Datsun had a fairly cheerful 2016 Auto Expo where it unveiled the Go-Cross concept.
Datsun had a fairly cheerful 2016 Auto Expo where it unveiled the Go-Cross concept. The car looks stunning and is at least two years away from its official launch. Meanwhile, we spoke to the Global Head of Datsun, Mr. Vincent Cobee. Here’s what he shared with us.
Q) When do can see expect the Go-Cross Concept in production?
A) We believe in India and also in other markets there is growing demand for a multi faceted life, people want not only a commute car, but a car that can also bring you outdoor to family and sport experiences. Many markets including Indonesia are evolving very quickly. So when we put all of this together assets we have positioning of a brand evolution of our customer. We think that Redi-Go concept was a good idea for what I call the pre-wedding category but we also think that the families the extended group of friends are also targeting more adventure, that’s where Go-Cross stands. We have been listening to you that the Go-Cross concept will translate into a car and will come to India one time.
Q) What will Datsun India do differently this year that you didn’t last year?
A) I don’t think we do different, I think we do better. Solidifying your foundation, you need to improve may be as good as it should be. So if I give you some direction, we are introducing new body colours, new dual tone interiors, expanding our network in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. We will be increasing our sales finance offers. We will be introducing a third car bringing a broader line up. We also aim to target to the customers through our ‘ISayYes’ campaign.
Q) How many sales points do you have in tier 2 and tier 3 cities?
A) In India Datsun has 42 dedicated dealerships out of a total of 200 outlets as we speak. Those two numbers will grow in the coming year by 50 percent to around 300 dealerships and 60-70 dedicated Datsun dealerships. We are flexing our distribution network and we are also logically translating the relevance of Datsun brand in tier 2 and tier 3 markets. Hopefully we will achieve the dealerships target by the end of this fiscal year by mid 2017.
Q) How do you convince customers to stay with you rather than spending their money on a bigger car given that sales in India now are greater in the large hatchback segment?
A) Here at Datsun, we of course care about the price and customers. We are not looking at the price, we are looking at the customer in another 2, 3 or 5 years and here I can confirm that we are the best. We have the best in terms of customer ownership, parts and labour costs. We are also working closely with our finance partners and offering a interest rate of 8.99 percent which is one of the best in the Indian market. So the difference is big but when you are looking at all the customer experience and other such factors together that is how Datsun is making a difference.
Q) Is there is a precise timeline to bring out the separate sales channel?
A) There is no precise timeline. If you visit our dealerships which are the same booth as Nissan, we have a different brand experience the way we position our products is also different.
Q) What is your strategy to gain 5 percent market share?
A) The objective is very ambitious. We take this market very seriously and we also understand that growth requires a lot of well organized efforts. In terms of products, today we have two, in some months we will have three, may be if we get good response for the Go-Cross we will have four one day. Second one is coverage, today we are under-represented. Third one is communication and we are now trying to target young middle class customers with the ‘ISayYes’ Campaign. Another way is guerrilla communications that is word of mouth, friends and families, referrals. Yes 1.5 to 5 percent is a challenge but at the same time we have a number of products we are going to launch and expanding our network.
Q) Will there be a sedan from Datsun in the near future?
A) When I look at the fast growing sub 4-metre sedan category in India I see opportunities and customer frustrations. Rear seat roominess, versatility actual storage capacity in the trunk. One of the reasons we developed Go+ is it is sub 4-metre which can give you 7 seats or 5 seats and a lot of boot space.
Q) On the safety front, do you see safety become an important selling factor in emerging markets around the world?
A) Everybody cares about safety and safety on the roads is a tragedy in India. So I think there is no doubt that all car makers and Datsun among them obviously wants to take part in solving that problem. We also have to be realistic about what the problem is in India, which is that 135,000 people die on Indian roads but the percentage of people dieing in a car is less than 15 percent. And if you were supposed to do a root cause analysis of those 15 percent very few were in a frontal crash. The root cause is more about maintenance, driving skills road conditions etc. Hence improving safety is absolutely necessary. But coming back to priorities, this car has the best in class braking by 25 percent, better seat comfort and lighting in segment. Lastly, I don’t think safety is a marketing tool, it is a serious subject.
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