“We Didn't Expand Our Service Network Fast Enough…Lesson Learned,” Says Ola Electric’s Bhavish Aggarwal

At Network18's Green Bharat Summit on December 13, CEO Bhavish Aggarwal said Ola Electric has successfully overcome the service backlog. 

“We have completely resolved all the service backlog that we had. It wasn’t a major complaint issue but we didn't expand our service network fast enough. This was a lesson we learned,” Aggarwal said.

He also discussed the company's efforts to enhance after-sales service, acknowledging that the surge in sales had outpaced the expansion of the service network.

Challenges Faced

Aggarwal admitted the company's failure to rapidly expand its service network created the problem. He talked about the importance of consistent service in the automotive industry, particularly with new technologies such as electric vehicles (EVs).

Incidentally, standup comedian Kunal Kamra bashed Aggarwal for the ongoing customer issues. Kamra even reached out to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on social media and complained about Ola's EVs.

Regulatory Scrutiny and Commitment to Excellence

In response to regulatory scrutiny by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), the CEO informed that Ola Electric has committed to enhancing its services and ensuring customer satisfaction. The company is now equipping all new stores with service centers from the very beginning to address service-related concerns at the outset of the customer journey.

With the service backlog issue resolved, the CEO shared that the company is now focusing on expanding its service network nationwide.

He said, “We are making sure that every store has a service centre from day one. This gives customers confidence to buy EVs right from the beginning of their journey.”

Aggarwal added, “With no backlog remaining, we are focused on looking to the future, expanding our service network across the country.”

Also read: Former Google CEO Warns Corporates to Consider ‘Unplugging’ AI Before It Becomes a Threat (startuppedia.in)