Under the guidance of environmental protection policies and the attraction of new technologies, new energy vehicles have become the choice of many consumers. According to the data, the sales of new energy vehicles in mainland China will exceed 3.5 million in 2021, an increase of 1.6 times year-on-year, with a strong momentum.
However, with the continuous growth of new energy vehicle ownership, after-sales problems have become increasingly prominent, which has affected consumers' enthusiasm for car purchase and use experience to a certain extent. According to the results released by the China Consumers Association, in 2021, complaints related to new energy vehicles increased significantly, and showed the characteristics of difficulty in presenting evidence and protecting rights.
In order to promote the standardization and convenience of new energy vehicle after-sales service and meet the higher demand of consumers for after-sales service, the China Automobile Circulation Association recently approved the group standard "New Energy Vehicle After-sales Service Specification" (hereinafter referred to as the "Specification"), and jointly launched the research and compilation of the standard together with the China Electric Vehicle 100 Association and China Automotive Engineering Research Institute Co., Ltd. The reporter of this newspaper interviewed Wang Du, head of the preparation team of the "Specification" and deputy secretary-general of the China Automobile Circulation Association, on the many problems existing in the after-sales service of new energy vehicles.
Complaints spiked and problems abounded
Judging from the results of the statistics of the China Consumer Association, the problems in which consumer complaints about new energy vehicles are relatively concentrated include the supporting after-sales service system, maintenance outlets, maintenance technicians, etc. that cannot meet the needs of the fast-growing new energy vehicle market, affecting the consumer's experience and satisfaction; the relevant data generated by smart cars are monopolized by manufacturers and refuse to provide to after-sales service agencies.
Consumer dissatisfaction has gradually surfaced the problems of the aftermarket for new energy vehicles. Wang Du introduced that as of February this year, the penetration rate of new energy vehicles in the mainland has reached 21.8%, which means that 21 out of every 100 vehicles sold are new energy vehicles, and the surge in ownership urgently requires after-sales service to keep up. But at present, the industry is more concerned about the production and manufacturing of new energy vehicles and pre-sales links, the lack of sufficient attention to after-sales service, and even a view that because the structure is different from fuel vehicles, new energy vehicles no longer need traditional maintenance and repair, and if there is an accident, it is enough to find insurance companies to compensate.
The maintenance of traditional fuel vehicles is carried out in the transparent workshop of the 4S shop, and the purchase and repair of the car are in the same place, and the consumer can clearly see the operation process. But how to repair new energy vehicles, what processes and technicians are needed, especially some brands use the direct operation model, sales and after-sales are separated, many brands of after-sales business is still represented by other agencies, or the body and battery should be repaired separately, which leads to consumers on the mobile phone App to move their fingers to place orders, but in the after-sales link, they frequently encounter trouble, including personal privacy, the right to know, etc. Many rights are infringed.
Some brands launch a door-to-door car repair and maintenance service in the early stage, providing the owner with a scooter during the vehicle maintenance period, and then sending the car to the door after the repair is completed. This practice has indeed obtained a high level of satisfaction from car owners, but such an operation is not a simple driving agent, but contains many service details, including personnel costs, development costs, subsidy costs and operating costs, as well as multi-sector participation, which can be said to be a huge service system. With the increase in brand ownership, such a high-cost service is difficult to sustain or greatly discounted, which in turn triggers consumer dissatisfaction.
Norms will play a benchmarking role
Wang summed up the current situation of new energy vehicle after-sales service into nine words - rapid development, many models, and large differences. Due to the innovation of "online + offline" multiple models in the service model of new energy vehicle manufacturers, sales and after-sales service channels are fragmented; the differentiation in service standards leads to uneven after-sales service subjects, service scope, service quality, technical ability, personnel quality and other aspects of various automobile brands, there is no unified standard, and the overall service level of the industry needs to be improved.
Some enterprises have extremely high consumer satisfaction, and some enterprises have extremely low consumer satisfaction; some enterprises have higher consumer satisfaction in the early stage, and with the growth of sales, satisfaction gradually declines. In order to seize the market of major cities in the country, some new energy vehicle brands have not developed synchronously after-sales service, and the testing and maintenance capabilities of some after-sales service stores are relatively insufficient, especially for the difficult and complicated diseases of the "three electricity system", which cannot be effectively solved, so that consumers are troubled.
The contradiction between service standards and consumer needs is becoming more and more prominent, and there are fewer after-sales service outlets, insufficient maintenance service capabilities, doubts about maintenance safety, opaque maintenance information and long maintenance time. The reason is that new energy vehicles are still in the early stages of development, rapid technological iteration, coupled with some new car manufacturers who were not engaged in the automotive industry before, have no experience and accumulation in automotive after-sales service, resulting in their inability to protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers for a long time and stably.
Wang Du said that the current after-sales service specifications of the automotive industry are formulated by various automobile manufacturers, and most of the new energy vehicle manufacturers are based on the existing fuel vehicle after-sales service policies, and combine the characteristics of the enterprises to establish a new energy vehicle after-sales service system, and there are great differences between the brands. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize and innovate the after-sales service of new energy vehicles according to the actual development path of new energy vehicles, and promote the unified service standards of new energy vehicles in the industry that conform to the development of modernization.
Whether it is in the training of professional skills, or in the service process, service safety, maintenance details quotation disclosure, etc., it needs to be improved in accordance with specific standards and specifications, so as to ensure the unity, openness and safety of maintenance and testing work, improve customer service experience, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers. The establishment of new energy vehicle after-sales service specifications is of great significance to the improvement of the overall level of after-sales service of new energy vehicles in the industry, industry self-discipline, market development, and consumer satisfaction.
The after-sales threshold of new energy is higher
The internal structure, line design and structural characteristics of new energy vehicles are different from traditional fuel vehicles, which leads to a higher complexity of their after-sales service. Combined with the long-term technical accumulation and professional analysis of the China Electric Vehicle 100 Association and the General Technology China Automobile Research Institute, all parties agreed that:
First, the sales and after-sales service system of some new energy vehicles is separated, while the after-sales service outlets are relatively few, and the service capacity of non-oem authorized repair shops on the market is limited.
Second, new energy vehicles come with their own "network connection" attributes, with the ability of big data fault perception and troubleshooting, which can provide richer service business for automobile after-sales, but at the same time, it also means that car companies will "take" more consumer information, and how to achieve privacy and security protection.
Third, the unique three-electric system of new energy vehicles, put forward new requirements for its after-sales maintenance and repair, and the "electric safety" problem in the after-sales service process needs to be paid attention to, not only vehicle safety, but also the safety of maintenance testing and on-site personnel operation, as well as battery stacking and storage safety, etc. Due to the higher safety hazards in the battery maintenance process, the scope of authorization for maintenance should also be re-delineated.
Fourth, the product determines the after-sales service, and the practice of many enterprises is to seek benefits and avoid harms, and to "not mention and guarantee" the technology they are not good at, resulting in a huge difference in after-sales service.
Fifth, the original automobile maintenance technology and equipment can not meet the actual needs of new energy vehicles, so to enhance the after-sales service also needs to update the automobile maintenance equipment, improve the judgment ability and maintenance efficiency of maintenance personnel; traditional maintenance technology can not meet the current stage of social needs, the shortage of new maintenance talents, but also need to strengthen the technical innovation and skills training of maintenance personnel.
In addition, it is difficult to adjust, what level of software services can maximize consumer satisfaction; how to dig deep into its value after obtaining a large amount of data, and then help after-sales to improve service quality, etc., are more challenging points for new energy vehicles after-sales than traditional fuel vehicles.
In fact, the formulation of after-sales service specifications for new energy vehicles has no experience to learn from in the world. There are not many foreign new energy vehicle companies and models, but domestic new energy vehicles are moving thousands of miles a day, and this problem urgently needs to be solved. In December 2020, Hainan Province took the lead in promulgating the local standards of the "After-sales Service Specification for New Energy Vehicles", which stipulated the requirements for after-sales service operators, after-sales service processes, after-sales service quality and complaint handling, emergency rescue services and other requirements for new energy vehicles through 7 parts, which played a role in promoting the realization of the goal of "electrification of automobiles on the whole island of Hainan Province".
Wang Du said that Hainan local standards provide a reference for the formulation of national standards, and the China Automobile Dealers Association will conduct in-depth analysis and expansion on the basis of Hainan landmarks, widely solicit suggestions and opinions from all parties, and establish more universal, more comprehensive and wider service standards.
Make the Code both advanced and usable
The "Specification" positions the group standard, based on circulation, integrates the advantages and experiences of each enterprise enterprise standard, seeks the same, saves small differences, and ensures the compliance and advanced nature of the standard. It is understood that after the release of the standard project information, it has aroused widespread concern in the automotive industry, including car companies, parts manufacturers, universities, scientific research, maintenance institutions and other units have actively feedback and participation, and the follow-up China Automobile Circulation Association will solicit suggestions from all parties to gradually improve the formulation of this standard.
During the interview, Wang Du always stressed that the formulation of the "Norms" cannot be too high, so perfect that the enterprise cannot reach it, and in the end it will only be shelved; it cannot be too low, so that the enterprises with high standards can reduce the service level. In the final analysis, the formulation of standards must not be "self-congratulatory", and it is necessary to let industry enterprises basically reach a consensus, and finally truly use the standards. Of course, standards are not static, and will be dynamically adjusted as the industry develops and progresses.
Standards are not laws, regulations, and have no enforceability, but the effect that drafting units such as the China Automobile Dealers Association hope to achieve with the help of the "Specification" is to draw a passing line of service standards: let enterprises above the passing line have evidence to rely on in the face of consumer disputes; let enterprises below the passing line self-discipline, and then improve the service level to reach the passing line. Consumers are the final examiners, and when the entire industry is committed to improving service levels, companies that are below industry standards will naturally be rejected by consumers.
The pre-sale, sale and after-sales service of the automobile are an organic whole, which runs through the entire life cycle of the automobile, and the quality of service affects the safety and satisfaction of consumers, reflecting the core competitiveness of automobile circulation enterprises.
Wang Du introduced that the China Automobile Dealers Association has been committed to the industry's compliance, integrity construction, guide industry self-discipline, ensure fairness and justice, starting from the consumer's service experience, uniting the advantages of all parties in society to promote the standardization of industry services and service quality improvement, therefore, the standardization construction in the field of new energy vehicle circulation is the responsibility of the association, and it is also the focus of this year's work.
Wang Du said that he hopes that industry enterprises can jointly promote the improvement of the industry's basic service standards in the spirit of experience sharing, and at the same time encourage enterprises to publicize their own standards on the national platform for self-declaration of enterprise standards, and form guidance and incentives for enterprises that do not meet the standards. It is reported that the "Specification" is currently soliciting drafting units, and entering the preparation stage, after organizing the participating units and industry-related enterprises to discuss, form a consensus and publicize, it is expected to be officially released within this year. It is believed that the standard will gradually lead industry enterprises to improve service quality, create high-quality brands, and promote the standardized, self-disciplined and healthy development of the new energy automobile industry.
◆ First-line sound
Integrate industry resources and balance interest demands So that the "Norms" can be quickly landed
As a domestic institution focusing on the after-sales service of new energy vehicles, Coppola Automobile Consulting Service (Qingdao) Co., Ltd. is an active participant in the formulation of the "New Energy Vehicle After-sales Service Specification". Wang Hao, founder and CEO of the company, said in an interview with China Automotive News that although the domestic new energy vehicle market has maintained rapid growth for 7 consecutive years, the problem is still prominent from the perspective of after-sales service. Specific problems are manifested in the lack of technical service personnel for new energy vehicles, the lack of professional new energy vehicle after-sales service enterprises, the high monopoly of parts and technology, and the weak overall service capabilities of traditional automobile aftermarket enterprises for new energy vehicles. For consumers, there are few after-sales service outlets that can be selected nearby in the use of new energy vehicles, and the service is inconvenient; the maintenance of parts is slow, and the waiting time for delivery is too long; accident maintenance, second-hand car evaluation, etc. are opaque, and their own interests are lost, and they lack reference standards.
To sum up, the core pain points of the current after-sales service of new energy vehicles are the lack of professional after-sales service system support, including the improvement of market service standards and specifications, the supply of professional service elements (talent training, technical support, parts supply), and the upgrading and capacity improvement of service networks.
The after-sales service of new energy vehicles is difficult to differ significantly from traditional fuel vehicles. First, the product technical route is different. Traditional fuel vehicles are mainly mechanical systems, while new energy vehicles are composite electrical + electronic products, and the technical logic of the two is completely different.
Second, the requirements for the professional ability of technical personnel are different. The detection, maintenance and replacement of parts of traditional fuel vehicles have a high fault tolerance rate, while the detection and maintenance of parts and components of new energy vehicles with chemistry, electronics and information as the core require the use of more precise and low error rate professional tools, equipment and methods. It can be said that most of the maintenance experience of traditional fuel vehicles has failed in new energy vehicles.
Third, the level of operational safety risks is different. In the after-sales operation of traditional fuel vehicles, they face the risk of accidental injuries such as squeezing and smashing that mechanical components may bring to the operator, although they will also involve automotive circuits, but they are within the safe voltage and rarely pose a threat to people's lives. The core component of the new energy vehicle is the high-voltage electrical system, which is generally maintained at a voltage of 300 to 700 volts, which can cause personal injury and death in an instant. Therefore, after-sales operators are required to learn and master the safety protection measures and standardized operating methods of high-voltage electricity.
For the automotive industry, the traditional fuel vehicle after-sales service system, after years of development, and even the accumulation of hundreds of years in the global automotive industry, whether it is regulations, standards, talent training, technical support, service networks and other service-related elements, has been relatively sound and mature; while new energy vehicles lack of reference standards due to short development time and little experience accumulation.
Therefore, to draft a complete set of service system content, it is not easy, not only need the automotive industry car companies, parts suppliers, technical research institutions, after-sales service enterprises, car owner service agencies and other parties to participate and cooperate, but also need to carry out a lot of research, interviews, data collection, demonstration, in order to achieve the pertinence and practicality of the standard, and then truly play a role in guiding the development of industry norms.
In addition, because the new energy automobile industry as a whole is still in the exploration stage of "feeling the stones and crossing the river", the current internal standards of the industry enterprises are not uniform, the level of technological development is inconsistent, and the interest demands are different, in order to base themselves on the perspective of the long-term development of the industry, coordinate the various unbalanced contradictions in the current market development, gather the strength of the industry, and work together to the coordination and unification of standards and norms, and also need industry organizations to do a lot of communication work.
Text: Hao Wenli Editor: Jiao Yue Layout: Liu Xiaoye