Ola Electric to Hire 1000 Service Technicians

New Delhi, Dec 5 (PTI) Ola Electric is preparing to recruit about 1,000 senior service technicians and specialised professionals as the company moves into the next phase of its Hyperservice programme, according to people familiar with the plan.

The expansion will substantially bolster the firm's after-sales workforce of around 2,000 and follows weeks of rapid-response efforts to clear service backlogs in key markets.

"This is the second, more structural leg of Hyperservice," a senior company official said, requesting anonymity. "The taskforce was the firefight. This phase is about ensuring we don't have to go through it again."

Unlike a typical hiring expansion, the upcoming drive focuses on senior and specialist roles - from EV diagnostics experts to service centre managers and customer-facing advisors.

Insiders say the objective is to upgrade capability rather than merely increase headcount, targeting roles that influence repair accuracy, centre operations, and first-contact customer experience.

"We are adding capability where decisions actually get made - on the shop floor, in centre leadership, and at the customer interface," another person familiar with the plan said.

"The metric is consistency and speed across India, not just bodies on the ground." Ola's service load has risen sharply since scooter deliveries accelerated in 2023, resulting in lengthy wait times and intermittent parts shortages in several cities.

Hyperservice, launched earlier this year, is rolling out in phases - first clearing pending jobs with a surge team, then reinforcing day-to-day service through stronger processes, staffing, and digital tools.

A pilot in Bengaluru has largely resolved backlogs, according to insiders, and the company is now extending the model nationwide.

The hiring effort coincides with new digital infrastructure, including an in-app service appointment system and an online genuine-parts store on the Ola app and website.

Customers can now book service slots and order common parts directly, aiming to ease pressure on overloaded centres.

Founder Bhavish Aggarwal has taken a hands-on role in the overhaul, making unannounced service-centre visits and publicly tracking progress - a level of involvement analysts say signals strategic priority.

"You typically see founders step in at this cadence only when something becomes a top-tier goal," said an EV industry analyst tracking the company.

"Hiring 1,000 senior service professionals is an expensive bet - one you make only if you're aiming to rebuild long-term trust, not just fix a temporary spike."

With the surge taskforce stabilising current demand and a senior hiring wave set to deepen capability, Ola appears to be shifting Hyperservice from a catch-up initiative to a permanent operating model for its after-sales business.