[lsjey]

The traditional model of service has been that of ASCs, multi brand service centers and FNGs.

In the recent times I've seen companies like Boodmo, GoMechanic and others are trying to make service easy, convenient and cost-effective (although with limited success). IMO, excepting for major service, cars need not go to a service center. There seems to be an undercurrent of at-home or near home service and smaller and effective service centers to provide better experience.

While I was thinking about posting this, I came across this article: https://www.financialexpress.com/aut...kshop/2180769/

I thought of sharing this.

The system is neither perfect nor adequate and faces issues of transparent, high-cost and replace-over-repair practice. However, until now, there was no pressing need to change the status quo, from the OEMs’ POV. But with COVID-19, there is an increasing demand for contact-less service, at-home car maintenance and faster turn-around time. With people using their vehicle to travel regularly outside their cities, demand for higher reliability and professional service is increasing.

These are similar thoughts that I've had and was always wondering if an urbanclap.com can do this to home maintenance why this cannot be done for car maintenance.

As more and more people reimagine their car ownership, OEMs should reinvent themselves and cater to the post-Covid needs of its customers. For instance, offering at-home service can not only help them deliver the cars to customers faster but also free up precious bay space at the service centres for more complex repair and maintenance. Several brands like Maruti Suzuki, Suzuki, Royal Enfield, Ford have already experimented with the at-home service during the pandemic and are now thinking of expanding and strengthening the same.

May be because of the pandemic, things will change in the way our vehicles are serviced.

Regards,
lsjey

[Rachit.K.Dogra]

Personally, I don't think things are going to improve much from After Sales perspective in our automotive industry any time soon.

Most manufacturers have realized, selling cars is very competitive in India and they are forced to play on the initial price of the vehicle. Most manufacturers have switched to after sales being the main revenue source. It is much harder to compare service costs of cars and things are not black and white always. There is mostly a variance in the advertised service costs of cars and nobody goes to the service center memorizing the advertised service cost of the vehicle. Then is the question of replace/repair bad parts and things are not just clearly comparable.

Also, at service center level, one of the biggest deterrent to good service is low salaries of technicians. They switch places for small financial gains, hence service centers refrain from spending much in their training, work environment and in general making them happy.

Somebody has to re-think quite a lot of things of this entire chain and I don't see that happening anytime soon.

PS: The only place I had exceptional service experience was Wings World Honda Nariana (Big Bike Service Division) while it was managed by Honda. These were proper technicians, properly trained and I am quite confident permanent Honda Employees properly paid as well.


Rachit

[gkveda]

First thing first, These Go mechanics and other portals are nothing but brokers. All they do is take some commission from existing local mechanics who do not have business and give them a tag of Go mechanics authorised workshop. And they catch customers through jazzy portals and put them onto these low class, low quality workshops.

Hence, you can not expect a quality jobs from these people. Secondly, the model of going to small local trusted mechanics for small repairs and regular general services and going to service centers only when it's major issue.

In fact, this is not a new model. This already exists and most of us follow this. The exhorbitant pricing models of ASS centers have made people find their trusted mechanics locally and get their car serviced. And this is the precise reason why ASS and manufacturers insist to get the car serviced at their dealership in order to claim any warranty. They think at least till warranty expires they can hold the customers with them and milk the money in name of service.

Otherwise, the advantages that we get from trusted mechanics locally for small and routine service is far more superior compared to dealership. The boys in dealership who are assigned for general services (I am not talking about hi-end issue resolution)are in no way superior talented than local trusted mechanics.

Now, if you are talking about making this as an official model, I remember Maruti had already established this model earlier in the name of authorised workshop. Not sure whether it is still a working model.

[lsjey]

Ola seems to be the pioneer in rethinking the service model:

Company has also informed via its site that the regular maintenance check and service will be performed at the user's home.

This is precisely what the doctor ordered to improve the service experience.

"The Ola S1/Ola S1 Pro is an AI-driven smart vehicle that frees you from the traditional scheduled maintenance every 3 to 6 months with predictive maintenance. Your scooter will tell you when something needs replacing or servicing and a doorstep service can be booked on the Ola Electric App.

Since this is electric the routine maintenance should be simpler. Read more in this link

Hopefully other car manufacturers follow this as well.

Regards,
lsjey