On October 19th, Shanghai Volkswagen introduced the brand new service brand "Techcare (Caring) Public Caring" for the first time. Its general manager Chen Zhixin interpreted the "Caring" brand as follows: "The concern of the car is promoted to the initiative of people and car service; Not only must the customer be with me, it is more important that I be with the customer."
In fact, as early as Shanghai Volkswagen, most domestic auto companies have already shown service brands. For example, the "Friend" service brand played by Beijing Jeep, the "Star Emblem Concept" of Mercedes-Benz China, the "Buick Care" promoted by Shanghai General Motors, the "Simple Life" proposed by Nanjing Fiat, and the "McDonald's style" pursued by Southeast Automotive. Standard services and more.
Recently, a survey on the relationship between customer satisfaction and re-purchasing in Europe shows that the probability of being satisfied with after-sales service and buying the same manufacturer's product again is three times higher than the probability of repurchasing the product after being satisfied with the product. Industry experts pointed out that compared with automotive products themselves, automotive services not only require manufacturers to pay a lot of hard work and labor, but also have to play out service brands according to service needs and their own characteristics. The branded service not only guarantees the service quality, but also represents the future trend of car service. It can accumulate customers for the car brand, win the trust of users, and ultimately win a stable market.
With the vehicle sales entering the margin period, after-sales service has become increasingly dew. What can be perceived is that the service competition of auto companies has been intensely launched at a higher level—brand service.
Two-Pronged Construction of "Hard" and "Soft" Services
The necessary hardware service network and professional team are the major prerequisites for ensuring the after-sales service of the automobile. For example, Beijing Modern has adopted a network construction model that combines a special sales service shop and an after-sales service station, and has a service network that includes 186 4S shops and 70 special service stations to ensure that the customer service system is opened all day long and 365 days a year. The person in charge of its marketing department told reporters that this year Beijing Hyundai will "ensure the competitiveness of after-sales service" as one of its annual business objectives, and formulate a "customer-satisfied after-sales service centered" strategy and a diversified service policy. The service network of Chery, an independent brand, is no less inferior. It has grown to nearly 350 dealerships, covering 194 prefecture-level cities and 31 county-level cities in 31 provinces. The number and density of service networks ranks fourth in the industry.
To cope with the rapid development of service outlets, many companies continue to increase the level of “soft services†that are centered on humanized management, employee quality, and first-rate service. At the beginning of this year, Nanjing Fiat has strengthened the guidance and management of authorized 4S stores, and conducted training and optimization. Through such service initiatives as “minor repairs and quick repairs of green channelsâ€, “overhauled and compensated fast-trackâ€, and “National Auto Rescue Allianceâ€, it is convenient for car owners. Service. Southeast Automotive held service reception and maintenance skill certification nationwide on July 16 and 17, and assessed the maintenance technicians and network reception specialists under the service system. Among them, the F-STEP certification is the first time that Southeast Automotive has performed the certification exam for the reception specialists within the service system. This is also the first time in the domestic automotive industry.
The "butterfly effect" of brand service
"From a long-term perspective, to maintain a stable and lasting profit, we must rely on services." A car dealer in Beijing believes that with the dilution of vehicle sales profits, 4S shop profit margins began to shift to after-sales service.
Someone has calculated such an account for reporters: The cost of car purchase only accounts for 1/3 to 1/2 of the lifetime cost. That is to say, purchase behavior is just the beginning of consumption. After-sales service is a huge "golden" market for dealers. For consumers, it is an important basis for buying cars. According to a survey conducted by the China Quality Association, car users and potential users are most concerned about after-sales service. The service, through its important influence on the consumer, ultimately results in a butterfly effect that gives the car manufacturer different results.
In the continuously depressed auto market, more and more rational and mature consumers are faced with the various kinds of promotions of manufacturers, which have already produced “aesthetic fatigueâ€. Manufacturers have influenced the development process due to the convergence of marketing, lack of good products and services, and even led to viciousness. cycle. Under this background, after-sales service has been considered by the automakers as a differentiated weapon in the homogenization competition, and it has become a common understanding to increase service satisfaction and build service brands.
According to industry analysts, service brands can greatly enhance and promote the overall automotive brand image or corporate image, and give consumers more humane elements of brand image, making the entire automobile brand closer to consumers. Only the “product branding + overall image branding + service branding†can be achieved with three arrows in order to form the final brand force and effectively block competitors in the market through the overall formation of brand barriers.
Independent brand service model
Huo Yiguang, president of the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers and Autonomists Association, pointed out recently that domestic automakers in the auto market should learn from the experience of developed countries such as Europe and the United States, and they must also explore branded service models suitable for enterprise development.
Foton Motors has positioned this year as the "Service Year," and its scenic light passengers have provided as many as 10 free services to vehicles already in use nationwide. Futian Auman also said that at the beginning of this year, Fukuda has formulated a service-creation policy of “service creation value†and put forward the service concept of “Satisfaction 365 and serving China Aumanâ€. Chery placed its service brand on the company's previous short board. It did not have fancy words, but instead carried out a lot of basic work to improve the service level with concrete and simple actions. If the newly formed spare part company does not seek profits in its operations, the only requirement and mission is accurate and timely delivery of spare parts. "For us, how to help customers solve problems at the fastest speed is the core of the service." Deputy Chief Executive Li Feng told reporters.
Experts pointed out that the service innovation and exploration of auto brands with their own advantages is of great significance. Domestic auto companies in China have inherent advantages in establishing online channels, understanding consumption habits, and promoting service culture. If they can update service concepts, establish concepts of full-service, standardized services, and humanized services, and use services to build Chinese auto companies. The core competitiveness will be full of hope.
Our reporter Wang Xin
Xiamen AOSIF Engineering Ltd , http://www.fj-generator.com