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Ola Electric (Photo: Shutterstock)
Ola Electric has formed a new service team as the manufacturer of battery-powered scooters deals with a growing number of customer complaints related to service issues, according to a report by Mint.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the Bengaluru-based company receives around 80,000 complaints monthly, overwhelming its service centers. On peak days, complaints rise to 6,000-7,000, resulting in long wait times, overburdened staff, and growing customer dissatisfaction.
The manufacturer of the S1 series of electric scooters has intensified its focus on service operations by building a new team that includes employees from various departments such as product and operations, the report added.
Decline in sales adds to Ola’s worry
The service delays have emerged alongside a decline in sales. In August, Ola Electric recorded its worst sales month of the year, selling 27,506 units — a 34 per cent drop compared to July —and experienced a decline in market share from 39 per cent to 31 per cent. Meanwhile, competitors Bajaj Auto Ltd and TVS Motor Company Ltd have maintained steady sales in the electric two-wheeler segment.
Ola Electric, which has sold over 680,000 electric scooters since its inception, operates 430 service centres across India, as stated on its official website.
Customers have been reporting significant difficulties in securing service appointments, despite being subscribed to Ola Care Plus, a paid service that offers home pick-up and drop-off. Many customers experienced repair wait times ranging from 30 to 45 days, with several turning to social media platforms, particularly X (formerly Twitter), to express their frustration.
Customer dissatisfaction with Ola Electric
Mint cited a customer saying his scooter was stuck at the service centre for two to three months despite multiple attempts to contact the company. He reported that a stand sensor issue took three months to resolve, and his scooter faced ongoing problems such as battery failure, range reduction, and wheel jamming. He also claimed that Ola’s service centre in Nagpur is overwhelmed, with about 1,000 scooters awaiting repair, adding that “the product isn’t as durable as petrol scooters.”
Another customer shared that his scooter had been sitting idle for over a month and a half due to unresolved issues with the handle lock. Despite repeated complaints, he said he only received responses after posting on Twitter.
Service centres struggling with overcapacity
In New Delhi, locals have labelled an overcrowded Ola Electric service centre on Najafgarh Road as a “graveyard of scooters”. An estimated 500-600 malfunctioning scooters fill the basement and ground floor of the Moti Nagar centre, previously a Ford showroom. According to an employee, the centre is severely understaffed, with only four technicians handling repairs that would typically require a team of 10, the news report mentioned.
The employee added that the centre’s authorised service board had been removed, leaving customers uncertain about when their scooters will be repaired. The situation has worsened since the closure of a nearby service centre, and some frustrated customers have approached the police after waiting more than six weeks for their scooters to be fixed.
First Published: Sep 18 2024 | 11:09 AM IST