talabat Mart, which provides grocery delivery within 30-minutes, aim to expand the number of items to possibly another 3,000 products, from the current 5,000, general manager Carla Ferreira has told Gulf Times in an exclusive interview. The full interview is below:

talabat Mart played a key role in ensuring fast and reliable delivery of goods during the Covid-19 pandemic. What has been its biggest achievement so far in the last two years?
Our most notable achievement is that we were able to cater to customers by delivering while they were safe at home. Fear of participating in daily tasks was one of our customers' biggest challenges, and we are proud of the infrastructure that was quickly built to help customers easily order their basic needs online without any worry.
Additionally, one of our significant accomplishments during the last two years was strengthening our relationships with local and international distributors and suppliers. It is important to us that we support the local ecosystem, and Qatari-made products, and as a result we now have partnerships with well-known Qatari brands such as Baladna, Batatos, Mazzraty Dairy & Fresh Chicken and Q-Bake.

What has been the response of the public to talabat Mart’s online shopping and delivery services since its inception? What are the usual complaints or compliments you often receive from customers and how do you address them?
Any business will face both positive and negative responses from customers, and we appreciate both. We take the positive comments to further build on them, and we are pleased to know that customers are overall very happy with talabat Mart.
As for the incoming negative responses, we take constructive feedback to learn and enhance our products and services, turning them into a positive experience in return. For example, it can be difficult for a customer to engage with a product because it is ordered online through our app, however, when there is any need, we have 24/7 customer service so that our customers can be heard quickly and easily..

How do you see talabat Mart going forward in a post-pandemic era where many residents have returned to supermarkets (in-person) to buy their groceries?
talabat Mart has already established itself in the market, and continues to grow even during the post-pandemic era. In fact, we have a lot of repeat customers, people generally use talabat Mart regularly, for its convenience, saving them so much time throughout the day.
I believe the satisfaction customers get from our 30-minute delivery time is a fantastic reason for them to continue ordering from talabat Mart, saving them so much time with our fast delivery service.

What new features should customers expect from talabat Mart’s mobile app and its services in the near future? How will these new features or further improvements benefit your customers?
We are working on exciting enhancements and new features, especially with the increase in the number of orders and consumers on a daily basis.
On the app, after every order, there is a special section where customers can add their comments, which we take fully into account to enhance our range. For example, if a customer comments on the unavailability of a specific product, we receive that feedback and register it so that we can share it with our team and ensure to improve our offering.

How many stores are you planning to open in Qatar in the next five years and what new products are you going to offer soon?
For us, customer experience always comes first. It’s important to listen and understand what our customers want, and act accordingly. In saying that, we are actively looking into opportunities in Qatar, to see if we will expand our current footprint or further build on the services we already provide.

Are there any plans to increase the number of products that you are offering?
At the moment, we have about 5,000 products being offered, and we have exciting plans to continuously expand. For example, we just doubled the size of our talabat Mart in Bin Omran Area, to meet customer needs and growing demand. In the near future, we aim to expand the number of items to possibly another 3,000 products.
Our talabat marts are located in Al Khor, Al Wakrah, Lusail, West Bay area, Bin Omran, Muntazah, Al Rayyan, and Umm Slal. We essentially cover most of the population.

Are there any plans to transform talabat Mart into a fully-operational supermarket like LuLu and Carrefour in Qatar and the region in the future? Why and why not?
Our niche in the market is to provide grocery delivery within 30-minutes, so we don’t see the need to expand into a larger supermarket model in the near future. In fact, the whole purpose of talabat Mart is the ease for customers to stay comfortable at home while receiving all their products at their doorstep. We also recognise how busy customers are and know how much valuable time can be wasted by shopping at the supermarket, in comparison to simply ordering the same intended products with a click of a button.

Can you tell us more about your anniversary?
Definitely! We are celebrating talabat Mart’s second year of serving our ecosystem here in Qatar. I’d like to thank our customers and suppliers for welcoming us into your communities, and supporting the brand!
Giving back is an important pillar for us - and over the last two years, we have partnered with the Qatar Cancer Association to participate in donations during awareness campaigns such as Pinktober, as well as raising awareness of important health campaigns. We are also continuing to look at more ways to be sustainable through eco-friendly initiatives. In fact, we launched biodegradable bags which we have been doing since inception, in addition to recycling all the contents of our goods.