Emdad Khodro, Iran’s main roadside assistance company, says its performance in the outgoing year (ends late March) improved compared to last year.
The company provided services to about 1 million vehicles since the beginning of the year, up 15% on the same period in 2022, IKCO Press, the news portal of Iran Khodro Industrial Group, reported on February 2.
The report said the company was able to provide affordable and accessible emergency help to customers in less than 25 minutes, which was an improvement of two minutes and 45 seconds.
“Our company leads when it comes to roadside assistance services and after-sales service according the assessment of the Ministry of Industries, Mining and Trade. In line with IKCO quality transformation plan, several measures have been taken that led to verifiable progress in the first ten months of the current fiscal (March 21, 2022-Jan 20),” Abbas Mir-Hosseini, the CEO of Emdad Khodro was quoted as saying.
“Almost 27% of the roadside assistance was provided by Emdad Khodro during the period,” Mir-Hosseini said. The only smart mechanized answering center with ISO 18295 in Iran belongs to Emadad Khodro, he added.
“The company logged 6.6 million incoming calls in the ten-month period, which was up 21% year-on-year. The answering rate of distress calls was 91%. Also, the company had 2.5 million outgoing calls in the same period, registering 327% growth on the same time last year.”
Providing some details, he went on to say that his company had some prized achievements in customer satisfaction such as 80% satisfaction of the so-called Golden Service subscribers, reducing the rate of complaints to services, providing timely services and responding to complaints in the shortest possible time (average 1.46 days).
According to data released by Iran Standard and Quality Inspection Company, customer satisfaction with this company was a robust 86.8% during the period.
Towing broken-down cars, stalled engines, minor paint jobs and repairs to drivers stuck on the road or highway are some of the services offered by the main carmaker through Emdad Khodro.
The services are provided by Emdad Khodro staff, either at the workplace or near homes via the 096440 hotline. Car owners access the company depending on the terms of their agreement with IKCO. For instance, free vehicle recovery service is offered to brand new vehicles for the guarantee period.
IKCO, SAIPA Open 2nd Joint Agency for Sales, After-Sales
Iran Khodro (IKCO) and SAIPA, the two main auto companies launched their second joint agency at a ceremony attended by the two CEOs.
Mehdi Khatibi, CEO of Iran Khodro Industrial Group, said, “Today we see the opening of the second joint sales and after-sales services agency of Iran Khodro Industrial Group and SAIPA following the alliance of the two major automakers. In the future we will announce more joint programs and collaboration,” Eghtesad Online reported.
The first joint agency of the two automobile groups was opened by SAIPA in October.
Khatibi stressed that the alliance pertains to sales and after-sales services, logistics, research, powertrain and manufacturing parts.
According to Mohammad Ali Teymouri, the SAIPA boss, the collaboration benefitted customers in the past several months. Teymouri noted that the rare alliance in production and supply chain has been in the interest of the two auto manufacturers.
“The alliance was born in a rather short period. However, in the near future in addition to joint ventures in producing parts the two sides plan to start joint auto production,” he said. He did not elaborate.
“The biggest advantage of this alliance is that it will help reduce car prices, boost quality and deliver products on time and as scheduled.”
The SAIPA chief reiterated that the collaboration reflected positively on national car production.
“Last year, there were more than 160,000 incomplete cars in the parking lots of the two companies. Now there are no incomplete vehicles awaiting delivery. With regard to delivery, SAIPA sold 360,000 cars since the beginning of the year [late March 2022] to Dec. 7 and 40,000 units are in the process of delivery,” he said.
“Iran Khodro Industrial Group delivered 420,000 cars during the same period and 40,000 others are in the delivery process stage. Together the two firms broke the sales record of last year.”
