South Korean automaker Kia Motors aims to expand its sales network in smaller cities and rural areas while looking to increase its presence across the country, according to a senior company official.
The company, which has achieved success in India with models such as Seltos and Sonet, is also focused on improving the profitability of its distribution partners.
“We are expanding our network and aiming to reach 300 points of contact by the end of this year and will now focus on expanding into Tier IV and inland markets, which will help us penetrate the market more deeply Indian, “Tae-Jin Park, CEO and Director of Sales for Kia Motors India, told PTI.
The automaker has received huge demand for models from across the country and therefore wants to be present even in the most remote locations, he noted.
(Read also | Kia Sonet overtakes Venue, Vitara Brezza, crown in the subcompact SUV segment)
“In addition to focusing on scope, we must also consider the profitability of our distribution partner and therefore both will be the key elements that will drive our strategy for the next 2-3 years,” said Park.
He added that the company entered India with the goal of being accessible and available to the entire nation.
“We understand that the proximity of the consumer to the brand is one of the key factors in the process of buying a vehicle. Therefore, even before launching our first product on the market, we made sure to have an extensive network of 265 points contact rate in 160 cities, the highest for any new entrant, “Park said.
Even with the current set of outlets, the company has been able to serve a broad set of clients across the country, he added.
“Now our main focus is to go deeper into the market and further expand into Tier IV cities / towns and the interior of the country. India has a lot of potential as there are only 22 cars for every 1,000 people in the country,” said Park .
There are many Kia fans in smaller towns and villages and the company does not want them to travel miles to buy or repair their cars, he said.
Park said the company has also initiated various measures to meet customers’ sales and after-sales requirements.
(Also read | Sonet SUV helps Kia Motors sales increase 2% globally)
Kia Motors has established dedicated skill enhancement and training centers to ensure that each and every company representative is well equipped to address customer needs, he added.
The company operates these centers in Faridabad, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
The automaker has also started a full contactless and paperless after-sales process, Park said.
“Since our entry into India, we have focused on looking closely at the market and have evolved in line with changing consumer trends.
“Customer feedback is important to us and we regularly connect with existing and potential customers to understand their views on our existing products and services and improve them based on their needs and preferences,” he added.
Similarly, the company tries to incorporate all the important feedback it receives from time to time regarding products, Park said.
“Some of the recent examples are the introduction of the moonroof in the lower moldings and the all-black interiors in the GT line of the updated Seltos, to name a few.”
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