Team-BHP - An insight into Maruti's After-sales network: Different types of workshops

An insight into Maruti's After-sales network: Different types of workshops-carringforcustomer.jpg

This thread is mainly intended for increased awareness about MSILs service network, and to discuss about experiences.

Maruti's vast network of workshops consists of 4 types of workshops.

1. Maruti Authorised Dealers [Dealer Code]
- Sales
- Service of both Maruti & NEXA channel
- Spares
- Warranty
2. Maruti Service Master [MSM]
- Service of both Maruti & NEXA channel
- Spares
- Warranty
3. Maruti Service Zone [MSZ]
- Service of both Maruti & NEXA channel
- Spares
- Warranty
4. Maruti Authorised Service Stations [MASS]: Authorised for Maruti Channel only
- A Category MASS: Free & Paid Service, Major repairs and Accidental repairs
- B Category MASS: Free & Paid Service, Major repairs
- C Category MASS: Free & Paid Service, Minor repairs
- D Category MASS: Free Service, Minor Repairs

1. Maruti Authorised Dealer Workshops: These are nothing but dealer owned workshops.

Positives:
- Fully equipped, and is authorised to do every service on MSIL cars.
- Better organised.
- Can order spares directly from MSIL
- Service NEXA cars
- Special services like warranty claims, RFID replacements, immobiliser programming can only be done at authorised dealer workshops.
- A comfy customer lounge
- Centralised records
- Extended service hours.

Negatives
- Unusually expensive. Labour rates are the highest.
- Infamous for bill inflation.
- Infamous for useless services
- Customers mostly discouraged from experiencing the service.

2. Maruti Service Masters: These are partially or wholly owned workshops by MSIL. In terms of service, they are equal to dealer workshops.

3. Maruti Service Zones: Initially, they too were branded as MSMs, but slowly another franchise spun off, and they were named as MSZs. The only difference between MSZs and MSMs or Dealer workshop is that MSZs cannot order spares directly from Maruti, but have to get them via MGP distributors.

4. Maruti Authorised Service Stations: In simple terms, these are FNGs, with Maruti's authorisation. Categorised as A, B, C & D depending on their performance, feedback, equipment list, etc.

Positives:
- Labor rates are the cheapest.
- Usually don't make a fuss about customer standing near the car, and they often lack a swanky customer lounge
- Small jobs like SDT checkup aren't charged. Lesser people means you can often make friends with key people and that gives a huge benefit.
- No useless services offered, or useless bill inflation
- Don't usually make a fuss if you bring your own oil.

Negatives:
- Customer lounge isn't that great.
- Mostly unorganised. Can trigger people with OCD.
- Can't do warranty replacements, unless approved by regional office.
- Can't service NEXA cars
- Special jobs like RFID replacement, immobiliser programming cannot be handled by them
- Records aren't centralised. You'll need to preserve that bill.

This PDF has the names of all dealer workshops, MSM, MSZs and MASS, including categories
MASC.pdf

Number of MASCs across India (as on 1st April, 2017):

- Dealer Workshops: 1823
- MSMs: 4
- MSZs: 44
- MASS: 1309

Total: 3180

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Some other threads along same lines:

1. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...st-pg-1-a.html

2. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...ti-suzuki.html

Regards,
Shashi

Nice info Shashi. But this thread triggered a thought in my mind. While Maruti has been focussing on trying to get premium by introducing Nexa, premium service centers and not to forget jacking up labour costs and ripping customers, what has been done on the MASS front? Over the last few years, I have seen a lot of dealers opening up and adding branches while I have not come across a single MASS newly opening. How does one start a MASS? Are there any criteria for opening up a MASS?

I feel that the MASS concept is getting pushed to a corner with dealers spreading their reach in my city at least. Is this some nexus between dealers and the company to reduce the revenues taken by MASS. Are there any statistics on whether the number of MASS has increased or decreased recently?

Quote:

Originally Posted by audioholic (Post 4279252)

Excellent question. clap:

I had this discussion with one of the key person in the business of my city, and this is what I came to know:

-Any dealership earns mainly through service. Margins in sales(atleast for Maruti) is very low, and competition is high.

-Investment in opening a dealer workshop is atleast 4-5 times more than starting a MASS. This explains the high difference in costs of service.

-There was a time in between(2005 to 2014) that Maruti had to check the growth of MASS concept by stopping the distribution of licences. This was to promote the growth of dealer workshops.

-Even today, it's comparatively easier to get a dealership, than getting authorization for a MASS.

My very motive for starting this thread was to create awareness among BHPians. We do have a thread where Maruti owners have complained about high service costs and useless jobs done at workshops. If noticed closely, most of them were dealer owned workshops.

A MASS which falls under "A category" will be as good or better in terms of service, but significantly cheaper.

Another thing which I have noticed is that most of the MASS have fixed salaries/ salaries based on car volumes for SA and mechanics, whereas all dealer workshops have bill and target based incentives for SA's. This also makes the SA's of the dealerships unethical as they have to inflate the bill to earn their living.

Another important point is that dealerships are internally classified as Platinum /Gold Class based on the revenue generated from Sales/Service and other services, whereas the A/B/C/D category you see for MASS was originally done considering just three things: Volume of Cars coming, nature of service and feedback. You can therefore deduce which one will be more honest in dealing with customers. I am not saying that all dealer workshops are bad, or that all MASS are honest. But most of them are. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by audioholic (Post 4279252)

Are there any statistics on whether the number of MASS has increased or decreased recently?

The growth of the MASS has been mostly stagnant.

Regards,
Shashi

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leoshashi (Post 4279678)

Labour charges of a dealer workshop is around 25% more compared to A category MASS.

A friend of mine who is an avid reader of our forum is selling his 1st gen Swift dzire and as part of the deal he has promised the buyer that he will get it painted from a Maruti service center.

He wanted to ask other members, especially D.BHPian Leoshashi if a 'C' category M.A.S.S. is authorised to carry out denting and paint jobs. He is not so particular about the availability of a paint-booth as long as the results are somewhat above average.

If possible a very approx. price that one should expect for such a job.

Thanks in advance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by OSH (Post 4861696)

There is no limitation for denting-painting jobs for C category MASS. Just make sure they have DMS enabled system, and the records will be available pan India.

Also, price of full body paint varies from category of MASS to the category of city. For example, a full body paint job in a Tier3 city will cost less than that in a metro.

For full body paint, they have two types: with or without complete stripping. Obviously the former costs more. I have also observed that price finalised for full body repaint depends on your negotiation skills. Maruti recommends a price chart, but they have a lot of margin here, and can easily shave off a decent amount if you haggle hard.

Also, availability of paint booth makes a good difference in the longevity of the paint job, provided the booth is clean and works the way it should.

Regards,
Shashi