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Hema Maps interviews Hema Group CEO
Words Julija Zivanovic and Rob Gallagher Pics Supplied
We sat down with Hema Group Chief Executive Officer Rob Gallagher to try and answer as many common customer queries as possible. Read on to learn more.
In September last year, Hema Maps’ online services were impacted by the disruption to the Hema cloud platform, which caused a number of performance issues for customers on their Hema Maps digital devices. The Hema Maps team has since deployed an all-new software solution, ‘Hema Nav’, which was released in November 2024. Since then, the Hema Maps business has been focused on repairing existing customer devices and releasing the next range of Hema Maps products.
Following an increased number of customer queries regarding Hema Maps’ digital products, we sat down with Hema Group’s Chief Executive Officer Rob Gallagher to try and answer as many of the common queries as possible.
Question #1
JZ: With the Hema cloud being down, when can customers expect a replacement cloud?
RG: The Hema cloud has been down since the disruption that occurred in September last year. The team has focused on repairing customer devices as a priority. Over the last six months they have updated more than 20,000 units — HX-2, HX-2+ and various other products. This has allowed customers to fully use their devices, albeit without the connected cloud. We made that call to focus on updating the units and that was based on the feedback from our customers who said that ensuring the device worked effectively and with confidence was more important than the cloud itself.
On top of the release of Hema Nav, what we’ve done in the background is we’ve deployed a number of cloud capabilities, giving users the ability to update their device, the ability to update their maps and synchronise the data from their device. We are working through the Hema Nav development projects with a key priority to release a new cloud. We hope to have some clarity for customers by the end of July with clear timelines for the next set of releases.
Question #2
JZ: Were these issues the result of design flaws, manufacturing errors or something else?
RG: The issue that caused the Hema cloud disruption event was not a software-specific issue or any error made by Hema Maps, but rather the actions of a third party that removed access to a range of connected services, one of which was the cloud. As we’ve been unable to repair or access those services, we’ve tackled the issue head on by deploying a totally new software platform to thousands of our customer devices. The new Hema Nav gives the customer an enhanced experience which, based on customer feedback, we believe will satisfy Hema users’ expectations far better going forward.
Question #3
JZ: Has the company identified any internal process gaps or failures in oversight?
RG: As part of our review of the Hema cloud issue, the Hema business has invested significantly in deploying the new software which was developed by tier-one, automotive-grade software partners. This decision was important to reduce any potential risk around certainty moving forward for both our business and our users, providing another level of compliance across what we will provide as the solution. Our devices are now also deployed with software which can run perpetually, with the appropriate licence, providing further confidence in the underlying product for the life of the device.
In addition, we’ve started to build our own technology team with the appointment of our General Manager of Technology, Kristian Widjaya, in the last couple of months. Kris is focused on the sustainable scaling of our technology solutions and with it, improving the processes going forward around all our products. The key thing we will be working on is creating the best Hema experience and delivering software that we know has got scale.
Question #4
JZ: Are product recalls, replacements or software updates being offered?
RG: Yes. With devices, there are still a number of users who aren’t affected, so the old software is still working. But where there has been an impact either caused by a licence validation issue or some other issue, or in the event someone just wants to have the certainty of the new software, we’ve provided the ability for all users to be able to update to the new software. Some of the hardware devices have different requirements, so early devices — such as the 16GB HX-2 — need to be sent into our office so we can reflash them, while others can be done remotely by the users themselves.
Part of what the team has built in the updated software is not only the ability to update the software but also extract relevant information from the device to make sure the users can continue to use that information — like tracks, waypoints and points of interest — that the user has saved on their device. This saved data can be ported to the new software.
Question #5
JZ: Have you implemented any new support channels or compensation for affected customers?
RG: A big thing which we’ve had to deal with is we’ve updated 20,000 devices over the last six months while managing our customers’ expectations. While we’ve serviced a lot of customers in this time there has been some frustrations for customers not being able to get through as easily as they would normally.
Firstly, credit must go to our customer service team who are the face of that engagement with the community. They have dealt with an unprecedented amount of support requests over this time, and we are doing our best to try and manage that workflow as effectively as possible. We have been working to consolidate our customer service team into one central location, which has seen a number of new support resources added to the team. This has been critical to tackling the backlog of customer tickets and now, as the type of enquiry changes, educate users on how to update their units to unlock all the benefits and features of the new Hema Nav software.
In terms of providing benefits to customers, what we have deployed in the new software provides them access to a perpetual licence to the underlying software, which didn’t exist in the previous version. We have also ensured that they retain their existing benefits from the previous software as a minimum while improving the underlying experience of the device, and for some users, they have taken advantage of the premium upgrades. Other customers, such as app users who have been affected, have been given a replacement application which they can use with the commitment that when we get a new Hema app up and running, we will provide them access to that for a period of time.
Question #6
JZ: What steps are being taken to prevent similar issues in the future?
RG: One of the key features of the new Hema Nav software is we have established a framework that enables the solution to work perpetually. So, for all the Hema devices that have been deployed since the update, those will operate perpetually with the licence it has been granted. In addition, by working with tier-one software providers, the software that we’ve got in Hema devices is comparable with what is deployed in automotive vehicles around the world, so that reliability and stability is a key function. In terms of operating other cloud-based systems, again, we are putting in place more internal infrastructure, compliance standards and continuing to work with tier-one providers for the hardware to ensure that certainty for customers.
Question #7
JZ: How are you rebuilding customer trust and brand reputation going forward?
RG: The effects of the cloud disruption have had a significant impact in terms of customer confidence in the Hema brand, however, since the deployment of the new Hema Nav software in November last year, the feedback from the community has been exceptional. As much as there has been frustration in the community and some challenges in terms of getting consumers’ devices updated, as soon as we’ve gone through that process and started to get customers using the new software, we’ve actually had a really positive response. As they say, sometimes adversity creates innovation, and what the team has been able to do in terms of being able to offer something that not only matches what consumers had expected in the previous software, but which also actually provides something better, has been a significant achievement for the team. This continued improvement of our products will rebuild the faith and trust of our users, enabling our community to explore with confidence — an integral part of the Hema brand promise.
Question #8
JZ: It can be a bit challenging to get in touch with Hema’s customer service team. What is the best way customers can reach them?
RG: As I mentioned, the customer service team has been inundated in the last six months in terms of customer enquiries from a whole range of topics. The simplest way and the best way to get in touch with our team is to register a ticket on the Hema website, that ticket will be logged and managed by the customer service team. If you’ve got some knowledge gaps on our products or would just like some more detailed product information, the Knowledge Base website also has a whole range of FAQs and how-to guides which enable customers to do it themselves [including completing the software update]. If we can remain patient, the team is working diligently through thousands of tickets each week and will respond as soon as possible to all outstanding customer tickets.
Question #9
JZ: What makes our product unique and what is the essence of Hema?
RG: It’s the rich cartography and content. In setting up the original Hema cloud products, Hema Maps was attempting to offer offline, reliable maps through software that had been relied upon in print form for so long. That technology had been a challenge to deploy over the last 10 years as many hardware devices were moving over to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and mapping software was focused centrally on ‘connected’ online maps.
What we’ve been seeking to offer — through both the previous software and the new Hema Nav software — is reliable, offline maps that include the rich Hema content available on a range of hardware devices. The unique Hema mapping — including information about roads, POI (points of interest), way points and tracking information in remote areas — and our bespoke cartography provide users with really rich context. Hema digital products are renowned for not only showing what users see around them but also help to visualise the physical environment. This has a twofold benefit, allowing users to both navigate safely — especially in remote or offroad settings — and to help customers identify areas they want to go and visit or experience for themselves.
In the last 12 months we’ve added 150,000km of road data into the core map which allows consumers the ability to travel with more confidence. The mapping team has processed and created new offline maps to give customers more comfort not only in terms of navigating in remote areas but also providing a solution for those customers who still rely on Hema print maps, allowing them to use that embedded in the navigation as well. This delivers fixed-scale map tiles that allow people to travel with the same confidence they get from using a physical map as they visualise it on their Hema device.
Question #10
JZ: Are there any new products coming out soon that you can tell us about?
RG: Yes. So, while we have been repairing the existing devices, the team has also been working on a number of projects which will provide access to consumers who are looking to get the latest Hema experience. In the next couple of months, we’re excited to announce the release of two Hema-branded products to the market: the HX-Box and the HX-M1. The HX-Box is a navigation module that enables Hema Nav to run via CarPlay-enabled head units and the HX-M1 is the first-ever motorcycle-specific digital product developed by Hema. Both of those will come to market through our partners Directed Electronics and will be available through our premium retail channels.
Another pleasing development is that customers who have purchased a Y62 Nissan Patrol 2024 model will also have access to that Hema Nav software in their head units in the coming week. This was an important first for Hema, being the first time customers could access our Hema Nav software directly from car manufacturers’ existing head units. We have hundreds of users waiting patiently for this release and, hopefully, that’s a start of what we’re working on, creating other opportunities for customers to get the Hema experience embedded in their vehicle.
Question #11
JZ: What’s next on the horizon for Hema?
RG: Throughout the challenging times, the team has been focused on continuing to build up the core IP that Hema is renowned for — so, data and the rich stories around exploring remote parts of Australia and excitingly, other parts of the world. Our Alpha Team, which is our community-led fieldwork team, has generated more than 200,000km of road and track data which is central to the Hema Map Patrol’s fieldwork process moving forward. So, rather than just having one or two vehicles out collecting data, we now have dozens of vehicles out there every month collecting road data. The Alpha Team allows us to update our maps both in digital form and print form with far more speed and accuracy than has been possible in the past.
Over the next 6–12 months, we hope to have updated all our existing customers’ devices and kicked off a whole range of new partnerships in terms of distribution of our map content, both via our traditional retail segment and automotive channels. All these things will help to enable more of our users to get out and create their own ‘forever’ memories.
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