Maruti Suzuki Nexa completes a year in India
Maruti Suzuki started with its new premium Nexa range of dealerships last year and is now celebrating its first anniversary. So far, there are more than 150 Nexa outlets spread across 94 cities in India. The number is expected to increase to 200 by the end of this year and 250 by March 2017. Currently the Nexa range of dealerships sells Baleno and S-Cross cars. These cars can't be ordered through the regular dealerships as well as through a direct selling agent facility. The next Nexa product is expected to be the Ignis small car which will be launched in the festive season this year.
Nexa dealerships currently have more than 3,500 relationship managers. These managers help the customers with a totally digital experience and choose their car. Those buying the S-Cross or Baleno are also guaranteed a free pick-up and drop facility for the vehicle service.
The company says that Nexa products account to more than five per cent of its entire sales. Maruti says that it expects these numbers to grow to 15 per cent in the next four years. On the same note, Maruti has managed to move more than one lakh cars through these dealerships. Of this, the Baleno accounts for a lion's share and currently commands anywhere between five-seven months waiting period. The Maruti Baleno is also exported to the parent company in Japan, a first of sorts for MSIL.
We spoke with Maruti Suzuki's MD Kenichi Ayukawa and he said that the company is happy to have attracted new customers to the fold through Nexa. However, it is still too early to say if Nexa is a success or not; instead he wants to wait till 2020 to find that out.
