KUALA LUMPUR: The new regional payment scheme for Foodpanda riders outside the Klang Valley will reward them based on efficiency and help to increase their earnings.
Foodpanda Malaysia managing director Sayantan Das said the new scheme, which took effect on Sept 30, covered about 3,900 or 30 per cent of riders outside the Klang Valley.
There are 13,000 riders nationwide.
“We welcome the government’s initiative to look into the scheme as a responsible and accountable player in the market,” he said.
“Foodpanda is not operating in monopoly as there are other players,” he said, adding that the scheme applied to other countries as well.
He said payment per order ranged between RM4.50 and RM7, based on the batch (category) that the riders were in.
“We have six batches with Batch 1 being the highest performers,” he said adding that in average, riders could deliver about three orders per hour.
“The new scheme works on an efficiency model, by removing the hourly rate, but increases the payment per order, so those who deliver more, will earn more,” he said, adding that hot zones and high potential zones were highlighted to riders so that they could make more deliveries.
Das said there was a new bonus campaign which ran from Sept 30 to Oct 12.
“In a week if they reach 80 to 119 orders, they will get RM50, 120 to 179 orders (RM80) and 180 orders (RM120). “On top of that, they will also get RM1 per hour in selected zones, or when they deliver orders between 11pm and 9am,” he said.
“Contrary to what was reported, the new scheme gives performing riders a chance to earn more, even up to 50 per cent.”
In Kuala Lumpur, Das said riders received a base pay of RM4 per hour and between RM3 and RM5 per order.
He said on average, depending on the batch that they were in, riders could earn RM7,000 to RM10,000 per month.
“The minimum earning potential if you work 30 to 40 hours per week can range from RM400 to RM700,” he said.
Das said Foodpanda saw a higher growth potential for riders outside the Klang Valley.
“We have been operating in the Klang Valley for about seven years and the growth rate has reached a level of saturation although it is very promising.
“The rate of urbanisation is gaining pace outside the Klang Valley, such as in Kota Kinabalu and Johor Baru.
“We feel that this scheme will be most beneficial outside the Klang Valley,” he said.
Das said a strike on Sept 30 was staged by less than one per cent of riders in the fleet and they were not threatened with termination.
“We just sent out the information that if they did not want to work, just switch shifts with other active riders in the fleet,” he said.
Das said the new scheme has already had a positive effect on riders’ earnings, a week in.
The system will be monitored for a total of four weeks and will be reviewed if necessary.
He said they had not received any information yet on reports lodged to the Department of Labour in the peninsula.