[SDP]

I bought one lottery ticket for 80K today. Thanks M&M, for taking away any sort of pleasure from the buying/booking experience.

While I was unhappy with the whole lottery system, M&M decided to just rub it in today. Here's the background:

I stay in Mumbai and have a proper address in Mumbai. I also have another flat in Pune district outside the PCMC region for which I have a sales-deed which is properly registered and there is a proper Index-2 document for it. As per my understanding, a index-2 document (along with a copy of the sale-deed) is accepted as a valid address proof. As it is recently acquired, for the Pune property, I do not have any other document like electricity bill, land-line bill, gas-connection bill etc.

I went to Pune today and the Pune dealers (Kundan as well as Silver Jubilee) did not accept the sale-deed+index-2 as a address proof. I kept on mentioning that index-2 is even accepted by RTO for registration. The sales-guy consulted his senior in the dealership (a M&M employee) first and then later confirmed with more seniors from M&M directly. The answer was the same... NO.

Had to come back, arrange another DD in Mumbai and apply on the Mumbai address. The financial damage (if I get to book) is not small. In Pune, the OTR outside PCMC would have been 13.84 Lakhs for the FWD W8. In Mumbai, the same costs 14.56 Lakhs.

So although I have a proper address proof in Pune, I have to fork out 72K extra and apply in Mumbai.. all because of some illogical policy by M&M.

What can I say, Thank You Mahindra! I should consider myself lucky that you at least allowed me to buy the lottery ticket, so very kind of you!

PS: The guy at Kundan Motors mentioned that he can accept the same document as address proof for a Scorp or a Xylo.

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by vrrraju

3. Another Probability what I see is that Mahindra might be taking few more numbers beyond 7200 (which is sort of waiting list) and the people who cancel there bookings because of multiple winnings/other reasons, the wait listed guys could be getting chance which will be intimated in a different way through a mail or postal communication.

They might take slightly more than 7200? The lottery system will engage ONLY if there is a min 7200 bookings. From what I understand, the booking closure is NOT number bound, BUT time bound. Even if the bookings reach 10,000+ units, M&M will not close the bookings till the last day. If the bookings are less than 7200, guess it will be first come first serve [this is NOT clear in the T&C].

Originally Posted by SDP

PS: The guy at Kundan Motors mentioned that he can accept the same document as address proof for a Scorp or a Xylo.

That's some weird logic!! Guess the showroom guys didn't allow it since they know people will queue up to buy XUV.

[teamveevee]

Originally Posted by SDP

I bought one lottery ticket for 80K today. Thanks M&M, for taking away any sort of pleasure from the buying/booking experience.

Congratulations and hope you will win the lottery this time. As long as we have die hard like SDP, M&M don't need to change the policy. Inspite of all the initial niggles, people are still queuing for this tell some thing about the product.

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

the booking closure is NOT number bound, BUT time bound. .

Even though confirmed booking is for 7200, M&M will get database of potential customers and their preferences/choice. This could help a long way in (long term) Production Planning. Also if at all the demand goes down in the future after the new launches or whatever reason, VERY unlikely scenario, MM could do a direct marketing with these potential customers.

[vrrraju]

Yeah SnF, you are right, if there are no more than 7200 bookings then they will have to go for all the people who have booked and allot the cars. But this lottery is two stage process, One is the draw. Second in which will entitle you to book the car or cancel it even after you win the draw. What happens if people win draw at multiple locations, they will be canceling some of them. Though the number of such case will be handful. Some guys are desperate, some guys have booked 3 nos. from one family. What happens if all 3 win and they cancel 2. Then in that case M&M will have to have a separate list or may be do a direct marketing in which instead of refunding the deposit they can call up the guy and book the car for him.

Also the booking are open till 3rd Feb and I am expecting at around at least 20K bookings.

There were lots of T & C I didn't go through.

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

They might take slightly more than 7200? The lottery system will engage ONLY if there is a min 7200 bookings. From what I understand, the booking closure is NOT number bound, BUT time bound. Even if the bookings reach 10,000+ units, M&M will not close the bookings till the last day. If the bookings are less than 7200, guess it will be first come first serve [this is NOT clear in the T&C].

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by vrrraju

What happens if people win draw at multiple locations, they will be canceling some of them. Though the number of such case will be handful. Some guys are desperate, some guys have booked 3 nos. from one family. What happens if all 3 win and they cancel 2.

If it were me, I would have kept the cancellation fee at 10K or so to prevent such problems. Such high cancellation fee would have deterred people making 2-3 bookings and later cancelling the unwanted ones. I agree few [very few] genuine customers might take a hit, but this would have ensured a bit more streamlining.

Originally Posted by vrrraju

Then in that case M&M will have to have a separate list or may be do a direct marketing in which instead of refunding the deposit they can call up the guy and book the car for him.

That's unfair again. One thing for sure. Whatever companies do, people will always find a way to by-pass for advantage! If M&M get a lot of cancellations, then they should do a second round of "lot" participating the guys who lost out the first time. This way the second set will again get fair chances; but problems of cancellation can pop up again in the second round as well!

[Wind]

Originally Posted by SDP

I bought one lottery ticket for 80K today. i

I too took a plunge and bought India's most expensive lottery tickets today. According to the dealer ( SKS, Bannnerghatta Rd. BLR) about 100 gamblers had tried their luck yesterday, the opening day of the lottery.
-- Wind

[null]

Think of the amount M&M will mop up as part of this 8 day lottery exercise! At the rate how people are flocking in, 1000 bookings per city (which is insanely small) across 10 major cities/towns would give them 10,000 bookings @ 80k rs = 80 crores. If it is 15000 bookings, then its 120 crores. And this is interest free money to M&M for almost 2.5 months before they refund it/use it for a booking.

In the current credit scenario, getting this amount of free money for almost 3 months is a very clever marketing tactic (in addition to all other benefits of gauging the market, getting potential customer etc.)

[tachobells]

Originally Posted by null

Think of the amount M&M will mop up as part of this 8 day lottery exercise! At the rate how people are flocking in, 1000 bookings per city (which is insanely small) across 10 major cities/towns would give them 10,000 bookings @ 80k rs = 80 crores. If it is 15000 bookings, then its 120 crores. And this is interest free money to M&M for almost 2.5 months before they refund it/use it for a booking.

In the current credit scenario, getting this amount of free money for almost 3 months is a very clever marketing tactic (in addition to all other benefits of gauging the market, getting potential customer etc.)

True. Probably that's the reason Pavan Goenka told that this lottery system is not a decision taken lightly.

[Ranga]

Originally Posted by null

Think of the amount M&M will mop up as part of this 8 day lottery exercise! At the rate how people are flocking in, 1000 bookings per city (which is insanely small) across 10 major cities/towns would give them 10,000 bookings @ 80k rs = 80 crores. If it is 15000 bookings, then its 120 crores. And this is interest free money to M&M for almost 2.5 months before they refund it/use it for a booking.

In the current credit scenario, getting this amount of free money for almost 3 months is a very clever marketing tactic (in addition to all other benefits of gauging the market, getting potential customer etc.)

All those full page ads will be at the cost of people who will book . Free marketing money .( opm money,other people money)

[rohitbagai]

Originally Posted by Ranga

All those full page ads will be at the cost of people who will book . Free marketing money .( opm money,other people money)

O Come on, every ad is from people money if you look it that way.
They have a product that people are ready to buy standing in a long queue. What's wrong if they want to ease the pressure off from dealers by introducing draw system? They could have taken the same route as earlier by only opening the bookings in 5 cities but they did not and offered the product in more cities. Isn't it a nice gesture? We have seen dealers refusing to budge under pressure of the "phone calls". May be some of them must have gone through but definitely not most of them. Is it a sin to put in genuine effort to develop a product that is VFM in the eyes of prospective buyers? They initially planned to produce 2000 PM out of which 20% was for the export. They increased the production and are not exporting. What else could they have done? They could have gone the arrogant way and would have increased the price to a higher percentage just to milk in the initial hype? Did they? Even that would have helped lesser cannibalization of Scorpio's sales. In my point of view M&M is a very BOLD organization in every aspect, be it product development, production planning, marketing or after sales.
Whatever efforts are being done by them it's hard to please ALL.
The product is good and so far my ownership experience of driving it around 7000 KM makes me more confident in the product and the service they have pledged to offer.

[sharadmumbai]

Originally Posted by rohitbagai

O Come on, every ad is from people money if you look it that way.
They have a product that people are ready to buy standing in a long queue. What's wrong if they want to ease the pressure off from dealers by introducing draw system?
Is it a sin to put in genuine effort to develop a product that is VFM in the eyes of prospective buyers? They could have gone the arrogant way and would have increased the price to a higher percentage just to milk in the initial hype?
Whatever efforts are being done by them it's hard to please ALL.

+1 to above.

Given the plethora of launches and SUVs now competing with high end sedans, XUV stands apart as a great product at a great price. This means that there is a GAP between supply and demand and not one which can be met by increasing production immediately.
In pure economics terms, the pricing at which the demand is equal to supply is the right price. Which means ideally, M&M should be pushing the prices up to a level where the excess demand tapers off to match its production. But thankfully, they have not done so and instead gone for a draw which i think is the most fair option. I also understand that the price at the time of booking will stand and not at the time of delivery (read it on TOI online i guess).
How much more fair we think we want them to be? what do people who are bashing M&M suggest is a better way?

Disclaimer: I don't own/drive or am associated with M&M in any way nor i'm planning to buy the XUV

[Behemoth]

Guys, I have a feeling that the bookings may actually touch 30,000 Units +. There is huge pent up demands in the Tier-2 cities where they have opened the bookings for the first time and because the XUV falls into the affordable (Relatively!) range of 11-13 lacs, people are literally queuing up for it. In Gurgaon, on the first day bookings had crossed 600! Expect it to reach around 2500 here by the time the bookings close. We are still in a dilemma on whether to book our second XUV or not. The lottery system just takes the entire fun out of the experience and becomes very unpredictable on IF and WHEN we will get it!
What do you guys suggest? Based on our experience (5K Kms) with the XUV, it still needs some improvement on the Fit and Finish front, but still represents great value for money.

Regards,
Behemoth

[avinashsg]

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

I was also wondering if it actually will cross 7200...
But after avinashsg told me something, I'm sure it will cross 7200.

Our BHPian friend was the first to reach the showroom...not because he wanted to, but because he had to attend to some other important work.
He was the first to fill the form and by the time he could finish the form, 20 people were in line to purchase the "malaamal weekly" lottery ticket.

Now here comes the best part...The second person had bought three of these 80k lottery tickets; one in his father's name, one in his wife's name and one in his own name

"All you people out there planning an XUV...If you were doubtful of your luck/chances, I'm sorry to say this, but that luck/chance percentage will be reduced because of such people"

Folks. I dont know how my luck is coz i am usually un lucky with lucky draws. I am sure the bookings have crossed 10k. At the time when i was in the que, few people had come there with 3 to 4 DD's.
Hope the draw system is as just as they say it would be.

[AGwagon]

Originally Posted by rohitbagai

O Come on, every ad...


...The product is good and so far my ownership experience of driving it around 7000 KM makes me more confident in the product and the service they have pledged to offer.

+1 to above

I have driven it more than 6000km now and can also vouch for the product and the service that comes with it. I can tell you that you may even go to the likes of the Germans and spend at least 3 times the value of the car, but you will still be hard pressed to see such a good service experience.

Note From Team BHP Support-Team: Avoid quoting large/entire posts as it may inconvenience small-screen or mobile users. Thanks.

[geeash]

What happens if people win draw at multiple locations, they will be canceling some of them. Though the number of such case will be handful.

One person is entitled to only one booking of XUV the disclaimer states that.Probably if they had booked in other name it may be valid

I also took a plunge in the lottery and booked a ticket today.
I sincerely hope I get the car and none of you else get it just kidding