Seamless marketplace experience critical to sustaining growth: foodpanda

ISLAMABAD: A leading food delivery company has stressed that a seamless marketplace experience, supported by technology and efficient customer support, is critical to sustaining growth in the digital economy and enhancing customer loyalty.

The company reported that marketplace experience extends beyond app improvements and depends on the smooth functioning of its three core stakeholders, i.e. customers, vendor partners and delivery riders.

It noted that any disruption in one part of the ecosystem could affect the overall service, making coordination across the platform essential.

According to foodpanda, its help centre served as the central point for resolving customer complaints, handling issues ranging from missing items to technical queries through a combination of automated tools and human support. It said automation enabled faster resolution of routine concerns, while dedicated teams managed more complex cases to ensure service quality was maintained.

The company also sought to address misconceptions regarding its refund mechanism, stating that refund requests were processed under clearly defined eligibility criteria to ensure fairness for customers, vendors and riders.

It added that customer feedback collected through Customer Satisfaction Scores (CSAT) was continuously analysed to improve service delivery and strengthen the overall marketplace experience.

The company said businesses must continue investing in technology, transparent support systems and customer-centric processes to deliver a reliable marketplace experience and build long-term user trust and loyalty.

Acknowledging that no system was immune to challenges, some users might perceive the help center as an ineffective tool for engagement and/or problem solving. However, in reality foodpanda operated a dedicated team that handled a vast range of unique cases specifically optimised to provide immediate solutions, ensuring that the help center remained a reliable and functional resource for the community.

While there were a few misconceptions relating to marketplace experience – one of the more pertinent ones related to refunds on the foodpanda platform.

The refund process followed strict rules to ensure fairness to all the stakeholders, including the customer, the rider, and the vendor.

It was a common practice at foodpanda to track Customer Satisfaction Scores (CSAT). Every customer rating submitted via the help centre became data in those scores, and was used to improve the service. “At the core of our evolution is the voice of the community.”

In order to ensure a great experience that customers wanted to keep coming back to, businesses must be ready to use new technology and have a strong support team of various moving parts that come together to make every customer’s experience pleasant.

By building systems designed for change and supported by transparent, human-led resolution centers, businesses could ensure that new initiatives enhanced the overall service, keeping users engaged and loyal, the report added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026