Audi India is making changes in the way the company operates to counter the crisis presented by the pandemic.
Besides operational changes such as reducing the fixed cost structure and launching digital sales and services, it is shifting its brand image from being just a premium car seller to a premium service provider.
“The pandemic has presented us with unforeseen and unpredictable conditions and we are trying to respond to the situation with innovations. The whole business, both wholesale and retail, came to a stop from March. The last three months have been very tough and we have had to make changes in the way we operate,” Audi India head Balbir Singh Dhillon told The Telegraph.
From having a lean structure to pushing back product launches, the company that was already facing dwindling sales among premium players is digging in to tide itself over the pandemic.
“We have not cancelled any product launches. We just opened the bookings of the Audi RS7, a sports car. We are advancing certain changes like online sales and service bookings. Besides, we are trying to provide support to our retail network by providing our dealer principals with liquidity to maintain manpower.”
Dhillon does not see a revival in demand before the last quarter this year, that is during festive season. “Our customers are mainly businessmen and company top brass. Their first priority after unlock would be to set their business right. I don’t see sales coming back before the festive seaon,” he said.
There has been a 30 per cent degrowth in the first quarter." The company is also focussing on its used car business, Audi Approved Plus. "It will perform better than the new car business," he said.
The company has also introduced a concierge service for its customers. "In August 2019, we launched our connected car. Customers of such cars can download an app that offers concierge services like curating a holiday experience or getting an expensive suit tailored. We were engaging with our customers in a whole new way. So apart from selling cars we became a service providing company," explained Dhillon.
During lockdown, the concierge service included holding online webinars. The first session was a baking class with a master chef Bunty Mahajan. "We had an amazing response to it," said Dhillon adding that there will be more such sessions.