UK and Chinese Companies: "Korea Is a Strategic Hub"
Nationwide Expansion of Service Centers Accelerates
More Convenient Product After-Sales Service
Increasing Customer Touchpoints by Adding Offline Stores
Global home appliance companies are putting significant effort into after-sales service (AS) in the Korean market. They are enhancing customer convenience by increasing the number of AS centers and providing AS at offline retail stores. Their efforts to compete with domestic appliance makers are evident not only in products but also in service quality.
According to the home appliance industry on July 2, British appliance company Dyson has significantly expanded its AS centers in Korea. Currently, the company operates 50 offline service centers nationwide. A company representative explained, "We have expanded our premium service centers nationwide and improved the parts shortage issue by 97% compared to the previous year as of the end of last year. We have also reduced the average AS turnaround time to 1.6 days." The representative added, "We also offer a 'drop-off' service that allows customers to leave products for AS at offline retail stores in Korea."
Chinese appliance companies are also making notable moves. Roborock operates 23 service centers in Korea. A company representative explained, "We added one service center this year and plan to expand by at least two more in the future." The representative also stated that the company offers a customized 'door-to-door' AS service, in which staff visit customers' homes directly to collect, repair, and return products.
Dreame currently operates 27 service centers nationwide, and the number is likely to continue increasing. Ecovacs added 36 on-site repair centers last year alone, bringing the total to 63. The company has also introduced a service that allows customers to send AS packages free of charge from convenience stores.
The reason these companies are focusing on AS is to close the gap with Korean companies in after-sales service. Domestic appliance makers such as Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics have long maintained service centers and related personnel nationwide, enabling them to respond quickly to consumer needs. In contrast, global companies have faced complaints that AS is relatively difficult to obtain, as communication with headquarters and parts delivery often take considerable time.
An Ecovacs representative stated, "We consider the Korean market a very important strategic hub, given its rapidly changing lifestyle and high acceptance of smart home technologies." The representative added, "Korea, with its technology-driven consumer culture and strong interest in premium appliances, offers the optimal environment to experience our technological innovation capabilities."
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