Bolt, the European on-demand transportation platform yesterday announced the launch of a new vertical aimed at merchants and vendors for their business delivery needs in Nairobi.
Bolt Business Delivery will connect businesses with couriers on the Bolt platform and allow vendors to place orders online to deliver products to their customers affordably within hours or the same day.
“We launched Bolt Business Delivery to leverage our experience in operations and logistics and make use of our technology and the large network of drivers we have across Kenya during a time when a lot of people are forced to stay at home,” said Ola Akinnusi, Country Manager of Kenya.
Bolt Business Delivery works simply. It allows vendors to upload deliveries in batches via CSV or can enter them manually using a simple form. Orders can be set to be picked up immediately or scheduled to be collected within 48 hours. Businesses can register for this service via an online form or contact Bolt at [email protected].
“The service can be used by all kinds of businesses, to facilitate all kinds of delivery ranging from delivery of essentials like groceries to household items, LPG, pharmaceutical products — any business that needs a delivery service that can cover the last mile, manage item returns and handle multiple drop-offs,” added Ola.
When adding orders, vendors will receive a price estimate. Once they confirm request delivery, Bolt will dispatch a courier to collect the order at the specified time.
The real-time tracking features ensure that both vendors and customers are fully updated on the progress of the order. Vendors will receive a live status update on the web app and the end-customer will get an SMS notification that their delivery is on the way, the estimated time of arrival and the courier’s contact details.
To maintain Social distancing during the COVID-19 outbreak, vendors will have to specify a location in the app where the courier can leave the package and they will never be in direct contact with the receiver.
