This is a bit OT but there is some justification so I ve plugged it here.
There is a "laissez faire" "chalta hai' attitude from the manufacturers. One hopes as the international companies keep coming in and offering more and more to our consumers, our own indigenous manufacturers will be forced to upgrade and change their attitudes.
Recently in a conversation with M&M I asked them why they cannot offer 4WD, choice of vehicle colour and the essential safety features in the lower end models of Scorpio/Bolero - or at least offer the option of functional customization on order, have a reasonable waiting period and a fair charge for the extra features as requested.
After all we know that in order to meet their export demand and to conform to international standards, they do have the capability of making practically any variant of their vehicles.
We have it on good authority that their basic vehicles which are sold in certain parts of the world, come with manual or electric 4WD and with ABS, Airbags etc because these are the requirements. If they can serve these needs already and there is no technological limitation in them doing so, then why not offer them to us too?
For example as I ve said elsewhere on this forum, I want a simple 4WD Scorpio with ABS, EBD and Airbags. Im not interested in the rubbish electronic gizmos and other nonsense they offer in their VLX version. The VLX version is merely a bling wagon calculated to appeal to a real estate monster, mining tycoon or a nasty politico or someone like that - not a regular joe like me who wants good quality, safety and functionality over anything else.
Their "stock" reply is that they are serving the needs of the market because they have mapped the market requirements by conducting research and following the order books of their dealers. In short, they "know" better than me, who is after all just a regular joe consumer.
In my opinion they are just LAZY to listen to consumer feedback and to make the necessary changes in their system. Their production and dealerships must be amongst the MOST CHANGE RESISTANT creatures in the world!
Now my submission is that when there are only a basic set of standard offerings at the dealers, then most consumers have no option but to buy whats on offer. Most people are in a hurry to get the new vehicle and perhaps dont stop to think before making demands. Or they fall prey to stupid salespeople and dealer executives who anyway dont know whats what.
Hence this creates a vicious cycle - M&M thinks they are doing absolutely right because whatever they are offering continues to sell. This has the disadvantage of never letting them see or understand the ever evolving/ changing needs of the market place. I would think that if their Marketing chaps had any sense, they would read these comments from consumers in places like TBHP and actually DO something.
Trouble is that they are more of a production set up + dealer led organization - they need to become a consumer led organization and this is really a LONG way off!!
As the country grows and evolves it is only a matter of time before essential safety features on passenger vehicles become mandatory - like the way seat belts did, around 10 years ago. In some years time it will be necessary for all vehicles to have ABS, EBD and Airbags along with seat belts. I suppose I shall realize my requirement from M&M only then!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao Most manufacturers just depend on the ignorant section of their customer base (which unfortunately is a majority) to sell inferior products. Diesel engines are more complex and cost more to manufacture, but not to the levels that can justify charging a hefty premium on the car, and still providing a relatively stripped down version. But most customer's don't question that.
Moreover, in a VFM-quotient driven market like India, a manufacturer knows that if he offers an option between a music system and ABS/Airbags, 9/10 customers will not blink twice before taking the music system.
Most small and medium-size cars sell most in their middle variants (irrespective of fuel-type), and even customers who buy the 'fully-loaded' one, rarely do it for the safety bits.
The customer base needs to change its approach, and the manufacturers will fall in line if they want to survive. But that seems to be distant dream. |