E-Comm Giants Are Warned by Karnataka IT Minister About Their Poor Customer Service

Priyank Kharge, Karnataka's IT minister, has alerted to take regulatory action against e-commerce and fast commerce platforms if they don't enhance customer service and complaints. According to the minister, current technological solutions—like chatbots used by different platforms—cannot resolve client complaints, leaving people stuck in a never-ending circle of uncertainty. In a post on X, Kharge stated that although chatbots and intelligent prompts can manage certain problems, they are unable to address legitimate consumer or citizen complaints, frequently leaving people in a never-ending circle of uncertainty. Kharge's remarks highlight the difficulties e-commerce and quick commerce platforms face in managing consumer complaints as more people turn to online platforms for the quick delivery of a wide range of goods rather than traditional retail.

Stern Warning to Improve Customer Service and Delivery Experience

The minister went on to say that Swiggy, Zomato, and other e-commerce and rapid commerce platforms need to enhance their delivery and customer service; if they don't, governments may need to enact legislation to guarantee improved operation and service for the populace. As more people turn to online platforms for the speedy delivery of a wide range of items rather than traditional retail, Kharge's remarks highlight the difficulties e-commerce and quick commerce platforms confront in managing client complaints. One of the main challenges has been the dependence on automated and digital systems that are not sophisticated enough to manage important customer concerns. As a result, customers frequently share their purchasing experiences and degree of satisfaction with a product or service on social media platforms.

Government Adding National Consumer Helpline and the e-Maap Portal

Crucially, the government launched AI-based programs in December of last year to improve consumer protection. These included the e-Maap portal and the National Consumer Helpline, which are designed to identify misleading marketing activities and strengthen the complaint resolution process. Among the companies that have embraced a safety promise to improve online consumer protection are Reliance Retail, Tata Sons, and Zomato.

The Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers Bill

The Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Bill was presented to the state cabinet on December 6 but was postponed, as one may remember. Because of the resistance from aggregators and other stakeholders, it has not yet been introduced in the legislature. Every transaction made on aggregator platforms like Zomato, Swiggy, Flipkart, Amazon, Ola, Uber, Urban Company (UC), and several others will be subject to a 1-2% tax, according to the bill. A welfare board will receive the money earned from these platforms and use it to implement social security policies for gig workers who provide delivery services.