My latest article for Green Car Reports is up and it’s about the customer service aspects of Better Place. I know it’s early days, they don’t have all that many customers and obviously they’re on their best behaviour but, having said all that, the service simply outstanding.
Here’s my introduction which paints a brief picture of the majority of what passes for “service” in Israel:
I’ve never come across a car company that followed up and wanted to hear from me after I drove the new car off the lot, unless I was about to spend money on servicing.
Better Place seems to be completely different.
Pain and suffering
To call that unusual in Israel would be a huge understatement. What usually passes for “customer service” here is an experience roughly like trying to cancel a cell-phone contract with an operator in another country while having dental work done.
Two examples:
- My wife was assured on the phone that we were allowed four free video-on-demand movies. We watched one, it showed up on the bill anyhow, and it took half an hour of haggling to get the charge reversed.
- Having an Israeli service provider arrive during the promised half-day window is just like winning American Idol: I assume that it does happen, but not to very many people.
Any Israeli will recognize those stories, and chime in with far more. Which brings us to Better Place.
Click over to Green Car Reports for the rest of the piece.