Customer Journal • August 2012
Dhoni bats for
INT RODUCI N G
Ashok Leyland
Leyparts Shoppe - The one stop spare parts shop New state-of-the-art facility at Ennore, Chennai A network that makes sure we are never too far
A MaXposure Media Group Publication
Message from The Managing Director Ashok Leyland Alok Saraogi Samarth Airon MaXposure Media Group India Pvt. Ltd. Head Office: Unit No. F2B, Second Floor, MIRA Corporate Suites, Plot No. 1&2, Ishwar Nagar, Mathura Road, New Delhi - 110065 Tel: +91.11.43011111, Fax: +91.11.43011233 Publisher & COO Vikas Johari CEO & Managing Director Prakash Johari CFO Kuldip Singh Information info@maxposure.in
Milestones is the quarterly magazine of Ashok Leyland (AL). Milestones magazine is printed and published by Vikas Johari on behalf of MaXposure Media Group India Pvt. Ltd. (MMGIPL) for Ashok Leyland and published at MMGIPL, Unit No. F2B, Second Floor, MIRA Corporate Suites, Plot No. 1&2, Ishwar Nagar, Mathura Road, New Delhi - 110065, India. All rights reserved. The writing, artwork and/or photography contained herein may not be used or reproduced without the express written permission of MMGIPL and AL. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of MMGIPL or AL. All efforts have been made while compiling the content of this magazine, but we assume no responsibility for the effects arising there from. FOR INQUIRIES | MMGIPL Tel: +91.11.43011111, Fax: +91.11.43011233 www.maxposure.in
Dear Friends, It is indeed a pleasure to communicate with you once again through our latest issue of Milestones. 2011-12 was a very busy year for us and I am happy to state that we ended the financial year on a high note – we have set a new benchmark in highest overall sales volume ever. It was another splendid year for our International Operations with new peaks both in volumes and new markets entered. The several orders from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Ghana in Q1 of this financial year augur well for the year ahead. We have been able to effectively carry that momentum into the first quarter of 2012-13 and we couldn’t have done any of it without your unflinching support – thank you to each and every one of you. In a move without precedent, we signed on Mahendra Singh Dhoni as our Brand Ambassador to represent our company and to lead the charge as we foray into new segments and markets. Of course he is the captain of the Indian cricket team but more importantly he epitomises values that truly reflect our own beliefs and his coming on board will lend traction to many of our marketing initiatives. You will be happy to note that we have done some excellent work in building our network which now stands at 400+ service centres across the country. We now have one service centre every 75 kms on every major highway so we are never more than 4 hours from you at any given point. We are really going the extra mile to deliver on our ‘TatkaAL’ promise! With increased presence in airports in the form of our Tarmac coaches, easy availability of our Leyparts at strategically located ‘Leyparts Shoppes’ and new financial tie-ups to facilitate smooth financing of vehicles, we are gearing up to service you even better.
No.1, Sardar Patel Road, Guindy, Chennai - 600 032. Tel: +91-44-2220 6000 F: +91-44-2220 6001 www.ashokleyland.com; www.utruck.in
It is also my pleasure to welcome My Auto World, Antony Commercial Vehicles, Anil Motors, Bachhav Motors, Jagdish Motors, Kunal Automotives, Pagariya Auto, Visha Auto and Vinayaka Motors into our family as a new channel partner. It is going to be a challenging yet exciting future and together we will face it boldly and successfully.
Vinod K. Dasari Managing Director
CONTENTS
AUGUST 2012
ENDEAVOURS Tap in to the network
03
How our network has developed over the years
INNOVATE All Systems Go
06
Our tarmac business is taking wings
INSPIRE Crafting the Driver of the Future
15
For us, the welfare of the driver is as important as innovations and new vehicle concepts
FUEL DUEL Crowning the Super Driver
20
Drivers compete with each other to win the crown of the mileage king in a one-of-it’s kind challenge
FRIENDS OF LEYLAND Our partners - our strength
22
Meet Motilal Goel - an esteemed member of the Leyland family
INSIDER Updates from the world of Ashok Leyland
24
From financial results to tie-ups, all the news and happenings in our world
EVENTS & MORE Reaching out
28
From innovative driver meets to mega melas, we regularly reach out to our customers
AUTHENTIC Leyparts Shoppe brings genuine relief With the launch of the Leyparts Shoppe, procuring parts gets easier
30
10
LEAD STORY Dhoni bats for Leyland Mahendra Singh Dhoni - our first ever brand ambassador
Endeavours
Tap in to the network Our manufacturing facilities might be the heart of our business, but the soul is definitely our ever-growing dealer network. A look at how the network has developed over the years
JAMMU AND KASHMIR
text Ashish Sharma
HIMACHAL PRADESH
PUNJAB
UTTARAKHAND
HARYANA
ARUNACHAL PRADESH
DELHI SIKKIM
UTTAR PRADESH
RAJASTHAN
ASSAM NAGALAND BIHAR
MANIPUR TRIPURA
JHARKHAND
GUJARAT MADHYA PRADESH
MIZORAM WEST BENGAL
CHHATTISGARH ORISSA MAHARASHTRA
KARNATAKA
ANDHRA PRADESH
GOA
VEHICLE SALES & SERVICE
KERALA
TAMIL NADU
Dealer Network Authorised Service Center
www.ashokleyland.com
Endeavours
Bachhav Motors, Jalgaon, Maharashtra—a 3S facility on AH46 (left); Inauguration of Anthony Motors (right)
T
he landscape of our country is marked by long winding roads as they merge from modern highways and flyovers to narrow, unpaved suburban roads. Our vehicles traverse this vast expanse through tough conditions, bad weather, long hours and traffic jams, all so they can reach goods to their destinations on-time, everytime. Our understanding of this vast network has driven us to make sure this journey stays uninterrupted. The abiding principle of our Network Planning team is ‘To be there when and where our customer needs us’. It is this vision that keeps us all motivated as we go about our task of dotting the map of India with increased customer touch points – after all keeping vehicles on-road is vital to the profitability of our customers. 418 and still counting: India’s road network is over 43.2 lakh kms, the third largest in the world, of which national and state highways together measure close to 2 lakh kms. To cover this vast expanse, our sales and services network has seen a drastic ramp-
4 | August 2012
up. Over the past two years we have added over 100 touch-points to our network - an average of one new outlet every week – quite unprecedented by industry standards. In fact 50% of our network is less than 5 years old, a testimony to our growing strength as we keep adding to the spread of our network. Our aim is simple – ensure that our customers and their goods have a safe & unhindered journey, no matter where they are in India and that they receive required assistance within the least possible distance and in the quickest possible time. This is possible only when we have a strong and robust network across the country. Vinod K. Dasari, Managing Director, Ashok Leyland underscores the importance of customer satisfaction when he says, “A sale is the beginning of a relationship and not a means in itself. Every sale is a mark of customers putting their faith in Ashok Leyland and it is imperative that we live up to that trust. One important aspect of which is to have a strong and robust service and spares network. If our customers ever
face a problem, it is our responsibility to resolve it in the shortest possible time. That’s why we have a service centre every 75 kms on every major highway in the country and are never further than 4 hours at any given time,” he elaborates. With our understanding of customer requirements, we have ensured that customers across the country have service support whenever and wherever they need it. We are spreading our reach across India, adding more touch points in northern and western parts of the country. Similarly, we are also focused on developing network strength along the Golden Quadrilateral and NS and EW (North-South-East-West) corridor frequented by our customers. This is another example of our commitment towards reaching out to customers and supporting them whenever required.
We have established contact points at every 75 kms on every major highway across India
We are engaged not just with ensuring a widespread reach but also with the quality of service. At Ashok Leyland we conduct Customer Satisfaction Index studies (CSI) across the country to collect feedback from end customers on their satisfaction level with our channel partners, based on which there are on-going improvement measures. Additionally, we also measure the performance of every outlet with an overall objective of continuous improvement and better customer experience.
Channel Improve venture is an initiative to facilitate increased cross-business participation where our channel partners are given opportunities and encouraged to take part in Cross Functional Team (CFT) projects. These projects allow different departments to learn more about each other and these have immense scope for cross-lateral learning and team-building. The best teams, based on results of the CFT, are suitably rewarded to acknowledge their efforts and increase motivation levels. The thought behind introducing these initiatives is to constantly improve our services with hands-on participation from our dealers, customers and other partners to deliver a ‘World Class Experience’ to all our customers. n
WELCOME
• Aditya Agency, Nanded • AKC Alliance, Bareilly • Anil Motors, Jabalpur • Antony Motors, Bhiwandi • Antony Motors, Taloja • Automotive Private Limited, Guntur • Bachhav Motors, Jalgaon • Bachhav Motors, Nasik • Goel Cargo Pvt. Ltd., Rewa • Himgiri Automobiles, Moradabad • Jagdish Auto, Koderma • Kunal Automotives, Chhindwara • Mohan Tractors, Rewari • My Auto World, Pune • Pagariya Auto, Aurangabad • Sagar Motors, Omerga • T.R. Enterprises, Amb • TVS- Madurai • TVS- Salem • Vinayaka Motors, Dehradun • Visha Auto, Akola
Visit our dealer locator on www.ashokleyland.com to get complete details of our network.
www.ashokleyland.com
Innovate
All systems go
With presence in over 23 airports across the country and with the 100th coach well within sight, our tarmac coach business is literally taking wings. text Akshat Upadhyay
6 | August 2012
I
f you have boarded a flight from any of the top 10 airports in India over the past two years, there’s a strong possibility you travelled from the boarding gate to the aircraft in an Ashok Leyland bus. Especially designed for airport operations, the business of tarmac coaches is highly competitive with many players offering sophisticated designs and specialised capabilities. Tarmac coaches are a key focus area in the highly competitive aviation business, directly linked as they are with passenger comfort. Till about 5 years ago (as early as 2008) airport buses were nothing but standard buses modified for airport operations by rearranging seats to create more room for standing and for luggage. Neither comfortable nor good-looking, these buses were no different than travelling by ordinary buses. With increased overseas travel, Indians are getting exposed to international standards and there was a strong need for airlines in India to improve quality of infrastructure and offer comfort through the entire journey–from the boarding gate to the point of departure. Domestic airlines began looking for partners who could provide safe, comfortable and affordable coaches
built to international standards and we were quick to spot the opportunity. Our first break came with the Bird Group of Companies that operated and managed the Globe Ground India brand of airport services at the Bangalore airport. They were looking for quality buses for their international passengers and despite having an operational fleet of imported buses, they were open to the idea of introducing Indiamade buses to their fleet. But they were very particular about what they wanted and were looking for partners who would not compromise on safety and quality. We provided them with six Avion coaches – front engine, front wheel driven, ultra-low floor buses with auto transmission – designed exclusively for tarmac operations. With more room for standing, passengers could step-in to the saloon instead of having to climb two or more steps, and could simply wheel their luggage comfortably in to the coach. Buoyed by the success of this maiden order and sensing a bigger opportunity, Jayakumar Subramaniam (Assistant General Manager, Bus Division) and his team approached other airlines and ground handling companies to further explore the market. They tasted success with Indigo Airlines, who were looking for a fleet of tarmac buses
www.ashokleyland.com
Innovate
that were good-looking, well-designed, reasonably priced, easy-to-maintain and passenger-friendly. Our rear engine semilow floor (RESLF) platform that had just been introduced in Jaipur was the ideal choice as it could be easily adapted for tarmac operations. The first move The team from Indigo Airlines worked alongside our marketing team, providing key inputs on interiors, amenities and fixtures. Internal and external fitments, including the floor, seat and stanchions were customised to reflect the airline’s colour scheme. There was however, a tight delivery schedule, a customer with high standards and the additional pressure of a new business. The strategic sourcing team for Fully-Built (FBU) vehicles, led by P Parthasarathy, got into the act and the first two buses were assigned to a reputed external bodybuilder. Things went a bit off-track when we discovered that the first prototype vehicles, though competent, did not meet our exacting standards. While we were determined to deliver buses that met our own standards, the challenge was that existing body-builders did not seem equipped to build on a new platform and produce a top-class vehicle. As we were looking for an alternate bodybuilding solution, attention shifted to our own Alwar manufacturing plant. Designers at the plant were doing a very good job of building FBU buses for state transport. The plant was confident they could do a far superior job of developing and building bodies for our new tarmac coaches and Indigo Airlines agreed to commission the work with the team. A K Chopra, Plant Head – Alwar, and his team ensured that they exceeded every expectation and within three weeks we had two prototypes that passed with flying colours. Indigo Airlines went on to place an order for 18 tarmac coaches over the next one year – the tarmac RESLF had arrived. Spiced up At about the same time, Spicejet was also looking for buses for a quicker roll-out with a proven platform. After a pitch by the Ashok Leyland team, Spicejet decided to go with buses built on the FESLF (Front Engine Semi-Low floor) platform. The FESLF 8 | August 2012
platform had proven itself in many cities, was easier to build-on and could be ready much faster. Interiors and exteriors were done in the airlines signature colour palette. We were of course happy to fulfil the airline’s request for display boards, seats etc. The first four vehicles were built by a body-builder as per customer requirements. Our sales team in Delhi was also playing an active role liaising with senior executives from the airline based out of Delhi. As Arindam Das from our regional office in Delhi said: “It is probably the first time that so much customisation has gone in to our vehicles and that’s what really delighted the customers. They said no one else was as responsive as Ashok Leyland.” Spreading wings All dedicated tarmac coaches in India till this point were of European make and very expensive with additional complications of spares and maintenance and Indian manufacturers were simply providing regular buses with modified seating. But getting in and out of a regular three-step entry (technically called an E+3 ) is slow and uncomfortable, especially with baggage and children. Ashok Leyland buses, on the other hand, with the comfort of rear-engine configurations, air suspension, wider doors, one-step entry and air conditioning, were top-of-the-line, best-in-class buses with the assurance of service and spares on-call from a company that was running millions of buses all over the country. In a highpressure environment like an airport there
With 94 buses on duty in 23 airports across the country, we are market leaders in this segment by a wide margin
CUSTOMER-SPEAK
“We are very happy with the product, openness for incorporating new ideas and timely delivery commitment from Ashok Leyland team.”
“Our decision to partner with Ashok Leyland was guided by their engineering knowhow, understanding of aviation business requirements, state-ofart manufacturing facilities and capability to provide end-to-end solutions quickly.” Indo –Thai airport management services Pvt. Ltd. “With Ashok Leyland we were assured of quality product, brand name, quick response and cordial marketing strategies. Their ‘after-sales service’ is very efficient and prompt.” Ashok Leyland tarmac coach ready for service
is no room for error, delay or malfunctions. With the additional advantage of providing driver and maintenance training, we provided a complete and a comprehensive offering which evoked keen interest from various potential customers. The team now aggressively reached-out to all major airlines and ground handlers and received a very positive response. There has been no looking back since then. Today Aarya Transport runs a fleet of our buses with tarmac configuration for shuttling passengers between airport terminals and key pick-up points. Bhadra Aviation runs our ULF (Ultra - Low Floor) coaches for international airlines at key airports. Both
Indigo and Spicejet have expanded their fleet of Ashok Leyland buses. C.R.Lakshman who has been with the bus vertical for over 4 years said, “We ensure our customers do not face any difficulties. From customising the vehicle, facilitating customer inspections, ensuring logistics, arranging for vehicle registration and all other formalities right upto delivering the coach at the airport – we take full responsibility and ensure complete and comprehensive service.” With standardised processes for loading the bus, securing and wrapping the bus and reversing the process at destination, the Ashok Leyland team ensures that coaches get delivered at destination in mint condition. In fact, all newly-built coaches are transported on flat-bed trucks so
they’re scratch-proof and satisfy the needs of demanding customers and ensure that the passenger are happy and comfortable. Moving ahead With the aviation industry maturing, the number of airports slated for modernisation and expansion is also increasing. Not just foreign, even domestic airlines and ground handlers from India will demand the highest standards in products and services. With 94 buses on duty across 23 domestic airports, we are market leaders in this segment by a wide margin and committed to introduce new technologies, features and design innovations to achieve better availability and servicing standards. n www.ashokleyland.com
Lead Story
Winning Partnerships In a first-ever celebrity endorsement for us in over 60 years, we’ve roped in Mahendra Singh Dhoni as our brand ambassador. text Swetha Kannan
10 | August 2012
T
hree people–a fleet owner, driver and a mechanic–are seated at a Dhaba on a dusty highway, arguing over who gets the full glass of lassi because each believes that he plays a more important role in the transport business. In walks a smart, handsome Mahendra Singh Dhoni, our new brand ambassador, in his company uniform and deftly distributes the lassi equally amongst everyone acknowledging how the transport business is incomplete without all participants – fleet owners, drivers, mechanics and of course the Original Equipment Manufacturer. Our new film reflects our firm belief in creating winning partnerships and meaningful and lasting relationships. We have always believed that we can be successful only if our customers are successful and our prime objective is to help them be profitable through our products and services. Incidentally, this is the first time in our 60-year journey that Ashok Leyland has roped in a celebrity endorser. The Launch The high-decibel campaign began during the IPL 2012 and we have aired over 15,000 ad spots across 70 channels in five languages–Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil
and Telugu. A high-impact campaign, it features a clean shaven ‘Captain Cool’ with hair slicked down, sporting an ‘Ashok Leyland’ shirt–saluting the team that runs the show behind the scenes. The television campaign was supported by a large scale rollout across the Ashok Leyland network to communicate our focus on creating winning partnerships for our clients and customers. The high visibility campaign was rolled out across our corporate office, manufacturing plants, regional and area offices, ALASCs (Ashok Leyland Authorised Service Centres) and dealer outlets. This was supported by robust and quick turnaround on ground events and activations across 200 locations throughout the country. A changing mindset Long considered to be a reticent player, we have now turned the mute button off and our new campaign is an expression of our desire to be more public-facing and to actively engage with our stake-holders. The campaign celebrates the “unsung” heroes of the transportation world – many of who spend months on the road, miles away from home. Dhoni fits in well with our ambition of www.ashokleyland.com
Lead Story
being a serious national player, given his pan-India appeal and personality. “And thanks to Chennai Super Kings, he is a well-known face down South too,” says Vinod K. Dasari, our young and dynamic Managing Director. Mr. Vinod K. Dasari, who took over the reins a year ago, is keen to give marketing and branding a big thrust. While our marketing activities were limited to marketing collaterals earlier, we will now aggressively engage with our community through on ground activities and meet-andgreet programmes with Dhoni. “We have been shy for too long. It is time for us to break the shackles of silence and be more market-facing as we look to scale new markets and segments,” says Alok Saraogi, Head-Brand and Marketing Communications, Ashok Leyland. “The way we have used Dhoni in the campaign– as a representative of the corporate world – will cut through clutter and get into the mind space of our audience. Dhoni stands for someone who leads from the front… he is the son of the soil with an element of groundedness and all this ties in well with our company”, he continues. In line with the our MD’s focus on ‘Quality’, ‘People’ and ‘Brand’, we have made significant investments in our brand; the results of which are being seen in the short-term and will yield even higher returns in the long run. “From being inward-looking, the needle has shifted to an outward-looking perspective. The latest ad is not a campaign to showcase our trucks or buses, but it builds on the good work we have done in the community. For instance, for driver welfare in the form of driver training schools which not only teach safe driving but also life skills,” says Saraogi. “If we keep our fraternity happy, it reflects on our profitability too.” A few words from the experts Viswanath of Vertebrand says the communication strategy of co-creating success is refreshingly different from many 12 | August 2012
We see the campaign as a celebration of the hard-working heroes of transportation and Dhoni promises to be in the trenches with us
DID YOU KNOW?
• He holds the record for the highest score by a wicket-keeper batsman (183, not out) against Sri Lanka in Jaipur surpassing the record by Adam Gilchrist. • He is not just an Arjuna Awardee but also a recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award. • The bat used by Dhoni in the final match of World Cup 2012 that got the winning six was sold at an auction in London for 72 lacs. The amount was used to help under privileged children. • The Territorial Army conferred the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel to Dhoni on 1 November 2011. He is the second Indian cricketer after Kapil Dev to receive this honour.
www.ashokleyland.com
Lead Story
other commercial vehicle campaigns which focus on product benefits. Rohit Srivatsava, National Head of Planning, Contract Advertising, which has conceived the ad, says the primary target audience are the hard-working people from the world of transportation. “The ad is a celebration of their victory, and our brand ambassador Dhoni promises to be in the trenches with the real heroes.” For 60 years we have silently acted like the backbone of the transport sector and now Aapki Jeet. Hamari Jeet. is a clarion call for a more customer focused organisation system, one that calls for a shift in mindset to get ready for a more competitive landscape. n Courtesy The Hindu Business Line, BrandLine
The Ashok Leyland building was a part of the massive advertising exercise for the campaign; A cut-out of MS Dhoni at a dealership
Segment-Wise Market Share Growth Awards For 11-12 THE INAUGURATION The advertisement campaign with Dhoni was launched in Chennai. The TVC and new theme song were played for dealers from across India. The new brand tagline expresses the brand’s customer-centric philosophy–Aapki Jeet, Hamari Jeet. With this powerful statement, we seek to send a message to our existing and potential customers that their success is what drives us. The TVC is being aired on general entertainment channels (Sony, SAB), news channels (ZEE News, CNN IBN), movie channels (Star Gold, UTV Movies) and music channels (9XM, B4U Music). In addition to Hindi, the TVC is also available in Marathi, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu languages. The new Leyland anthem and the TVC are also being played extensively at all their events and activities across the country.
14 | August 2012
MDV Passenger
Automotive Manufacturers Pvt Ltd, Nagpur Amco Automobiles Pvt. Ltd, J & K
4 X 2 Haulage
Rajesh Motors (Mah.) Pvt. Ltd, Maharashtra Gautam Automobiles Pvt Ltd, Haryana
Tippers
Rajesh Motors (Agencies) Pvt. Ltd., Rajasthan TVS& Sons Ltd., Madhya Pradesh
MAV
Sagar Motors, Latur TVS & Sons Ltd., Karnataka
Tractors
TVS & Sons Ltd., Chennai
ICV Goods
Automotive Manufacturers Pvt. Ltd, Nagpur Automotive Manufacturers Pvt. Ltd, Andhra Pradesh
ICV Passenger
Amco Automobiles Pvt. Ltd., J & K Grover Motors Pvt. Ltd., Punjab
Spare Parts- Awards
Rajesh Motor (Agencies) Pvt Ltd, Rajasthan T V Sundaram Iyengar & Sons Ltd, Tamilnadu Automotive Manufacturers Pvt Ltd, Andhra Pradesh Automotive Manufacturers Pvt Ltd, Maharashtra
Balanced Score Card Awards Debutants - Direct entry to BSC club
TVS & Sons Limited, Karur
Debutants - Direct entry to BSC club
Goel Cargo, Satna
Highest improvement in BSC
TVS & Sons Limited, Krishnagiri
BSC - North region Best
Grover Motors Pvt Ltd, Ludhiana
BSC - East region Best
GNB Motors Ltd, Kharagpur
BSC - West region Best
Nanavati Automobiles Pvt. Ltd, Kamrej
BSC - Central region Best
Gulf Ashley Motor Ltd., Bilaspur
BSC - South region best & All India highest
Automotive Manufacturers Pvt. Ltd, Kodad
BSC - South region best & All India highest
TVS & Sons Limited, Villupuram
Inspire
Crafting the
Driver of the Future For us, caring for the driver doesn’t end at engineering machines with better equipped cabs‌it begins there. text Bilal Zaidi
I
t is said that if trucks stop making deliveries to Delhi, it would run out of food and raw materials in three days. Whether it is exaggerated or not, it shows just how much modern life depends on the trucking industry. People might not think about it, but almost everything they will use on www.ashokleyland.com
Inspire
any given day was at one point or another on a truck. Even then we can’t help and wonder if the man who spends his life on the road often for weeks on end, trapped inside a truck with nothing but a cleaner for company, who lives away from his family, missing birthdays just so delivery schedules are met has got his due. That’s why we have made a very conscious attempt to focus as much on the driver as on new vehicle concepts, emission norms, customer profitability and containerisation. That was the thinking when we set up India’s first Driver Training Institute at Namakkal. Our mandate was clear – to break the distorted and inaccurate perception about the commercial vehicle driver and churn out a driver on whose shoulders the progress of the industry and the nation could safely rest on. Our second Driver Training Institute is running full steam at Burari, three more are set to go live across India in the next couple of months and yet another is scheduled to go live in 2013. These institutes have already trained 5,00,000 drivers on courses built with all conceivable configurations and facilities. But the curriculum doesn’t just end at training; drivers are also trained in safe driving techniques, physical fitness, yoga, managing finances, clean living habits and a lot more to make sure the drivers of the future becomes a vital pillar of his society. The driver of the future “The question was how do we produce a driver of distinction, get him a license and position him at a higher level than those that are available in the market so, we can charge the customer a premium? You might get a Tom, Dick and Harry for Rs 5,000, but an Ashok Leyland certified driver will cost you Rs 10,000. And customers are willing to pay, because they know he is driving a vehicle that costs Rs 20 lakh, hauling expensive goods but even more importantly, the entire business depends on him,” Mr Vinod K. Dasari, MD, Ashok Leyland said in a recent interview to Autocar Professional magazine. According to him, fuel efficiency, uptime and adherence to delivery schedules all depend 16 | August 2012
We are developing a cab that is based on the feedback and recommendations of more than 300 drivers on how well the driver drives and this is where there is a vacuum in the industry for such skilled drivers. “I have sounded out some customers and all said they’d be very happy if we could give them our trucks with drivers. I don’t want to set it up as a profit centre… but what if we created a pool of 1,000 certified drivers? You as a customer will have the right to hire from this pool, but I will also
DID YOU KNOW? • Other than Namakkal - India’s first Driver Training Institute, we also operate an institute at Burari and will be launching three more this year. • We have already trained 5,00,000 drivers on tracks built with all conceivable configurations and facilities. • Drivers are also trained in physical fitness, yoga, managing finances, clean living habits and a lot more. Drivers being instructed in safe driving at the Namakkal Institute; Sr Trainer S Sundara Rajan explaining the operations of an inter-axle differential lock
keep 800 of these drivers with me. You want your vehicle to go from Chennai to Delhi and back? You give me a contract and pay a fixed price per kilometre. On the way, how many drivers I use is my business; I will guarantee that your vehicle gets from here to there,” Mr Dasari wonders. “You think of Chennai to Delhi as one leg, but I could see it as eight legs. I will have your trucks going from Chennai to Delhi and another set of trucks returning to Delhi to Chennai. And I will have one driver do the leg from Chennai to Hyderabad, where he hands over to another driver and comes back – so that he can be at home in four days with his family.” Beyond training Going beyond just training, we successfully run the ‘All The Best’ scheme along with our dealers in Tamil Nadu and Kerala to identify deserving children of drivers and award them scholarships to continue their studies, which might have otherwise been aborted. We recognise that access to healthcare is an area of concern, which is why drivers can avail free-medical checkups and medicines at ‘Arogya’ our health centre in Hosur. ‘Driver Muquablas’
are regularly conducted to boost driver morale, give them a chance to perform and be rewarded. “Our long term perspective is to strive to make commercial vehicle drivers acceptable to society, give their job the mark of respectability so that more people are attracted to join. Today, unfortunately, not only are there very few new recruits but existing drivers are proving to be deterrents to those even considering taking up this profession. It is our endeavour to evolve a system whereby new recruits are inducted, paid better, given uniforms, follow better work schedules, are not away from their homes for too long and thereby create a new generation of truck drivers,” Mr Dasari sums up. What does it mean for the customer? Complete peace of mind. Sure, it would cost you a little more, but you’d soon discover that the efficiency, safety and ontime delivery will more than make up for it. More importantly, this is a viable solution to battle the acute driver crunch that our industry is facing today. At Ashok Leyland, we call it the perfect win-win. n www.ashokleyland.com
The Hub
Ennore gets a state-ofthe-art assembly line To meet the growing demands from the commercial vehicle segment, we have added a highly advanced assembly line at our Ennore manufacturing facility. text Sunny Sharma
18 | August 2012
Dheeraj G. Hinduja, Chairman Ashok Leyland drives the first vehicle off the new assembly line
O
n a sunny Chennai day, a crowd of people comprising a mix of suits and uniforms gathered in the manufacturing facility at Ennore to witness history being re-written. Fifty-seven years after the first chassis rolled out from the plant at Ennore, our Chairman Dheeraj G. Hinduja, Executive Vice-Chairman R. Seshasayee and Managing Director Vinod K. Dasari, inaugurated a new stateof-the-art assembly line at our Ennore unit, to meet the growing demand of the commercial vehicle industry. This line is a culmination of two years of planning and is a unique step where the organisation, factory associates and the union collaborated to ensure the new line went live nine months ahead of schedule. Every process and facility was designed and implemented with the involvement of associates and management and suggestions were implemented on a real time basis. Even the façade of the new line was selected by the factory force from a few short-listed designs.
Every process that takes place in the new assembly line has been designed to improve productivity and ensure uniform quality build of every chassis Quality, efficiency of movement and convenience of the workforce were paramount in the design and layout of the conveyor line. All processes have been designed to improve productivity and to ensure a uniform quality of build of every chassis. An underground pit facilitates underbody inspection of each chassis before it is offtracked for a road test. Manipulators for material handling ensure that components remain scratch-free during handling. Several quality gates ensure all quality requirements are met at the point of fitment itself. This will ensure that customers receive scratchfree and superior quality vehicles. Material handling and line-side material supply were re-designed to match world-class
manufacturing levels where the line-side holds a lean inventory of components (to be fitted). A single vehicle kit of components is supplied at each stage which helps reduce line-side clutter as well as serves as a pokeyoke for incorrect fitment. All these processes will improve productivity and quality of products built on this chassis line and also ensure that every vehicle is driven directly to road test. This smart assembly line is a true bench mark in the manufacturing of heavy commercial vehicles. This new worldclass manufacturing facility will roll out all variants of products – from goods to passenger, from cowl to fully built cabs, low floor passenger vehicles and vehicles with air-suspension. n www.ashokleyland.com
Fuel Duel
Crowning the Super Driver Ashok Leyland challenges truck drivers to showcase their skills in a one-of-a-kind driving challenge text Mohit Sharma
M
ain nikla, gaddi le ke, raste pe, saadak pe, ek modh aaya… so goes a popular Hindi movie song. It is a wellknown fact that a driver is the backbone of the transport industry, and therefore, in a way, also of the country’s economy. Acknowledging their contribution, we have instituted the Super Driver Challenge (SDC) – a national level, skill-based competition for truck drivers. Vinod K. Dasari, Managing Director, Ashok Leyland talks about the idea behind the event, “Through this challenge, we want drivers to display their efficient on-road skills and motivate other drivers to improve their driving prowess. It is a fantastic platform to find good drivers and reward them suitably for their performance.”
All our products use the latest technology to ensure they are world-class in terms of profitability, operating economics and turnaround time. To demonstrate and prove the superiority of our products, we challenged drivers to drive our 3116il and the driver who got the maximum mileage from this vehicle 20 | August 2012
would be crowned the ‘Super Driver of the Region’. The first challenge was held in Andhra Pradesh and met with a phenomenal response. The event was conducted in 40 locations across the state and was attended by over 900 drivers. The driver who clocked the best mileage from each location entered the grand finale. But in every contest there is only one winner and J. Sathaiah who clocked an overall average of 4.95 kmpl was crowned the Super Driver of Andhra Pradesh. J. Shiva Prasad Rao who came second clocked 4.94 kmpl, while Anumolu Hari Babu, who clocked 4.93 kmpl secured the third place. The maximum mileage achieved at the hub level was 5.57 kmpl. “I am very happy about this win. In my Ashok Leyland truck, I get a very good mileage. It’s all about driving the right way,” says the winner, J. Sathaiah. The award ceremony was indeed a grand event with Vinod K. Dasari, Managing Director of Ashok Leyland, felicitating
winners and giving out medals, driver kits and cash prizes to each of the 40 winners from regional hub. The top three winners of the grand finale from Andhra Pradesh were awarded cash prizes of `1,00,000; `51,000 and `21,000 as well as high-end motorcycles. At the Super Driver Challenge in Rajasthan, drivers from 21 hubs competed for the top honours and drove along. Mr. Ghewar Ram won the challenge with a mileage of 4.62 kmpl. “I love driving Leyland vehicles as they have a lot of style,” said Ram after his win. The first runner-up, Satpal Singh, who got a mileage of 4.35 kmpl said, “Both my vehicles are Leyland and I feel they are the best manufacturers of commercial vehicles.” Not only did these events create a lot of
The prize distribution ceremony at the different venues of Super Driver Challenge in Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan
The Super Driver Challenge aims to find the best driver from every state in India
excitement and generate goodwill, they also helped make a meaningful difference in the lives of our driver friends. The title of Super Driver recognises their core skill and is a source of great pride for them. The prize money and the motorcycles also help create a better future for them and their families. These events once again underlined the superiority of our vehicles and
demonstrated the unmatched value of our 3116il. The response to the Super Driver Challenge has been so encouraging that we will translate this in to a national program with challenges being conducted across various states to allow the best drivers in the country to be evaluated, ranked and rewarded appropriately. n www.ashokleyland.com
Friends of Leyland
Our partners
Our strength It is a matter of great pride to have esteemed members like Motilal Goel as part of our ever-growing family text Mohit Sharma
N
etwork strength has been a key area of focus for us and we have been expanding our reach and signing-up new partners in every region of the country. Finding the right partner who shares our vision of providing superior service to customers at every point is of paramount importance to us. Since the beginning of this year we have been growing at a clip pace and have added 32 channel partners – a growth of over 50% and have added 100 more touch-points. Meet Mr. Motilal Goel, one of our new dealers in Madhya Pradesh with outlets in Satna and Rewa districts. A veteran with over two decades of experience, he handles the business with his son Mr. Sunny
22 | August 2012
Goel while Mrs. Rajbala Goel is a key stakeholder in various businesses operated by the family. Mr. Goel, left his hometown in Haryana in 1980 with the dream of starting his own business. His dream took him to Satna where he started his business trading coal and minerals under the banner of Goel Coal Co. and Kalyani Minerals Pvt. Ltd. In 1986 he ventured into the transportation business with Goel Roadways and Goel Transport. Over the past 10 years he has created a strong foothold in the transport industry and today is a top transporter in the Vindhya region with a fleet of over 200 trucks.
Motilal Goel moved to Satna with a dream of starting his own business in 1980. Three decades later, his growth has been staggering Growth Graph
In 2000, Mr. Goel acquired the dealership of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC). The fuel station went on to achieve the highest petrol and diesel sale in Rewa and recently earned him an ‘A’ category dealer certificate. His fuel dealership has also been recently awarded a Gold medal for the highest sales in the Jabalpur region. In 2003, Mr. Goel decided to diversify his business and became a distributor for Mahindra & Mahindra tractors under the banner of Supreme Tractors Pvt. Ltd. which has also received various awards for record-breaking performances. Today, the Goel group, under the able leadership of Mr. Motilal Goel, is a renowned business house in the region with a turnover of over `100 crores. n
Name of Concern
Year of Establishment
Key Business
Key Personnel
Goel Coal Co.
1982
Coal Trading
Motilal Goel
Goel Roadways
1985
Transportation & Truck Plying
Motilal Goel
Lord Dwarkadhish Estate Pvt. Ltd
1992
Real Estate
Motilal Goel
Goel Transport Co.
1996
Transportation
Motilal Goel
Shubham Dharamkanta
1996
Weighing Bridge
Smt. Rajbala Goel
Supreme Cement Pvt. Ltd.
1997
Proposed Cement Plant
Motilal Goel
Geeta Roadways Pvt. Ltd.
2003
C & F Agent of B.K. Birla Group
S.C. Bansal
Goel Filling Station
2003
Dealer: Indian Oil Corp.
Motilal Goel
Supreme Tractors Pvt. Ltd.
2005
Distributors of Mahindra Tractors And C & F Agent For Apollo Tyres
Motilal Goel
Absolute Polymers Pvt. Ltd.
2006
Proposed Polybag Plant
Motilal Goel
Goel Cargo Pvt. Ltd.
2006
Transportation & Truck Plying
Motilal Goel
Goel Movers Pvt. Ltd.
2006
Truck Plying
Motilal Goel
Mr. Motilal Goel not only has multiple business interests but he is also a multifaceted personality: • He is presently Vice-President of The Akhil Bharatiya Vaishya Samaj, MP state. • He is National Secretary of The Indian National Lokdal. • He is Vice President of The Madhya Pradesh Federation of Chamber of Commerce & Industries and former President of The Vindhya Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Satna.
www.ashokleyland.com
AL Insider
Updates from the world of
Ashok Leyland 24 | August 2012
Financial results New achievements
T
he last financial year, 2011-12 saw our highest overall sales volume of 1,01,990 vehicles with international operations recording a rise of 25% in volume at 12,852 vehicles. Our efforts to protect the bottomline through focus of non-cyclical or support businesses yielded rich dividends with Leyparts, the spare parts business, growing aggressively by 20% and both the Defence and Power Solutions businesses able to hold their own. We gained precious market in the Central region for the first time and in the Tipper and ICV segments. Vinod K. Dasari, Managing Director, Ashok Leyland says, “The financial year of 2011-12 saw quite a few triumphs for us. Our sales and production numbers reached an all-time high in terms of volumes and new markets. The ramp-up of the Pantnagar plant was robust and complete. To top it all, we also sharpened focus on our customers by significantly increasing our network.” On the prospects for next financial year of 2012-13, Mr. Dasari said, “We feel the full
year volumes would grow as there are signs of robust growth in some segments. We also have a number of innovative products ready to roll out like the Jan Bus and 10x2. With a new thrust to our brand building efforts with our new brand ambassador, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the coming year
should be very interesting,” he concluded. For Q1 this year we registered a 19.7% increase in our turnover at ` 3,007 crores for the quarter ended June 30, 2012 while sale of our vehicles for the quarter stood at 27,487 numbers with domestic volume
reflecting a rise of 3.6% over the previous corresponding quarter. International operations continued its good showing up 14.4%. The overall improvement in the sales numbers were largely a result of the excellent performance of ‘Dost’ and the gradual improvement in the Southern markets. n
12,852 The number of Ashok Leyland vehicles sold in the International Market
Total number of vehicles sold by Ashok Leyland in 2011-12
25%
1,01,990
Increase in total international sales, this financial year
Falcon E3 buses to be supplied to Ghana’s Metro Mass Transit Ltd
100
www.ashokleyland.com
AL Insider
Bangladesh bound Buses worth US$6 million for Dhaka
B
angladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) has placed an order for 50 vestibule buses with us under the Line of Credit (LOC) scheme to improve their urban transportation system. Worth over US$6 million, this is BRTC’s first and one of the largest orders for such buses from an overseas manufacturer. Commenting on the agreement signed between MM Iqbal, Chairman of BRTC and Antony Lobo, Special Director - International Operations, Ashok Leyland, in the presence of Abdullahel Karim, Director - Technical, BRTC, Vinod K. Dasari, Ashok Leyland’s Managing Director said, “We were the first to introduce vestibule buses in India and are excited about introducing them in Bangladesh and helping improve their urban transportation system. We share a long and mutually beneficial relationship with BRTC and look forward to a continued partnership.” Over the years, we have exported over 9,500 buses
Anthony Lobo, Special Director - International Operations, Ashok Leyland and MM Iqbal, Chairman of BRTC at the contract signing ceremony.
of different models to Bangladesh through our sole distributor Ifad Autos Ltd. Last year we bagged the single-largest order for 290 double-decker buses worth US$2.3 million from Bangladesh, which contributed significantly to our export turnover. n
Flying into Ghana 100 Falcon buses for Ghana Metro
A
fter the inauguration of 160 waste management buses in Ghana last year, we have now clinched an order for 100 Falcon E3 buses to be supplied to Ghana’s Metro Mass Transit Ltd (MMT). The Vice President of Ghana presided over the inauguration of these buses that took place 26 | August 2012
at the Ghana State House on 17th May 2012. He also flagged-off the first of the buses. Other dignitaries present at the occasion were the Deputy Minister for Transport, Ghana, the Indian High Commission to Ghana and the Managing Director of MMT. n
50
Vestibule buses ordered by Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation
Number of buses of different models exported to Bangladesh over the years
9,500
Solo show First Optare Solo rolls out of the Cape Town plant
A
ssembled from a CKD (Completely Knocked Down) kit of components, the first lot of 190 Optare Solo SR buses destined for feeder services in Cape Town, rolledout of Optare’s South African partner Busmark’s plant in June this year. The new fleet of advanced, low-floor buses will play a key role in the new integrated bus transit system being introduced in the city of Cape Town Council, a part of its ‘MyCiTi’ initiative. The innovative Solo SR, that incorporates doors on both sides for quick boarding and exit, will collect passengers from outlying townships and take them to transfer points, where they can board 12 or 18-metre buses for high-speed transfer to various destinations in the city. The 9.5 metre version of the Solo SR integral midibus, features full air-conditioning and is fitted with a real-time monitoring and tracking system, CCTV and telematics. Busmark has started a new factory in Cape Town to produce these buses while
Solo SR features doors on both sides for quick boarding and exit
The Solo getting set to be delivered to the Cape Town Council
its labour force has been trained by Optare—both in Leeds and on-ground. At the handover ceremony, Glenn Saint, Optare’s Chief Technical Officer in Cape Town, said, “Not only is this Optare’s largest ever export order, it is also the first time that Solo has been delivered in a CKD form.” n
Pocket-friendly Financial Tie-ups make purchasing easier
W
e have signed up with 18 banks across the country to facilitate the financing of our vehicles. Our existing relationship with Indian Overseas Bank and Federal Bank has been further strengthened with inbranch standees announcing this tie-up. These standees
have been placed in over 50 branches of Indian Overseas Bank and a similar number is planned across Federal Bank branches. We have also been creating alliances with other banks across the country, this will give us increased visibility among walk-in customers. n www.ashokleyland.com
Events & More
Reaching out to you
From innovative mega melas to driver meets, Ashok Leyland’s robust customer reach out programme go a long way in making it a brand of choice text Sunny Sharma
S
ome brands make trial offers. Some others offer test drives. But at Ashok Leyland we reach out directly to our customers through customer events. These are platforms for us to share the latest industry trends and developments; for customers to know more about our vehicles; for us to share important information on vehicle maintenance and efficiency and most importantly, for them to experience our vehicles. Organized and conducted at various strategic locations across the country, these events provide an opportunity for customers to interact with our sales and marketing personnel. Ecomet Mega Melas The ICV (Intermediate Commercial Vehicle) segment has been witnessing robust growth with monthly sales touching close to 5,000 vehicles. Ecomet is the widest and longest vehicle in its segment and offers the twin advantages of a long vehicle in a smaller vehicle category. With higher engine power and torque, the Ecomet Strong offers higher payloads and increased profits while the Ecomet Smart offers faster turn around time. In fact, the tyres of the Ecomet tipper are the same as used in the MDV category: 8.25x20 PR. It offers the largest capacity in its segment – 6 cubic metres (210 cft) and also boasts air brakes with S Cam, power steering, under-body tipping mechanism and drop-side deck load-body.
28 | August 2012
AL tippers at the Tipper Mela
To gain a larger share of this growing market, we conceived the ‘Ecomet Mega Mela’– an ideal platform for customers to understand the Ecomet and to get a firsthand experience of the vehicle. With a customised float travelling across important hubs, at these Tipper Melas customers can play exciting games, win attractive prizes, learn more about the product, test drive the vehicles and
also get on-the-spot offers. The activity is conducted by a trained team that manages these standardised modules across the country. Santosh Kumar, a fleet owner who had attended one of the Ecomet Mela says, “I have two Ecomet 1212s and before the end of this year, I plan to have two more of these thanks to the good promotional offers that the Company announced at the Mela.”
These events have been conceived to reach out to our end customers and give them a real world feel of AL vehicles to interact with our sales teams and understand the various features of our tippers. Tipper Melas showcase the entire range of our tippers with special offers and spotoffers by leading financiers. Not only do they allow us to reach-out to customers, they also provide great visibility for brand Ashok Leyland. Rajive Saharia, Executive Director, Marketing, Ashok Leyland said, “The primary objective of these events is for existing and prospective customers to get to know our vehicles and for them to firsthand appreciate their superior features and performance potential. The response and the outcome from such events has been extremely encouraging and we will be pushing these activations into a higher gear going forward.� Over the last one year, we have conducted over 500 such Melas and these have been very well received by the transport industry. Tipper Melas Tipper Melas help us understand changing customer needs and expectations in the mining and construction industry. It also provides an opportunity for customers in remote locations and smaller satellite towns
Sabse Bada Sikandar Kaun? A highly competitive space, where minor differences can come at the cost of a sale, the MAV activity, called Sabse Bada Sikandar Kaun? is designed to establish 2516il, 3116il and 3118il as the most competitive models (in terms of mileage, load-carrying capacity and serviceability) in their segment. The objective of the programme is to provide a touch-and-
feel experience to customers, so they can see and feel the difference first-hand. Launched in Kolkata, it covered over 23 locations, generating walk-ins and leads. The event highlighted the working of the inline fuel injection pump and its benefits. A live model of an engine was displayed to demonstrate the working of the inline fuel injection pump. This created an exciting platform to engage with the audience, and to help them understand the superiority of our vehicles in a very practical and scientific way. These events, like all others, are managed by professional activation agencies who help spread awareness and create excitement about the event. An emcee helps to engage the audience and demonstrates the superiority of the product. Along with a demo of the inline FIP engine, interactive games like arm wrestling & jigsaw puzzles are used to establish key product benefits. Prospective customers are offered testdrives and attractive finance offers are also made available. The whole process creates a lot of goodwill and connect on-ground with the target group, and we are confident that sustained efforts will have a positive spin-off for us in the long run. n www.ashokleyland.com
Authentic
30 | August 2012
Leyparts Shoppes bring genuine relief With the Leyparts Shoppe extending their network across the country, procuring genuine spare parts for your trucks is no longer a concern text Sachin Kumar
“M
any times, I have had to compromise on the quality of spare parts for my truck,� laments Dalbir Cheema, a driver with an established transport company, leaning against his 3116il long haul truck that is stuck on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai highway with a broken axle. He wonders whether the local mechanic who is fixing it will put in authentic Leyparts. Soon, however, the spare part woes of Cheema and many others owning or driving Ashok Leyland vehicles are set to end.
The answer lies in a new venture called the Leyparts Shoppe. These exclusive spare part stores will stock a whole range of genuine Leyparts (official and genuine Ashok Leyland spare parts) which includes market- oriented repair kits. Not only will these Shoppes ensure easier availability of genuine spares and increased productivity from better-maintained vehicles, they are also great news for dealers. Dealers will be assured of a regular supply of spares, can keep smaller inventories and eliminate redundancy.
A key feature is priority service given to Leyparts Shoppe . This has a direct impact on customer satisfaction, increased loyalty and greater profitability. Every Leypart Shoppe outlet will stock, promote and sell only Leyparts sourced directly from our dealers or distributors in that region. As we increase the width and depth of our presence and aggressively ramp-up our dealer network, Leyparts Shoppe presents us www.ashokleyland.com
Authentic
The inside view of a Leypart Shoppe (left); Genuine Leyparts (right)
Every Leypart Shoppe outlet will stock, promote and sell only Leyparts sourced directly from our dealers or distributors in that region
yet another opportunity to get closer to and improve service levels to our customers. Own a Shoppe Dealers, distributors and authorised service centers (ALASCs) are being offered the first opportunity to own a Leyparts Shoppe but we are also keen to invite interested retailers and venture capitalists outside the existing channel. Bhim Prakash, currently a multi-brand 32 | August 2012
stockist of truck and bus parts in Western U.P., is extremely excited about the concept of Leyparts Shoppe.“Ashok Leyland has good quality trucks and the only worry that we had in this part of the country is the availability of genuine spares. By setting up a Leyparts Shoppe, I can now assure my customers about the authenticity of the parts that go into their vehicles” , he says as he looks at opening his Leyparts Shoppe soon. Each site location will be standardised per specific criteria to maintain uniformity with a road-facing area between 700-1000 sq.ft. with sufficient area for parking of vehicles. Ideal locations will be in the vicinity of automobile markets and other commercial automobile retailers, owners and mechanics. A basic IT infrastructure including a computer with internetconnectivity and a Dot Matrix printer are essential to run the operations smoothly. Way Forward DMS will provide the Tally accounting software so everyone can share one common operating system. Soon, the Leyparts Shoppe will become an integral part of your Ashok Leyland experience. Our association does not end when you buy an Ashok Leyland vehicle, it’s just the beginning. n
DID YOU KNOW?
• Dealers, distributors and authorised service centers are being offered the first opportunity to own a Leyparts Shoppe • Leyparts Shoppes will cater to parts requirements not just for trucks but for LCV’s as well
Ashok Leyland Ltd. No. 1 Sardar Patel Road, Guindy, Chennai- 600032, Tamil Nadu, India Ph- 044- 22206000 Website: www.ashokleyland.com