<p>The demand for personal mobility, news of the Covid-19 vaccine and other factors has led to a gradual recovery of the automobile sector. </p>.<p>Toyota Kirloskar Motor, just like other companies, went through a very difficult time last year due to the pandemic. However, things appear to be on the mend. </p>.<p>“We were happy to see customer inflow at dealerships. That has given us confidence that from January, it will be a good start to this calendar year. We now have practically three new products – the Fortuner with the Legender, the Innova and the Urban Cruiser. This gives us confidence as far as 2021 is concerned and hopefully with signs of the pandemic going away, things should look much better,” said Naveen Soni, Senior Vice-President, Toyota Kirloskar Motor. </p>.<p>"When Covid-19 was setting in, it was difficult for us to accommodate and understand market requirements and how to grasp what the customer wants. But by the second and third quarters, we could understand these requirements. There was a lot of focus on digital, personal mobility and understanding customer needs. </p>.<p>“In September, we were 14 per cent higher as compared to the previous year. This figure is on a wholesale basis. Dealers were able to supply many more cars to customers. So, we ended the year with a very lean inventory," he added. </p>.<p>In reply to a question about the market share TKM would be happy with, Soni said: “The number that we are always chasing is being number one in customer satisfaction. We always try to go beyond customer expectation and get more customers in the process. </p>.<p>“In terms of market leadership, it is thanks to the confidence customers have in this product and it has been more than 53 per cent market share. I believe that with the new Fortuner and Legender, it will enhance our presence in the premium SUV segment," he explained. </p>.<p>From April to December, 2020, TKM sold 6,366 units of the Fortuner. </p>.<p>Soni also noted that it is not just urban demand that is driving growth for the company. “Tier 2 and 3 cities are very important and the growth is coming from there. Rural India demand is strong,” he explained. </p>.<p>“Last year, we consciously worked towards having more service or sales and service touch points in rural areas. There have been 59 new dealerships last year and with that we have reached out to 40-plus new cities where a Toyota could be serviced. That gives us confidence because the customer is more confident about buying a product and knows that he or she need not travel to get the car serviced," he added. </p>
<p>The demand for personal mobility, news of the Covid-19 vaccine and other factors has led to a gradual recovery of the automobile sector. </p>.<p>Toyota Kirloskar Motor, just like other companies, went through a very difficult time last year due to the pandemic. However, things appear to be on the mend. </p>.<p>“We were happy to see customer inflow at dealerships. That has given us confidence that from January, it will be a good start to this calendar year. We now have practically three new products – the Fortuner with the Legender, the Innova and the Urban Cruiser. This gives us confidence as far as 2021 is concerned and hopefully with signs of the pandemic going away, things should look much better,” said Naveen Soni, Senior Vice-President, Toyota Kirloskar Motor. </p>.<p>"When Covid-19 was setting in, it was difficult for us to accommodate and understand market requirements and how to grasp what the customer wants. But by the second and third quarters, we could understand these requirements. There was a lot of focus on digital, personal mobility and understanding customer needs. </p>.<p>“In September, we were 14 per cent higher as compared to the previous year. This figure is on a wholesale basis. Dealers were able to supply many more cars to customers. So, we ended the year with a very lean inventory," he added. </p>.<p>In reply to a question about the market share TKM would be happy with, Soni said: “The number that we are always chasing is being number one in customer satisfaction. We always try to go beyond customer expectation and get more customers in the process. </p>.<p>“In terms of market leadership, it is thanks to the confidence customers have in this product and it has been more than 53 per cent market share. I believe that with the new Fortuner and Legender, it will enhance our presence in the premium SUV segment," he explained. </p>.<p>From April to December, 2020, TKM sold 6,366 units of the Fortuner. </p>.<p>Soni also noted that it is not just urban demand that is driving growth for the company. “Tier 2 and 3 cities are very important and the growth is coming from there. Rural India demand is strong,” he explained. </p>.<p>“Last year, we consciously worked towards having more service or sales and service touch points in rural areas. There have been 59 new dealerships last year and with that we have reached out to 40-plus new cities where a Toyota could be serviced. That gives us confidence because the customer is more confident about buying a product and knows that he or she need not travel to get the car serviced," he added. </p>
