Nagakanni Subramaniam, the owner of a Perodua Bezza car that broke down less than eight hours after purchase, expressed dissatisfaction, stating that she had not received any written confirmation from Perodua regarding the resolution. While acknowledging Perodua’s media statement claiming to offer a courtesy car and suggesting repurchasing her vehicle, Nagakanni emphasised the absence of a written guarantee detailing the terms of repurchase, buyback period, loan payment, and related information.
In her Facebook post, Nagakanni clarified the situation, highlighting the malfunction of the car’s engine due to foreign substances, such as sugar. She emphasised the need for a concrete solution and written confirmation rather than media statements aimed at calming the situation without resolving the problem.
Perodua Sales Chief Operating Officer J.H. Rozman Jaafar had earlier stated that the company conducted a comprehensive investigation and had been in constant communication with Nagakanni since October. Perodua claimed to have taken several actions to address the issue, including offering a courtesy car and proposing to buy back her car. Nagakanni’s car had reportedly malfunctioned almost eight hours after purchase.
The case underscores the importance of clear communication and written assurances in resolving customer issues, especially in situations involving vehicle malfunctions shortly after purchase.
Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) has responded to concerns regarding a malfunction in a Perodua Bezza car, which reportedly occurred within eight hours of purchase by a clerk. Perodua’s Sales Chief Operating Officer, J.H. Rozman Jaafar, assured that the company conducted a comprehensive investigation into the matter, prioritising customer satisfaction.
Rozman stated that Perodua has maintained constant communication with the customer since October of the previous year. The company has taken several measures to address the issue, including offering a courtesy car and proposing to buy back the malfunctioning vehicle. The clerk, Nagakanni Subramaniam, had expressed frustration over continuing monthly loan payments despite her car being stranded at a service centre.
FB/Nagakanni Subramaniam
Perodua is actively working on a thorough investigation of the reported malfunction and has assured the public that details will be shared in due course. Rozman refuted allegations that no action had been taken, emphasising the company’s commitment to resolving the matter. Perodua apologised for any inconvenience caused and thanked customers for their understanding during this process.
What was the issue? Here’s a recap:
October 17, 2023: A Troubling Start
The journey began on October 17, 2023, when the owner purchased a Bezza 1.3 X from Harapan Terang Motor Sales Center Sdn Bhd Segamat. Just eight hours later, at 7:40 p.m., the car refused to start, leading to the vehicle being towed to the Perodua Segamat Service Center.
October 18, 2023: Diagnosis and Hope for a Quick Solution
The mechanic at the service centre delivered the disappointing news—the engine was damaged. Hope for a prompt resolution emerged when the owner requested a replacement. However, the joy was short-lived.
November 9, 2023: A Baffling Turn of Events
Mr. Sufian, a Customer Sales Executive from Perodua HQ, presented an unexpected twist to the situation. Claiming that a foreign object, potentially sugar, had damaged the engine, he pointed to a two-week to one-month wait for a decision from Perodua HQ.
The owner’s denial of any tampering or presence of foreign objects raises questions about the veracity of the investigation and calls for a more transparent and accountable process.
November 15, 2023: Loan Limbo
Mr. Sufian urged the owner to apply for a new loan for a replacement car. However, the owner, still repaying the existing loan, understandably sought resolution before undertaking a new financial commitment.
December 4, 2023: Stalled Progress
Efforts to move forward faced a setback when the salesperson requested documents for a new loan, met with rejection from the owner who emphasised the outstanding first loan.
December 8, 2023: Elusive Approval
Customer Service conveyed that the final proposal lacked approval, citing ongoing internal investigations by Perodua. The absence of a definitive response in black and white left the owner in a state of limbo.
January 2, 2024: The Lingering Silence
As the calendar turned to 2024, the owner’s plea for resolution echoed in silence. With more than two months passed, the lack of a formal response from Perodua raises concerns about customer service and the timely resolution of legitimate grievances.
Caring for customers is a key – even crucial – element of any business. Customers who have a satisfying experience at dealerships and owners who have a great ownership experience will remain loyal customers, and might even be ‘ambassadors’ for the brand.
Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC), the sole distributor for Ford in Malaysia, must be doing this well as its principal, Ford Motor Company, has conferred two President’s Awards for the company’s excellence in ensuring the highest level of customer satisfaction in sales and service in 2021.
The prestigious awards are recognition of SDAC’s achievements as one of the very best Ford distributor and dealer organisations in the world. The President’s Award is the top distinction in Ford’s annual rewards and recognition programme, designed to acknowledge its distributor partners for delivering outstanding customer experience and operations.
SDAC received the 2021 President’s Awards for Sales and Service for achieving the highest customer satisfaction scores in both sales and service amongst the distributor markets across various regions. These scores are based on ratings collected from an actual customer feedback and satisfaction survey that Ford conducts with customers in each market, including Malaysia.
Introduced in 2016 regionally, the annual awards programme evaluates distributors primarily on their highest level of overall customer satisfaction and includes sales and parts performance.
Lounge for customers at the service centre.
“We are truly honoured to receive the President’s Awards this year. Having won the Chairman’s Award in 2019 and 2020, we have continued to dedicate our efforts to innovating and finding new ways to enhance customer experiences and improve customer satisfaction. We remain committed to pursuing world-class service excellence for all our Ford customers in Malaysia,” said Turse Zuhair, Managing Director, Sime Darby Auto ConneXion-Ford.
“Despite the challenges, 2021 was a tremendously successful year for SDAC. Their dedication, resilience and perseverance have led to various key achievements. In particular, the success of ‘Ford Ranger Getaways’, which is a great example of a truly holistic programme designed to provide a richer and more immersive experience for customers, beyond just sales and service,” he added.
Ford Ranger Getaways provide owners with an opportunity to fully enjoy ‘The Ranger Life’.
Ford Ranger Getaways is a community-based adventure platform that brings together customers, other like-minded people and Ford enthusiasts through a series of unique local drive and adventure experiences. Customers can choose from a range of getaways, including off-roading courses to test the limits of their vehicles, becoming a pilot for a day, enjoying a leisurely day with nature or relaxing during a simple retreat with family.
To know more about Ford vehicles and services and showroom locations in Malaysia, visit www.sdacford.com.my
As mentioned earlier by the CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM), customers can now have their new Mitsubishi vehicle delivered to their doorstep. The company’s new Home Delivery Service has been launched and is presently available within the Klang Valley region, with other regions to follow in the near future.
Only for online customers
The service is only for those customers who have booked their new vehicle (and it is registered) using the Mitsubishi Online Showroom. They need not worry about the risk of vehicle damage while being sent to their homes as it will not be driven and will be transported on a car-carrier.
From now till December 31, 2021, customers who book a Mitsubishi Triton online and after completion of registration will receive a complimentary limited edition North Face jacket. They should use the promo code 4SUREBELI when making their booking.
Another initiative for customers
The Home Delivery Service is a follow-up to MMM’s initiative to provide an online shopping facility to customers. The company was among the earliest to offer such a facility as the COVID-19 pandemic started and restrictions to movements began. With the Mitsubishi Online Showroom, customers do not need to go to the showroom to obtain more information and to view the vehicles. They can also request for a test-drive and additionally, begin the purchase process from their home or office by using Booking Assist to place a booking.
Customers can also use Mitsubishi Motors Online to request for a test-drive and a vehicle will be brought to their home or office.
“As Malaysia prepares to transition from the COVID-19 pandemic to the endemic phase, Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia makes an effort to ensure that our digital services are improved for customer’s safety and convenience. We want to provide an option for customers to shop online, offering something unorthodox to car ownership. We offer a one-stop digital service from viewing the car 360’ via the virtual showroom, booking a Test Drive 2U, finalizing the sales process online such as Booking, as well as Trade-In and having the new car delivered right to their doorstep,” said Tomoyuki Shinnishi, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia.
Visit www.mitsubishi-motors.com.my to know more about Mitsubishi vehicles and the locations of dealers nationwide.
Malaysians know Edaran Otomobil Nasional Berhad or EON very well. After all, it was the company that was established together with Proton and given the responsibility to distribute and market the National Car. While things have changed over the years, EON (a subsidiary of DRB-HICOM Berhad) is still the largest dealer chain handling Proton products today.
Over the years, EON has continuously evolved as times have changed. Even its logo has undergone refreshing periodically while its retail outlets and service centres have been upgraded.
Although EON has been involved in other brands (such as Volkswagen, Audi and Mitsubishi), Proton is still its most important and in view of this, the company now has a dedicated Proton Division website. Created with the user experience in mind, the newly-designed website includes many features to help users quickly and easily navigate and browse for the many Proton models.
Everything to do with Proton
The integrated platform allows customers to find out about the latest promotions, book a test drive, reserve their next service appointment and even calculate monthly instalments for vehicle loans. They can do all this from a smartphone or tablet in the comfort of their home or office, or even a restaurant (when we can dine-in again).
Akkbar Danial, Head of Automotive Distribution of DRB-HICOM and Chief Executive Officer of EON, believes that the possibilities are endless for brands with a strong online presence as a website not only provides massive opportunity for business growth, but is also at the heart of the car buying process today.
“A new website was overdue. With over 80% of Malaysian car buyers doing their research online before making a purchase, it is only logical to have a website, and a good one that works well on personal computers, smartphones and tablets,” he said, adding that there is also a virtual showroom to visit when showrooms are closed for any reason.
“As the single largest Proton dealer in Malaysia, we aim to be the preferred automobile dealer nationwide by positioning ourselves and bringing customers to the forefront of our ‘stores’. Through the website, the most accurate, up-to-date information and promotions regarding our products are easily accessible for our current and prospective customers to make informed car-buying decisions,” Encik Akkbar added.
Beyond distribution and an extensive after-sales network, EON also provides customised solutions for corporate clients under the Proton Fleet Programme, targeted at fleet operators.
Latest campaign from EON
In conjunction with the launch of the new website, EON is partnering with Shell Malaysia in a campaign that offers Shell Vouchers as a token of appreciation. The campaign is for all customers who place a booking and register their new Proton vehicle with EON outlets from August 1 until October 31, 2021. The vouchers, which can be used nationwide for purchases of fuel as well as items at Shell SELECT Stores (excluding tobacco products, e-Pay reloads and Touch ‘N Go top-ups), will be valid until February 28, 2022.
Honda Malaysia has introduced its new HondaTouch application to enhance convenience for Honda owners and other customers. Available on Apple iOS and Android smartphones, the application is a that can be shared by customers, Honda Authorised Dealers and Honda Malaysia.
The app has 10 ten distinct features which are particularly useful for owners, providing them with accessibility to their vehicle and its information wherever they are. These features include Service Appointment Booking, Service Appointment Reminder, Real-Time Service Status Tracking, Service History, and Find Your Nearest Dealer.
Through a complete dealer listing in the application, Honda owners can directly make service appointments with their preferred dealers in any part of the country. The respective dealers will be alerted, and confirmation of appointments will be sent to the owners via the application.
Manage service matters by phone
Additionally, an owner can keep tabs on all information about his or her Honda vehicle such as service appointment reminder, service status tracking as well as monitor the progress of the car servicing status through the application. The service history is also stored, making it easy to refer to previous visits to the service centre.
An important feature of the HondaTouch application is Emergency Assistance. This is useful in the event of a breakdown or accident as owners can contact the roadside assistance service for immediate assistance. Honda owners will also receive notification on their Insurance Renewal Reminder through the application – great for those who are forgetful!
Also for non-owners
For those who are not owners of vehicles, it is possible to register to use HondaTouch too. Through the application, they can be informed of Promotions, Events and Updates and other activities by Honda Malaysia.
Through HondaTouch, it is also possible to make a New Car Pre-Booking. With this feature, customers can easily place a booking for their preferred model from Honda Malaysia’s line-up from anywhere at anytime.
The application can be used to manage service appointments with dealers.
Commenting on digital platform introduction, Honda Malaysia’s Managing Director & CEO, Toichi Ishiyama, said: “The HondaTouch application is designed to provide convenience and ease of communication between Honda Authorised Dealers and customers, allowing easy access to obtain vehicle service information; vehicle assistance, and updates from Honda Malaysia. Ultimately, it is our vision to create value for mobility and to improve the daily lives of our customers through regular engagement; and the intuitive HondaTouch application does exactly that.”
The HondaTouch application is free for download via the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. For information on Honda vehicles, visit www.honda.com.my.
Car-buyers today are luckier than those in the 1980s and earlier because car companies readily offer them a chance to test-drive a new model. In earlier days, companies were less accommodating as they were not willing to register the new cars unless they were being sold and besides, it was a ‘sellers market’ then. The growth of the market created high demand so if a customer insisted on trying a car, his request could be rejected because the salesman knew there were another 5 other customers waiting to buy it anyway.
But all that changed in the 1990s as the market got more competitive. And with cars looking the ‘same’ on paper, the emphasis switched to the ‘driving experience’ to highlight the difference. Each brand would proudly boast of a superior driving experience and in contrast to the past, would try their best to get customers behind the wheel. Many companies held test-drive campaigns, inviting the public to come and try their latest models. At motorshows in recent years, test-drives have been an important activity for the exhibitors.
Now, with concerns about the pandemic, car-shopping has to change again. Apart from reluctance of some customers to visit showrooms, there is also social distancing to observe and other procedures to adhere to. So what Sime Darby Auto Hyundai (SDAH) is doing is to go to the customer instead. The company recently began its ‘Test Drive to You’ campaign which brings the latest Hyundai models to the customer’s doorstep to try out.
It’s actually good for the customer, not only because of the convenience but also because the test-drive can be done on familiar roads in the area around the home.
Personalised service
“The ‘Test Drive to You’ campaign is an exclusive personalised service by Sime Darby Auto Hyundai to reach out to our customers wherever they are. We have a total of six sales outlets in Peninsular Malaysia which are offering this service. Interested parties just need to register their interest and we will arrange for a test drive session from the customer’s home,” said Low Yuan Lung, MD of Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors.
Instead of going to the showroom to get a test-drive, a request can be made to send a model over to the home for the session.
SOPs for protection of customers
SDAH is committed to customers’ safety by having Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which are in accordance with requirements by the Health Ministry. These include sanitisation of test-drive vehicles before and after every session, and the wearing of face masks by the customer as well as the sales consultant. The latter will be seated at the rear to observe social distancing practice.
As a precaution, thermal scanning will be done prior to the test drive. Should the customer’s body temperature exceed 37.5ᵒC, the test-drive session will have to be cancelled. Additionally, customers are required to sanitise their hands with the hand sanitiser provided.
Hyundai models available in Malaysia
Customers who wish to request for a test-drive from their homes can register at the SDAH website and an appointment will be arranged. The six showrooms are located in Kuala Lumpur (2), Selangor (1), Perak (1), Prai (1) and Johor (1). The website also has information about the promotions, the latest being cash rebates of up to RM13,000 on selected models.
The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly brought about changes in many ways, to the extent that we now have to adapt to what is known as the ‘new normal’. In the case of the car industry, dealers have now to follow new standard operating procedures to protect their customers as well as their employees.
Every dealership must now carry out temperature checks, provide and use hand sanitizers, practice social distancing, cashless payments and many now ask customers to wear facemasks as well. Understandably, there are still customers who are hesitant about going to a showroom, even if they have a new car to collect.
For such customers, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) has a new initiative under its Hands campaign whereby the handover can be done without them having to go to the showroom. It’s a new option where the new vehicle will be delivered to the home of the new owner.
For convenience and safety of customers
Erik Winter, Managing Director of VPCM, said that the initiative showed the company’s evolution in keeping up with the new shopping habits of consumers. “With the introduction of this service, we are closing the loop and making it easy for our customers to buy a Volkswagen from the comfort and safety of their own homes. It is as simple as selecting their preferred model on the eShowroom, finalizing the sales process and having the new car delivered right to their doorstep,” he explained.
If they prefer, customers will not have to go to the showroom to pick up their new Volkswagen and the dealership will send it to their home by a flatbed truck.
The service is available nationwide from all authorized Volkswagen dealerships up to a distance of 20 kms from the dealership serving the customer No, it won’t be Grab delivering the new vehicle nor will a sales consultant be driving it. It will be put on a single flatbed carrier truck and fully covered in canvas to protect it from damage. The customer will not have to pay for the service.
Adhering to strict safety guidelines, the carrier trucks are also cleaned and disinfected before and after each delivery, with drivers regularly checked and practicing COVID-19 safety measures. Owners will receive an SMS notification once their new car has been collected and is en route to their doorstep. As added safety measure, the owner’s Welcome Kit and car keys will be safely placed in the locked car.
The Volkswagen Deep Sanitisation package uses a halal-certified bacterial spray and wiper disinfectant and includes deodorising and odour prevention.
Volkswagen Deep Sanitisation package
For owners seeking additional peace of mind, the Volkswagen Deep Sanitisation service package is now available, and starts from as low as RM80. The treatment package works to eradicate more than 99% of germs and bacteria in the cabin, including the air-conditioning system.
Human interaction has continuously changed over time but now the change has accelerated as a result of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic sweeping the world. We now have to be conscious of social distancing – standing at least a metre apart – and be aware that even shaking hands can be risky as the virus can be transmitted.
Fortunately, we have technology to help us with the changes we must make socially and also in the business world. The ability to connect is still present and in the business world, chatbots have been an integral component of customer engagement for airlines, healthcare, telecommunications, retail, financial services, F&B as well as the news media.
PLUS Malaysia Berhad’s ‘PUTRI’ or PLUS Texting Realtime Interface is one such example, and it can be considered the highway industry’s first ever chatbot. PUTRI is designed to interact with PLUS highway customers and over time, the interactive conversations through its Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning model will allow PUTRI to handle over 70% of the 1,500 calls which PLUS Traffic Monitoring Centre (TMC) receives averagely daily. The majority of the calls are request for standard highway information, which a chatbot can answer right away.
Two of the ways that the public can interact with PUTRI, instead of waiting for someone from the Call Centre.
With PUTRI’s support, PLUS TMC service levels can be enhanced by allowing the personnel to focus more on emergency calls, and conduct speedier and swifter coordination to assist customers in distress during traffic incidents. The PUTRI Chatbot is easily accessible and more convenient as it provides better speed in providing responses and could reduce the waiting period for callers.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly accelerated our lives to become more digitally dependent and tech-savvy. The increase of bandwidth usage in the country and the world over is a sure sign that we are embracing the use of more gadgets and the communication experience is today more robust. Hence, our PUTRI will provide real time interface to the thousands of enquiries on straightforward highway information,” said PLUS Chief Technology & Innovation Officer, Shamsul Izhan Abdul Majid.
“PUTRI will be able to attend to multiple and simultaneous queries pertaining to PLUS highway service, toll fares, real-time traffic information, inquiries on PLUSMiles, product, facilities, promotions as well as events,” he added.
PLUS highway users can interact with the Beta version of PUTRI throughout the current public pilot phase (launched April 27 2020 on the PLUS website) and the PLUSMiles portal, as well as since May 11 for the PLUS Mobile App. It will soon be available on social media platforms and WhatsApp applications with bilingual capability.
Between and the full completion date during the third quarter of 2020, PLUS invites users to interact with PUTRI and provide feedback which can assist the development team to identify issues and work on solutions to enhance its technical capabilities.
