The Community E-commerce Gets A Lot More Seamless Dusminute-powered communities have claimed to have successfully developed a hyperlocal ecosystem where all essential products and services are available within the comfort of their premises

DusMinute is an omnichannel managed living platform offering amenities like grocery, pharmacy, home services, café, and more, through the in-society store and an exclusive app, for residents of gated communities.

DusMinute co-founder and chief executive officer Apoorva Mishra told Entrepreneur India, "We are enabling the future of modern living by developing a unique personalized experience which is curated to the requirement of a particular community and household. A captive customer base allows us to proactively assess the need of a particular household and fulfill the same in the quickest manner."

Dusminute-powered communities have claimed to have successfully developed a hyperlocal ecosystem where all essential products and services are available within the comfort of their premises. Even during the lockdown, where all other options had weeks of delay, their customers had the luxury of same-day door-step delivery.

The company's inclusive approach of developing a technology roadmap connecting offline buying, online ordering through the app and WhatsApp, planned development for smart-card-based shopping, voice search ensures that we provide a seamless experience for all residents in the community. From a 10-year-old kid to senior citizens, from maids to housewives, it is convenient for all, said the DusMinute co-founder.

"We were always a COVID-prepared business model. Since the inception of the startup, we saw the opportunity to make gated apartment complexes a self-sufficient ecosystem by adding a layer of amenities, hence providing a superior convenience and redefining modern urban living. However, since the pandemic, it has become a necessity to have all these essential services within reach and more communities are understanding this need. Thus, there wasn't much adjustment needed in our business model to operate during this time. DusMinute communities continued enjoying the benefits of safe shopping within their gated premises and quick same-day door-step delivery through the app without any dilution of experience," he commented.

Mishra believes that the current tech landscape is highly dynamic and so is the customers' exposure to these amazing technologies. But instead of looking outwards and searching for the latest or upcoming trends; my rule of thumb about developing a product has always been about listening in to the customers—what makes their life easier?

Having the opportunity to work in a captive customer base, listening to customer feedback/requirements has always kept the company ahead of curve in understanding what needs to be done. Once the roadmap is clear, "how' becomes a simple task for technology to execute and this process automatically keeps them relevant and updated.

As they recently introduced WhatsApp as a channel of ordering at DusMinute. The platform understood that there is a relevant segment of senior citizens and people who are not so tech-savvy and are restricted by an app-only approach. The establishment is also working on a voice-based ordering system for added convenience.

"We are looking to consolidate our position as a market leader in Bengaluru and expand to other metro cities. In the next two years, we plan to expand to 200 communities and work towards horizontal expansion to integrate more amenities into the platform. Parallelly, we are focusing to provide an enhanced customer experience that would be substantially superior to other supermarkets or grocery apps. From AI-based smart cameras to understanding customer shopping behavior to launch fully autonomous man-less stores for 24/7 availability, from voice-enabled ordering to smart cards and smart baskets for monthly needs, we intend to spearhead innovation in our industry," he further shared.