DoorDash Making Delivery Safer for Dashers, Customers
On-demand delivery platform DoorDash has undertaken several product updates in an effort to make its service safer for both its customers and Dashers. The updates mark the largest safety push for the company, and are an extension of SafeDash, its in-app toolkit powered by ADT that was introduced last year.
New features include SafeDash Check-In, which triggers an automatic check-in if a delivery is taking longer than expected, as well as Real-Time Safety Alerts that quickly alert Dashers, customers and merchants about emergency incidents in the delivery area. The check-in feature will initially launch in New York City and Washington, D.C., and safety alerts will be available across the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Other product updates include SafeChat, which detects inappropriate or offensive language in a chat on the DoorDash app, faster and easier safety reporting, and porch light reminders for customers. Each of these features is now active in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
“When we launched SafeDash a year ago, it was a giant step forward in becoming the platform most trusted by individuals looking for app-based work,” said Rajat Shroff, VP of product at San Francisco-based DoorDash. “As we continue to dream big in developing the best earnings platform for supplemental income, we’re excited to roll out our largest safety product update ever, giving Dashers greater peace of mind while on the road.”
DoorDash has been busy in recent months. The company introduced self-serve ad solutions in October to help CPG providers tap into its 25 million-plus monthly active customers at the point of sale to spur incremental purchases, and also rolled out on-demand delivery within Canada’s largest retail network, Loblaw Companies Ltd.
The company also revealed the cohort of business owners from California who were chosen to participate in the Accelerator for Local Goods, an educational program that the delivery platform designed with Chicago- and New York-based Next Street to provide educational resources, funding and access to opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.
