Daihatsu Malaysia registered a total of 1,410 vehicle sales last year, which exceeded their original sales target by 5 per cent.
Daihatsu Malaysia Benefits from e-Commerce Delivery and Courier Transport
To curb the Covid-19 pandemic, more and more cities are under lockdown, whilst non-essential businesses are being ordered to close. The pandemic has re-shaped our world, and the ensuring of movement restrictions has accelerated the shift towards a more digitalised world and has triggered changes in online shopping behaviour. As a result, e-commerce sales and delivery services have skyrocketed.
“Despite the pandemic, 2020 has been a favourable year for Daihatsu Malaysia. We have benefited from e-commerce delivery and courier transport with booming online purchasing activities as part of the new norm,” said Daihatsu (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Managing Director Arman Mahadi.
He pointed out that the company registered a total of 1,410 vehicle sales last year. This, he said exceeded their original sales target by 5 per cent.
Business Growth Despite Pandemic
“We have achieved 26 per cent panel sales growth in 2020 as compared to 2019. There was a total of 10 per cent growth in fleet sales against the 2019 results, which showed that fleet customers had greater confidence with repeat orders. According to the Malaysian Automotive Association Report 2020, the Daihatsu Gran Max was the number 1 pick-up and panel van model for the light commercial vehicle (below 2.0L) in Malaysia for 2020. This proof that the Gran Max is preferred by many as a mode of transport especially for last mile carrier services, and it is an important achievement for us as we marked our 40 years anniversary in Malaysia last year.”
Arman admitted that the pandemic has brought about many challenges. On a look back over 2020, he said, there had been a rough start early on in the year, but sales subsequently recovered and started picking up from June 2020 onwards.
“The pandemic impacted both our sales, our services as well as our logistics. Our Sales activity was put on hold, especially from March to April, but we respected the situation for the better good and well-being of our employees and customers. As aftersales for automotive was listed under essential services, our service centres were operating on limited capacity and in regard to strict compliance of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). We are proud that we were able to fuel the growth of the local e-commerce and courier transport sector against the odds.”
When asked about the support that Daihatsu Malaysia rendered to their customers and dealers to weather the impact of Covid-19, he said, they implemented strict SOP guidelines and monitoring across all authorised Daihatsu showrooms and service centres to protect the safety and well-being of both their dealer partners and customers.
“We have ensured that Daihatsu Service Centres nationwide are on standby to service its fleet customers, especially during emergency assists prior and post MCO. Great emphasis has been placed on the utilisation of the Daihatsu Mobile Service, which caters specifically to reach out to our customers under stricter movement order. In addition, parts replacement is also readily available to be delivered to our dealers and stockist, especially during this period of movement restriction. This is in line with our effort to reduce vehicle downtime for these business vehicles to be up and running on the road as soon as possible.”
Effective Strategic Initiatives
While nothing can beat face-to-face customer interactions, he argued that it’s important to have various customer communication arsenals amidst the pandemic.
“We have embarked on strategic initiatives including the introduction of the Daihatsu e-Showroom through our company’s official website www.daihatsu.com.my to improve on our customer purchase experience. It reflects our effort in adapting to the new normal, whilst striving to stay in touch with our existing and potential customers. This might sound unorthodox and unconventional for the commercial industry, but we have received handfuls of sales enquiries and prospects. Others have included aggressive campaigns targeted to e-commerce, delivery and logistics industries.”
With the reintroduction of the MCO and declaration of a State of Emergency for Malaysia, Daihatsu Malaysia is prepared for another challenging year. “The continuation of the Covid-19 pandemic, which could possibly worsen day by day, and the responses have led to the halt of businesses and a huge increased in economic uncertainty. Even though Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has reduced the overnight policy rate (OPR), banks have been implementing stringent criteria for loan applications. In addition, the further instability of political scenarios in Malaysia might affect our customers purchase decisions due to uncertainty.”
He stressed that they would keep their momentum going from 2020 towards 2021 in spite of the on-going challenges posed by Covid-19. The company, he pointed out would continue to strengthen customer confidence, awareness and purchase consideration towards Gran Max.
“For the next 2 years, Daihatsu Malaysia will focus on enhancing a digital transformation customer experience through smoother processes or transactions, strengthening the Sales & Aftersales Program to capture more new business from fleets and, finally to sustain current customers. With the Sales & Aftersales Program and aggressive media strategy, we are confident with Daihatsu being more resilient than ever. We are also looking forward to activating Daihatsu Business Fleet Program activities again,” he added.
Currently, Daihatsu Malaysia has 25 authorised sales dealers and 33 authorised service centres located strategically across the country. Moving forward, Arman revealed that the company is implementing a Daihatsu Transformation Plan, working closely with their branches and dealer partners in strengthening networks and gradually enhancing on the facilities.
Also in the pipeline, he added, is to bring in an enhanced and improved version of Gran Max for better performance, safety and sustainability to continue to capture the market interest.
大马大发2020年销售量超出销售目标
Gran Max厢型车增长26%
为了遏制新冠肺炎流行病，许多城市纷纷被封锁，非基本业务都被勒令关闭。该病毒的大流行重塑了我们的世界，行动限制加速世界朝数字化发展的趋势，触发了网购行为的改变，引发电子销售和运输服务的飙升。
大发（马来西亚）私人有限公司董事经理阿曼（Arman Mahadi）表示：“尽管新冠肺炎流行病肆虐，2020年对马来西亚大发来说是有利的一年。电子商务运送与快递运输，随着线上购物活动成为新常态的一部分而兴起并蓬勃发展起来，令我们受益不少。”
他指出，公司今年售出1，410辆汽车。他说，这个销量已超越他们原来销售目标的5%。
尽管冠病大流行，业务依然增长
“相较于2019年，我们在2020年取得了26% 的销售增长。与2019年相比，2020年的车队总销售量增加了10%，这显示车队客户的信心大有提升而重复购买。据2020年马来西亚汽车公会报告显示，大发Gran Max是轻型商用车（2.0升以下）排名第一的皮卡和厢型车。这证明Gran Max是许多人首选的运输工具，特别是最后一英里运送服务，而这对去年迎来40周年纪念的我们来说是个重大的成就。”
阿曼承认，疫情带来了许多的挑战。回顾2020年，他表示，虽然今年年初有一个艰难的开始，但销售随后获得了恢复，并从2020年6月开始回升。
“疫情影响了我们的销售、服务及物流。特别是去年3月至4月，我们的销售活动被暂停，但为了员工和客户的福祉，我们尊重该情况。由于汽车售后服务被列为基本服务，我们的服务中心在有限的员工人数下操作，并严格遵守标准作业程序（SOP）。在困难重重下，我们为能够推动本地电子商务和快递运输发展而深感自豪。”
询及马来西亚大发如何协助客户和代理商平安度过新冠肺炎疫情的冲击时，他说，他们实施了严格的标准作业程序准则并监督所有的授权大发陈列室和服务中心，保护他们代理商伙伴和客户的安全和健康。
“我们确保全马的大发服务中心做好准备，随时为他们的车队客户提供服务，特别是在他们需要紧急协助时和在行动管制令之后。我们将许多注意力放在大发移动服务上，以便与客户，特别是那些在更严格的行动管制令下的他们取得联系。此外，我们也确保我们能够随时为代理商和存货商供应零部件，特别是在行动管制令期间。这与我们降低商用车辆的停机时间的努力一致，以便它们能够在最短的时间里回到路上。”
高效的战略举措
尽管没有任何沟通比与客户面对面交流更有效率，他说，在疫情期间拥有各种客户沟通“武库”很重要。
“我们已经展开战略性举措，包括在公司官网www.daihatsu.com.my推介大发e-Showroom，改善客户的购买经验。它反映了我们努力适应新常态，与我们现有和潜在的客户保持联系。这对商用车行业而言，听起来或许是非传统和非常规的，但我们却成功吸引了一些潜在客户和收到了少量客户询盘。其他包括以电子商务、运送服务及物流业为目标的积极促销活动。”
随着马来西亚政府宣布第二次行动管制和进入紧急状态，马来西亚大发已经做好迎接另一个充满挑战的一年的准备。“新冠肺炎大流行病的延续可能会日趋恶化，而种种遏制疫情的措施导致许多企业被迫停业，大幅提高了经济的不确定性。即使马来西亚国家银行（BNM）降低了隔夜政策利率（OPR），银行却纷纷收紧借贷条件。再者，马来西亚不确定的政治状况也可能会影响客户的购买决定。”
他强调说，尽管面对疫情的持续挑战，他们将保持从2020年到2021年的发展势头。他指出，该公司会继续加强客户对Gran Max 的意识、信心及购买考虑。
他补充：“在未来的两年里，马来西亚大发将专注于通过更顺畅的流程和交易，增强数字化转型趋势，提升客户体验，强化销售及售后服务计划，猎取更多新车队业务，并保有现有客户。凭借着销售及售后服务计划，我们相信大发将会比以往的任何时候更充满弹性。我们也期望能够再次启动大发商业车队计划。”
目前，马来西亚大发在全马拥有25家位于战略性地点的授权代理商和33间服务中心。阿曼透露说，未来公司将落实大发转化计划，他们将与分行和代理商伙伴密切配合，巩固网络和逐步提升设施。
他补充说，该公司也计划引进具有更好的性能、安全性及可持续性的加强版Gran Max， 以持续引起市场的兴趣。
