“With the level of technology we have, what we can bring to life is quite unreal and needs to be experienced to believe,” Praveen Devarajan, Group General Manager, Audi Alto

By Shashi Narasimhiah and Nidhi Kumari

Indus Age spoke with Mr.Praveen Devarajan, Group General Manager, Audi Alto in an exclusive interview, following Audi Alto’s excellent performance at the Audi Australia 2019 awards night. Excerpts:

Mr. Devarajan Audi Alto has swept up awards at the Audi Australia 2019 Dealer of the Year awards. Congratulations! What do you have to say on this huge success?

This is huge achievement for us. It is by no means an easy task as the Audi dealers in Australia have established a very strong and stable network with the best of the best operators.

Your advertisements always claim great customer service. How do you strike a balance between delivering high levels of service and staying profitable in a competitive market sect?

The automotive sector in Australia is one of the most competitive in the world. Once the customers have decided on the brand they want to own the only really differentiator is the level of customer service you provide that sets the dealerships apart. Whilst being profitable is important for future sustainability this cannot be the sole objective rather a by-product of a good business which understands its customers needs. We believe people buy cars of people they like. So we work on looking after our people who in turn look after our customers.

Could you please tell us more about the facility at your dealership for the customers to digitally-design their new cars. What technology tools do you use to achieve this outcome? How does that affect the pricing of cars as compared to standardised models? What are some of the unique features available in the digitally-designed Audi cars?

History tells us that evolution is the key to survival. We are quite fortunate to work with a brand which is always on the forefront of innovation. Our facilities are equipped with virtual car configurators where customers get to experience the car of their choice through simulation whether it is an upcoming model or quite simply a car that is hot stock and is unavailable to view on the day. With the level of technology we have in our showrooms what we can bring to life is quite unreal and needs to be experienced to believe.

Audi is always known to be a premium quality car. Do you have plans to bring to the market a model for the common person which is not too expensive but yet reliable?

Audi is part of the Volkswagen Group which represents 12 brands including Skoda, Lamborghini, Bentley, Porsche, Ducati, Volkswagen and more. Every brand has a purpose and a place in the market as part of the group strategy. You will not see Audi compete directly against the main steam market as the purpose of this brand is different. However, in saying that the Audi’s range from $29,990 for an A1 to over $500,000 for an iconic R8 supercar which allows us to have an offering across multiple segments of the market. Some of the key concerns that we know of is the cost of ownership and resale value. We have some excellent offerings to alleviate these concerns such a Guaranteed Future Value program and 3 and 5 year service pack amongst others. We are also fully backed by Audi Finance which offers a host of tailored finance package which makes these cars quite affordable. You will be surprised how access able an Audi really is once all these facts are taken into consideration.

Audi cars are manufactured at various places in the world. In response to India’s Make In India campaign does Audi have plans to have their cars manufactured or assembled in India?

Audi is a truly global brand. It has manufacturing facilities in 16 locations around the world including Aurangabad in India since 2007. The brand is represented in 100 markets across the world.

With the campaign for reducing the usage of fossil fuel, does Audi have plans to bring to the market affordable electric cars and is there any progress in on the R&D to achieve this?

Once again being a technology leader in its field Audi is due to launch their first fully electric car towards the end of this year. The first of many will be the E Tron which is an SUV. This car is truly special and showcases the latest and greatest that Audi has to offer. It carries a range of over 400kms which makes it highly practical to just about everybody. By 2025 we will have 12 all electric models in the range. I highly recommend people to come in and test drive this car when it arrives.

You have been through Audi Academy and Alto Management Academy. Tell us more about the management skills you learnt there and how they are applied to your current role.

The Alto group is a great employer which invests in their people and amazing facilities. The company always believes in promoting from within and growing their own. I am one of many who has been fortunate enough to have grown with the company. We have several training programs in house such as the Alto High Potential Program for up and coming staff with future management potential, Alto Management Academy for senior managers etc. The idea is to empower our people to be the best they can be. In a rapidly evolving market it is imperative that our people and in turn our businesses are ahead of the curve. As part of Audi requirements every job function within the business requires people to be certified in their job roles. This allows Audi to maintain high standards to be in sync with the brand. Another key point that sets Audi certifications apart is the fact that they are globally recognized and highly sought after which allows people to work with this brand anywhere in the world. These training and certification courses are excellent when put to good use. It definitely assists me in leading a complex business such as ours

The world has been talking of flying cars for a while but has never come to fruition. What does the future holds for commercially viable, safe and sustainable flying cars and when will we see the first one from Audi?

This is very much a reality, the unknown is when it will happen. With most major cities around the world overcrowding alternate modes of transport is very much on the forefront of most discussions in global forums. Audi will most certainly have an offering in this space when the day comes.

Could you elaborate on new and/or ground breaking environmental sustainability features of new generation Audi cars? How does Audi respond to this urgent social call?

Electric Cars is the first step in the right direction. The next would be hydrogen cars and then building ecofriendly sustainable cities/ townships. Audi has currently several projects on the go worldwide. This is a brand that is committed to a better future.

With regards to Audi Alto’s announcement on the 4th Audi dealership in Sydney, enlighten us more on that.

Audi is a great business partner. There are a lot of synergies between the Alto Group and Audi at many levels that we have experienced over the past 11 years. Our latest Audi dealership is in the South West high growth corridor in Smeaton Grange (Camden). The greenfield site, purchased by the Alto Group is 18,000 square meters and current planning is for a 20 bay service workshop, full paint and panel facility plus 2 ovens, large display for up to 100 approved used vehicles and a new car showroom with space for up to 20 vehicles. The dealership will also offer a community facility for use by local sporting, business and charity groups. Construction is in full swing and we expect to open doors early next year.

List of awards won at the Audi Australia Dealer of the Year Awards 2019:

• 1^st place – Rural Dealer of the Year – Audi Alto Central Coast (second year consecutively)
• 2nd Place – Metropolitan Dealer of the Year – Audi Alto Pennant Hills
• 3rd Place – Major Metropolitan Dealer of the Year – Audi Alto Artarmon
• Sales Manager of the Year, Major Metropolitan – Adam Patch, Audi Alto Artarmon
• Sales Manager of the Year, Metropolitan – Timothy Karjadi, Audi Alto Artarmon
• Sales Executive of the Year, Metropolitan – Rebecca Johnston, Audi Alto Pennant Hills
• Sales Executive of the Year, Rural – Brendan Townsend, Audi Alto Central Coast
• Parts Manager of the Year, Major Metropolitan – Ben Butler
• Parts Manager of the Year, Metropolitan – Phillip Keen
• Business Manager of the Year, Metropolitan – Axel Horsch
  

(Locations: Artarmon, Pennant Hills and Central Coast)