APROJECT REPORT
ON“CUSTOMER PROFILING & PURCHASE
PARAMETERS”
MARUTI SUZUKIRKBK AUTOMOBILES-GORAKHPUR
SUBMITTED IN THE PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION(2008-2010)
SUBMITTED BY :
MADHWENDRA KUMAR TRIPATHIMBA III SEM
ROLL NO.0812970030U.P. TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY, LUCKNOW
FORTE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGYGreen Park, Mawana Road, Meerut.
1
PREFACE
Summer training at any business organization makes the students more practical and habitual to analyze the situation in more crucial a refined way, which ultimately contributes a later stage of practice. It also helps in filling up the gap between theoretical and practical experience. The business winner will be those organizations that size and expert opportunity by strategically positioning themselves.
The Objective of this project is to find out the awareness of individual towards the automobiles. And other most important objective of this project to know about “customer profiling and purchase parameter”
During preparing this project we meet many investors who have decided to buy a car. We use some source of information to prepare this project. We prepare this project on behalf of “RKBK Pvt.Ltd.”. Hence this framework is derived from the practice adopted by the companies in order to sustain and grow.
We are serving the following pages that will endow the reader with insight in to the Indian automobiles sector from the corporate view- point. This study has been very useful learning experience enriching knowledge in the field of automobiles sector.
Madhwendra Kumar Tripathi MBA III SEM
2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I, MADHWENDRA KUMAR TRIPATHI, MBA Student
in FIT, MEERUT is highly grateful to all those who guided me in
completing this project.
First of all, I would like to pay my heartiest thanks to entire
family of Maruti especially Mr. RAJENDRA KUMAR TIWARI
( Manager) RKBK Automobiles Pvt. Ltd., Gorakhpur. who
provided me such a wonderful opportunity to do Summer Training
and provided their valuable suggestions in understanding the work
of Research Project.
Last but not the least, I would like to thanks all faculty members,
FIT, MEERUT, who gave me the useful tips and suggestions
regarding project. I would like to thanks Dr. UMESH KUMAR
for imparting her valuable guidance to me.
3
DECLARATION
I hereby declare that I have carried out Summer Training
Project on the topic entitled “Customer Profiling & Purchase
Parameters” at RKBK Auto Mobiles Pvt. Ltd.
I further declare that this project work is based on my
original work and no part of this project has been published or
submitted to anybody.
Madhwendra Kumar Tripathi MBA III SEM
4
5
INDEX
Part-1
Page no.
Executive summary
Brief history of the organization 09-18
Organization structure 19-22
About Maruti True Value 23-27
Mission, vision and philosophy of the org. 28
Performance 29-41
Product/services 42-82
6
Part-2
Objective 84
Research methodology 85-88
Analysis (SWOT analysis) 89-111
Findings 112
Conclusion 113
Suggestion/Recommendation 114-115
Limitations 116
Annexure 117-120
Bibliography 121-123
Words of thanks 124
7
Part-1
Comprehensive chapter about the
Organization which should incorporate
8
BRIEF HISTORY OF ORGANISATION
Maruti Udyog Limited (MUL) was established in Feb 1981 through an Act
of Parliament, to meet the growing demand of a personal mode of transport
caused by the lack of an efficient public transport system. Suzuki Motor
Company was chosen from seven prospective partners worldwide. This was
not only due to their undisputed leadership in small cars but also to their
commitment to actively bring to MUL contemporary technology and
Japanese management practices (which had catapulted Japan over USA to
the status of the top auto manufacturing country in the world). A license and
a Joint Venture agreement were signed between Govt of India and Suzuki
Motor Company (now Suzuki Motor Corporation of Japan) in Oct 1982. The
objectives of MUL then were: Modernization of the Indian Automobile
Industry, Production of fuel-efficient vehicles to conserve scarce resources,
Production of large number of motor vehicles which was necessary for
economic growth.
9
The Revolution
Maruti created history by record production in 13 months. On 14 December
1983, the then Prime Minister of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, handed over the
keys of the first car to Mr. Harpal Singh of Delhi. Volume targets were
routinely exceeded, and in March 1994, it became the first Indian company
to produce over one million vehicles, a landmark yet to be achieved by any
other car company in India. Maruti is the highest volume car manufacturer in
Asia, outside Japan and Korea, having produced over 3.5 million vehicles by
December 2001. Maruti is one of the most successful automobile joint
ventures, and has made profits every year since inception till 2000-01. In
2000-01, although we generated operating profits on an income of Rs 92.5
billion, high depreciation on new model launches resulted in a book loss. We
are again on track for profits in 2001-02, with a profit of Rs 300 million in
the first half. In this period, sales were increased by 5.3%, against an
industry decline of 6.1 %. We revolutionized the wav Indians looked at cars.
"No other car company so completely dominates its home market" - (The
Economist). Despite there being 11 companies now in the passenger car
market, Maruti holds about 60 % of the total market share. MUL is also the
first and only car company in the world to lead its home market in terms of
10
both market share and in the JD Power Customer Satisfaction study (JD
Power Asia Pacific 2000 India Customer Satisfaction studies).
Transfer of Technology
Every minute two vehicles roll out of the Maruti Plant. It is therefore
imperative that the transfer of contemporary technology from our partner
Suzuki is a smooth process. Great stress is laid on training and motivating
the people who maintain the equipment, since the best equipment alone
cannot guarantee high quality and productivity. From the beginning it was a
conscious decision to send people to Suzuki Motor Corporation for on-the-
job training for line technicians, supervisors and engineers. This helps them
to imbibe the culture in a way that merely transferring technology through
documents can never replicate. At present 20 % of our workforce is trained
under this program.
Our Ethos
Our employees are our greatest strength and asset. It is this underlying
philosophy that has molded our workforce into a team with common goals
and objectives. Our Employee-Management relationship is therefore
characterized by: Participative Management, Team work, Kaizen,
Communication, Information sharing, and an open office culture for easy
accessibility to implement this philosophy. We have taken several measures
11
like a flat organizational structure i.e. there are only three levels of
responsibilities ranging from the Board Of Directors, Division Heads to
Department Heads. Other visible features of this philosophy are common
uniforms (at all levels), and a common canteen for all. This structure ensures
better communication and speedy decision making processes. It also creates
an environment that builds trust, transparency and a sense of belonging
amongst employees.
Maruti eyes Global Pie, to be R&D Hub for Suzuki
New Delhi: With the enhanced backing of Suzuki, Maruti Udyog is gearing
up to become a global scale player and will be a R&D centre for Suzuki cars
outside Japan. Becoming a global player is the resurgent theme of Maruti's
future strategy in the post-privatization phase as listed in the IPO offer
document filed with SEBI.
In terms of manufacturing processes or quality systems or even R&D, the
flavor is global. Clearly, the company wants to build on its leadership in the
domestic market and make a place for itself in the global arena.
After sharp gains in productivity and quality in the past two years, the
company wants to further improve its operating efficiencies by cutting costs
by 30% and enhancing productivity by 50% and align itself with Suzuki's
Kosai plant in Japan by year '04-05. On the quality front, while Maruti was
12
amongst the first automobile manufacturers in the world to receive the ISO
9001:2000 certification, it wants to go further and adopt Suzuki's global
customer audit index.
But the biggest shift is in the area of R&D. Although Maruti has gained
from its expertise in localization of components, it now wants to take R&D
to another plane where it can become Suzuki's centre for cars in Asia,
outside Japan.
In fact, it has recently acquired the capability to conduct minor and major
face lifts to its products and upgrade products in terms of technology or
features. To reduce initial investment on models, Maruti may outsource dye
from other than Japan, such as Taiwan, which are often less expensive.
Maruti's initiatives are based also on its recent success in the export market.
It sold nearly 24,000 units of the Alto in Europe last fiscal and its overall
exports were up by a whopping 163% over the previous year.
Its global ambitions are also now nurtured by the backing of Suzuki Motor
Corporation. The prospectus makes this point by Sayin2 that as a subsidiary
of Suzuki, Maruti has "access to globally respected technology in the small
car segment.”
Even while maintaining the overall global theme, Maruti wants to leverage
13
its local advantage. Its promise of providing customers a "wide range of
Maruti branded services at different stages of ownership" is at par with other
global manufacturers. It lays great emphasis on these Maruti branded
services like insurance, finance and pre-owned cars, and believes that this
"360 degree customer experience" will secure repeat purchase and increase
revenue of the sales network. In supply chain initiatives as well, Maruti's
reference is to the world wide purchase system fostered by General Motors.
Through this, it could make a select few of its vendors the sole suppliers for
Suzuki products in several countries.
Our focus will continue to be the small car: Jagdish Khattar
From a loss of Rs 269 crore in 2000-01, after being written off by many
analysts, Maruti has bounced back: its 800 model is as popular as ever, new
launches are picking up. Jagdish Khattar, managing director Maruti, spoke to
Vinay Pandey on Maruti's transformation. Excerpts: Maruti's turn around:
To understand Maruti today, you need to go back to 1993 when
liberalization took place and foreign manufacturers were allowed to come.
Maruti should have taken proactive measures then. But between 1995 and
1998 our shareholders (the government and Suzuki) had differences.
Decisions that should have been taken in the mid-90s to prepare for
14
competition got delayed.
In June 1998, we decided to increase our capacity by one lakh vehicles and
to introduce four or five new models, which arrived a year and a half after
our competitors', who gained from this. Two, investments that should have
been done over five years were done in 24 months in a hurry to launch new
models. So, localization was low, the yen was strong, prices were market-
determined, depreciation increased, and we ran into losses. That's when you
got the feeling Maruti was in trouble.
But internally, it was a very good wake up call, which did a lot of good to
us. We brought out models, localized faster, cut costs massively.
So even when everyone thought we were in trouble, we were confident that
we'd bounce back. Our market share went down to 61%, but we've now
stabilized around 58-59%. We took off a bit late, had lot of catching up to
do, which we've done.
Role of M800: People say 800 is old and so on. But go on the road and see
someone on a two-wheeler, wife and two children, in rain, in winter, in
summer. Is he going to be bothered about power windows and steering, or
does he wish to be in a car and be comfortable?
Today we're selling air-conditioned 800s at Rs 2.2 lakh. Many people
15
buying AC 800s may not have an AC at home. So, look at the tremendous
role it is playing.
India's car penetration is six per 1,000; Pakistan and Sri Lanka are at 12.
Thailand is at 200, Japan and America are over 500-600. What I'm saying is
that there's still a huge gap. If our motorization has to increase, we can't do
that by selling expensive cars. We need to make cars more affordable.
Therefore, a narrower gap between two-wheelers and entry-level cars is
what's required. It should also have good performance, no compromise on
quality, fuel-efficient and low on maintenance. The 800 fits the bill.
The Alto can't replace the 800 today because the volume and price at which
800 is selling, we can't sell Alto at that. Yes, once we get costs under
control, we'll position the Alto between segments A and B. We'd like to have
a car from the entry level to Rs 3-3.5 lakh at every Rs 20,000- Rs 25,000
difference.
Success of new models: Historically, Maruti's new models never start with a
bang. I joined Maruti in 1993 when Zen was introduced and we found it hard
to sell initially. We had to reduce our production plan drastically, but then
after a year or two it caught on. And look what it is today.
So, initially there's skepticism, then some people buy and share their
16
experience. About 60-70% of our sales take place by referral. I'm not saying
marketing is unimportant, but there's nothing more effective than a present
owner giving a good chit to prospective buyer. We're seeing the same effect
with Wagon R, which is doing really well now.
Versa is slightly different. When we decided on Versa, in 1998, the
government had announced that in April 2002 the administered price
mechanism (APM) for oil would be abolished. The gap between petrol and
diesel prices would have then been negligible. Versa came, but APM
remained.
Now there is no hell of a chance of anyone buying a petrol version when a
diesel alternative is available for the same purpose. For the Versa we've
carried out a lot of localization, the pricing has been reworked and things are
looking up. But some amount of disadvantage between petrol and diesel will
remain.
Those who bought the Baleno are very happy. Also, view it from our
perspective. We launched five models in a space of 12 months. We had to
prioritize. Because of low localization, we were losing money on Baleno.
So it made no sense to just gain numbers. Now some localization has taken
place and the product is getting its due.
The Vitara is different, it's not manufactured here. We'll import what is
17
required.
Anyway, our core competence and focus would be the small car because that
is what the county needs and that is where the volumes are. Let us look at it
in another way. There are only four major players in the small car segment -
Telco, Fiat, Hyundai and Maruti and 80 % of the market is the small car
segment. In the remaining market, there are a dozen players. It is a very
lopsided market structure today.
18
ORGANISATION STRUCTUR
RKBK Automobiles Ltd
Manager sales
SparesCustomer Care Manager
WorkshopManager
AccountingManagerTrueValue
Managing Director
Mr.B.K.Poddar
Director & CEO
Mr. K.P.Poddar
General Manager Mr.S.K.Thompson
Human Resourse Manager
Mr.Sanjay Pathak
Team Leader-1
Mr.Santosh Singh
Team Leader-2
Mr.Sujeet Singh
19
Sales executive (se) [4 sales executive under 1 team leader]
WORKSHOP MANAGER
Mr.Nasir Ali Khan
Service Advisor/
Supervisor
Pre-deliveryInspection(PDI)
Accidental Unit
CustomerManager
Mr.C.Moitra
Back Office
Mechanic Customer Care Manager
Mechanic
Jr.Mechanic
Electrician
Denter/Painter
TRUE VALUE MANAGER
Mr.R.K.Tiwari
Evaluater’s
Executive
Sales Executive
Back Office Staff
20
Duties and Responsibilities of the Staff in RKBK.
The duties and responsibilities of the staff of the dealer RKBK Automobiles
ltd is
To sale maximum vehcles .
To maintain all the a/c with honesty.
A/C Department
Sr.Manager A/c
Mr.K.N.Ojha
A/C Manager
Executive A/C Manager
21
To create healthy environment in the organisation.
To co-oporate with each other in the organisation.
To maintain good relation with the customers.
To be in the office at right time.
To provide all the facilities and services to the customers which are
given by Maruti Company to their customer.
To complete the target of selling cars of dealer .
True Value
Maruti Trye Value is India No.1 organised pre-owned car brand. True Value
is venture of india’s largest automobiles manufacture “Maruti Suzuki India
22
Ltd”.
Unique advantages India’s largest certified used car dealer network
300 outlets in 178 cities and growing
All car related services under one roof
Professionally trained manpower
Complete peace of mind
Maruti True Value business expands the family of Maruti customers,
providing reassurance to exsting Maruti customers about resale of their cars
and further emphasizes Maruti’s Commitment towards enhancing customer
satisfaction by continuous association during the vehicle ownership life
cycle. No one know your Maruti car better than Maruti- based on this premise,
Maruti chanalises its expertise to ensure that transactions in pre owned cars
are transparend and fair. Through that, the company endeavors to extend the
relationship and emotional connect that it enjoys with the customer.
True Value has transparend and fair evaluation process, which is currently
missing in the largely unorganized market for pre-owned cars. Maruti true
Value processes and systems ensure that the seller gets the right price and is
paid promptly.
23
Under True Value, the seller has option to be paid in cash, or get a True
Value car in exchange or a brand new Maruti Suzuki car in exchange.True
Value category cars bought by Maruti True Value dealers are taken to state-
of- the-art workshops.
True value category cars are refurbished in state of art workshops using
Maruti Genuine Parts and by skilled technicians. These cars are then sold
through Maruti true Value outlets.
As a mark of confidence, and to provide reassurance to customers, every
Vehicle bought under Maruti True Value is inspected and certified by
Maruti Engineers and the car carries a one- year warranty and three free
Services. Convenient finance options are also offered to buyers of Maruti
True Value cars.
24
Maruti’s ‘True Value’ for used cars
AFTER launching its fleet management service under the Umbrella brand
‘Project Vistaar’, Maruti Udyog Ltd (MUL) is now rolling out its used- car
business countryide in a phased manner.
The pre-owned cars business is being introduced under the sub-brand
name’Maruti True Value’ and is aimed at catering to customers who are
both first-time car buyer and those who are looking to upgrade themselves to
a passenger car in a higher segment. MUL is also hoping to retain its
customer by offering a range of cars, resale and financing options all under
one roof.
The launch of new service, for which MUL has tied –up with a select set of
dealers, will begin in Maruti True Value outlets in Banalore on Oct 19 and
later, in Delhi from Oct 22 onwards. It will then be extended to the rest of
the country, company sources said.
Under the Maruti True Value service, Maruti cars which are less than four
years old or ones which have done up to 60,000 km and have not changed
two previous ownerships will be accepted for purchase from the customer.
Then, designated engineers from Maruti who will be present at
25
the True Value outlets will conduct a standard 120- point check of the
vehicle brought to the outlet. The documents of the seller will also be
checked for any irregularities. MUL has trained it’s staff at the select dealer
outlets to handle its pre –owned cars business.
The engineers at the True value counter are expected to adopt a transparent
and fair evolution process to ensure that the seller gets the right price. The
outlet will also offer finance options to the customers, to enable the second -
hand car seller to purchase a new car of his choice.
Consequently, the seller will have the option to be paid in cash, or get
another True Value car in exchange or even a new Maruti car in exchange.
After this, the purchased used car is readied for refurbishment.
Using Maruti Genuine parts, techniciana at the True Value outlet will
refurbish the car, which will then be offered for sale.
For the buyer of a second hand car, MUL is going a step further in offering
a one- year warranty and three free services along with the refurbished car.
Again ,Finance options are begin offered for the True Value car, which will
be certified by the company after allowing the potential buyer an opportunity
to personally evaluate the car.
26
Maruti's True Value on Growth Scale
02 December, 2008 Maruti Suzuki has recorded a growth in its used car business inspite of
slowdown in the car market. The company denies the impact of low-cost
cars like Tata Nano on its True Value and expects a growth by 30%.
Ravi Bhatia, Chief General Sales Manager, Maruti Suzuki stated, “The low
priced cars like Nano will not have any impact on used cars business since
there is an altogether different set of buyers vying for this segment. Unlike
the Rs 1 Lakh priced cars, used ones are available for Rs 60,000-Rs 80,000
and usually two-wheeler owners looking for upgrading their status go for
used cars.”
According to Bhatia, Maruti holds majority of the shares in the robust used
car market in India. He also states that business with True Value is quite
robust and expects to climb a growth scale.
Recently, Maruti has made a new offering to India with the launch of Maruti
Suzuki A-star in the A2 segment, a car that is targeted towards urban young
consumers.
27
VISSION & MISSION
Our Vision:
The leader in Indian automobiles industry creating customer delight and
shareholder’s wealth; a pride of India.
Mission
(i) Provide superior products and services to our customers and maintain
market leadership.
(ii) Evolve as an institution that serves the best interest of all stakeholders.
(iii) Pursue excellence through total quality management.
(iv) Ensures the highest standards of ethics and integrity in all our action.
28
PERFORMANCE
In more ways than one, the year 2004-05 was a watershed year for Maruti
Udyog Limited (MUL). The company has consolidated and initiated a new
growth momentum. There have been several developments, of which it is
useful to begin with three.
First, driven by renewed vigor and aggression in the market, Maruti recorded
its highest ever sales of over 4.72 lack vehicles in the domestic & export markets
which resulted in gross sales revenue of Rs.112,840 million — a growth of
25.8 per cent over 2003-04. It is the highest top-line growth in the last seven
years.
Second, this high sales growth, coupled with significant improvements in
operational efficiencies, has translated into much higher returns on investment.
Earnings per share (EPS) more than trebled from Rs.5.14 in 2003-04 to
Rs.18.77 in 2004-05.
29
Third, the Government of India divested a majority of its shares through an
initial public offer(IPO) and made way for greater participation from you —
the shareholders – in the fortunes of India’s leading passenger car manufacturer.
In a nutshell, therefore, 2004-05 marks the beginning of a new journey for
your company, as it restructured itself in the face of stiff competition and
entered a new high growth phase.
The sharp revival in the Indian economy — from 4 per cent GDP growth in
2003-04 to 8.2 per cent in 2004-05 — has definitely assisted your company
in increasing revenue. This is the highest GDP increase recorded by India
since the advent of economic liberalization, and the country has become one
of the fastest growing
economies of the world .This has considerably increased per capita
disposable income which, coupled with much easier availability of
significantly cheaper consumer finance, has driven automobile sales.
Historically, the fortunes of automobile industries across the globe are
strongly correlated with macro-economic parameters and the performance of
30
the industrial sector. Chart A plots growth in GDP, industry, passenger
vehicle (PV) sales volumes and total automobile sales volumes – and
emphasizes this correlation. In 2004-05, the Indian passenger car and
multi-utility vehicles market finally reached efficient scales of nearly a
million. Although the improved economic environment helped growing
automobile sales, it was not a totally smooth drive for the Indian
automobile industry. An increase in the number of players and models has
resulted in fierce competition — driving down prices across all segments.
The industry also witnessed significant rise in prices of key raw materials
like steel, rubber and plastics. Thus, profit margins were under pressure.
Maruti has always believed in size and spread. When the Indian automobile
industry was reconciled to around 40,000 cars in early 1980’s, MUL was the
first company that aspired to sell 100,000 cars a year. The aspiration of being
the market leader with high sales volume continues to be intrinsic to your
company’s philosophy. This belief has held the company in good stead
during 2004-05 — where the strategy of pushing volume growth resulted in
higher margins due to the positive effects of better capacity utilization.
Improved operational efficiencies, which are largely due to the transfer of
technology, systems and work culture from MUL’s majority shareholder.
31
Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) — has also contributed to the improved
returns on investments. In 2004-05, the company has had record growth in
bottom-line and return on investments. Here are some numbers.
Net profit margin (PAT/total income) increased from 2 per cent in 2003-04
to 5.6 per cent in 2004-05.
Return on average capital employed (ROCE) increased from 9.9 per cent in
2003-04 to 22.3 per cent in 2004-05.
Return on average net worth (RONW) increased from 5.2 per cent in 2003-04
to 16.5 per cent in 2004-05.
Earnings per share (EPS) increased from Rs.5.14 in 2003-04 to Rs.18.77 in
2004-05, while cash EPS increased from Rs.17.79 in
2003-04 to Rs.38.39 in 2004-05.
MUL also witnessed a key structural change during 2004-05. The company
was originally set up as a joint venture between the Government of India
(GOI) and SMC to provide the average Indian with a reliable and affordable
car. Today, 20 years hence, MUL has come a long way from charting the
initial growth of the Indian automobile industry to becoming one of India’s
leading business organizations
32
-which has also promoted overall industrial growth through its linkages with
vendors. GOI played a key role in supporting Maruti’s growth. In 2004-05,
GOI divested a bulk of its shares in the company to the public.
GOI offered 72,243,300 equity shares, which is 25 per cent of the company’s
share capital, for sale to the public through the book-building route. Even in
a somewhat bearish stock market, the issue was fully subscribed within three
hours of its opening. In fact, it was over subscribed nearly 10 times at the
floor price. Encouraged by the overwhelming response, GOI exercised the
green-shoe option, and offloaded an additional 10 per cent of the issue size
(equivalent to 7,224,300 equity shares).
Thus, MUL is now a listed company in Indian stock exchanges (Bombay
Stock Exchange & National Stock Exchange) with Suzuki Motor Corporation
having 54.2 per cent share ownership. Today, GOI owns 18.3 per cent of
MUL’s ordinary shares, while 27.5 per cent is in public hands.
MUL is a company which is constantly reinventing itself in a sector that is on
the move. In the course of the following sections, we shall discuss markets,
operations and financials of Maruti during 2004-05, and analyze the rapid
external and internal transformations in its business. All data pertaining to
markets is based on figures released by Society of Indian Automobile
Manufacturers (SIAM).
33
INTRODUCTION
What is Consumer Buying Behavior?
Definition of Buying Behavior,
Buying Behavior is the decision processes and acts of people involved in
buying and using products.
Need to understand:
Why consumers make the purchases that they make?
What factors influence consumer purchases?
The changing factors in our society.
Consumer Buying Behavior refers to the buying behavior of the ultimate
consumer. A firm needs to analyze buying behavior for:
Buyers' reactions to a firms marketing strategy has a great impact on
the firm's success.
The marketing concept stresses that a firm should create a marketing
mix(MM) that satisfies (gives utility to) customers, therefore need to
analyze the what, where, when and how consumers buy.
Marketers can better predict how consumers will respond to
marketing strategies.
34
Stages of the Consumer Buying Process
Six Stages to the Consumer Buying Decision Process (For complex
decisions). Actual purchasing is only one stage of the process. Not all
decision processes lead to a purchase. All consumer decisions do not always
include all 6 stages, determined by the de2ree of complexity...discussed
next.
The 6 stages are :
1. Problem Recognition (awareness of need)--difference between the
desired state and the actual condition. Deficit in assortment of products.
Can be stimulated by the marketer through product information— i.e, see
a commercial for a new pair of shoes, stimulates your recognition that you
need a new pair of shoes.
2. Information search-
Internal search, memory.
External search if you need more information. Friends and relatives
(word of mouth). Marketer dominated sources; comparison shopping;
public sources etc.
A successful information search leaves a buyer with possible alternatives.
35
3. Evaluation of Alternatives you need to establish criteria for
evaluation features the buyer wants or does not want. Rank/weight
alternatives or resume search. May decide that you want to eat something
spicy. If not satisfied with your choices then return to the search phase.
Can you think of another alternative? Look in the yellow pages etc.
Information from different sources may be treated differently. Marketers
try to influence by "framing" alternatives.
4. Purchase decision-Choose buying alternative, includes product,
package, store, method of purchase etc. Purchase May differs from
decision, time lapse between 4 & 5, product availability.
5.Post-PurchaseEvaluation--Outcome Satisfaction or Dissatisfaction.
Cognitive Dissonance, have you made the right decision. This can be
reduced by warranties, after sales communication etc.
Types of Consumer Buying Behavior
Types of consumer buying behavior are determined by:
Level of Involvement in purchase decision. Importance and intensity
of interest in a product in a particular situation.
36
Buyer's level of involvement determines why he/she is motivated to
seek information about a certain products and brands but virtually
ignores others.
High involvement purchases--Honda Motorbike, high priced goods, products
visible to others, and the higher the risk the higher the involvement. Types
of risk:
Personal risk
Social risk
Economic risk
The four type of consumer buying behavior are:
Routine Response Programmed Behavior -- buying low involvement
frequently purchased low cost items; need very little search and
decision effort; purchased almost automatically. Examples include
soft drinks, snack foods, milk etc.
Limited Decision Making buying product occasionally. When you
need to obtain information about unfamiliar brand in a familiar
product category, perhaps. Requires a moderate amount of time for
information gathering. Examples include Clothes know product class
but not the brand.
37
Extensive Decision Making/Complex high involvement, unfamiliar,
expensive and/or infrequently bought products. High degree of
economic/performance/psychological risk. Examples include cars,
homes, computers, education. Spend a lot of time seeking information
and deciding. Information from the companies MM; friends and
relatives, store personnel etc. Go through all six stages of the buying
process.
Impulse buying, no conscious planning.
In order to produce successful ads, you must give people exactly what
they want. This article will teach you why people buy the things they
do so you can design your ads to fulfill these needs.
38
MODEL OF BUYING BEHAVIOR
MarketingStimuli
ProductPricePlacePromotion
Other Stimuli
EconomyPoliticalCultural Technological
Buyer’s CharacteristicCulturalSocialPersonalPsychological
Buyer’s decision process
Problems recognitionInformation searchEvaluation of alternativesPurchase decisionPost purchase decision
Rural development (rdse) [3 rdse under 1 sales executive]Product choice Brand choiceDealer choice Purchase timingsPurchase amount
39
STAGES OF CONSUMER BUYING PROCESS
CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOR
Problem recognition
Information search
Evaluation of alternatives Purchase
decisions
Post purchase behaviour
High involvement Low involvement
Complex buying behaviour
Variety-seeking buying behaviour
Dissonance-reducing buying behaviour
Habitual buying behaviour
Significant differences between brands
Few differences between brands
40
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
MARUTI 800
ECONOMY
Great technology enables the Maruti 800 to deliver great fuel efficiency. The
Maruti 800 has topped every fuel efficiency survey that has been conducted
in the past. The Maruti 800 has the lowest fuel cost per kilometer of any
petrol car in the country with a cost of Rs1.94 per kilometer.This confirms
the position of the Maruti 800 as the most fuel efficient petrol car in the
country and Maruti also launched their LPG model which is more economic
than others.
41
MARUTI OMNI
FOR THE FAMILY
This car position itself in the mind of consumer as a family car. The punch
line of the car is “total solution of the entire family”
Features are:
MPFI Engine
The multi-point fuel injected engine helps to lower emissions and achieve
greater fuel efficiency.
With 37 bhp @ 5000 rpm, you have greater pulling power. A torque of 6.32
kgm @ 3000 rpm ensures better climbing power and lesser gear changes. In
42
other words, less fatigue.
The MPFI engine also meets all the stringent Euro II emission norms
SPACE
Stretch out. Open up. Enjoy the luxury of space inside the Omni. The ample
headroom and legroom make long rides comfortable and enjoyable.
Reclining front seats with adjustable head restraints let you relax
completely. With its ample luggage space, the Omni is equipped for
anything. Pack in your family, your group of friends, your luggage, your
golfing gear, your picnic hamper…all can fit in snugly.
43
MARUTI ALTO
Features are:
MPFI ENGINE
Plenty of power, great mileage and low emission make the Alto the perfect
choice for Indian roads. The fuel efficiency of the Alto is better than any
other vehicles in its class.
The 16x4 hypertech MPFI engine delivers unadulterated power, begging for
fun. The 4-valves per cylinder MPFI engine mated with a 5-speed gearshift
and a 16-bit on-board computer allows the Alto to effectively combine
power with optimal fuel efficiency
RELIABILITY
Here's another first by ALTO, which has been setting records since its
introduction in India!
44
Alto becomes the first Indian car to undergo a 24 hours endurance test and
sets 13 national records in the process.
Wagon R
COMFORT
The smarter race knows exactly how to take the stress out of driving and
push driving comfort to the max. Full flat folding front seats and reclining
rear seats allow you to stretch yourself during long drives. This ensures that
you travel in maximum comfort as compared to cramped seating
arrangements in other cars.
The McPherson strut suspension in the front and coil springs at the rear
45
ensures a smooth comfortable drive. It's not just comfort; Wagon R also has
a 1061cc MPFI low friction engine
SPACE
Nothing cramps the style of the smarter race. That’s why it prefers the
Wagon R. Tall body, high seats and wide opening doors make it easy to
get in and get out. Seven cm taller than the Santro, the Wagon R offers
more headroom, amazing spaciousness and a commanding driving
position. The split rear seating arrangement along with fully reclining
front and the reclining rear seats gives a first classairline seating
comfort.
The Wagon R comes with an extra large boot space, which is possible
because of its unique design that maximizes space on a compact
platform. Caution, safety and protection are integral to a smarter mindset.
And the Wagon R is designed to satisfy every concern. Just check out the
battery of safety features:
Dual side-impact beams in the front and rear doors protect you from
lateral collisions.
A long crumple zone shields you in the unlikely event of a frontal
collision.
46
A Roll Control device in the front suspension imparts greater stability
and helps the Wagon R to negotiate sharp curves at high speeds. The 8
inch booster-assisted brakes equip you well to handle any emergency
High seating position gives you a bigger field of view, allowing you to
better anticipate traffic problems before they occur.
MARUTI VERSA
ONE GREAT DRIVE. TWICE THE SAFETY
The Versa is one of the safest cars on the road. It has safety features to
guard your loved ones from road disasters. Side impact absorbing beams
in all 4 doors protect the passengers from side crashes. Front impact
47
beams between the front pillars and the collapsible steering column
shield you from head on collisions.
A steel pipe frame in the rear seat safeguards your family from rear
impacts.ELR seat belts allow free movement, but hold you securely
during sudden stoppages. Height adjustable head restraints, brake
boosters and a collapsible steering column further ensure your safety.
When you step out of the house and into your Versa, rest assured
Sink in. Stretch out. Lie back. Indulge
Versa's the ideal car for long journeys. Now stretch your legs on those
long rides. All seats* have recliners. In SDX, the 2nd row bucket seats
can be slid forward or backward independently to suit the convenience of
the passengers.
The high seat position makes it easy to get in and out and gives superior
road visibility. The front row seats have thick insulation between seat and
the engine. Two layers of PUF and aluminium sheets act as a buffer,
protecting the driver from engine heat. The rear seat also has a steel pipe
frame for protection in the event of a rear impact.
* Except for the folding seat in 2nd row (DX, DX2) and last row seats.
48
MARUTI GYPSY
Gypsy Advantage
HILLS
Higher ground clearance of 210 mm to ensure better off-road
handling.
Diaphragm Spring Clutch designed to with stand higher rotational
speeds requiring less release load ,thereby reducing the wear of parts
49
SNOW
The Engine that’s high on thermal conductivity, and heats up quickly
even under extremely cold conditions. Thus, there are no starting
problems even in the midst of snow.
1300 cc petrol engine — lighter than a diesel engine, resulting in a
higher power to weight ratio. This ensures better control, more
power and greater responsiveness.
DESERT
The Engine avoids overheating because its high thermal conductivity
enables it to give off heat much faster
STREAMS
Maximum power of 80 bhp @ 6000 rpm makes for easier crossings.
4-Wheel drive for better control and more power at the wheel.
A higher power to weight ratio of 0.0812 ensures faster acceleration
through streams and muddy terrain.
DIRT TRACKS
50
DIRT TRACKS
Steering Damper ensures that shocks encountered from bumps and
potholes are not passed on to the steering wheel. Thus, any loss of
control owing to unexpected obstacles is avoided.
The Gypsy is a lighter vehicle weighing in at 1020 kg (hard top) and
985 kg (soft top). This is a major advantage on sandy or muddy tracts
— a heavier vehicle will get stuck but the Gypsy keeps
SWIFT
The time has come for a new kind of compact car, one that's based on a fresh
approach to design and development, delivers the kind of driver and
51
passenger experience that places it in a class of its own and has true
worldwide appeal.
The time has come for the Maruti Suzuki Swift. The Swift is more eye-
catching, more spacious, more refined, more user-friendly, and a whole lot
more enjoyable to drive than anything else in the compact-car category.
SWIFT DZIRE
Maruti Swift DZire
The new Swift DZire joined the Swift and SX4 in Suzuki's Indian lineup and
is intended to "redefine the market and stir excitement in the entry level
sedan segment". It's a good news for the consumers because Swift DZire,
which comes both in diesel and petrol engines, offers luxury feature options
52
including integrated stereo, steering mounted audio controls, automatic
climate control and power windows as well. Not only this but, it is also
equipped with latests safety features like Dual Airbags, ABS with EDB,
collapsible steering column and an i-CATS anti-theft facility. It's true to say
that many of these features are being offered for the first time in this
segment in contemporary car market in India.
Variants Petrol Diesel
LXI LDI
VXI VDI
ZXI ZDI
RANGE OF COLOURS
There is a wide range of colors for the customers. The newly Swift DZire is
offered in seven colours:
Arctic White
Silky Silver
Clear Beige
Midnight Black
Bright Red
Azure Gray
Sovereign Blue
Features
Launched as a replacement of the earlier mid size sedan Maruti Esteem, the
Swift DZire is sophisticated in look and features. There is a long list of
features of Swift DZire which includes:
53
INTERIORS
Steering Mounted Audio Controls:
Swift DZire is equipped with a classy dashboard integrated audio system
with remote control along with powerful speaker.
Automatic Climate Control (ACC):
Whenever you need to choose you temperature, just choose the temperature
you desire and the on-board computers is there to auto-adjust to the weather
outside, maintaining precise cabin temperature.
EXTERIORS
Makes Heads Turn with its desirable exteriors:
There is a chiseled shoulder line to complement muscular flared wheel
arches and sills.
Rich chrome styling for an imposing grille and an impressive rear is also
there now.
Stylish wraparound tail lamps fitted.
Powerful clear lens headlamps for superior night visibility is and additional
benefit for you.
Headlight leveling allows you perfect light beam adjustment while driving.
A high mounted stop lamp and a rear bumper-integrated fog lamp give clear
signals to following traffic, thus avoiding accidents.
Comfort & Convenience
Indulge your desire of complete comfort:
54
All around power windows for improved convenience to the drivers is there
now.
Sounds absorbing materials and vibration dampers for a smooth and
pleasurable drive.
Now, there is height adjustable drivers seat for personalized driving position.
A tilt adjustable steering column lets you to set it just right for your height,
so you enjoy a comfortable drive and enjoy the ride even for long distance.
Improved comfort in the back row for those who don't drive but enjoy the
ride.
Variants
MARUTI SX4
Maruti Suzuki SX4
Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.. is out with it's cutting edge new model, Maruti
Suzuki SX4, a joint venture made by two of automobile czars, Suzuki and
55
Maruti. The model closely follows the Swift platform, therefore, it is easily
available with exclusive features which makes it all the more desirable
among car connoisseurs. A mini SUV (sport utility vehicles) style, SX4 is
almost like a car in it's construction & comfort context.
The model is found in two- and four- wheel drive. With two variants, the
model is all set to conquer the Indian auto biz market. These are commonly
referred as the "Urban Line" & the "Outdoor Line", where the latter is more
like an SUV in appearance compared to the first one. The car is expected to
have 1590cc petrol engine making it capable enough to deliver a power of
94bhp and a torque of 13.4kgm.
OTHER FEATURES
Maruti Suzuki SX4 is assorted with elegant features which makes the model
worth possessing. These are :
ABS
EBD
Dual SRS airbags
Front and rear side doors having impact beams
Seat belt pre-tensioners
Force limiters
Car immobilizer
Anti theft device
Switchable three-mode 4x4 system for :
2WD
4WD Auto mode
4WD Lock mode
56
Colors
Colors for Maruti Suzuki SX4 are quite unique & contemporary in nature
GRAND VITARA
Grand vitara is anew segment entered by maruti. Initially they are just in
traditional cars business Grand vitara is a SUV (sports utility vehicle) with a
powerful engine of 2600 cc. It is fitted with a MPFI diesel engine. It delivers
4x4 drive.
Price charged for grand vitara is between 13.5 lakh to 16 lakh. It is of
premium segment.
57
MARUTI RITZ
Maruti Ritz ReviewMaruti Ritz is the perhaps the most awaited and hyped car from Maruti
Suzuki. The car is positioned in the premium A2 market segment, which
includes its compact offering such as Alto, WagnoR, Swift, Zen and the
newly-launched A-Star. Hundai has already launched their i10 model in the
Indian market. Now, it’s the turn of market leaders maruti Suzuki to
respond with a brand new vehicle for the Indian market. Engineers from
Maruti Suzuki worked at close quarters with their Japanese counterparts in
the development of the Ritz, much like that for the A-Star.MUL seems to be
58
going the complete distance to insure that the Ritz manages to make an
impact on the cut-throat A-2 hatchback space. How far the new Ritz
manages to complete with its counterparts is yet to be seen in the time to
come.
Ritz launched in the Indian markets on 15th May,2009, the Ritz Maruti is one
of the first BS-IV complaint cars of India. Priced at Rs 4 Lakh to Rs.5 Lakh,
the Ritz Maruti has a sporty new look with cool spacy interiors. It's true to
say segment in contemporary car market in India.that many of these features
are being offered for the first time in this segment in contemporary car
market in India.
Mruti Ritz LXi
Mruti Ritz VXi
Mruti Ritz VXi ABS
Mruti Ritz ZXi
Mruti Ritz VDi
Mruti Ritz LDi
Mruti Ritz VDi ABS
Features
Alloy wheels59
Engine immobilizer(iCATS)
Steering-mounted audio controls
Front seat under tray
60:40 rear split seats
Driver seat / Steering wheel / Seatbelt height adjustor
MARKETS
DOMESTIC
Maruti primarily operates in the passenger vehicles market with an
emphasis on passenger cars. During 2004-05, the Indian passenger vehicles
market finally attained critical mass with sales volume of 900,752 units —
a 27.4 per cent increase from 707,198 units sold in 2003-04.
The passenger vehicle market is divided broadly into the following three
categories:
1. Passenger cars
2. Multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) and 3. Utility vehicles (UVs)
Within these categories, MUL’s presence in order of prominence and in
volume term is in passenger cars, MPVs or the C segment and UVs or the B 60
segment. Chart B gives the relative share of each segment in Maruti’s
passenger vehicles sales, where passenger car sales have been broken up
according to the SIAM based classification (A1-A6).
PASSENGERS CAR
In volume terms, passenger car sales accounted for over 77 per cent of the
Indian passenger vehicles market and grew by 28.6 per cent from 541,491
units in 2003-04 to 696,207 units in 2004-05. Maruti continues to be the
market leader. During 2004-05, not only did Maruti grow due to the overall
market growth, but also managed to overcome intense competition and gain
market share — which increased from 50.8 per cent in 2003-04 to 51.4 per
cent in 2004-05.
The Indian car market is classified into six categories based on the
vehicle length
1: Mini — up to 3,400 mm.
A2: Compac — from 3,401 mm to 4, 000 mm.
A3: Mid-size — from 4,001 mm to 4,500 mm.
A4: Executive — 4,501 mm to 4,700 mm.
A5: Premium — from 4,701 to 5,000 mm.
61
A6: Luxury — 5,001 mm and above. MUL has presence in three of these cate-
gories namely A1, A2 and A3. Chart C plots MUL’s sales volumes in these three
categories for 2004-05 and 2003-04.
A1 CATEGORY: With its Maruti 800, your company is the only player in
this category. Sales volumes increased by 16.9 per cent during 2004-05.
Growth in this economy segment comes mainly from first-time buyers,
and consumers buying their second car. Penetrating this market requires
greater reach in distribution, and MUL is undertaking many efforts in this
direction.
A2 CATEGORY: Maruti has three models in this category — Zen, Alto
and Wagon R. This is the segment where the company faced stiff competition
in the last few years, and had lost some ground due to delays in launching
new models. Things have fundamentally changed in 2004-05. Through a
well-crafted strategy, Maruti consolidated its leadership position in the A2
category. While the category grew by 23.4 per cent in 2004-05, MUL’s sales
volume grew by 46 per cent. Consequently, the company’s market share has
increased from 40.3 per cent in 2003-04 to 47.7 per cent in 2004-05.
We believe that given India’s income distribution and low levels of car
penetration, the A1 and A2 segments will continue to register strong growth
62
as the population increases its levels of motorization. Today, India is the
second largest two-wheeler market in world with sales of around 5 million
two wheelers during 2004-05. The existing stock of two wheelers on India’s
roads is over 50 million. With cheaper credit facilities, many users of two-
wheelers, especially in the higher end segment, should shift to cars in the A1
category. MUL is the dominant company in India, which has the models to
tap this huge growth opportunity. To penetrate deeper into the Indian market,
MUL has tied up with the State Bank of India (SBI) to finance cars. SBI has
the widest branch network in India, and we expect to reach parts of the rural
markets hitherto uncovered by retail finance availability.
Apart from strengthening the distribution network, key initiatives that
drove this growth during 2004-05 include:
Strengthening the brand image of the three models through
advertisements and sales promotional initiatives.
Repositioning Alto in a niche space between A1 and A2 cars. Aggressive
pricing of the Alto was supplemented by a strong ad campaign that targeted
the younger generation. These factors played a role in boosting the volume
of Alto sales by over 125 per cent.
New variant of the Zen was launched in the latter half of 2003,
which rejuvenated the brand in the market. There were also
63
significant changes in the Wagon R, which contributed to a
volume growth of 59 per cent.
A3 CATEGORY: This is a highly fragmented category with several
models, and no single player has major leadership position. MUL’s two
models —Swift Desire& SX4— have a combined market share of a little over
10 per cent. Maruti lost some market share as its volume sales grew by
around 30 per cent, against the overall category’s growth of 50.8 per cent. In
the last quarter of 2004-05, to increase market penetration, MUL revised the
prices of SX4 downwards and launched a new version — the SX4Lxi. We
have already started witnessing results from this initiative.
MULTI-PURPOSE VEHICLES (MPVS)
64
In this segment, Maruti’s models include the Omni and the Versa. Here,
Maruti is the dominant player with nearly 100% market share. In 2004-05,
the company’s sales volumes grew by 14.7 per cent.
During the latter half of the year, Maruti launched an economy model of
the Versa. A new Omni variant, which runs on LPG was launched to tap
newer cargo markets.
Passenger Cars + MPV Market
Passenger cars and MPVs are generally analyzed as a comprehensive
segment. Maruti marginally increased its share in this segment with about
55.2 per cent in volume terms during 2004-05. Segment with a market
share of only 2.5 per cent. The primary model in this segment is the
Gypsy. During April 2003, the company
Launched its state-of-the-art sports utility vehicle (SUV) — the Grand
Vitara.
Customer Orientation
The growth in sales volumes is a consequence of Maruti’s continuous
stress on customer focus. Regular interface and feedback from customers
is integral to the company’s planning process. A tribute to its efforts at
65
improving customer satisfaction is the top ranking given to the Wagon R
in the premium compact segment, and Esteem in the entry midsize
segment, by JD Power’s survey on IQS. Table 1 gives a snapshot of five
top reasons why people buy Maruti cars as per the JD Power survey.
It is important to note that the rating, which was between 10 and 20 per cent
in 2000, has increased to above 50 per cent in 2003. Another interesting
point is that while Maruti’s
66
UTILITY VEHICLES (UVS)
Diesel vehicles dominate this segment with a share of around 95 per
cent. This is mainly because vehicles in this segment are by nature
heavy and diesel has a policy determined price advantage over petrol.
Since Maruti does not have a diesel vehicle today, it remains a small
player in the MUV economy factor was the most important reason for
purchase in 2000, the company’s reputation has become the leading factor
determining the customer’s purchase decision in 2003. Thus, Maruti has
managed to build a strong brand image in the last four years. MUL’s
technological capabilities are getting greater recognition as in 2003:
“good technology” became one of the five leading reasons cited by
customers for buying a Maruti car.
Dealership and Service Network
This high level of customer satisfaction and award of number 1 position in
customer satisfaction by world renowned J D Power survey for four times in
a row can be translated into sales only through a strong dealer network,
which actively reaches out to potential customers. The company has extended
its dealership network to 280 sales outlets, spread over 182 cities, and has a
service network of more than 1900 workshops spread across 1000 cities. The 67
confidence of the dealer community in Maruti is spelled out by the fact that
28 existing dealers made large investments and opened new showrooms. On
the same lines, 59 new workshops were opened by 51 existing dealers.
The automobile industry has two levels of customers — the dealer and the
buyer. It is imperative to have a robust dealer network to push sales to the
final customer. Therefore, MUL treats its dealers as its first level of
customers. In the last three years, Maruti has worked hard to revitalize and
strengthen its dealership network.
Apart from having a good product, the key factor in developing a good dealer
network is to assure profits for the dealers. Maruti believes that selling a car
is only the beginning of a long-term relationship with the car buyer. During
the course of a car’s life, there are many services and products which can be
offered to the customer like finance, accessories, insurance, service, spare
parts and finally trade-in resale opportunities.
MUL offers its customers a suite of products through its authorized dealers,
which meets all the requirements during the life cycle of a car. This not only
meets a much larger basket of customer needs but also provides dealers with
the opportunity to generate greater profits. Other services that have been
launched under new business initiatives of Maruti include Maruti Finance (a
consortium of finance companies), Maruti Insurance and the pre owned cars
68
business under the True Value brand name. In all these businesses, Maruti
plays the role of an aggregator and brand manager. None of the risks related
to these businesses are booked in the books of MUL.
Most dealers have understood the importance and profitability of this new
business model and their strong motivation has resulted in record top-line
growth for 2004-05.
A key initiative to promote best practices on the dealer front has been the
practice of the balanced scorecard to evaluate dealers. Those dealers who
achieve or exceed a certain score are financially rewarded for their efforts.
The company acknowledges that superior customers experience is only
possible if the dealers’ employees are adequately trained. To achieve this,
training is undertaken in all areas of dealership operations.
We are proud to state that Maruti’s dealer’s technicians were ranked the best
among Suzuki distributors in South-East Asia; and now, an Indian team will
participate in the International Technical Skill Competition in Japan.
69
EXPORTS
2004-05 was also a landmark year for Maruti in terms of exports. The FOB
value of exports grew by 51.7 per cent from Rs.6,204 million in 200203 to
Rs.9,410 million in 2004-05 — which is the highest ever in Maruti’s 17
years’ export history. It is also the first year in which the company exported
over 50,000 vehicles. It exported 51,175 units. Maruti’s export growth has
been driven primarily by 56.8 per cent increase in exports of Maruti 800, and
60.5 per cent growth in exports of A2 category cars. Within the A2 category the
YG4 (Alto) was a huge success in the European market, where 34,399 Suzuki
Altos were sold during 2004-05. The M-800 and the Zen were very well
accepted in Algeria. We also achieved substantial growth in our exports to
Algeria, Belgium, Bhutan, Chile, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Nepal, Sri
Lanka and UK. Maruti entered the Gulf market (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and
Qatar) for the first time with the new Alto GCC specifications, specially
designed for this region.
O P E R AT I O N S
Your company remains steadfast in its quest for achieving higher operational
efficiencies. This includes efforts at reducing costs, increasing productivity
and maintaining delivery schedules.
70
An example of Maruti’s strength in operations is its capability to roll out two
vehicles every minute from its shop floor. It is on the foundation of such
strong operations that MUL offers its customers a suite of 10 models in over
50 variants.
In times of unfavorable market conditions, our operational efficiencies have
helped us remain competitive. Today, as markets have turned upbeat, we
have leveraged this strength to seize opportunities and ensure that profits
outpace top-line growth.
PRODUCTION
Spread over 297 acres, Maruti has three fully integrated production facilities
with a combined capability of 500,000 units per annum. Chart D shows the
category-wise production of vehicles in 2003-04 and 2004-05. Production
increased across all categories of passenger cars — the A1 category grew by
20.4 per cent, A2 grew by 47.7 per cent and A3 grew by 33.8 per cent. Total
vehicle production increased by 31.4 per cent from 359,960 units in 2003-
04 to 472,908 units in 2004-05.
Two years ago, in the backdrop of fierce competition, your company had
initiated a program called ‘Challenge 50 — go fast, high quality’ across its
production facilities.
71
The principal philosophy behind this program is to raise our productivity
levels by 50 per cent in three years through Kaizen and continuous
performance benchmarking. 2004-05 is the last year of this program. As
shown in Chart E, this program has already yielded impressive operational
gains for the company. A critical parameter that measures efficiency of
production systems in the automobile industry is man-hours spent in
producing one vehicle. This has improved by around 54 per cent in the last
three years. In addition, there has been a considerable reduction in inventory
holding period, which dropped from 30 days in 2003-04 to 19 days in 2004-
05.
SUPPLIER MANAGEMENT
In an industry like automobiles, where large part of its components are
outsourced, vendor management becomes a critical operation. This has
always been a key focus area for your company. When MUL started its
operations in India, auto-component suppliers were almost non-existent.
Thus, one of the immediate goals was to develop and establish a competent
vendor base. This involved providing capital, transplanting technology, and
developing production processes for suppliers.
72
Today, this situation has changed. The Indian auto-component industry is
increasingly finding global recognition for its production capabilities and
low costs. This has considerably eased pressure on the vendor development
front. Nevertheless, given the severe competitive pressures over the last few
years, vendor management has become critical to the business. Some of the
operational issues in this regard are discussed below.
220 at the end of 2004-05. This has helped us enhance supply chain efficiencies
by lowering the time and costs involved in dealing with more vendors. It has also
provided our vendors with the requisite volumes to realise economies of scale.
Going forward, we plan to have technically and financially capable set of vendors,
whose standards match up to those of Maruti.
improving quality and productivity of the vendors is a priority area for Maruti.
While the average standards have improved significantly over the years, there
is still high variability. Hence, improvement in this area is of considerable
importance to MUL.
our company has been encouraging vendors to develop their own technology and
R&D capability. In the long run, Maruti expects its vendors to initiate and
develop specialised components on their own, while it focuses energies on its
core competency of making better cars.
73
R&D AND TECHNOLOGY
R&D activities of Maruti have the twin objectives of reducing product
costs by developing capabilities of local vendors and becoming a regional
R&D hub for all Suzuki operations. The company has adopted a ‘focused
model cost reduction’ technique.
Maruti has been continuously engaging in Value Analysis/Value
Engineering (VA/VE) activities across its operations. This initiative has
gathered greater momentum this year with the introduction of ‘Junkai’ (or
‘Focus’) visits by our engineers to our vendors’ production facilities. Junkai
visits facilitate development of fresh VA/VE ideas for cost reduction and
also reduce the cycle time for idea evaluation.
In addition, Maruti has started conducting cost workshops with vendors
supplying high cost parts. In these workshops, current cost structures of
vendors are analyzed in detail and specific cost reduction targets suggested.
To help vendors achieve these targets, a team of engineers from Maruti and
Suzuki visit their production facilities and develop an action plan to meet
these targets. The assistance of vendors’ collaborators, wherever applicable,
is taken to accelerate implementation.
74
The action plan often includes VA ideas, localization of inner parts, and
reduction in cost of bought-out parts, yield improvement and process cost
reductions. In the year under review, 33 such visits were made.
In its early days, the Maruti R&D centre was primarily involved in providing
technical assistance to local component manufacturers. Over the years, this
centre has developed capabilities for face lifts and body changes of current
models. These include styling, clay modeling, computer aided design,
prototype making and its evaluation, and stamps / dies designing. All
modifications done on the new Zen model introduced by the company in
200304 were carried out in-house by the R&D team. The dies for the new
body panels were developed in- house die-shop for the first time. All the
changes required in the existing production facilities were also developed in
house, resulting in significant reduction in the investment required for these
modifications.
QUALITY
Maruti has raised the bar for quality checks by adopting the ‘Global Customer
Audit (GCA)’ mechanism. The GCA methodology places a great deal of
emphasis on delivering products which meet the quality requirements of
our customers. In this process, a select number of cars are picked at random
everyday and taken through rigorous tests.75
This includes examining the vehicle in ‘static condition’ and then in
‘dynamic condition’ by test driving it under varied road conditions to check
all functional parts. The total cycle time for GCA is 95 minutes per vehicle.
Based on the GCA feedback, requisite remedial measures are undertaken to
ensure that defects are not carried in vehicles which are under production.
In the year under review, MUL introduced the concept of ‘Quality Gates’
across its manufacturing processes. These ‘Quality Gates’ have been
positioned at 110 key locations throughout the manufacturing process, and
provide real-time feedback for continuous process improvement by
following the concept of “plan-do-check-act”.
MUL’s press shop and related functions received the TS 16949 quality
certification in 2004-05. While we are proud of this achievement, we
believe it is imperative that these high quality standards be shared by our
vendors too. To this end, MUL is actively involved in assisting its suppliers
to improve their quality practices to TS 16949.
We are pleased to report that our initiatives on the quality front have
yielded gains:
MUL was ranked No. 1 in the prestigious JD Power Customer Satisfaction
Survey, 2003. This No.1 rank is for fourth time in a row — which is a world
record for any automobile leader in a country.
76
In 2003, Maruti models topped ‘Initial Quality Study’ conducted in India
by JD Power Asia Pacific. In the highly competitive A2 segment, Wagon R
was rated best in overall quality rating, followed by the Zen; while in A3
segment, Esteem achieved top ranking in 2003.
In 2004-05, NFO, an international survey agency, ranked Maruti WagonR as
no.1 in the ‘Total Customer Satisfaction’ for Premium Compact segment.
HUMAN RESOURCES
Maruti’s most valuable asset has always been, and will continue to be, its
people.
The successes and accomplishments of the company over the years have been
entirely due to the motivation, dedication and commitment of its
employees.
It has been a constant endeavor of the management to share with its
workforce the opportunities and challenges faced in its business
operations.
This initiative was given a major thrust with organizing a training program
for the union working committee members so that the message reached the
workmen. Through this training program, management shared its perception
of the company’s future and familiarized the union members with the 77
competitive pressures faced by the company. Subsequently, a one-day
training program, ‘Sankalp’, was launched to cover 100% of our workmen on
the global business trends and the ever-increasing competition. The
objective was to highlight the need for a change in mindset and approach to
business. The Sankalp series will continue through the year to cover the
entire workmen population.
Encompasses a flexible perquisite basket based compensation package.
Going forward, we believe that this agreement would provide us the
confidence and strength to keep our costs competitive and bring in greater
operational resilience.
Developing human resource capabilities across all levels and functional areas
is integral to the company’s human resource philosophy. As a part of this,
Maruti Udyog sends its workers, supervisors and engineers to Suzuki
factories in Japan for on-the-job training programs. Varying from one month
to two years, these programs are not only aimed at enhancing technical skills
but also inculcating the Japanese way of working and facilitating cross-
cultural exchange. Management training programs focusing on leadership
and change management were organized by the Company for all
departmental heads.
78
Apart from this the Company also has a well-structured, one yearlong
training-cum-orientation program for new campus recruits.
In light of mounting competitive pressures, a priority area for Maruti is to
rationalize and redesign its manpower needs to transform itself into a lean
and competitive organization. To this end, Maruti offered a Voluntary
Retirement Scheme (VRS) to its employees in the year under review. This
offer was accepted by 1,251 employees, and followed an earlier VRS offer
made in 2001-02, which was accepted by 1,050 employees.
As on 31 March 2004, Maruti Udyog has 3,334 employees. Industrial
relations remained cordial throughout the year and not a single day’s work
was lost due to strikes or disputes. During 2004-05, a five year wage
settlement agreement was signed by MUL with its workers’ union. Apart
from bringing in the concept of cost to company in the remuneration
scheme for workers, this agreement.
79
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Since its inception 20 years ago, Maruti Udyog has made concerted efforts to
leverage innovative and cutting-edge Information Technology (IT) tools to
enhance operational efficiencies. The IT initiative of the company started in
1983 with the implementation of a booking system for its vehicles. With
growing business complexities, IT tools have now found use across all areas of
operation including marketing and sales, finance, plant and production
management, raw material and spare parts management.
As mentioned earlier Maruti has the widest network of dealer comprises
dealership showrooms, workshops and authorized service stations spread
across the country. Currently transactions with these dealers are through a
centralized ‘extranet’, which allows dealers to log in and transact business in
an online mode. While this system has proved to be effective, to further
enhance operational efficiencies, the company is in the process of launching a
first-of-its-kind Dealer Management System (DMS).
This system — implemented in Application Service Providing (ASP) mode
— will provide real-time information on all transactions between dealers and
the company. It would bring in ‘downstream-visibility’ into the distribution
network, and standardize service delivery at customer touch points. 80
The system is presently undergoing pilot-testing, and is expected to be
operational by November 2004.
Maruti has also introduced a Vehicle Tracking System (VTS) at two of its
plants. This acts as an interface between business and shop-floor systems. It
enhances shop-floor efficiencies by providing accurate and timely
instructions to the shop-floor, along with a feedback to the business systems.
Going forward, this infrastructure should provide additional strategic
capability of introducing more products and variants on the same production
facilities. VTS along with existing Quality Gate System has considerably
enhanced our quality control systems and has given us an important
competitive advantage in today’s scenario.
One of the key initiatives on the operations front has been the introduction of
E-Nagare— a system for material scheduling and ordering. This is one of the
best practices inherited from Suzuki, and has significantly smoothened our
Just-In-Time (JIT) operations on the shop-floor.
MUL has also taken up e-sourcing as one of the key focus areas for cost
reduction and improved procurement. The company has successfully used this
to significantly reduce costs of procurement, while bringing in greater
transparency into the system.
81
Going forward, MUL intends to increase procurement through e-sourcing, and
is in the process of deploying a software solution which is integrated with
MUL’s internal applications.
Knowledge management is another area of focus for MUL. To this end, an
intranet portal using Microsoft Share point software — one of the first six free
sites of this product developed by Microsoft before its launch worldwide —
has been established, and is finding increasing popularity among employees
across all levels and functional areas .
82
Part-2
The study of micro research profile
83
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT
The objectives are.
1. To find the mode of purchase by the customers.
2. To find the brand status, brand loyalty in the mind of customer for
Maruti.
3. To find the various sources of information about cars from primary
data through customers.
4. To find and analyses the various parameters of buying decision of
customers.
5. To find the Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threats of the
company.
84
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Marketing Research is the backbone of marketing. The objective of my
research is to Determine Customer Profiling & Purchase Parameters.
The nature of my research is exploratory research. It’s goals to shed light on
the real nature of the problem and to suggest possible selection and its
involves number of steps.
I. Define the Problem & Research Objective:
Management must define a problem in broader way. Because it is said
that defining the problem is half solved and the objective of my
research is to study the consumer perception about MARUTI CARS
over in Indian consumer durable industry.
II. Develop the Research Plan
The second stage of marketing research calls for developing the most
efficient plan for gathering the needed information.
Designing the research plan calls for decision on the data sources,
Research Approaches, Research Instrumental, Sampling Plans &
Contact Methods.
85
(a) Data Sources
I have collected my research data from secondary as well as
primary sources from random sampling survey.
Primary Data
Mostly in marketing research involves some primary data
collection by the questionnaire
Sample Size : 100
Sample Area : Gorakhpur
Secondary Data
Magazines, Catalogue, Newspapers, Product Profile & Internet.
(b) Research approaches
Primary data can be collected into five ways – observations, focus
groups, survey, behavioral data & experiments and here I have
used survey research.
TARGET MARKET
86
The target market of our study was mainly concentrated to the recent car
buyer's and the survey was conducted at the point of purchase.
METHODOLOGY
The tool used for this research is questionnaire, administered and filled by
interviewees. The questionnaire was typed and presented to respondents in
an arranged manner. In this process the personal interview came very handy
in explaining the respondents the exact list of questions or if they face any
problem while answering the questionnaire or in clarifying any confusion
they had. Personal interviews provided flexibility in the sense that the
researcher was able to provide further clarification or explanation whenever
required.
Following facts were kept in mind while preparation the questionnaire:
1. The questionnaire is in an easy language
2. Maximum questions are of multiple choice questions and there can be
more than one answer for most of them
3. The comments and suggestions were open-ended questions so that the
respondent could elaborate upon his thoughts
4. The size of the questionnaire is not too long. This is to make the job
87
feasible both for the respondents and researcher
THE RESEARCH
Aim: The aim of the research was to study the factors which a customer
perceives in a car and the sources as well as the knowledge which the
consumer employs in gathering information for the product he is planning to
purchase.
Universe: The universe means the set of objects or population among which
the research is to be conducted. The universes of this task constitute all the
people who have recently purchased their cars.
Sampling design: The sample design adopted was convenient sampling.
ANALYSIS
Analysis has been divided into 2 parts:
1. A detailed analysis has been done for Maruti cars on the basis
of questioner.
88
2. A SWOT analysis for the company has been done.
89
1. A detailed analysis has been done for Maruti cars on the basis of
questioner.
TO FIND OUT MODE OF PURCHASE.
QUESTIONS:
1.Which car have you purchased?
2. What was the purchase mode?
a) Cash
b) Finance, which company
ICICI SBI
HDFC PNB
M&M FSL ANY OTHER __________
Model wise division of the cars purchased
Cars
purchasedMaruti800 Omni Zen Alto WagonR Versa SX4 Vitara
In % 25 6 16 36 11 2 3 1
90
INTERPRETATION
The above figure shows that the ALTO model of Maruti commands a good
share in the market, followed by WagonR and hot selling Zen. ALTO&
Maruti 800 is the undisputed leaders of the roads of Gorakhpur.
Alto model has the largest share in the export category, and is marketed in
Europe. Versa's sale has got to pick up because costumers have an unclear
picture in their mind regarding the car being high priced which is actually a
myth.
91
The mode of purchase of the vehicle
Mode of
PurchaseCash ICICI SBI HDFC PNB M&MFSL
In % 16 36 12 19 8 9
INTERPRETATION
As can be seen in the figure above the availability of easy loan has attracted
the consumers to much so that the out of the cars purchased only 16 % of the
vehicles are paid for in cash. With the mushrooming of finance companies
the rate of interests has been continuously reducing.92
The two rivals in car financing are ICICI and SBI bank with ICICI leading
the race due of more and wider presence.
Easy availability of finance have up surged the demand for higher segment
cars with more and more people who have the capability of paying cash
opting for finance due to hassle free approvals and lowest interest rates
.
TO FIND THE BRAND STATUS IN THE MIND OF
CUSTOMER.
QUESTIONS:
1. Which are the three brand (companies) that come to your mind when
you think of a car?
__________________
__________________
__________________
2. Which two TV car commercials (Ads) can you recall right now?
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
93
The brand-recalling test showing the brand that has the picture in consumer's
mind
Brand Recalling Maruti Hyundai Tata Honda Fiat Ford
In % 97 66 40 20 19 12
INTERPRETATION
As seen in the figure above somewhere down the line people do recall
Maruti when they are asked to name a brand that comes to their mind at the
first instance. Followed by Maruti is a close competitor Hyundai which
relies on aggressive marketing tools, followed by the good old Tata which
their flagship Indica.
94
It can be seen that the more the people recall the brand the more likely are
the chances of good sales turnover
The advertisements that strike
Maruti
Advertisement WagonR Versa Alto Maruti800 service Zen Hyundai
In % 3 8 12 11 4 4 58
INTERPRETATION
As said earlier in the above brand recalling analysis Hyundai commands a
ADVERTISEMENT RECALLED
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
WagonR Versa Alto Maruti800 Maruti service Zen Hyundai
95
higher recalling power when it comes to Media advertisements because of its
high advertisement budget.
Also the hot favorite in Maruti ads is the Bachaan father and son ad with the
highest recalling in Maruti brand of cars.
TO FIND VARIOUS SOURCES OFINFORMATION ABOUT CAR.
QUESTION:
What were the sources of information when you purchase the car?
Sports channels
Star sports ESPN
Ten sports
Any other ____________________
News channels
Aaj Tak
Zee news
Star News
Any other __________________
Entertainment channels
Star
Zee
96
Any other ____________________
News papers
Times of India Hindustan Times
Economic Times Amar Ujala
Bainik Bhaskar Navbharat Times
Any other _____________________
Magazines
Business World Overdrive
India Today Outlook
Auto car India Business Today
Any other _________________________
Entertainment STAR SPORT ESPN TEN SPORTS
IN % 45 24 31
97
Entertainment STAR Zee SONY
In % 54 24 15
98
INTERPRETATION
Summarizing the above figures we can say that the people watch Star Sports
the most followed by ESPN and Ten sports therefore we can say that it
would be better for Maruti to advertise on Star rather than Ten sports. But
one has to look at the target audience and then make a feasible decision; it is
possible that a media is good for a certain class of target audience.
Likewise Star has a much wider coverage
than other entertainment channels followed by Zee and Sony India.
Newspapers read TOIAMAR
UJALA
RAS-
SHARADAINIK
ECONOMIC
S TIMES
In % 18 12 23 40 7
99
Print media is perhaps the most effective and the most widely circulated
media and a good medium for advertising but one has to be sure about its
target audience and then resort to division of the same into different
segments. Such as people reading English newsprints or Hindi or for that
matter any other language but it is important that to make the ad effective it
should be positioned right. DAINIK JAGARAN is the most widely
circulated as well as read newspaper in and around Gorakhpur, followed by
Rastriya sahara.
Auto Business
Magazines read India Outlook Overdrive WorldIndia
Today
In % 14 9 4 8 34
100
INTERPRETATION
Similarly the magazine India Today is quite a source of good information for
the elite class.
There is a saying that "Advertising is a social waste" but it is advertising that
makes the customer aware and the right kind of expenditure is definitely a
necessity in today's competitive environment.
TO FIND THE VARIOUS PARAMETER OF
BUYING DECISION.
QUESTION:
You choose this brand because :
Please rank in order of importance (1 being most important)
Price [ ]
Schemes [ ]
101
Mileage [ ]
Resale value [ ]
Looks [ ]
After sales services [ ]
Reference [ ]
Advertisement [ ]
Features [ ]
Brand image [ ]
Repeat purchase [ ]
Now the most important question that comes to the consumers mind when
he plans to purchase a car of at the time of purchasing the car. Whether he
wants economy or style,discount or resale, features or services, of all in the
same package.
For this we asked the customers to rank the factor which lured him to
purchase the car, the following parameters were taken:
Price
Discount
Mileage
Resale
Looks
102
After sale service
References
Advertising Features
Brand image Repeat purchase
The interviewees were asked to rank the top 6 factors which helped him to
choose the brand he has chosen.
For this we have done a model based study wherein we have taken those
models which have a sampl For the ease of understanding we took ranking
in percentage form, also because of unequal sample sizes it became
necessary to take figures in percentages so that the study is not biased.
STEPS of computation of ranks:
1. Calculating how many people gave what ranks to the factors which were
taken under consideration and summing them up.
Maruti800 sample size=33
Resale After Adver- Brand Repeat
Ranks Price Discoun Mileag value Looks sales Referenc tising Featur Image purchase
103
t e e es
1 21 1 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 5 1
2 3 4 11 5 3 3 2 0 1 1 0
3 3 1 7 5 8 5 1 1 1 1 0
4 0 0 2 3 8 10 0 1 1 8 0
5 0 2 3 4 3 3 4 1 4 6 3
6 0 3 2 2 2 4 4 2 8 5 1
In the figure above 21 people gave price as its first preference followed by 3
people each who gave 2nd and 3rd rank to price. Similarly for mileage 2
people had ranked it 1st and so on
2. Percentage representation of the same out of the sample size of 33
customers.
Resale AfterAdver
-Brand Repeat
Ranks PriceDiscoun
t
Mileag
evalue Looks Sales
Referenc
eTising Features Image purchase
1 0.64 0.03 0.06 0.06 0.03 0 0 0 0 0.15 0.03
104
2 0.09 0.12 0.33 0.15 0.09 0.09 0.06 0 0.03 0.030
-
3 0.09 0.03 0.21 0.15 0.24 0.15 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0
4 0 0 0.06 0.09 0.24 0.3 0 0.03 0.03 0.24 0
5 0 0.06 0.09 0.12 0.09 0.09 0.12 0.03 0.12 0.18 0.09
6 0 0.09 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.12 0.12 0.06 0.24 0.15 0.03
105
3. Taking weights for the ranks so that all the figures come on a common
platform
Ranks Weights
1 30%
2 25%
. 3 20%
4 12.50%
5 7.50%
6 5%
Rank 1st have been given a 30 percentage weigh because this is driving
factor i.e. it is the first and foremost thing that comes to a consumers mind
when he goes for a purchase, likewise rank 6th which is somewhere in the
mind of customers but doesn't make an impact on the purchase decision.
4. Multiplying the percentages found in step 2 with their respective ranks to
get a cumulative score.
Resale After Adver Brand Repeat
106
-
Ranks PriceDiscoun
t
Mileag
evalue Looks sales Reference tising Features Image
purchas
e
1 0.192 0.009 0.018 0.018 0.009 0 0 0 0 0.045 0.009
2 0.023 0.03 0.083 0.038 0.023 0.023 0.015 0 0.008 0.008 0
3 0.018 0.006 0.042 0.03 0.048 0.03 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 0
4 0 0 0.008 0.011 0.03 0.038 0 0.004 0.004 0.03 0
5 0 0.005 0.007 0.009 0.007 0.007 0.009 0.002 0.009 0.014 0.007
6 0 0.005 0.003 0.003 0.003 0.006 0.006 0.003 0.012 0.008 0.001
TOTA
L0.233 0.055 0.161 0.109 0.12 0.104 0.036 0.015 0.039 0.111 0.017
107
5. Graphical representation of the total scores
INTERPRETATION
The above figure clearly depicts that the customer base of Maruti 800 is
much more price cautious and mileage is the next best thing that they want.
But they do give importance to the looks, after sales service and resale value
of the car. These people are also inclined towards the brand image of Maruti
800.
That is probably the most important reason that 800 is called the bread and
butter car and still the highest selling car in its segment. Similarly we can do
it for the all segment
This analysis helps us knowing what customer want in the segment of the
108
car industry irrespective of the car, model, and company.
It can be attributed as follows:
Firstly looks are the most important thing that the consumers prefer.
Secondly they want the vehicle to deliver mileage.
Price, feature and brand image is the next check that the customer
employs while deciding for the best buy.
Resale value and after sales services are also an important
consideration.
Hence it is important to know what the customers want before introducing a
product.
109
FIND OUT STRENGTH, WEAKNESS,
OPPORTUNITY&THREAT OF MARUTI.
2. A SWOT analysis of the company.
SWOT analysis which would be helpful in determining what are its strength,
its weakness, the opportunities, and threats from its rivals. Here is a very
small SWOT analysis that has been made after listening to the customer's
perspective.
STRENGTH
1. Tried and tested.
2. Wider service network.
3. Easy availability of spares.
4. Low maintenance cost.
5. 16-Bit ECM as Compared to 8-Bit in other cars.
6. EPS as Compare to hydraulic.
WEAKNESSES
1. Outdated looks.
110
2. Advertising or promotional schemes.
3. Low ground clearance.
OPPORTUNITY
1. Japenese Technology.
2. True' Value.
3. Maruti insurance.
4. Wide sales and service network.
5. Offers many variants in segment B with price difference of 3.5/7
lack. Lower price car for every segment.
THREATS
1. Hyundai's aggressive marketing.
2. Hyundai's new offering Xing & i10 .
3. Other car companies have also started offering variants in almost
all the segment
4. Inadequate supply which means loss of customers.
111
FINDINGS
Maruti800 LPG is upgrade version of Maruti800 petrol it is a product
improvement in Indian market.
The cost of Maruti800 LPG is more then Maruti800 petrol after that
demand of Maruti800 LPG car is more then petrol Maruti800.
Maruti800 LPG has good pick up and speed in long drive.
Maruti800 petrol running fast in cities as well as in long drive.
The mileage of Maruti800 LPG more than Maruti800.
Maruti800 LPG is good for both personal and commercial purpose.
LPG is more economic then petrol, so the demand of Maruti800 LPG is
more.
112
CONCLUSION
In the above research I found that the demand for Maruti800 LPG car is
more than Petrol of maruti800.
The mileage of Maruti800 LPG car is more than Maruti800.
All the price of Maruti800 LPG is more than Petrol Maruti800; Inspite of
that LPG Car is more popular.
Maruti800 LPG car pickup is lees than Petrol Maruti800 but in the long
drive Maruti800 LPG can provide more speed than Maruti800 Petrol about
140 km. per hour.
Maruti800 Petrol car is easy to drive in the city because the pick-up of
petrol Maruti800 is to good.
In the above research I found that most of the customer of Maruti800 have
Maruti800 to be LPG Car.
113
RECOMMENDATIONS
Maruti should come out with cars that are attractive and appeals to the
masses.
The Maruti 800 with a 5 speed transmission was a very impressive car
in terms of economy as well as drive comfort, customers feel that the
800 model should again be launched with an overdrive 5th gear.
The ground clearance of the cars especially Zen should be increased.
The back seat divider should not be there due to uncomfortable sitting
position due to it.
Supply should meet demand of the car; this is due to long waiting
period in most of the air-conditioned models.
The boot space of the car can be increased, especially in the Zen.
Dealers should deliver the vehicle on the day it has been promised.
114
Frequency of advertisements should be increased.
A brand ambassador can create hype in the customers mind.
Maruti must focus on retaining its customers and the True Value is a
good step towards attaining it.
In the end one can say that a good marketing mix is all that is needed to sell
the Maruti vehicles because they are still the best on the Indian road and
definitely Maruti has got some advantages over its rival which are hard to
beat.
115
LIMITATIONS:
The sales person of Maruti Dealer have given a target of financing a
particular amount by the banks and the target of that loan should be
given within month and they have to fulfill that condition every
month to gain extra income for dealership.
Dealer provide some extra incentive to the sales person to fulfill the
target of financing which are given by banks to them ,this personal
profit is of 1% to 4% of the car loan financed by them to the
customers.
116
ANNEXURE
QUESTIONNAIRE
1. Which car have you purchased? _____________________
2. What was the purchase mode?
b) Cash
c) Finance, which company
ICICI SBI
HDFC M&MFSL
ANY OTHER __________
3. This is your:
d) First car, you had a two wheeler earlier
e) First car, but you never had a two wheeler earlier
f) Replacement car (if yes, please specify the previous car and the
model) ____________
g) Additional car
4. This car primarily would be driven by _____________________
117
5. You choose this brand because :
Please rank in order of importance (1 being most important)
Price [ ]
Schemes [ ]
Mileage [ ]
Resale value [ ]
Looks [ ]
After sales services [ ]
Reference [ ]
Advertisement [ ]
Features [ ]
Brand image [ ]
Repeat purchase [ ]
6. Which are the three brand (companies) that come to your mind when
you think of a car?
h) __________________
i) __________________
j) __________________
118
7. Which two TV car commercials (Ads) can you recall right now?
k) _______________________________________
l) _______________________________________
8. What were the sources of information when you purchase the car?
Sports channels
Star sports ESPN
Ten sports
Any other ____________________
News channels
Aaj Tak
Zee news
Star News
Any other __________________
Entertainment channels
Star
Zee
Any other ____________________
News papers
Times of India Hindustan Times
119
Economic Times Amar Ujala
Bainik Bhaskar Navbharat Times
Any other _____________________
Magazines
Business World Overdrive
India Today Outlook
Auto car India Business Today
Any other _________________________
9. Are there any suggestions that you want the company to implement?
Thank you for your kind cooperation
ame ___________________________________
Profession ___________________________________
Age ___________________________________
Contact No. ___________________________________
120
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Journals/Magazine :
Advisor of Finance
Top Gear
Top speed
Auto India
Over drive
Search Engine :
Google search engine
Yahoo search engine
121
Websites :
www.maruti.com
www.marutisuzukiindia.com
www.sebigovt.com
www.business-today.com
www.datamonitor.com
www.marutiudyog.com
www.carwale.com
www.thetimes.com
www.indiaautomobile.com
www.walkb4urun.blogspot.com
www.expressindia.com
www.voicendata.com
www.marutisuzuki.com
www.business-india.com
122
www.indiaearnings.com
www.answers.com
www.marutiautocard.com
www.marutidilse.com
www.marutidrivingschool.com
www.marutiinsurance.com
www.iexpressindia.com
www.indiainfoline.com
www.sonakoyo.com
www.vahini.co.in
www.autoexpo.com
www.thehindu.com
www.thehindubusiness.com
www.karamiri.com
www.tatamotors.com
123
WORDS OF THANKS
I take the opportunity to pay hearty regards to Mr.BRAMHAPAL SINGH
(Chairman),
Dr. U.C SHARMA (Director) ,Mr. ASHOK GUPTA (H.O.D MBA Dept)
and Lt.Col.V.K MENDHI (Executive Director)for lending me their kind
support for completion of my project.
I thank all those who directly or indirectly supported me morally, financially
and through providing knowledge by which I could complete my summer
training project.
Last but not the least I am thankful to the management of RKBK
Automobiles Ltd (Dealer of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd) & especially to my
guide Mr.RAJENDRA KUMAR TIWARI whose co-operation and guidance
was a milestone in completion of my project.
124
125
126
127
128
129
Recommended