Ola Electric builds new service team as complaints mount to 80,000 a month
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. New Delhi: Ola Electric has assembled a new service team as the maker of battery-powered scooters grapples with a mounting pile-up of service complaints from customers. The Bengaluru-based company has been receiving nearly 80,000 complaints every month, according to two individuals with direct knowledge of the situation, and its service centres are struggling to keep pace.
On some days, the number spikes to 6,000-7,000 a day, causing long delays, leaving service staff overwhelmed and customers frustrated, they said. The maker of the S1 series of electric scooters has sharpened its focus on its service operations by assembling a new team, drawing employees from the product and operations divisions, among others, according to the people cited above. Mint has not received a response to queries emailed to Ola Electric on Monday.
Ola Electric’s problem of service delays coincides with a drop in sales. In August, it posted its worst monthly sales this year, selling 27,506 units—a 34% decline from July—and saw its market share drop to 31% from 39%. Competitors Bajaj Auto Ltd and TVS Motor Company Ltd remain steady in the electric two-wheeler market.
Ola Electric, which has sold over 6.8 lakh electric scooters since inception, operates 430 service stations across India, according to the company website. At least 10 customers of Ola Electric Mint spoke with said they have faced extreme difficulties in booking service slots despite being subscribers to Ola Care Plus, a paid service plan that allows users to book home pick-up and drop service appointments. Repair wait times are as high as 30-45 days for them.
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