How VPS Overcomes Challenges to Power Up an EV future in LATAM

As Jack Welch, the legendary CEO of General Electric once said: “Change before you have to”. And few things reflect the truth behind this sentence as much as the last 10 years in the automotive industry. Increasing competition and technological changes have driven every market player to embrace this philosophy globally and deploy strategies across different regions. However, every region has its unique challenges that can make or break a successful strategy if not approached correctly.

VPS has been a key partner to the most important automotive players in implementing their Hybrid and Electric Vehicles strategies around the globe. Latin America has been no exception, and our experience there has given us a chance to identify a few common challenges to every Hybrid/EV deployment.

Selecting Your Partner Dealerships Carefully. While market factors are always considered when choosing the dealerships that will spearhead a brand’s EV deployment in LATAM markets, transitioning to selling and servicing Hybrid/EVs is a marathon, not a sprint. The allure of being the first in the EV race wears off when dealerships find out that Time to Return on Investment is longer than initially believed.

Changing a Deep-Rooted Culture of Resourcefulness. Automotive technicians in LATAM have always stood out by their ingenuity when faced with limited resources -for example, creating makeshift tools to complete repairs. However, when managing Hybrid and EV systems, this resourcefulness may pose a threat to their safety. Therefore, extensive specialized training to overwrite this old habit is a must before deploying any Hybrid/EV portfolio, which leads to the next challenge.

Building a Culture around Safety. While everyone understands high voltage risks at the service shop, it is not uncommon for non-technical roles to be oblivious to the basic safety measures around EVs. This safety awareness becomes critical for Salespeople who educate and guide EV customers on safety measures without scaring them off, and eventually, for everybody else at the Dealership.

Developing (and Retaining) EV Technicians. Even now when Hybrid and Electric Vehicles are more common than a few years ago, finding top-notch technicians who can safely and effectively repair these vehicles is not easy. So, a strategy to train and develop car technicians should be carefully planned. However, that’s only part of the equation. Retaining those te

chnicians once they have reached their peak will determine the success of the strategy. Thus, a sound talent management and recognition strategy cannot be overlooked.

Becoming an Agile Company. Historically, there have been highly predominant players in LATAM markets. However, as many of those economies gradually opened to competition, they became vulnerable to smaller, more agile competitors. The automotive market is no different, so any EV strategy should consider training their partner dealerships in agile methodologies for faster decision-making in a changing competitive landscape.

VPS has supported our partners in the automotive industry with cultural change, performance enhancement, employee recognition, and technical training solutions that have been critical to their successful deployment of Hybrid and EV vehicles. Our solutions range from on-site training to state-of-the-art solutions such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and mobile apps.

Contact us today. We would be happy to discuss your needs and how we can help you reach your training and development goals.