Jeetendra Lalwani, Co-founder, Dial4242 informs Mansha Gagneja the need to organise the ambulance market and highlights how effective use of technology will enable greater access
What pushed you into coming up with an app for organising the ambulances market?
Dial4242 is a result of a personal experience. Booking an ambulance which should ideally be simple, is an extremely complex process. Ideally, the procedure should be hassle-free considering ambulances are mostly required in cases of emergencies. Personally, in my situation, each time an ambulance was required, I would have to make more than just a few calls and negotiate to get the best prices as these differed every time. My experience also made me learn that during such situations and emergencies the ability to think logically is lost and the existing system was extremely time consuming and complex. Moreover, once the booking was done, I was unsure as to when the ambulance would reach my location and would have to constantly follow up with the driver or the person in-charge. This made me realise that a very crucial go-to source was missing and a simple, quick and seamless option for booking was the need of the hour.
We introduced Dial4242 with an aggregation model considering there are already numerous ambulance operators. We however believed that we could put a single uniform and simple system in place which will help organize the sector. Having started off with aggregating with around 125 ambulances in Mumbai, we currently have over 350 ambulances across Mumbai. The concept has been well received by consumers, ambulance owners as well as hospitals. We have successfully eased out the entire process for ambulance bookings for consumers as well as for hospitals for their requirements. We have also managed to put a system in place for drivers by providing them with technology thus enabling them to become more efficient during such important times.
It is a fairly new start-up, could you brief us about the business model that you have adopted?
Dial4242 has a simple business model. We levy a commission of around 20 per cent on each trip that an ambulance does. The customer does not have to pay any kind of commission or signing up fee. A customer is charged based on the kind of ambulance he requires and the distance of the trip. A flat fee applies for the first five kms after which he is charged on the basis of every additional kilometre. Dial4242 has also opened up digital payment avenues for these bookings. We have also been engaging with corporates and societies to provide them with customised plans based on their requirements thus becoming their preferred partners in case of emergencies and medical transportation requirements. This would involve a fixed sum on a monthly or yearly basis further to which Dial4242 makes sure that their requirements are fulfilled well in time whenever required.
Has the company received funding? Who are your angel investors?
Dial4242 has received seed funding of around Rs 1 crore from an angel investor. Currently, we are in conversation with investors to raise the next round of capital and are looking at investors who share our vision for the development of the segment.
What are the future expansion plans?
Considering we have a simple business model and ready technology infrastructure, we can easily take the concept to different cities and even international markets. We currently have plans to introduce Dial4242 in four major cities in India as a first phase of the expansion. Additionally, we will also be expanding our services portfolio. We launched with ALS, BLS and ambulance for deceased. We went on to add paediatric ambulances, wheelchair taxis, pet ambulances, and very recently nurses on demand. We will very soon launch the iOS version of the app as well.
Are you planning to collaborate with rural hospitals where the access is limited?
Yes. Definitely. We have already partnered with a number of hospitals and nursing homes in Mumbai. We are very strongly exploring more collaborations which includes rural hospitals as well. We plan to use our technology effectively enabling greater access for everyone.
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