Soon after the first case of Covid-19 occurred in Sri Lanka, PickMe’s leadership team met to devise a feasible strategy. The team rallied the organisation around the core theme #safetyfirst and follow health protocols and measures recommended by authorities to safeguard employees, drivers and customers.
PickMe worked closely with local Police stations to obtain necessary clearance for drivers, to continue to operate and offer necessary services without interruptions. The Company also established an emergency service equipped with an around the clock call centre.
Identifying critical needs of the community was key to forming an effective operational strategy. As such, PickMe organised ‘Tourists Drops’ to assist stranded tourists across the island. Tourists contacted PickMe on its emergency number 1311 to find transport close to their location. PickMe’s widespread presence and insightful use of mobility technology steered the Company to provide ready assistance to tourists in collaboration with respective authorities such as diplomatic missions.
Approximately 4,000 tourists used PickMe’s services to reach the airport from locations across the island, a feat highly commended by the tourism authority.
At the home front, PickMe partnered with critically important organizations to facilitate delivery of essential services. The linchpin to all this was the Company’s easily adaptable technology.
“With the current technology PickMe has and the infrastructure in place, we knew we could provide the country with a better solution of getting goods to customers as opposed to customers going out.
And with the assistance of the Government we were able to ensure that essential goods were delivered to customers on a daily basis. As a proactive measure, PickMe team met with several Government officials to propose a delivery mechanism that could operate during curfew hours.
As a result of numerous discussions PickMe team had with authorities and thanks to the government’s commitment to ease people’s hardships while containing the virus, all our delivery fleet were given approval to function during curfew, and the Company was able to deliver daily essentials which included grocery, gas, bread etc,” commented Zulfer Jiffry, Founder CEO – PickMe Digital Mobility Solutions. ‘PickMe Delivery Balakaya’ was an effective game plan which ensured that consumers received essential goods without delay.
The Balakaya worked with retailers, supermarkets and various other businesses to provide quick, reliable and safe services to Sri Lankans.