The car is an amazing invention which enables us to cross long distances in a very short time. A stretch that might have taken 100 days to walk in the past, for example, 3,000 kilometers, now takes only three to six days, depending on whether we drive for 12 or 6 hours each day.
In other words, we are enjoying a tenfold increase in the speed we can travel at, which enables us to get to work and get around a lot faster than before. This is clear, looking at the thousands of cars that are tooting and clamoring for space in big cities.
Since the internet went “online,” it has become much easier to “get around” without actually getting around. Instead of going out into the world, the world comes into our house. Things are much simpler that way. So what happens when we aren’t willing to drive anywhere anymore?
Some quick answers
Following is a list with short answers to the question of this article, to get you acquainted with the topic:
- More of us choose to work from home – if we can
- Greenhouse gases are going away to an extent, as fewer individual vehicles are driving around, but delivery companies need to drive more
- Public transport gets more crowded
Below, we will go into a few of the main things that are happening as we get less willing to drive.
Companies order food online
A particular trend we’re seeing is that more companies are choosing to order their food online instead of driving out to grab it for their employees. Despite being a bit more expensive, it does save some time, which might mean that more work gets done. For many companies, it’s an investment they’re willing to make.
Why are food delivery companies so successful?
We went out and asked some of the most successful delivery companies, What is it that contributes most to your success? Here are a few of the answers we got:
- A French company told us that “Let’s just get it out there: Yes, covid has made a big difference in the last few years. But it’s not the only reason we are the industry leaders in our country; one of the main things that got us to the top is that we have a huge stock of different foods that appeal to every taste.”
- A Norwegian company claimed that “When businesses in Oslo want to buy food for their employees, they expect punctuality. We have made it a priority to always deliver, not on time, but ahead of time. We have learned that good food is not enough; the delivery must come when the customer expects it. This is one of the reasons we have been able to deliver, as Norwegians say it, kantinemat Oslo (which means cantine food, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner), since 2005, and are still going strong. In addition, people are just plain not as willing to drive as they were in the past. Fewer companies go out to get food these days.”
- An American company said that “We like to astonish our customers. Instead of just bringing the food they ordered, we always send them a free gift as well. Whether it be a fruit basket, a candy bag, or a gift card for their next order, we want our customers to see that we go the extra mile to bring them the best service – and we really believe that it makes a difference.
We buy things online
There’s a reason companies like eBay, Amazon, and AliExpress have become household names, pretty much around the entire globe. We can buy new phones, computers, books, water hoses, nail clippers, weapons, cutlery, and a whole lot of other stuff with a few simple clicks – and then this stuff comes right to our doorstep!
Buying more things online naturally means we buy fewer things offline, which means that local stores are struggling to get by. When traveling to St. Petersburg, I struggled to find a lot of stores, simply because Google hadn’t updated that they were closed down a few months or a year prior to me going there. Business is tough for those who want to sell things locally.
We can’t blame people for buying stuff on the internet, however – they are often cheaper and easier to get – benefits that appeal to many in the 21st century.