Exactly. There is so much competition in the shipping business that I don't think the delays are in that area. Not everything can be sent via air freight though, batteries being a good example.
The problem Zero have is that orders simply aren't leaving the factory in a timely manner. There's a step that involves people doing their jobs and they aren't doing them properly. There is a lack of any proper organisation, process and procedure at Scott's Valley. They need a proper system but are so snowed under and bogged down by the sheer workload that they haven't got time to implement anything. Whatever process they do have is far too manual and prone to error. No method of shipping works if the shipping company doesn't receive instructions.
Have you ever watched one of those tv programmes where a successful business person spends a few months working with a company to get it back on its feet and solve some of its fundamental problems? Zero needs one of those visits. In fact, an episode based on an electric motorcycle company would be good telly.
It only takes one or two people in key positions who aren't motivated for whatever reason for things to break down. I wouldn't be surprised if psychology and human nature have a role to play here. Ten years is plenty of time for people to go stale. Perhaps they weren't the right people for the job in the first place. Just somebody's friend who needed to earn a living. Anyone can do customer service, right? No qualifications required!
If at its heart Zero is a good company (as anecdotal evidence suggests), then this incompetence needs to be flushed out. Training and new systems or fresh blood and new systems.
This would all happen a lot faster if Zero had some serious competition, or they got swallowed up by one of the big manufacturers.
I do hope we see some strong evidence that customer service is improving; very soon and for everybody's sake.
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Topic: Zero Customer Service (Read 10083 times)