Moving forward with distance on demand
Being part of the logistics industry with a mandate to deliver during a pandemic has been quite a ride for us at Lalamove. Unforeseeable spikes in COVID-19 cases that led to a number of lockdowns gave rise to our biggest challenge yet: how to sustain the business amid the toughest of times. How do you keep the momentum going when the situation was this unpredictable — when there was no way of knowing what was going to happen next?
Hoping for the best served as a good motivator. Optimism drove me to keep the company moving, albeit with a touch of reality, to ensure that the team’s morale remained high, and our operations, up and running.
Read what Dannah Majarocon wrote about Lalamove in InBetween: Delivering possibilities
Despite everything, Lalamove kept moving forward.
Empowering communities
Our mission has always been to empower communities through our initiatives, so despite the challenges, we provided livelihood opportunities to our serviceable areas in January 2021 through the launch of the sedan delivery via the Lalamove app. The pandemic underscored the value of same-day delivery and helped accelerate the rise of online businesses across the country. The launch had a two-pronged benefit: it provided great earning opportunities to more people whose livelihood had been affected by the pandemic, and it serviced the needs of business owners through the 200-kg sedan fleet.
To further serve the community that made up our economic frontliners, we teamed up with ALLCARE to provide accessible and holistic benefits to our Lalamove partner drivers. The package for them included 24/7 Telehealth service, free online mental health counseling, and eye examination with discounts of up to 20 percent for frames and lenses. Partner drivers were also given access to an ALLCARE member support group, where they could be assisted during medical emergencies such as accidents. It was through this partnership that we were able to give back to the workers who continued to serve despite the challenging times, and who were always on the road to provide the convenience that our platform’s users enjoyed on a daily basis during the lockdowns.
We are equipped to take on this challenge, which we see as an opportunity to further expand our services and offer more livelihood opportunities while helping businesses of all sizes in the country.
With the company’s 200% year-on-year growth in deliveries, we also needed to make sure that the quality of our services was maintained. To keep the trust and loyalty of our regular customers and clients, Lalamove partnered with the Philippine National Police to prevent the illegal movement of contraband in the country through online delivery services.
Keeping the economy afloat
Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises or MSMEs, which make up 99.51% in the Philippines, were also among those we assisted last year in the “new normal” through the Deliver Care initiative in partnership with Bounce Back PH, a social media community and movement funded by entrepreneur Jason Dela Rosa. Despite the need to shift to digital from the brick-and-mortar setup, many entrepreneurs still required assistance, particularly for logistics solutions, to keep their businesses going. Through the partnership, Lalamove pledged to donate P10 for every delivery completed via the app, while Bounce Back PH set aside a portion of its sales and added to the fund.
We also kicked off Lalamove’s on-demand delivery service in Pampanga. Positioning Lalamove as the Kapampangan’s 24/7 Kayabe (companion), we are incredibly grateful for the high order demand we have gotten from the province since then. The launch answered the Kapampangan’s needs and also generated more job opportunities for the province and its neighboring cities and provinces such as Bulacan, Olongapo, and Tarlac. The area is now serving as one of our focus areas for long-distance deliveries across Luzon.
Staying true to our core values and our commitment to the communities we serve has helped us navigate through this difficult period.
Our fifth anniversary, meanwhile, signaled the continuous expansion of our serviceable areas. In the Queen City of the South, our services are now available in 16 cities from the metro to the north, south, and west of Cebu. Across Luzon, users can now book Lalamove’s trusted fleet of 1,000, 2,000, and 3,000 kg trucks from Manila or Pampanga to as far as North Luzon’s Abra and South Luzon’s Sorsogon.
Amid the celebrations, we had our fair share of struggles. Last Dec. 2021, Typhoon Odette struck Cebu, destroying almost everything in its path. No signal, no electricity, and scarce drinking water – these were the main problems that needed to be dealt with. To help with the situation, our Cebuano partner drivers operated commission-free, we pledged P1 million to the Cebu local government unit, and provided logistical support to donation drives in Cebu, such as CollaboX Payaw Project, ERUF Operation Phoenix, Bigseed’s 2BigforCebu, and Simply Share Foundation. Temporary channels were also offered, via text or Viber, so users could book Lalamove for their needs.
Overcoming troubles on the road, together
Regardless of the situation, even in the most unfortunate circumstances, Lalamove is ready to deliver positive change and help communities.
As the leading on-demand delivery platform, we are about to turn the page as the country becomes the next logistics hub in Southeast Asia. This direction is clearer than crystal; with businesses continuously growing, e-commerce has been booming.
We are equipped to take on this challenge, which we see as an opportunity to further expand our services and offer more livelihood opportunities while helping businesses of all sizes in the country. Lalamove is in the center of it all, between the business owner and the consumer, and we are ready to take this journey head-on, together with our partner drivers and diverse fleets, specifically for long-distance and last-mile delivery solutions.
Staying true to our core values and our commitment to the communities we serve has helped us navigate through this difficult period. Now, with distance on demand, expansion is on the horizon for the company, and we are excited to share what we have in the works for our patrons and for our trusted partner drivers. We are hopeful and optimistic about what’s in store for Lalamove and for the logistics industry in the Philippines. No matter the situation, we will find a way, and you can rest assured that Lalamove will always be ready to deliver.
