FIAT has been in the news a lot lately, especially from all the action taking place within their Chrysler Group companies SRT and Jeep.
After Jeep displayed their new Grand Cherokee and the all-new Cherokee and SRT unveiled their Viper TA (Time Attack), there was no shortage of excitement for their global fans and followers alike. In India, FIAT has quietly been laying the groundwork for their assault on a number of segments. With their FIAT Caffé program, Maserati and Ferrari getting operations underway, and with Abarth and Jeep around the corner, FIAT India has a lot of potential to tap into. And this is exactly what they are up to.
With the board undergoing a major change, Nagesh Basavanhalli has been appointed as President and Managing Director of FIAT Chrysler India. The establishment of their National Sales Company as an independent company will go a long way in improving operations, with the company in full control of all commercial activities involving marketing, sales, distribution and after sales service. Their new integrated marketing campaign,“Make the move” will engage potential customers on multiple levels. The introduction of a comprehensive service package consisting of a three-year manufacturer warranty with an option to extend it to five years will add to customer peace of mind. FIAT will also implement a modern warehousing system to stock spare parts reducing waiting periods for customers in metros to 24 hours and for those in non-metros to 72 hours. Further facilities like 24/7 roadside assistance and a dedicated soft support customer service line will also be introduced soon in a bid to meet their global customer service standards.
The current dealer count stands at 51, all exclusively owned by FIAT India, but the company aims to have that number up to 112 by the end of this year. As far as their passenger car division is concerned, FIAT have will continue their manufacturing joint venture with Tata Motors but have ended their distribution arrangement with the company. At the moment, their line-up includes the Punto hatchback, the Linea sedan with the Abarth performance models set to show up very soon as well. Their MultiJet diesel engines have been very well received in the country and today, they power not just their own cars, but a slew of popular models from Tata Motors, Maruti-Suzuki and Chevrolet. FIAT have always had to deal with the fact that their reputation was not where it should be in the country. If they manage to get their act together and deliver on all fronts; there will surely be little keeping them from success.
