Mumbai professional slams Urban Company over working condition of woman masseuse
The professional claimed that the woman masseuse had not eaten all day due to back-to-back bookings, which could affect her ratings if declined.
A Mumbai woman shared an experience with Urban Company in which she alleged that the company engaged a service provider under exploitative working conditions.
The woman, Anjali Kelkar, a managing partner at Magpiee Brand Solutions, shared her experience when she booked a home spa session through Urban Company's app.
Before narrating the service provider's ordeal, Kelkar pointed out that she regularly uses the company's employees' services. “I deeply value your services. From AC servicing and deep cleaning to home spa sessions, I’ve used many of them and found the professionals incredibly skilled and hardworking,” she wrote on LinkedIn.
Kelkar claimed that she allowed a woman service provider's request to arrive 15-20 minutes late as the woman had just finished an appointment before accepting the new request and had not eaten all day due to back-to-back bookings.
Kelkar said the woman narrated her working conditions after arriving late around 8:17 pm, visibly distressed and teary-eyed. She narrated what the service provider told her, “1) They cannot decline appointments, even if they’re unwell or overwhelmed. 2) Cancelling three appointments means losing their profile and income for several days. 3) In cities like Mumbai, travelling even 3 km can take 40+ minutes — yet delays hurt their ratings. 4) There’s no buffer between bookings, despite the physical toll of giving a massage. 5)They carry heavy massage tables, and Nisa was recently diagnosed with a hernia due to the strain.”
The Mumbai-based professional said that the service provider completed her job with excellence despite challenging physical and mental health conditions. She also slammed the company and questioned its performance assessment system for being immune to the challenges its service providers face.
“I sincerely hope UrbanCompany rethinks how it supports and protects the very people who uphold its brand every day. Let's remember. Your team is your biggest asset. Take care of them!” Kelkar added.
Urban Company replies to viral post
The company replied to Kelkar and thanked her for “showing kindness and empathy” clearly needed by the woman service provider at that moment.
“At Urban Company, we are constantly working to improve the systems that govern bookings, schedules, and partner wellbeing to minimize travel overload and burnout. However, it’s clear from your message that we still have work to do — and your note serves as an important reminder of what truly matters: the human behind the service. Please be assured that your feedback has been shared with the relevant teams, and we are committed to doing better — for both our customers and our valued partners,” the company replied to Kelkar's viral post.
