New Delhi: As the competition grows fierce in the electric two wheeler industry, a role swap is in play– Rajendra Bhat, the former Senior Vice President of Service at TVS Motor Company, has joined the Bangalore-based Ola Electric on Monday. It may be noted that Bhat, who comes with over 12 years of association with TVS Motor, will replace Ashish Thakur.
ETAuto has learnt that December 6 was his last working day at TVS and he will be reporting to Shaun Calvert, COO at Ola Electric. Industry insiders suggest Bhat has taken up a tough challenge, as Ola’s service has been gaining a reputation for being plagued with issues and customer dissatisfaction. However, he also has a significant opportunity to turn the tables and improve the company’s service reputation.
Last month, ETAuto reported that Ola Electric’s Global Service Head Ashish Thakur had quit to join TVS.
The roles of both the professionals– Rajendra Bhat and Ashish Thakur– are exceptionally crucial, as the hirings by both EV makers may seem similar, yet each company is contrasting.
Ola’s hiring from a major industry player highlights its focus on addressing and improving its service issues, which have been a point of concern. In contrast, TVS Motor’s decision to hire from a ground-up EV maker/startup is likely aimed at bringing fresh perspectives and innovation to its emerging EV business.
Experts suggest the move may also imply TVS is looking to chart a different path for its EV division, one that diverges from its traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) business, as it adapts to this evolving market.
Before moving to TVS, Bhat worked at multiple positions in Maruti Suzuki for about 13 years. In his last role at the carmaker, he was in-charge of the after sales operations for four states of the South zone.
He holds a Bachelor of Engineering (BE) in Mechanical Engineering from National Institute of Technology, Karnataka.
Ola’s Service Issues
In recent months, Bhavish Aggarwal-led Ola has faced a rising tide of customer complaints concerning service issues. The company’s service centers were overwhelmed, handling around 80,000 complaints per month, resulting in long wait times, overburdened staff, and escalating customer dissatisfaction.
The issue gained further momentum following a recent social media exchange between Bhavish Aggarwal and stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra on X (formerly Twitter). The conversation started when Kamra pointed out the service quality issues faced by customers of Ola Electric.
In October, the company came under scrutiny after the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) issued a show-cause notice for alleged violations of consumer rights, misleading advertisements, and unfair trade practices. This followed a surge of over 10,000 complaints received through the National Consumer Helpline (NCH).
After receiving the show-cause notice, Ola Electric claimed to have resolved 99.1% of its customer issues. However, this claim was found to be inaccurate after cross-verification by the CCPA.
According to the latest reports, the Consumer Affairs Ministry has issued a new directive, instructing the Director General (DG) Investigation, the investigative arm of the CCPA, to conduct a thorough investigation into Ola Electric.
Electric two wheeler space
Ola Electric has been taking a lead in the electric two wheeler sales in India during the April-November period. Interestingly, Bajaj Auto and TVS Motor Company have now overtaken Ola during the first ten days of December, thereby marking a shift in the competitive landscape.
“Ola to Ola hai, Chetak to shola hai,” Rajiv Bajaj, CEO, Bajaj Auto, quipped during a recent award ceremony, referencing Vahan data to highlight the strong performance of its electric vehicle, the Chetak, in comparison to Ola Electric.
Going forward, competition in the electric two-wheeler segment is expected to intensify even further, as more players vie for market share and customer attention.
