Enhancing Travel Experiences: Zoop’s Vision for Transforming the IRCTC Food Aggregation Industry with Technology

CXOToday has engaged in an exclusive interview with Puneet Sharma, Founder of Zoop

1. Can you share your insights on the challenges you faced in building a successful Online Food Aggregator – Zoop, from the initial stages of team building and network setup, to expanding services to various train stations across India?

Firstly, during the development of Zoop, there was no existing policy or acknowledgment regarding food aggregation. Consequently, we had to present our model to IRCTC as well. Fortunately, in 2016, the e-catering policy was announced, allowing us to become an aggregator by meeting the required conditions promptly.

Secondly, we undertook the task of creating awareness about our service among the officials at the railway station. This was crucial in order to ensure the smooth execution of our Online Food Delivery in Train.

Thirdly, due to our limited funds, we proceeded with great caution, carefully managing our resources.

2. And how did you overcome these challenges to ensure the company’s growth and success?

We maintained regular engagement with IRCTC and Railway officials to foster a strong relationship and ensure smooth operations. Additionally, we conducted promotional activities at railway stations to drive initial sales and generate awareness about our service.

To minimize financial risk, we adopted a lean team structure, allowing us to operate efficiently with fewer resources. Moreover, our business model predominantly consists of variable costs, further reducing the financial burden and providing flexibility in managing expenses.

3. How do you plan to differentiate Zoop from these competitors and continue to innovate to meet the changing needs and preferences of your customers?

Zoop is different in following ways: –

1. Sales not just online, but offline too.
2. Focus on Technology & Process to support massive scale without increasing costs. No manual intervention for every transaction / delivery.
3. New mediums for order bookings apart from Website, App and calls. Example – WhatsApp Bot, Google Chatbot, Instagram Chatbot
4. Compliant business (Authorized by Indian Railways Catering & Tourism Corporation)
5. Consistent and real time order updates and other support for customers.
6. All restaurants listed are FSSAI certified.

4. What is Zoop’s growth strategy for the future, given the emergence of new food delivery platforms like ONDC and Waayu in India?

Zoop operates within a compliant system of e-catering, which was announced by the Railway Board and is managed by IRCTC. Any new businesses entering this domain are required to obtain prior permission from IRCTC. Therefore, we have been operating in an open market scenario with necessary restrictions in place from before.

5. How do you envision Food Aggregators and Technology transforming the travel industry in the future, particularly in terms of enhancing the experience of travellers?

The travel and food industries in India are currently experiencing significant growth, and Zoop finds itself in a favorable position, having a presence in both sectors. Our vision is to establish ourselves as one of the leading food aggregators in the travel industry. We aim to differentiate ourselves by providing an unparalleled user experience for order booking and deliveries. Additionally, we strive to continuously innovate by exploring new mediums and channels to connect and engage with passengers.

To enhance the culinary experience during journeys, we are building a network of diverse restaurants across the country. This allows us to bring the finest flavors from each region and offer passengers the opportunity to taste the authentic cuisine of India during their travels.

6. What steps is Zoop taking to leverage technology to improve its food delivery service and offer more value to customers?

– New mediums to connect. Example – WhatsApp, Google Chats, Instagram Chats

– Solve all queries & complaints via automated intelligent chats.

– Separate Apps for Restaurant Partners and Delivery Boys

– Intelligent technology backed by strong processes for order bookings and delivery management ensuring a seamless experience to customers.

– Integration with IRCTC tech for real time train & passenger updates.

7. Can you discuss how the company uses customer reviews and feedback to continuously improve its food delivery service, and how Zoop’s commitment to customer satisfaction sets it apart from competitors in the industry?

At Zoop, we place great importance on customer reviews and feedback. We actively seek feedback from our customers after each order delivery, as it plays a vital role in our decision-making process. The restaurant listings on Zoop are solely dependent on this valuable feedback.

By collecting and analyzing customer reviews, we gain insights into the quality of service provided by the restaurants listed on our platform. This feedback helps us ensure that only the best and most reliable restaurants are featured on Zoop, enhancing the overall user experience.

We believe that customer feedback is crucial for maintaining transparency and accountability in our operations. It allows us to continuously improve our services and provide our customers with the best possible dining experiences during their travels.

8. By the end of 2023, what is the business number that you plan to achieve?

We aim to deliver 4 lakh meals monthly by end of 2023.