A new bi-marque 3S dealership handling the Peugeot and Citroen brands has opened in Alor Setar, Kedah. The new facility is the result of collaboration between Nasim Sdn Bhd, the official distributor for the Peugeot brand, and Naza Euro Motors Sdn Bhd, the official distributor for Citroen in Malaysia, as both companies aim to extends their network reach to the northern region.
“The launch of this new bi-marque Peugeot and Citroen Alor Setar outlet is the continuation of our expansion plan to increase our network and reach in Malaysia. This also ensures that we are able to cater to the needs and demands of our customers at an accessible location,” said Dato’ Nik Hamdan, Deputy Group CEO of Automotive Group, Naza Corporation Holdings.
RM2 million investment
Built with an investment of RM2 million, the new outlet has a showroom that can display up to 8 cars. There are comfortable lounges for customers and a cafe corner within the 15,000 square feet of built-up area. The service centre has the capacity to service up to 250 cars a month with its 5 bays.
Unique to the bi-marque outlet is the full implementation of the new Peugeot and Citroen showroom concept – Peugeot Bluebox and Citroen La Maison. The Peugeot Bluebox concept aims to introduce customers to an immersive Peugeot experience that is modern and upmarket while the Citroen La Maison offers customers an interactive and fluid experience inspired by its warm and contemporary living space.
“We are confident of meeting the expectations of the Alor Setar and overall Kedah market, as the team have been extremely committed on the implementation of the two holistic concepts from Peugeot and Citroën which is sure to add to the brand ownership experience,” added Dato’ Nik Hamdan.
Toyota owners and customers in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan Darul Khusus, now don’t have to travel far to get sales and services. Unitedstar Corporation Sdn Bhd, which has been UMW Toyota Motor’s business partner since 1995, has opened a 3S (sales, service and spare parts) facility, adding to the Toyota network nationwide.
Unitedstar Corporation Sdn Bhd started off as an authorised Toyota dealership with a sales showroom in Aman Suria, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. It has decided to increase its investment by establishing a full-fledged 3S outlet in Nilai which can provide customers the full range of services at one location.
Dealers encouraged to enhance facilities
“The automobile business has been increasingly competitive and UMW Toyota Motor has encouraged our authorized dealers to enhance their facilities and services, in order to provide the best sales and aftersales services to our customers,” said Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor.
“We are very pleased that many of our dealers have taken this initiative and Unitedstar Corporation Sdn Bhd, who has been our dealer for more than 20 years, has expanded its business to provide Toyota customers within Nilai and its surrounding area more comprehensive services. This is a timely move as Toyota customer are expanding and we have new models coming that are appealing and exciting,” he added.
“We are confident that Unitedstar Corporation Sdn Bhd will provide the professional services to Toyota customers and that the ‘Customer First’ philosophy will always be upheld,” he said.
Besides a spacious showroom for customers to view the latest Toyota models, the outlet has a service centre with 10 service bays. While waiting for their Toyota vehicles to be serviced, customers can relax in the lounge which has amenities for their comfort. Owners requiring Genuine Toyota parts can also obtain them at the service centre.
Unitestar Corporation has been an authorised Toyota dealership for over 20 years with a showroom in Aman Suria, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
The new dealership joins the network of over 90 authorised Toyota outlets nationwide which provide sales and aftersales services to the increasing number of customers nationwide.
For information on Toyota vehicles and dealership locations in Malaysia, visit toyota.com.my.
Although Sabah is some distance away from Proton’s headquarters in Peninsular Malaysia, attention to its business in the state is just as much as for any other state in the country. As the customer base grows, there is a need to ensure that there are sufficient facilities to provide sales and aftersales services.
In fact, according to Proton’s CEO, sales in East Malaysia this year have seen a growth of 31%, whilst for Sabah, the increase was 39%, compared to the same period last year. “Brand perception has also shifted and this is evident from our increasing sales,” said Dr Li Chunrong, CEO of Proton, adding that the Saga remains a popular choice in the state.
In support of the need for network growth, Shirba Auto World Sdn Bhd has officially opened a new Proton 3S outlet in Kota Kinabalu, the state capital. It is the third Proton dealer outlet opened in Kota Kinabalu, joining 104 3S/4S outlets nationwide.
As a new Proton investor, Ridzuan Datuk Hj Lassim, Director of Shirba Auto World, sees a lot of opportunities in Proton. “The future business outlook for Proton is promising, especially with its range of new car models. It also gives a lot of confidence to the public that Proton is currently managed by a pool of talent with global experience. It is a company which is exciting, international, forward looking and ready to take on the market,” he said.
The outlet has a built-up area of 2,259 square metres with a showroom to view the various models and a service centre with 12 service bays. Customers can relax in the comfort of the lounge while they wait, and they have free access to wifi service.
“The initiatives that are put in place have resulted in us gaining confidence from investors and the market. Many have decided to invest in a dealership because they have witnessed the positive developments at Proton. They see Proton as a solid brand and are willing to partner with us,” Dr. Li said.
NZ Wheels Sdn Bhd, an authorised dealer for Mercedes-Benz in Malaysia, has added another outlet to its network of Mercedes-Benz Autohauses in the Klang Valley. The Autohaus, acquired from another party, is a 2S (service and spare parts) facility which sits on 13,866 sq ft of land and has a built-up area of 9,200 sq ft.
Commenting on the new outlet, SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddin, Group Executive Chairman & CEO, Naza Corporation Holdings Sdn Bhd said: “At NZ Wheels, we are committed to giving our customers peace of mind through high quality products and exceptional customer experience. Therefore, we are beyond excited to introduce the NZ Wheels Setapak Autohaus as our fourth outlet and given its strategic location in north-east Kuala Lumpur, the new 2S facility will complement our existing NZ Wheels Bangsar Autohaus 1S facility to offer unparalleled service excellence expected from the 3-pointed star marque.”
“Moreover, we are confident the Setapak outlet will appeal to the most discerning Mercedes-Benz customers as it is fully equipped with state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz approved diagnostic tools and equipment and staffed by professionally-trained Mercedes-Benz Certified Service Specialists,” he added.
The Autohaus conforms to the Mercedes-Benz Presentation System II (MPS II) concept in line with the German luxury marque’s global customer experience concept and corporate identity. Its service centre, which has 5 work bays and 1 bay for wheel alignment, can handle up to 250 vehicles a month for both general and specialized repairs. At present, there are 10 highly-trained personnel experienced in technical, service and parts.
Cycle & Carriage Bintang Berhad has achieved a remarkable feat, scoring a perfect score of 100% for the second time, in Daimler AG’s stringent ‘Centre of Competence’ certification for its Batu Caves Body & Paint (B&P) Facility in Kuala Lumpur. The company, which has been associated with Mercedes-Benz since 1951, also achieved 98% and 96% for its Johor Bahru and Bukit Tengah facilities, respectively.
“Our network of Body & Paint repair facilities scoring above the global median is the result of Cycle & Carriage’s investment into our people, sites, and systems. With Daimler AG’s stringent evaluation criteria, the excellent performance that our facilities continue to demonstrate is a testament that we are moving in the right direction in support of Mercedes Benz customers in this country. We are honoured to receive this certification from Daimler AG, and we intend to continue excelling in the delivery of premium automotive experiences to our customers,” said Cycle & Carriage CEO, Wilfrid Foo.
Cycle & Carriage Batu Caves is an authorised B&P Repair Facility with the expertise to conduct structural repairs on Mercedes-Benz vehicles while upholding global safety standards to provide customers peace of mind.
Handling up to 130 vehicles monthly
Covering over 45,000 sq ft with 22 body and paint work bays, the facility has the capacity to service up to 130 vehicles every month. Meanwhile, the Johor Bahru and Bukit Tengah facilities collectively have 20 body and paint work bays and the capacity to service 120 vehicles every month. Cycle & Carriage currently has the largest network of Daimler AG certified B&P Repair Facilities in Malaysia.
Obtaining the ‘Centre of Competence’ certification involved an evaluation on Cycle & Carriage’s workshop equipment for both, body repair and paint areas, auxiliary material, repair processes and administration practices. To remain up-to-date with the latest automotive innovations and technologies, Cycle & Carriage employees undergo regular up-skilling training at the Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Training Academy.
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has a Training Academy in Glenmarie, Selangor which provides regular up-skilling training so technicians stay abreast of latest technologies.
Globally certified technicians
“Representing a marque brand that is a beacon of automotive excellence, we are proud to match this with exceptional after care service and expertise. Our facilities are home to state-of-the-art tools, globally certified and skilled technicians equipped to restore and care for an extensive range of Mercedes-Benz vehicles in Malaysia. This reflects Cycle & Carriage’s complete ecosystem that takes care of our customers every step of the way,” said Mr. Foo.
“Congratulations to the dynamic team at Cycle & Carriage Batu Caves, Johor Bahru and Bukit Tengah for constantly raising the benchmark of retail and service, going the extra mile to understand and meet our customers’ needs. This is the backbone of ‘Exceptional Journeys’ we promise customers,” he added.
Another high point in 120th year
This certification is another feather in the cap for Cycle & Carriage as it continues its year-long 120th anniversary celebration. The celebration kicked into high gear recently, with the premium automotive retail and aftersales leader taking time to record its appreciation for the years of loyalty and dedication from employees at a special townhall session and simultaneous movie screenings at locations in the Klang Valley, Ipoh, Penang and Johor.
Cycle & Carriage has been in business for 120 years and brought the Mercedes-Benz brand to Malaysia in 1951. It also began local assembly of the German cars in 1965.
“Our people have laid a solid foundation over the years, forming the bedrock of the Cycle & Carriage heritage. We continue to empower our people to experience growth and fulfillment both professionally and personally. Empowered employees go on to deliver the genuinely Exceptional Journeys our customers experience and associate with our Cycle & Carriage identity,” explained Mr. Foo.
The company’s passion in empowering people extends into uplifting marginalised youth by promoting the Technical and Vocational Education and Training agenda. Cycle & Carriage announced its inaugural Cycle & Carriage Study Grant Programme this year, a grant to help youth from low income Malaysian families gain access to quality technical and vocational education. Furthermore, Cycle & Carriage also donated computer equipment for the benefit of vocational institute, Montfort Boys Town’s Computer Maintenance Programme trainees earlier this year. Cycle & Carriage’s involvement in the social development of the local community is an indicator of its commitment to the community in Malaysia.
Commemorating its 120-year legacy in premium automotive excellence, Cycle & Carriage also launched a regional campaign to give away 120 exceptional journeys of specially curated trips to three enticing destinations: Mongolia, Nepal and Korea. The campaign embodies the brand’s commitment to deliver exceptional people-focused experiences.
For most car companies, the southern region of Peninsular Malaysia accounts for many of their new vehicle sales. It is a prosperous region with steady development and opening of new townships. For this reason, network development gives a lot of focus to Johor and recently, Naza Kia Malaysia opened a new 3S outlet in Tampoi, Johor Bahru, in partnership with authorised dealer Supreme Priority Sdn Bhd.
Located along Jalan Tampoi, the Kia Tampoi 3S Centre has a built-up area of 18,000 square feet. Its showroom can display up to 7 vehicles so visitors will be able to see a good selection of models. As a 3S centre, it offers sales, service and spare parts and is geared to handle up to 100 Kia vehicles a month. Supreme Priority invested RM5 million to establish this 3S outlet.
Serving owners in Tampoi and surroundings
The Kia Tampoi 3S Centre is also intended to serve owners in the surrounding areas of Tampoi New Village, Skudai, Nusajaya and Larkin. Its strategic location means that they now have a shorter distance to travel to get full aftersales support.
Kia Picanto – one of the latest models available
“With the new Kia Tampoi 3S Centre, we have altogether 6 Kia outlets in Johor and with that, we are confident we will be able to cater to the needs and demands of our customers and future customers here. Johor has been a significant market for us as 90% of Korean car owners here own a Kia,” said R. Devaraju, Deputy Group CEO, Automotive Group, Naza Corporation Holdings.
Mr. Devaraju added that the company has plans in the pipeline to further enhance the current network and expand on the 45 Kia outlets nationwide.
You must have insurance coverage for your motor vehicle if you want to use it on the road. In the past, insurance coverage was just that; you paid the premium annually and if you had a claim for accident damage or the vehicle was stolen, the insurance company paid the appropriate compensation.
Today, things are different and to enhance the ownership experience, the car companies work with their partner panel insurers to give customers more than just insurance coverage. Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) is among the companies which offers insurance coverage with extra benefits. The insurance programme, launched recently, is known as the Volkswagen Insurance Plan or ‘VIP’.
When accident repairs are necessary, VIP policyholders are assured that the work will be done by authorised dealers with equipment and processes approved by Volkswagen. Needless to say, only genuine parts will be used.
As a privileged VIP policyholder, benefits include prioritised claim approval, roadside assistance with 24-hour emergency towing and assurance that repair work is conducted at authorised Volkswagen body and paint centres, in accordance to Volkswagen repair standards with only genuine parts used.
Additionally, there are no excess fees, no betterment cost and an agreed value of up to 10 years. This is applicable to all Volkswagen models, regardless of vehicle age.
Available through all authorised VW dealerships
VIP can be purchased at any Volkswagen authorized dealerships in Malaysia when registering a new vehicle or during roadtax renewal. Allianz General Insurance Berhad and Etiqa General Takaful Berhad are partner panel insurers, with Allianz offering conventional insurance, and Etiqa offering both conventional and takaful insurance.
“With VIP, all Volkswagen owners regardless of model, can enjoy quality services and roadside assistance at the best value under a comprehensive plan catered exclusively just for them,” Erik Winter, Managing Director of VPCM, explaining that that VIP has been conceptualised under the Volkswagen Cares philosophy.
“Our owners are at the core of everything we do and providing this added service to them at our dealerships also ensures that the entire process is streamlined and more convenient, making our Volkswagen dealerships a one-stop centre for customer convenience and peace of mind,” he said.
For more information on Volkswagen products and services in Malaysia, visit www.volkswagen.com.my or any authorised dealership.
Every car company wants to sell as many vehicles as possible and each year, there is the expectation that there will be more deliveries than the year before. However, as some companies have discovered to their regret, the pursuit of more and more sales without equal attention to expanding the aftersales network – especially authorised service centres – can create problems for customers. Lack of advance planning to cope with an increased number of new vehicles requiring regular servicing will mean customers have to wait longer for an appointment.
Push to upgrade network for future
One of the first things which Proton did after it had Geely as a partner was to review its entire network and upgrade it. Though there were many dealers all over the country, not all were offering the full range of services for customers and in order to enhance the ownership experience, Proton aimed to get its network to be majority 3S/4S outlets. This meant that they would have sales, service and spare parts (3S) at one location, and those with additional space would also have extra services such as painting and body repair (4S).
The initiative was initially met with resistance as it required large investments. There were many small dealers who had just a showroom in a single shoplot and were satisfied just selling a few cars a month all the while. They didn’t understand that with additional investment to upgrade their dealership, they could grow their business further and derive extra income from aftersales services. Instead, their customers were being ‘stolen’ by dealerships which would look after their needs and probably sell them their next Proton. So these one-shoplot dealerships (referred to as ‘1S’ in the industry) could never grow as the only money they made was from the sale of the car. As those in the car business will tell you, there is much more money to be made in the aftersales side.
Proton’s CEO, Dr. Li Chunrong, pushed hard for the upgrades in spite of criticism by certain groups but he explained that it was necessary to prepare the network for growth and to ensure that customers would have a better ownership experience. There was no point in developing better models if the aftersales support was poor and people felt the brand image was not something they were proud of.
100 3S/4S outlets to date
With the opening of a new outlet in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, recently, Proton now has 100 3S/4S outlets nationwide, which makes it the brand with the largest such network. The new 3S outlet at the Oakland Industrial Park was built with an investment of approximately RM4 million. Located near the Seremban 2 Township, it is surrounded by new malls and housing areas which already have many Proton owners and will have many more in future.
The new 3S outlet at the Oakland Industrial Park in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan.
“What we have achieved is the culmination of hard work, dedication and commitment by the entire Proton family, from our vendors, dealers and talents in the company. From the beginning, we held the belief that to progress, we need sufficient outlets, good products, great technology in our cars and talent to manage the expectations of the company,” said Dr. Li.
“The results speak for themselves. Our sales have soared and we have since reclaimed the second spot since April this year. Total sales for the month ending July stand at 52,269 units compared to 35,561 in the same period last year, which equates to 47% growth in overall year-on-year sales,” he added.
J.D. Power’s 2019 Customer Service Index (CSI) Mass Market Study for the Malaysian market has ranked Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM) highest in providing overall satisfaction to customers for a second consecutive year.
“We are delighted to be ranked highest for the 2019 Malaysia Customer Service Index (Mass Market) Study conducted by J.D. Power. We are even more delighted to win this recognition for the second consecutive year and remained in the top three positions for five consecutive years! This reflects on our commitment to continue to provide a rewarding and positive customer’s experience from the first initiation of purchase to a satisfying after sales service. We will not rest on our laurels, we will continue to stay on top and provide our customers with a satisfying customer experience.” said Tomoyuki Shinnishi, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia.
An authorised Mitsubishi Motors dealership in Malaysia offering sales, service and spare parts (3S).
2,644 owners interviewed
The study, which has been held annually for 17 years, involved 2,644 owners of Mitsubishi vehicles who had received delivery of their new vehicles between February 2016 and June 2018 and took their vehicle for service to an authorized service centre between February 2018 and June 2019.
The owners were selected by J.D. Power independently and subject to screening prior to being interviewed, and were not introduced or recommended by MMM. The study measured customer satisfaction with the servicing and vehicle-return process and was conducted between February and June 2019.
Rating the experience at service centres
To score overall satisfaction among owners who visited an authorized service centre for maintenance or repair work during the first 12 to 36 months of ownership, they were asked questions about based on five factors. These were service quality (25%); vehicle pick-up (21%); service initiation (20%); service facility (17%); and service advisor (16%). Mitsubishi Motors achieved the highest score of 791 points, 30 points above the industry average.
Volkswagen owners in Malaysia who want their engine to run more efficiently can now give it the Walnut Blasting Decarbonizer service. Part of the Volkswagen Cares initiative by Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM), this service is available at all authorized Volkswagen dealerships.
Recommended as a preventive measure every 45,000 kms, the price of the service starts from RM515. It uses crushed walnut shells to gently remove carbon deposits built-up in the engine over time. The end result is a cleaner engine that can give a smoother drive.
Approved by Volkswagen AG
Recognized and approved by Volkswagen AG, this method (which was developed in the 1960s by and first used by the US Navy) is economical, efficient and non-corrosive, without the use of harmful chemicals. It is especially useful for cars which are used mostly in stop-and-go city driving which tends to promote carbon deposits. The build-deposits create negative effects such as higher fuel consumption and reduced performance.
The new aftersales service is available at all authorised Volkswagen dealerships as part of the VW Cares initiative.
“It goes without saying that our customers are our top priority – and we are continuously looking for ways to improve our services and offerings to our customers under the Volkswagen Cares brand promise to provide value-added and quality services. This is one of many to come,“ promised Erik Winter, Managing Director of VPCM.
Volkswagen owners can download the Volkswagen Cares mobile app to their smartphones stay updated on other Volkswagen Cares initiatives. Information is also available at www.volkswagen.com.my.
