times of such dire crisis, we have launched Project Thali’ to ensure food reaches those who need it the most in an effort to have a real and lasting impact on eliminating hunger at local and national levels. We’ve had some initial success in the past two weeks by serving food to 100,000+ people in collaboration with over 1300 volunteers, and invite one and all to be a part of our mission to ensure no one sleeps hungry.”

    Besides ‘Project Thali’ to eliminate hunger among the needy, Dineout has initiated an online petition to support NRAI on change.org, requesting the Finance Ministry and Government of India to help restaurants with employee unemployment pay cover, a moratorium on upcoming statutory dues, delay in utility bill payments, holiday/temporary stoppage on EMI payments and interest, freezing rental dues and restoration of Input Tax Credit on GST for all restaurants. The petition has received widespread acknowledgement and has been signed by more than 35,000 people and endorsed by some of the country’s biggest restaurateurs and F&B entrepreneurs.

    You can contribute here – https://www.dineout.co.in/project-thali

  • Dineout introduces vouchers to provide financial support to restaurants during COVID-19

    Dineout introduces vouchers to provide financial support to restaurants during COVID-19

    MUMBAI: The F&B industry and local restaurant businesses have been severely impacted amidst the nationwide shutdown to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. With an annual turnover of Rs 4 lakh crore, the industry could potentially hit total bankruptcy as it fights a long and hard battle against basic survival. India's food services industry currently employs around 7.3 million people. If lockdowns continue, 20-25 per cent of the employee-base could lose their jobs.

    The subsequent financial crisis triggered by the lockdown has made it extremely tough for restaurants to pay for expenses, rent, salaries & more. To help them navigate through this turmoil, India’s largest dining out and restaurant tech platform, Dineout has introduced “Restaurant Vouchers” that customers can purchase now and redeem later when the pandemic subsides. Dineout has also started an online petition requesting the government to support the restaurant industry via employee unemployment pay cover amongst other restaurant needs as requested by NRAI. 

    Restaurant vouchers can be purchased via Dineout on supportrestaurants.in available in Rs 1000 denominations that can be redeemed in the next 6 months. Dineout will transfer the funds to the restaurants at no additional charges to ensure that restaurants continue to receive the crucial cash-flow to survive these trying times, and food-lovers get discounted coupons from their favorite eateries in town. 

    Customers can now buy these vouchers at a discounted price now at  20,000+ partner restaurants like Plum by Bent Chair, Whiskey Samba, Lord Of the Drinks, The Wine Company, Sly Granny, Mamagoto, Kobe sizzlers, Chopstick, Gilly's Resto-Bar, & more. 

    Beyond financial support from customers, Dineout has also started an online petition to support NRAI on change.org, requesting the Finance Ministry and Government of India to help restaurants with employee unemployment pay cover, a moratorium on upcoming statutory dues, delay in utility bill payments, holiday/temporary stoppage on EMI payments & interest, freezing rental dues & restoration of Input Tax Credit on GST for all restaurants. 

    Speaking on this industry first initiative, Dineout co-founder and CEO Ankit Mehrotra said, “Being a restaurant tech solution, we at Dineout have always believed in a restaurant first approach to help our partners with solutions in times of need. While we are encouraging our diners to stay home despite financial implications on us, local restaurant businesses need our support more than ever as they face severe losses. They closed their operations for our safety, it's time for us as a community to support them now so they can continue to serve us tomorrow. Restaurant Vouchers are a great way to keep the momentum of cash flow steady for restaurants without any additional charges from us. We urge food-lovers across the nation to do their bit for the restaurants they love and also sign the petition for the government to hear our voice.” 

  • Dineout unveils ‘Dineout later, stay home now’ initiative

    Dineout unveils ‘Dineout later, stay home now’ initiative

    MUMBAI: Dining out and restaurant tech platform, Dineout despite of its brand name and objective, is encouraging users to practise responsible social distancing and superior personal hygiene to combat the spread of COVID-19. As a part of this public health initiative aimed at promoting the need to stay home and stay healthy, the brand has changed its name across social media platforms to ‘Dineout Later. Stay Home Now’ and also changed their popularly used hashtag #LetsDineout to #LetsStayHome to show their support.

    Through social conversations with the hashtag #LetsStayHome, Dineout is sharing updates on how their team is working from home, having team lunch digitally together. They are also encouraging fellow Indians to stay entertained while indoors by exploring new hobbies, easy recipes, exercises and fun activities from the comfort of their homes amidst this crisis. People may also share their recipe ideas and photos of what they are cooking or eating with the same hashtag to promote healthy and safe eating habits. They have also created a unique Facebook event ‘Stay Home’ where they had invited people for a virtual dine-in on 22 March, the same day as Janta Curfew to have lunch from the comfort and safety of their homes. They have also announced the closure of their services and operations including denial of bookings and payments on 22 March to support the all India lockdown.

    Speaking on the brand’s public health initiative, Dineout co-founder and CEO Ankit Mehrotra observed, “Social gathering is the key to the F&B industry, while social distancing is the key to fighting the widespread of COVID-19 and we’re strongly promoting it across all our platforms. We stand strong with our restaurant partners who have closed operations temporarily and #LetsStayHome is our collective effort to remind everyone to focus on what matters the most amidst this health emergency – the health and safety of our loved ones and our communities.”

  • The sunny side of corona outbreak

    The sunny side of corona outbreak

    MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: Lunching together digitally; employees taking ownership of their work with a lot of seriousness and passion; and people getting plenty of time to be with their families…

    These are some of the positive outcomes of the impromptu and mostly self-imposed work-from-home system put in place by companies all over India in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

    Across the country, central and state governments are taking measures to limit people from travelling and encouraging companies to offer work-from-home options. Large technology firms were among the first among the lot to switch to remote working for all their staff.

    Indiantelevision.com asked industry experts about their work-from-home measures during this critical time.

    Dineout co-founder and CEO Ankit Mehrotra said: “In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, we’ve been actively implementing social distancing, sanitisation and even self-quarantine policies for the last two weeks. Our teams across all cities will be working from home until 31 March 2020. Our sales teams have also been advised to focus on virtual training and client support for the next two weeks. In fact, our teams are also having lunch together digitally! In such challenging times, we continue to work together to overcome operational hurdles by leveraging technologies like Google Hangouts, Slack and Google Meets to stay connected virtually and ensure continuity of work.”

    For many, work from home is a completely different experience altogether. There is an overload of screen time, dozens of hangout calls, and a few dozen more WhatsApp groups. However, in these testing times employees are taking ownership of their work with a lot more seriousness, dedication and passion. “The reporting structures are well defined and there is a seamless flow of information because of the SOPs set. We, as founders, have a bird’s eye view of who is working on what and what project is consuming how much time. Ease of allocating time commitments to projects is easier. More importantly, the world was greener and cleaner this week and team got a lot of time to spend with their families,” says White Rivers Media chief executive officer and co-founder Shrenik Gandhi.

    Big Trunk Communications managing director Bharat Subramaniam thinks that as the coronavirus has taken the world by storm, businesses all over the globe are resorting to innovative ways and acting responsibly to prevent the spread of this infectious disease. He believes that it is their duty as leaders and entrepreneurs to thoroughly understand the risks involved in continuing operations without taking any stern and serious measures.

    “In times when communication mediums have strengthened fourfold with the advent of digital transformation, it has facilitated great opportunities in the WFH model. We follow the "Make Big Happen Everyday" culture and believe in going the extra mile for our esteemed clients in challenging situations like these. All in all, work-from-home has worked well and has been a win-win situation for both employees and employers,” he says.

    According to Alchemy Group chief business officer Pankil Mehta, the COVID-19 crisis has brought a change to everyday routine. However, there is no hindrance in terms of work getting done.

    “Speaking specifically about Alchemy Group, we have consciously invested time and effort in ensuring our technology and processes are such where teams can work efficiently even when they are not sitting under the same roof. However, from a morale perspective, things have slowed down and one can tend to feel a little less productive considering they are at home all day. We, as a team, ensure we maintain daily routines and try and stick to deadlines like any other day in the office. In the current scenario, I have also urged the team to take sufficient breaks and rests throughout the day and most importantly stay safe.”

    There, however, is flip side to it. While there is a lot of buzz about the advantages of work-from-home, such as spending more time with family, focusing on other priorities, and less unproductive travel time, the reality of business seems to be different. People will engage less with each other, critical decisions will be deferred and strategic investments will be reassessed until the impact and the scale of the slowdown is understood in the weeks and months to come.

    According to Update Geotarget chief strategy officer Samarjeet Reen, this time can be utilised to upskill yourself, learn something new about your industry, exercise, read books. And more importantly, practice societal empathy.

    He adds: “We have a very large count of informal blue-collar services and micro/small retailers, which includes home delivery, house maintenance, etc. All of them add to our personal productivity, and they are at extreme risk. While we look after our own health and business, we must ensure that small service providers and retailers get adequate support to deal with containment due to Covid-19, and income sustenance, so they can get back on their feet quicker. Societal empathy and responsibility should be the highest priority, more so for the better-placed industry leadership.”

    In Mumbai, all private corporates and establishments will be completely shut for the next couple of days. Production/manufacturing processes which require continuity may function at 50 percent staff strength. Those who do not comply by the order will face action under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code. In fact, those who flout the ordeal can be jailed for six months or fined, or both.

    On a similar note, the Karnataka government had issued an advisory, asking companies to adopt work-from-home policies whenever possible in view of the COVID-19. In the wake of this, FCA India has asked over 50 per cent of its staff to work from home.

    ITC has asked a certain section of its staff, majorly from the novel coronavirus-affected regions like Maharashtra, Kerala, Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru, to work from home.

    Earlier, Hindustan Unilever asked its 4000+ employees globally to work from home as well. It, in fact, advised on-field sales employees to virtually connect with customers.

    (If you would like to get featured in our range of positive stories during the COVID-19 crisis, reach out to us right away!)