Kia Motors Restructures Electric Vehicle Mobility Organization... Shifts Focus from Function to Customer Experience

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] Kia Motors is undertaking an organizational restructuring focused on customers and initiating a structural reform to lead the electric vehicle (EV) mobility era. This move aims to strengthen capabilities in the customer experience field, which is gaining importance in the EV mobility era, and to accelerate the transition to an electric vehicle brand.

Kia announced on the 21st that it has reorganized the Customer Experience Headquarters, which was previously functionally structured, into an organization centered on customer experience.

The newly reorganized Kia Customer Experience Headquarters is characterized by redefining tasks and subdividing the organizational structure based on the situations and touchpoints where customers experience Kia vehicles.

President Ho-sung Song stated, “In the upcoming EV mobility era, we must provide new experiences not only at the moment of purchasing a vehicle but also during the time spent inside the vehicle, charging, and parking, covering various customer touchpoints.” He added, “Through this organizational restructuring, Kia will strive to deliver meaningful experiences at every moment customers spend with Kia Motors.”

Kia has actively responded to the changes required in the EV mobility era and, to lead the forthcoming era, transformed its previously bifurcated organization?divided into marketing and customer channel services?into four organizations based on the stages of customer usage experience: the Customer Purchase Experience Division, Ownership Experience Division, Brand Strategy Office, and Customer Experience Planning Office.

First, Kia plans to make the entire process before customers recognize and purchase the Kia brand easier and more convenient. Through the Customer Purchase Experience Division, Kia will provide customized information and services to customers in an integrated online and offline environment, expand customer-centric immersive experiences such as VR showrooms and contactless vehicle test opportunities, and strengthen partnerships with global data platform companies to systematically offer personalized services.

Next, Kia will proactively and swiftly respond to various situations customers face after owning a Kia brand vehicle and provide innovative experiences. The Ownership Experience Division will detect and minimize potential inconveniences customers may encounter through real-time monitoring, remote support, driving data analysis, and diagnostics. Moreover, it plans to innovate in-vehicle experiences by developing connectivity software and infotainment services and supporting various software over-the-air updates.

Finally, Kia will establish standards and manage all customer touchpoints consistently in a customer-centric direction through the Brand Strategy Office, ensuring all Kia organizations move cohesively. Additionally, the Customer Experience Planning Office will manage the global network and share brand strategies and visions so that customers worldwide can experience the unique and consistent Kia brand experience.

Through this customer experience-centered organizational change, Kia Motors plans to accelerate its transition to an electric vehicle brand, proactively design customer experiences anticipated in the EV mobility era, and innovate into a brand capable of offering distinctive experiences.

Meanwhile, alongside the customer-centric organizational restructuring, Kia Motors has presented a blueprint for transitioning to an electric vehicle business system, including launching seven dedicated electric vehicle models by 2027 and expanding cooperation with domestic and international charging infrastructure companies. Recently, Kia also unveiled the electric vehicle-exclusive platform ‘E-GMP,’ which is expected to be applied to the upcoming Kia ‘CV’ model.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.