[DKG]

I wanted to get a small hatchback as my V-Cross is a bit of an elephant in some parts of the city where I live. My wife seems to have this aversion to hatchbacks so to my dismay she ruled getting one out. I was toying with the idea of a Grand Vitara and we test drove one. She liked it. I did too, but just as luck would have it, Maruti announced the launch of the Jimny in India. After having let my beloved CJ-3B go the idea of a small off-roader tugged at my heart.

I called Varun Nexa at Banjara Hills Hyderabad to enquire when the bookings would open. They said the bookings were open and that I could book with just Rs 11000/-. They had no clue when the car would be available for delivery. I was okay with it. At the showroom as I was about to pay the executive says "Sir the booking amount is Rs 25000/- now". Irritated I said between a phone call in the morning and a few hours later, how come the booking rate changed. Anyways I guess sometimes a little aggression gets you results. They accepted my booking for an automatic Alpha variant in Arctic White.

Months passed and I called the executive a couple of times to see if there was any news of the impending launch. No news.

So here's a list of things Nexa gets horribly wrong and the dealer seems to specialise in adding to the list.

Just as some background to my credentials, I am an industry veteran with 20 years of hardcore retail experience and a greater part of it in managing an entire dealership at all levels.

I sincerely hope Maruti and their dealer wake up to realise the nitty gritty of creating customer delight. Here's my feedback:

1) The only thing I received from Maruti was a sms confirming my booking. Nothing else. Even when the pdf brochure was produced Maruti didn't bother to send me one. When a customer books a vehicle unseen, as a manufacturer, you build on the excitement by feeding the customer tidbits to whet his appetite and boost his anticipation of the purchase. Maruti gets tongue tied when it comes to welcoming customers and engaging them. In a world of digital media, from exciting videos to customer testimonies around the world so much can be done. Just in Hyderabad alone 200 individuals had booked the Jimny. Around the country the figure was in excess of 20000.

Maruti and the dealer went completely silent. It was left to me to keep following up for brochures and when the car was to arrive in Hyderabad for display.

2) News and media reports started to arrive that a Jimny was on display at a Delhi showroom. I guess for reasons best known Maruti decided to do a reveal in piece meal. The internet was flooded with vlogs on the Jimny. I obviously lapped it all up.

Once again I had to call the showroom in Hyderabad where I had booked my Jimny, Varun Motors, to ask when it would arrive at Hyderabad. They had no clue.

So Maruti didn't bother to even set a time table for a round the country display schedule.

One fine day I open the local paper to see a picture of a Jimny at a showroom at Hyderabad (not Varun). I called the dealer and get told they have no idea when it will reach Varun for their turn to display. As the showroom was on the other side of town I figured I'd wait a little longer.

One day as I was driving past Varun on Banjara I notice a Jimny parked in their delivery bay. Obviously the dealer didn't think it was necessary to inform me to come see the car.

I stopped by the showroom to discover the car was just about to be delivered to a customer.

The customer noticed I was keen on seeing the car and as I happen to know him, he kindly offered for me to see his car. Hesitant to even sit in a car just about to be delivered I spent some time admiring the beauty from outside and took a peak inside. I was pleased with what I saw. The finish of the car is impressive.

3) Rule number one in retail trade is to get customers to test drive cars you want to sell.

With the Jimny Maruti missed a major opportunity to create a buzz. I would have hired a venue in each city, sent a dozen Jimnys, invited all the booking customers to a special preview and work at building a sense of community.

Instead Maruti and their dealer behave like being clueless on how to treat customers who have booked a car.

My next logical question to the dealer was 'When can I test drive it? And when do the deliveries start" I get the usual answer, "we don't know sir"

So I see a Jimny delivered from the dealer but the dealer doesn't know when a display car reaches them or when a demo would be available.

Once again it took a call after some days to find out that a demo was ready. I asked why they didn't inform me. Again they sidetrack the issue. Anyways I asked them to send a demo to my house which they did and finally I got to drive a Jimny. I liked it. I wanted it.

When I ask the dealer when I can expect my car the dealer asks me for the reference of my booking. I said "don't you have a full list of bookings with names and references to booking receipts", the answer was "no sir". So I had to pull out the receipt to then be told I was 9th on the list. I asked given the schedule of arrivals when could I expect my car. No clue!

So here we have a dealer who orders cars, but tells customers they have no clue when I can expect my car. It didn't take much to realise the dealer was trying to favour people out of line. Which is okay, this is India.

Finally I call again in a few days to be told my white Jimny had arrived. Being particular I wanted to see the car before I paid for it. "We bring the car to the showroom just a day before delivery sir" was the answer. Which meant I was to complete all the formalities and balance payments before the car gets requisitioned from the dealer yard.

The dealer tried to sell me other colours, I wonder why? I insisted I wanted a white alpha auto.

I complete all the formalities and get to see the car. I cleared them to do the TR and was told I could come the next day to take delivery.

4) When I arrived at the showroom I find my Jimny parked in the parking lot, open and semi clean. The delivery bay was empty and I couldn't understand why they hadn't parked my car in.

Random customers were walking up to my car wanting to sit in. I had to tell them the car was to be delivered. Surely the dealer could respect a customer car by keeping it locked.

I had ordered floor mats, front bumper cladding and a rear spare cover, that had been installed.

As I was talking to staff about accessories a customer drives up and parks his Innova a foot and a half away from the car. He gets out and tries to get into my car. I had to stop him again. As the dealer staff and security are clueless about what's happening. Interestingly the customer was fascinated by my choice and had a barrage of questions for me which I patiently answered. He thanked me and moved into the showroom.

I was standing beside the car trying to figure out whether the door cladding would look good when to my horror my car shifted a few inches toward me at the rear.

A dealer driver had rammed the door of the Innova into the rear wheel arch cladding while trying to reverse the customer car while the driver door was open.

Horrified we walk over to the side where the Innova door is jammed into the Jimny's wheel arch cladding. Luckily the damage was limited to the wheel cladding and as I was in no mood to wait any longer I asked them to just cannibalise parts from another new Jimny at the back and let me leave with the car. The showroom staff after some hesitation did go ahead and change the cladding. As it was almost dark I was quite fed up with the whole episode and just wanted to get out asap.

The car was brought back to the delivery room and after a rushed show of cleaning it up they delivered the car to me.

The next day to my horror I realise the Innova door had scraped the wheel rim as well taking some paint off. Again I had to rush back to the showroom and made a hue and cry about the showroom being careless in not spotting the damage to the wheel. Again after some hesitation they changed the wheel.

The third day while washing the car I notice a tiny scratch and dent on the chrome wheel cover which is an accessory. Back to the dealer again to show the problem, which is still unresolved. By now, I was completely fed up with Varun and their pathetic standards of service.

Far from creating delight, Maruti and Varun excelled at making a royal mess of my Jimny purchase.

A week passes and I am yet to receive the invoice and other registration documents.

The only redeeming factor in all this is that as I drive the car everyday, it manages to put a smile on my face. I just love it, and so does my family.

Maruti Suzuki have a long way to go before understanding the abc of creating customer delight.

[shankar.balan]

My God. This is a case study in itself in a Doctor Terror’s House of Horrors experience. I am speechless. And if any of our Mods have a line of sight into MSIL Senior Management, please share this with them. At least DKG may get a visit from some contrite dealer reps and perhaps a box of chocolates.

This is one of the reasons why people just cannot bring themselves to expect top-notch service from the Indian dealership brethren. Doesn't matter which brand. This is a service industry issue. Training, Care and Attitude - everything needs a reset. But then, as long as MSIL continues to sell a zillion cars in NEXA and ARENA, they simply won’t care. Seller’s market. Just like the bad old days of the protectionist economy, sarkari mindset.

[DKG]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Atleast DKG may get a visit from some contrite dealer reps and perhaps a box of chocolates.
This is one of the reasons why people just cannot bring themselves to expect top notch service from the Indian dealership brethren. Doesnt matter which brand. This is a service industry issue. Training, Care and Attitude - everything needs a reset.

As an industry professional who worked tirelessly to ensure we create customer delight at the dealership level it's appalling to observe how backward Maruti are. Suits and boots don't make for a quality experience.

[nareshtrao]

Originally Posted by DKG

Maruti Suzuki have a long way to go before understanding the abc of creating customer delight.

Attachment 2475327

Indeed. Maruti Suzuki has a real long way to go. My last purchases of Maruti were in 1999-2000 (Zen) and 1996-97 (M 1000) and neither of those deliveries where smooth and painless. Does not look like anything changed over 2 decades.

I never ventured to buy another Maruti Suzuki and have owned many other brands after that (Honda, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, Ford, Mercedes) and truly speaking, none (including Mercedes, the horror story of which is in another thread in Dealer section) have given a flawless experience till date across over 2 decades.

So the real issue is with the dealership culture of automobile industry in India. Maruti Suzuki alone does not stand out here though they can do better given their size. The dealers have poor communication with Principals/Manufacturers. The Sales staff are poorly trained and Service leaves a lot to be desired. Many a times I have found myself far more knowledgeable in the specifications of the car than the dealer sales reps which actually annoys because then you know you are not in good hands.

Having launched a premium outlet chain (NEXA, in this case) to differentiate from regular mass models, the least they can do is provide a better experience.

Wish you many years of happy and peaceful driving though.

[Kkumar]

First of all congratulations on your new Jimmy. Recently I bought a new Tata Safari and my experience from Tata Motors was also more or less similar. Then I thought it’s the problem only with Tata Motors but after going through all the feedbacks here I realize that it’s the typically Indian mentality of “Chaltha hai” that’s creating the rot. The dealers behave as if they are doing a favour by selling us the car. This can only change when a market shaker like Tesla enters Indian market. Tesla is successful in the US market with their direct to customer approach by completely bypassing the dealer network for sales.

[rajeevsulu]

I still remember when we went to Chennai to take delivery of the original M800. We received a letter from ABT Maruti that we could make payment and take delivery of the car on a date of our choice. So we made a draft, informed ABT about the date and travelled to Chennai by train. When we reached the showroom, the sales guy very casually said the car is not ready. My mom, a gynecologist, who knows a bit about time of choice, blew her fuse, and, gave the ABT guys a dressing down. We got the car ready in an hour. I was 13 then, never bought a maruti again. Looks like these guys will never change. Atleast you can enjoy your new drive after erasing these memories
Cheers

[matchvan]

Greetings,

Congratulations on your Jimny.

The saga is same with me albeit in another city.

I was the first booking in the showroom/city.

SA had no clue of display car or test drive cars. I was the one who made umpteen calls.

I went to all Nexa dealers in Hyderabad once the car was launched. Waited an eternity and finally saw one in Gachibowli after a car and mouse game.

Fed up of the Nexa in my city, I Booked one more Jimny in AP and also test drove it there.

They had no clue of Sizzling Red availability.
Instead they offered me a white alpha AT for immediate delivery. So I had Cancelled my booking there. The Booking amount is still with the dealer.

The original dealer in Telangana tried selling me other colours. They sold 3 Jimnys in random order and mine is not in sight..

Last week the bank called and said that dealer wanted fund to be disbursed. I asked them to hold as vehicle has not yet come.

I gave earful to my SA and shot my 3rd mail yesterday.

Just now got call from RM stating the Jimny is in transit and would be delivered by Friday.

Truly they made a royal mess of the car buying experience.

Hopefully the joy of riding one will make us forget the entire ordeal.

Drive Safe.

[Chandler Bing]

Congratulations on your new Jimny !!

Here is my perspective on the above events. Jimny is one of the highly anticipated launches of this year and lot of people are waiting across the country to get their hands on it. Since it is a newly launched vehicle everyone is trying to get their cars delivered first putting a lot of pressure on the dealership as well. I bought a Baleno last year , the demand for the same was very high as well but still the Nexa dealership handled everything very smoothly right from the beginning to the end.

This is not the case just with Nexa , one of my colleague had booked for the New Seltos Facelift a couple of months ago and its the same case there as well. Dealership has no idea when the display cars and Test drive vehicles are arriving. They have no clues around the availability of colors as well.

[petrogeek]

That indeed is a nice looking Jimny!. Wishing you happy mile munching joys with it. Perfectly in sync with your thoughts on customer delight/ expectations. Having said that, my view is in the automobile read dealer world, it is best to keep expectations realistic. To be specific, keep expectations low and anticipate roadblocks!

Maruti dealers Nexa or otherwise handle tons of customers looking to acquire a vehicle across all segments. Being a volume player, they pretty much are assured of sales across segments. Well trained staff, robust CRM systems, customer centric approach etc. are nice sounding terms but dealerships where such terms ring true are like rare gems!

[RunGaDa]

Every dealer acts like a mini dictator. Their interest to serve vanishes once the customer is committed and / or paid up.
It causes too much unnecessary and avoidable commotion.
I am at complete loss to understand why there’s no mandate to follow rules, in process, in backing up car, in washing, in dealing with every item that can have a sales or service common name?
The only part is to make money. Who cares about anything else.
They firmly handover “feel bad factor” written in bold.
Pathetic bunch of losers!

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by DKG

I wanted to get a small hatchback as my V-Cross is a bit of an elephant in some parts of the city where I live.
=====

Maruti Suzuki have a long way to go before understanding the abc of creating customer delight.

Attachment 2475327

Congratulations! Lovely colour, just need a black decal for the roof to make it perfect

Sorry to hear about your delivery experience Deepak, it is sad but hard fact of Indian dealerships. Most of them are clueless and not tuned in on how to make "Customer Delight" with vehicle purchases. Sad fact is a vehicle purchase is the second most important matter that comes to Indian households after the house! The whole ecosystem is so much tuned to profits that no one cares about training or sensitisation since all that means more time and money spend!

[AjayV]

Originally Posted by DKG

Attachment 2475327

Hey. Congratulations!! Even I had more or less simile experience. I booked a bluish black zeta and picked up Nexa blue alpha. Happens. But I forgot all the miseries the moment I started driving her. She is truly a keeper for life.

[DKG]

Originally Posted by matchvan

Greetings,

Congratulations on your Jimny.

The saga is same with me albeit in another city.

I was the first booking in the showroom/city.

SA had no clue of display car or test drive cars. I was the one who made umpteen calls.

I went to all Nexa dealers in Hyderabad once the car was launched. Waited an eternity and finally saw one in Gachibowli after a car and mouse game.

Fed up of the Nexa in my city, I Booked one more Jimny in AP and also test drove it there.

They had no clue of Sizzling Red availability.
Instead they offered me a white alpha AT for immediate delivery. So I had Cancelled my booking there. The Booking amount is still with the dealer.

The original dealer in Telangana tried selling me other colours. They sold 3 Jimnys in random order and mine is not in sight..

Last week the bank called and said that dealer wanted fund to be disbursed. I asked them to hold as vehicle has not yet come.

I gave earful to my SA and shot my 3rd mail yesterday.

Just now got call from RM stating the Jimny is in transit and would be delivered by Friday.

Truly they made a royal mess of the car buying experience.

Hopefully the joy of riding one will make us forget the entire ordeal.

Drive Safe.

I am inclined to think Maruti Suzuki is really responsible for poor monitoring of pathetic dealer standards.

That said do look forward to your Jimny as its a real delight. The car more than makes up for the shoddy delivery experience I had

[DKG]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Congratulations! Lovely colour, just need a black decal for the roof to make it perfect

Sorry to hear about your delivery experience Deepak, it is sad but hard fact of Indian dealerships. Most of them are clueless and not tuned in on how to make "Customer Delight" with vehicle purchases. Sad fact is a vehicle purchase is the second most important matter that comes to Indian households after the house! The whole ecosystem is so much tuned to profits that no one cares about training or sensitisation since all that means more time and money spend!

Good to hear from you Jaggu. Been a while.

We have a black Vcross at home the past 7 years, that we adore, so a white is really a welcome change. Maruti is yet to offer the white with a black roof (as far as I know) so we didn't have the option to mull over, happily so.

With such great products on offer dealers are missing a great opportunity in differentiating themselves through customer delight. After all these are not times when from one Ambassador to the next in a new car lot you risked getting a lemon thanks to the way new cars were driven all over the country by drivers.

Originally Posted by AjayV

Hey. Congratulations!! Even I had more or less simile experience. I booked a bluish black zeta and picked up Nexa blue alpha. Happens. But I forgot all the miseries the moment I started driving her. She is truly a keeper for life.

The Jimny looks lovely in nexa blue. Congrats and fully agree on the car. Enjoy your beauty.