Twilio, a cloud communications platform, said its automated voice technology helped Delivery Hero reduce delivery-related friction, cutting rider-to-agent escalations by more than 60% in cases where customers were unavailable.
Delivery Hero operates in about 70 countries and manages 11 delivery brands. It fulfills more than 10 million orders daily, covering restaurant meals, groceries, pharmacy items, flowers, and other retail goods.
To address failed handovers at the doorstep, Delivery Hero used Twilio’s Programmable Voice, global number pooling, and text-to-speech tools to automate customer outreach at the point of delivery.
By automating calls, the company reported a 25% reduction in overall rider contact rates and more than 60% fewer escalations to support agents when customers could not be reached. In Spain, automated interactive voice response, or IVR, calls recorded a 65% customer answer rate.
“We need customers’ attention at the right moment,” said Philip Grefe, product manager, Rider App at Delivery Hero. “If the final handover fails, everyone loses. The customer doesn’t receive their order, and we’re left holding goods that can’t be used elsewhere.”
Before, riders had to use personal phones to contact customers. This led to delays, language barriers, added call costs, and privacy concerns across markets.
With the new system, riders tap a button in the rider app to trigger an automated call from a local number in the customer’s preferred language. Customers are more likely to answer calls that appear local, while riders avoid out-of-pocket costs and privacy risks.
“At Delivery Hero, connecting riders, vendors, and customers is what drives our business — and Twilio helps us make that connection seamless,” said Grefe.
“Delivery Hero’s use of Twilio shows how programmable communications can remove friction at critical moments,” said Jake Kanter, vice president of Sales, EMEA Communications at Twilio.