CEO turns delivery agent for a day, gives tip to customer. But social media is not amused

An entrepreneur from Delhi unwittingly invited the ire of netizens. Akash Bansal, the CEO of a mobile accessories brand, caused quite an uproar on X after one of his posts went viral for the wrong reasons on the microblogging site. Taking to X, the entrepreneur revealed that he was once mistaken for a delivery executive. In the post, Bansal stated that his company received a cash-on-delivery (COD) order totaling Rs 3,200.

Noticing that the delivery address was close to his office, Bansal decided to personally deliver the package, as it was just a 10-minute drive away. Upon delivering the order, the recipient, a woman, handed him Rs 3,500 in cash and suggested he keep the change. Instead, Bansal returned Rs 500 to the woman, and they both walked away feeling pleased with the interaction. “The excitement level went from 100 to 0 in a flash,” he wrote. While he meant to share a lighthearted joke, the post did not go down well with X users.

Netizens criticized his post, perceiving his reaction as classist. They suggested that Bansal felt embarrassed when the customer mistook him for a delivery person, indicating a lack of belief in the dignity of labor.


One X user, Priyanka Lahiri, sarcastically commented, "Sorry to hear that. Maybe you should get a t-shirt that says 'I’m the company’s founder, please treat me special.' It might help next time." Another user, Inderpal Singh, remarked, "I don’t understand why your enthusiasm faded. For a real delivery worker, this would have been a generous tip, considering how many orders they handle daily."

In contrast, successful entrepreneurs like Zomato’s CEO Deepinder Goyal maintain a connection to the grassroots by occasionally taking on the role of a delivery agent during peak times. Last New Year's Eve, Goyal himself delivered four orders for Zomato customers, demonstrating his commitment to understanding the challenges faced by his employees.