In our household until recently, we primarily used delivery apps to order in food. Over time as tracking improved on these apps, I started to time my ordering to ensure food delivery to coincide with when we planned to eat.
I remember feeling frustrated once when as soon as I placed my order from a non-franchise but highly recommended pizza place, Zomato informed me that the order can’t be tracked because the restaurant used their own delivery service. The pizza was delivered late, by 15 minutes, (and cold) and I never ordered from that place again.
Recently, I ordered a few printouts on Blinkit’s printing service (I am a big fan of this service) and it showed that the printouts would be delivered in 20 minutes. The printouts were not urgent, so I got sucked back into work. Suddenly, I realized the bell had not rung and I checked my watch to see that it had been over 30 minutes. I checked the app and it showed that the order was on its way and it would take another 8 minutes. I remember feeling agitated, as if I had been cheated. I could sense my level of impatience rise. I kept checking the app until the printouts were delivered 45 minutes after I had placed the order.
Once I had the printouts in hand, did I stop to consider my behaviour. What made me feel so entitled? If I had to get these printouts myself, it would have taken me much longer than 45 minutes and would have involved a lot more friction - finding a local printing shop, getting there, waiting in line to get a printout, transferring contents to the printer via USB/email, making a payment, and then getting back home.
Instead of genuinely appreciating how easily I could get printouts, I was getting agitated and spoiling my own mood because of the estimated time of delivery had become so important in my life.
Well, not anymore!