The ongoing feud between Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal and stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra took a new turn on November 1, 2024, when Aggarwal shared a video celebrating Diwali at an Ola showroom. This marked his first social media post in 15 days, following a series of criticisms from Kamra regarding Ola’s after-sales service. In response to Aggarwal’s festive video, Kamra swiftly fired back with a sarcastic request for footage of Ola’s service centers, saying, “Service station dikhao” (show the service station).
Main Points
Background of the Feud
The tension between Aggarwal and Kamra began in early October when Kamra highlighted the issues faced by Ola Electric customers. He posted an image showing several Ola scooters gathering dust at a dealership, allegedly waiting for servicing. This post resonated with many customers who had been voicing their frustrations about Ola’s poor after-sales service, which reportedly saw complaints soar to around 80,000 per month. The comedian’s post questioned why these complaints were not being addressed adequately.
Aggarwal responded to Kamra’s initial criticism by accusing him of being paid to defame Ola. He challenged Kamra to work at an Ola service center for a day, a suggestion that backfired and drew significant backlash from social media users. Many criticized Aggarwal’s tone as arrogant and dismissive of genuine customer concerns.
E-lafda loading again between Kunal Kamra and Ola founder Bhavish Aggarwal 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/8g2J1pbWnQ
— Gems of replies (@GemsofReplies6) November 1, 2024
Kamra’s Continued Criticism
Since the spat began, Kamra has remained relentless in his criticism of Ola. His latest jab came after Aggarwal’s Diwali video, where he pointedly asked for evidence of how the company handles customer service issues. Kamra’s comment was not just a casual remark; it was part of a broader strategy where he has been actively sharing customer complaints and highlighting the shortcomings of Ola’s service on social media platforms.
In his posts, Kamra has often used humor and sarcasm to draw attention to serious issues. For instance, he jokingly accepted Aggarwal’s challenge to work at an Ola service center, claiming that due to being tagged in numerous complaints, he already felt like an employee. He further outlined what he would require from Ola before accepting the job offer: commitments to improve service turnaround times and compensation for delays.
शुभ दीपावली! pic.twitter.com/YyKFVtvtAc
— Bhavish Aggarwal (@bhash) October 31, 2024
Public Reaction
The public reaction to this ongoing feud has been mixed. While some support Kamra for holding corporate leaders accountable, others feel that such public spats are unproductive. Social media users have echoed Kamra’s sentiments about the lack of proper customer service from Ola, sharing their own experiences of long wait times and unresolved complaints.
Aggarwal’s aggressive responses have also drawn criticism. Many users have expressed disappointment at his refusal to directly address the concerns raised by customers. Instead of engaging constructively with the feedback, his focus seemed to be on discrediting Kamra rather than improving customer relations.
The Importance of Customer Service
This incident highlights a significant issue in the electric vehicle industry—customer service. With electric vehicles gaining popularity in India, companies like Ola must prioritize after-sales support to maintain customer trust and satisfaction. The increasing number of complaints against Ola underscores the urgency for the company to address these issues proactively.
Ola Electric has claimed that it has resolved 99.1% of complaints received through official channels, but this assertion is currently under scrutiny by the Department of Consumer Affairs. They are investigating whether customers are genuinely satisfied with the resolutions provided by Ola.
