In July last year, Maruti Suzuki decided to sell some of its cars (currently the Baleno and the S-Cross) through its premium dealership NEXA. During the period, the number of such outlets has increased to 150 across 94 cities. The company managed to sell more than 1 lakh cars through NEXA, and that accounts for about 10 per cent of its domestic sales.
What’s changed?
With its introduction, MSIL has managed to cater to a someone who wasn’t necessarily a repeat customer: 51 per cent of people who shopped for cars at NEXA didn’t own a Maruti Suzuki at the time of purchase.
The premium dealership model has also helped to widen the appeal of Maruti Suzuki’s products. The Baleno is doing well, effectively doubling Maruti’s sales in the premium hatchback segment. In addition, the S-Cross manages about 2,000 units every month.
What’s next?
Maruti, known for its wide sales and service network, plans to add another 100 NEXA outlets by March 2017, taking the total count to 250. And by the year 2020, the company expects NEXA to contribute to 15 per cent of its sales.
There are plans to increase the customer engagement programmes by initiatives like long distance drives and other lifestyle-related experiences.
