Electric vehicles are new technology for consumers. To succeed, they have to work. Perfectly. Nissan knows this, and it is setting up a rapid-reaction team to solve any small problems before they become big problems.
The team will troubleshoot possible consumer complaints about the Nissan Leaf once it starts rolling into driveways next month. It will be led by 10 engineers will full knowledge of the Leaf’s battery-electric drivetrain, according to Automotive News. The team will work from Los Angeles, with the goal of having someone available to visit customers if necessary.
Nissan wants to make sure the rollout of the first mass-market electric vehicle is seamless.
“This is our first electric vehicle,” Hitoshi Horie, Nissan manager of quality and customer satisfaction, told Automotive News. “The market must be properly prepared.”
It’s a smart move.
The success of cars like the Leaf and Chevrolet Volt and all the EVs to come will depend not so much upon the cars, which by many accounts are excellent, but the customer service. A lot is riding on how well automakers help consumers make the transition from gasoline to electricity.
“It’s all about getting comfortable with and understanding this community,” said Chelsea Sexton, a longtime EV advocate who worked with GM when it launched the pioneering EV1 in 1996. “You need to give the early adopters and the first buyers the kind of treatment that makes them good ambassadors of the technology.”
The devil is in the details, and how effective Nissan’s program will be depends upon how it’s implemented. Sexton said many automakers have “field service engineers” who help dealership techs solve tricky problems. That allows the company to track emerging issues, provides the techs with additional training and gives customers piece of mind knowing their concerns are being addressed promptly.
Where things might break down, however, is if customers are left in a lurch waiting for someone to come in from corporate to deal with the problem. Customers won’t be happy if their calls for help are met with, “We can have someone there next week.”
Nissan’s task force is similar to the “Smart teams” Toyota deployed earlier this year to address customer complaints in the wake of never-ending recalls. But Horie told Automotive News that Nissan’s team was inspired by due diligence.
The team also bears a striking similarity to Tesla Motors’ “Repair Rangers,” who make housecalls to perform routine service. But it’s one thing for Tesla to provide personalized service — the company has sold a few more than 1,300 cars. Nissan’s talking about selling 15 or 20 times that many in the United States next year alone. Nissan’s team will employ about 30 technicians.
Nissan also will roll out an emergency response team in Japan, where it also will offer services like a 24-hour emergency hotline, free towing and unlimited charging at dealerships. The company is considering similar services in the United States, according to Automotive News.
Photo: Nissan
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