'iCreate will allow customers to create their own distinctly stylised Brezza'

iCreate is a revolutionary concept being introduced in India for the first time. In an interaction with DH, Maruti Suzuki India Executive Director - Marketing and Sales R S Kalsi said that as a leader, the Maruti Suzuki has been leading the industry with innovative disruptions, which always give something new to the customers whether it is through our products or technologies. Edited excerpts:

What is iCreate?   

iCreate is a revolutionary concept being introduced in India for the first time. Premiering with Vitara Brezza, iCreate will allow customers to create their own, distinctly stylised Vitara Brezza. It is not just about accessories but provides a platform which enables one to personalise a car which reflects his/her individuality. It is much more than customisation, it is driving a car which is your reflection. With iCreate a customer gets an option to choose from 90 accessories specially designed and developed for Vitara Brezza, create various combinations, mix and match to create their own signature Vitara Brezza. Apart from this the customer can also choose from the wide array of over 500 standard Maruti Genuine Accessories.

Why personalisation?

Expression of ones individuality is a trait that is finding plenty of traction amongst today’s youth. From clothes to fashion accessories to gadgets, the youth of India, is looking to make a highly personalised statement through the things that they interact with. The same is true for automobiles, consumers have been making after-market modifications to their cars for quite some time.

OEM driven personalization is a big trend internationally, it is largely non-existent in India. Maruti Suzuki is addressing this latent need in the form of iCreate. iCreate is a unique personalisation experience that is built around highlighting individuality and empowering customers with real choice to personalise their cars.

How has the trend been in India for customizing cars?

Our internal study shows that customer spends on accessorising their cars has gone up in the last few years. From Rs. 3000 per vehicle five years ago, the spends have increased to Rs 10,500 per car. In case of Vitara Brezza, the average spend on accessories is around Rs. 24,000.

What is the process of personalisation? Is it done before the car delivery or after the purchase?

A customer can personalise his/her Vitara Brezza using a configurator available online on the Vitara Brezza website or through configurators available at Maruti Suzuki dealerships across the country. The customer can choose to personalise the vehicle while booking, this way he can drive home his personalised vehicle. Link: http://www.ma­rutisuzuki.com/vitarabrezza_icreate.aspx

What all accessories are available under iCreate?

iCreate debuts with Viatara Brezza. We are offering 90 different combinations of exterior garnishes, body graphics, alloy wheels, seat covers, interior styling kits, infotainment options, back seat entertainers, floor mats etc. Apart from this customers can also choose from a wide array of 500 different available accessories.

How is iCreate in line with MSIL’s brand strategy?

The iCreate philosophy is in-line with Maruti Suzuki’s story of Transformotion 2.0. As part of Transformotion 2.0 Maruti Suzuki is set to create a brand imagery as a dynamic, vibrant and bold brand, while retaining its core value such as – reliability, performance and efficiency. Going forward to achieve its mission of 2 million annual sales in 2020, the company sees technology, personalisation and premium retail experience to drive the automotive sales. iCreate is in line with this and is set to make the brand more vibrant and trendy, the way customers of today expect their cars to be.

There are other automotive brands who have been offering personalisation. How is iCreate different from them?
So far, limited customisation was possible and customers had to choose from a package. With i Create we are offering more options to the customers.

A-la-carte

The accessories are available on a-la-carte. Customers can pick and choose and personalise the Vitara Brezza that reflects his/her personality. Also, using the configurator, customers can check their vehicle virtually. Also, they can compare the available options, select and add to the cart before proceeding with the final personalization. On selecting the accessories, customers get a pdf with the preferred options which is sent to their own email id as well as the selected dealer.

Accessories designed specifically for Vitara Brezza With iCreate Maruti Suzuki is offering 90 different accessories especially designed for Vitara Brezza. All accessories are designed at Maruti Suzuki design studio in Gurgaon by a large team of designers reflecting the Vitara Brezza brand persona.

All accessories are tested for durability and the accessories will be fitted by specially trained dealer staff. Thus ensuring proper fitment. Also, the warranty of Vitara Brezza remains unlike the after-market fitment.

Is there a specific reason for choosing Vitara Brezza for the launch of iCreate?

The Brezza is for the individualistic & experienced car buyers, looking to project their glamorous image. These consumers are young, aggressive, restless, risk takers who are smart and technology savvy. The consumer is experimental in nature who has a Distinct, Sporty, Cool, Glamorous attitude. He seeks a playmate in his car.

Also, customers purchasing an SUV are more open to experiment. Vitara Brezza is the no. 1 SUV in the segment. It enjoys a market share of 20% (in FY 2016-17) in its segment.

In addition, our internal research shows that the average spend on accessories per vehicle (across MSIL portfolio) is around Rs. 10,500 while for Vitara Brezza is Rs. 24,000. Also the sales data for the Vitara Brezza shows around 10% of the Vitara Brezza customer spends about Rs. 40,000 on customizing his / her car and almost 27 % of the Vitara Brezza sold in India are dual coloured. Hence choosing Vitara Brezza as the debut vehicle for iCreate was a natural option considering the key target market.  

What is the future road map of iCreate?   

At present iCreate will premiere with Vitara Brezza. Our aim is to democratize personalisation. We want to empower customers in order to co-create value for them. Eventually we plan to extend iCreate to other models as well.

What will be the cost of packages offered for personalisation through iCreate? 
 
The cost of personalisation will vary as per the choice and preferences of the customers. We will have a couple of suggested combinations for the ease of our customers while ticking their minds but it is completely their choice to choose from 90 available accessories.