The Problem

With more than 7 million Australians using a meal delivery service and a whopping 7,000 orders placed every hour across the country, it’s no surprise that the booming food transportation market is hitting a few roadblocks.

One of the biggest is for those living and working in inner-city and suburban high-rise apartment complexes. In fact, for one such apartment complex in Melbourne, meal delivery had become quite literally a stumbling point for residents, guests and building managers alike.

Swanston Central receives upwards of 1500 resident food delivery orders through its doors a week. The 72 Level, 1,039 apartment complex in the CBDs Northern fringe suburb of Carlton, had become a food delivery battle ground. Upstairs are the hungry residents wanting simple fast and secure access to their food but were left frustrated by cold and stolen meals.

Outside are the delivery drivers and dashers, simply wanting to quickly make a successful drop off before getting to their next job, but who were often stuck out in the cold and left with poor reviews after their deliveries were left to spoil.

And let’s not forget the building manager and front desk concierges who just want to provide a safe and premium experience for residents and guests but are spending their valuable time tracking down lost meals and managing an ever-increasing pile of deliveries strewn across the lobby.

The building managers at Swanston Central thought there must be a better way. Someone out there must have a solution. Surely, we’re not the only ones facing this issue.

And they were right. This isn’t an isolated issue. A recent study of 1,000 high-rise residents and workers found 40% had received cold or damaged food from food delivery drivers with a further 53% saying they’ve experienced significant delays. More than a third (38%) of respondents reported safety was a concern, with many report that their food had been stolen or tampered with. Almost two thirds are less likely to use food delivery services because of their poor experiences and lack of convenience, while almost half have left a bad rating for a delivery driver.

“As a food delivery driver to high-rise buildings, I am faced with great difficulty when delivering orders to customers. The issues I face include gaining access to the building and finding the customer's exact location within the building, which can be very time-consuming and frustrating. This leads to poor ratings from customers who were dissatisfied with the difficulty of their service.

- Delivery Driver, Ryan.

The Solution

The Swanston Central building managers’ search for a solution led them to an innovative food storage solution right here in Australia. Foodifox is revolutionising food delivery and collection within multi-residential apartments, corporate offices, educational institutions and high-volume catering locations.  The state-of-the-art thermal food lockers receive upwards of 400 meals every week and are big enough to hold a standard delivery bag and keep food warm for up to three hours. Through integration with third-party apps and food delivery partners, and a simple and secure QR code access solution for deliverers and customers, it’s taking the headaches out of food delivery for everyone.

“As someone who gets food delivered around 2-3 times per week, the new Foodifox lockers have been awesome. I lost track of the number of times that my food had been abandoned in the building lobby, misplaced or stolen – which is totally unacceptable. Before Foodifox, the simple task of ordering food became such a hassle, as it sometimes took up to 15 minutes to collect, from the moment the driver dropped it off. The lockers have fixed that issue and also make the building feel more advanced – with added technology.”

Resident of Swanston Central, Zi Yin.

Results

Swanston Central building management chose to partner with Foodifox and roll out a thermal food locker, with 17 individual cubicles. The outcomes have been nothing short of transformative, including:

• Reducing complaints associated with sub-par food quality and delivery efficiency – in turn increasing customer satisfaction.

• Improving safety and security within Swanston Central.

• Enabling more food deliveries to be conducted efficiently.

• Tidying up the building lobby to maintain the high-quality amenity and experience for residents and guests. Reducing the number of complaints about stolen or tampered with meals. The Foodifox  team managed the end-to-end food locker introduction at Swanston Central seamlessly. This included delivery and installation, resident training and driver onboarding.

“The Foodifox service team has been super helpful post-installation – ensuring there was a representative onsite (during peak lunchtime and dinner periods) to teach both delivery drivers and residents how easy the lockers are to use. We can easily and efficiently contact and communicate with users through the announcement screen function - which is my favourite part."

Swanston Central Building Manager, Charles.

The lockers have also revolutionised the experience for delivery workers:

“I have been super impressed by the Foodifox lockers, and since using these lockers, I have had an increased number of seamless deliveries. I wish they were available in more buildings that I deliver food orders to.”

Delivery Driver, Ryan.

Conclusion: Revolutionising Food Delivery

Foodifox has created a solution for all of those involved, ensuring food is delivered the way it is supposed to be eaten – fresh, hot and satisfying.

The thermal lockers allow customers to pick up their order and still enjoy it at a time that best suits them. The testimonials illustrate how Foodifox lockers are a true win-win for customers and building managers, restaurants, delivery companies and their drivers. The future of hassle-free, secure, and advanced food delivery experiences is here – it's Foodifox Lockers.

“I personally believe that (within the next 1-2 years) this service will be in all buildings across the city. It is an extremely beneficial product for everyone involved.”

Swanston Central Building Manager, Charles.