50 Ola electric scooter customers protest in front of showroom: 3rd such incident

After a massive protest by the customers of Ola scooters in Madhya Pradesh, consumers in Hubbali, Karnataka. The protest happened after 50 customers gathered in front of the showroom and complained about the scooter’s reliability issues.

The media report by Deccan Herald says that they are facing technical issues with their scooters. Most of the customers complain that their scooters completely turn off while riding. The customers also claim that despite making multiple visits to the service centre, their issues were not fixed. The showroom ensured that they would initiate the refund soon but have failed to do so. The customers say that it has been three weeks since the showroom promised to refund the money but the process is yet to start.

Many other customers have also complained about the availability of the parts in the showroom. They complain that their scooters could not be repaired because of the missing spare parts.

Similar problems

During the festive season, an Ola electric dealership in Madhya Pradesh provided offers to customers purchasing new scooters. However, existing customers are unhappy with the lack of response from the dealership regarding the service of their scooters. Some customers registered complaints online months ago and have not received a response yet. When trying to contact the customer care center for a solution or to report an issue, they claim to be frequently cut off. This has left many customers infuriated.

Reuters investigation

Recently, Reuters conducted an investigation into Ola Electric’s service hubs across India. Out of their 400 service hubs, 35 centers in 10 states were visited, and interviews were conducted with 36 Ola service staff and 40 customers. The findings revealed significant backlogs in major metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Chennai, and Bengaluru. The high demand for repairs has resulted in waiting times ranging from three days to two weeks for a typical repair job.

During the investigation, over 100 e-scooters awaiting repairs were found parked on muddy clearings, accumulating dust and bird droppings.

To address their challenges with direct-to-customer sales, Ola Electric has established experience zones and service centers across the country. These locations allow customers to have hands-on experiences with Ola Electric products, as the company does not currently have traditional dealerships.

Apart from the experience zones, Ola Electric operates over 200 service centers where customers can bring their vehicles for maintenance and repairs. They also offer a roadside assistance program that ensures prompt assistance anywhere in the country within a few hours.

Customer dissatisfaction with Ola Electric’s service is not a new issue, as previous complaints and protests have been reported. In recent news, Ola Electric has announced plans to expand its product lineup, including the introduction of electric motorcycles, as part of their future vision.