ford report
TRANSCRIPT
Summer Internship Report
On
IMPACT OF ADVERTISEMENT AND DEALERSHIP SALES PROCESS ON AUTO CUSTOMERS
By
MINU SAHA0101909382
MBA Class of 2011
Under the Supervision ofDr. Anjani Kumar Singh
Assist. ProfessorDepartment of Entrepreneurship
In Partial Fulfillment of Award of Master of Business Administration
AMITY BUSINESS SCHOOLAMITY UNIVERSITY UTTAR PRADESH
SECTOR 125, NOIDA - 201303, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA2010
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AMITY UNIVERSITY UTTAR PRADESH
AMITY BUSINESS SCHOOL
DECLARATION
I, Minu Sah, student of Masters of Business Administration from Amity Business School, Amity
University Uttar Pradesh hereby declare that I have completed Summer Internship on “IMPACT
OF ADVERTISEMNETS AND DEALERSHIP SALES PROCESS ON AUTO CUSTOMERS” in
‘Ford India Pvt. Ltd.’ as part of the course requirement.
I further declare that the information presented in this project is true and original to the best of my
knowledge.
Date: 26/07/2010 MINU SAH
Enroll. No: A0101909382
Place: Noida MBA Class of 2011
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Acknowledgement
It is my pleasure to extend my deep gratitude to Dr. Anjani Kumar Singh, Faculty
Guide, Amity Business School, Noida, for the help, cooperation and guidance received
from him throughout the tenure of this Summer Internship Project .I would like to take
this opportunity to thank all other faculty members at Amity Business School, Noida, for
their cooperation.
I would also like to thank Mr. Gautam Tandon, Regional Sales Manager -North for giving me an
opportunity to do the “Summer Internship” in the esteemed organisation, ‘Ford India Pvt.
Ltd’ and for providing a mentally stimulating environment throughout the project period.
I am grateful to Mr. Sunil Tandon, General Manager at Harpreet Ford, Moti Nagar and Mr.Sudhir
Srivastava, General Manager at Harpreet Ford, Dilshad Garden for their guidance and help during
the internship. Their valuable and constructive suggestions at many difficult situations are
immensely acknowledged. Finally I would like to thank all the staff of Ford India Pvt. Ltd., who
helped me in completing my project successfully.
Student Name: MINU SAH
Enroll. No: A0101909382
Program: MBA(G) Class of 2011
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ABSTRACT
The automobile industry has seen a healthy growth over the last two decades, presenting huge
opportunities for the automobile companies, both in two-wheeler segment and passenger car
segment. Seeing the current scenario, it is utmost important for the marketer to understand the
trends and happenings in the automobile market. This study was based on a survey of 250 auto
consumers in the NCR region, selected on convenience basis, consisted of three different
objectives. The first study was conducted on a sample of 100 auto customers to examine the role
played by advertising in influencing consumer’s preference for cars. The second study was
conducted on a sample of 110 Ford customers to determine the level of satisfaction of customers
with the Dealership Sales Process. The third study was specifically for the Ford Endeavour
customer, conducted on a sample of 45 customers for the month of May at the Harpreet Ford
dealer, Moti Nagar. The data was collected mainly with the help of questionnaire at the two
dealership locations i.e. Dilshad Garden and Moti Nagar for a period of 3 weeks. The results show
that advertisements do not play such a significant role in influencing the customer’s purchase
decision. The automobile ads basically help in creating awareness amongst the customers about the
new product and acts as reinforcement ads convincing people that they have made the right
decision by selecting a particular brand of car. The ‘Quality’ of the car as well the ‘Performance’
forms the main reason for auto customers to build brand loyalty for a particular brand. The
Dealership Sales Process of Ford is highly structured and almost 90% of the customers are
satisfied with the process. The results for the study on Endeavour shows that the most of its
customers belong to the business class having high income of the age group 30 to 40 years, its
main competitor is Toyota’s Fortuner and utility serves as the main purpose for purchasing
Endeavour.
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CONTENTS
Declaration
Certificate from Industry Guide
Certificate from Faculty guide
Acknowledgement
Abstract
S.No. Chapter Name Page No.
1. Introduction …………………………………………………..8
1.1 Automobile Industry Overview……………………………....9-121.2 Company Profile……………………………………………..13-141.3 10 Step Dealership Sales Process……………………………15-25
2. Literature Review…………………………………………….26
2.1 Ford gains, Chrysler loses ground…………………. ………..27-292.2 What influences car buyers…………………………………...29-302.3 Demand for Car Market………………………………………30-31
3. Research Methodology ……………………………………….32
3.1 Research Objective……………………………………………333.2 Research Design………………………………………………33
3.3 Sampling Universe……………………………………………343.4 Sampling Technique………......................................................343.5 Scaling Technique................................................................….353.6 Data Collection………………………………………………..35
4. Data Analysis & Interpretation………………………………..36-67
5. Findings, Suggestions & Conclusions…………………………68-71
6. Short term project on “Study on Ford Endeavour”……………72-83
References……………………………………………………...84
Annexure………………………………………………………..85-96
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CHAPTER 1
INTODUCTION
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1.1 AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
In the race to be a superpower, India is making frequent and astounding advancements in all fields.
From power generation to constructing modern roads, every sector has a huge impetus. Rising
above all in a very distinct and appreciable way is the Automobile Sector of India. The automobile
sector forms one of the fastest growing sectors in the Indian economy and so is the popularity of
automobiles in India. A number of cars and other automobiles are imported and exported every
year. Indian Automobile market witnesses a large scale manufacturing of cars, bikes, vans, buses
and tractors.
The Automobile industry in India is the seventh largest in the world with an annual production
of over 2.6 million units in 2009. In 2009, India emerged as Asia's fourth largest exporter of
automobiles, behind Japan, South Korea and Thailand. Every year new and advanced model
of cars, bikes and other vehicles are launched by various leading manufacturers suiting the
consumer needs. Occupied by various major automobile manufacturers like Tata
Motors, Ford Motors, Volkswagen, Maruti Suzuki, Hero Honda, Bajaj Auto, Yamaha Motor etc,
Indian Automobile industry has become a battlefield of technology, performance and styling.
Automobile industry in India is one of the fastest growing automobile industries and has made its
position in the world market.
The Indian automobile Industry is currently growing at a remarkable pace of around 18 % per
annum. The technological changes and progress successfully led to the progress of automobile
sector in India. The main reason behind this tremendous progress is the economic liberalization by
Indian government.
Ever since the foreign direct investment has been allowed, the automobile market has got its foot
on the accelerator. The growth of Indian middle class with increasing purchasing power and
availability of trained manpower at reasonable cost is another reason for the eminent growth and
has pushed it to new capacities. International automobiles giants have helped Indian automobile
sector to enlarge by setting up local basis. The increasing competition in auto companies has
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opened up many choices for Indian consumers at competitive costs. The Indian Automobile
industry is growing in all respects and it is also serving as an important source of employment.
Innovation and new product launches are a major factor driving growth in sales of cars. A wide
distribution & service station network is a key to growth in India. The automobile sector is
expected to witness strong growth and improve its share in global markets too. The analysts
believe that by 2030, the Indian automobile market will be one among the top five global markets.
Key players in the Indian auto industry – Passenger Cars and Commercial vehicles
Maruti Suzuki
Hyundai
Tata
Mahindra
GM Chevrolet
Honda
Toyota
Ford
Fiat
Skoda
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Source: Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM)
Passenger Vehicles Segment
This segment is constituted of two types of vehicles which are the cars and the SUV’s. Cars hold a
major section with 78% of the market. SUV’s are come under the premium vehicles in the
industry, thus they hold a lower share in the market. The domestic PV market has grown by 15%
over the last decade. The market leaders in this segment are Maruti Suzuki who has been in the
same state since decades. Being one of the first entrants in the sector the company has enjoyed
phases of monopolistic market in India. Although not much has changed in the market scenario,
Maruti still holds the maximum share of 46% in the PV segment. They are followed by Tata
motors at 15% share and Hyundai Motors at 14% share. Tata Motors has recently launched the
new Rs 1 lakh car and has opened a new avenue in the market for the small cars manufacturing.
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Hyundai Motors India on the other hand has established India as its manufacturing hub. Other
share holders such as Toyota aim at capturing 10% of the market by the year 2010; Honda and
Ford are the leading players in the Indian premium cars segment. Most of the leading
manufacturers in the world have their presence in India as Joint ventures or subsidiaries. India is
slowly emerging as a global hub for small car manufacturing industries. This is evident from the
export statistics of the market. Hyundai Motors India are the leaders of the export market with 66%
of the market share. Major section of the production of Hyundai Motors is exported to South
America, Africa and Europe. The company uses India as a manufacturing and export hub of
compact cars around the world. Maruti Suzuki follows Hyundai with 24% of market
share. Major section of the exports of Maruti goes to Latin America and the Middle East.
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Source: Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM)
1.2 COMPANY’S PROFILE
Domestic Market Share for 2009-10
Passenger Vehicles 15.86
Commercial Vehicles 4.32
Three Wheelers 3.58
Two Wheelers 76.23
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Ford Motor Company is an American multinational corporation based in Dearborn, Michigan, a
suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903.
Ford is currently the second largest automaker in the U.S. and the fourth-largest in the world based
on number of vehicles sold annually, directly behind Volkswagen.
Ford introduced itself in India in 1988 with its Ford Escort model. Later in 2001 it was replaced by
locally produced Ford Ikon. Since then it has added Fusion, Fiesta, Mondeo and Endeavour to its
product line. Ford has a strength of about 213,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide.
Ford in India has launched the car only for few segment of people. They are:
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Family car segment: These cars forms a reasonably sizeable segment of the market (around
15%).
Preferred price range is from 5 lakh to 6 lakh.
‘FORD IKON’ AND ‘FORD FUSION’ come under this segment.
Premium car segment: This segment represents buyers who need a real world-class car
and are willing to pay the due price.
Preferred price range starts from 8 lakh to 12 lakh.
‘FORD FIESTA’, ‘FORD MONDEO’ come under this segment of cars.
SUV segment: The buyers of this segment like to have a big vehicles and these cars are also useful
for sport riding and even on hilly areas. There body is designed similar to abroad vehicles, which
can withstand the Indian roads.
‘FORD ENDEAVOUR’ occupies this segment.
10 STEP DEALERSHIP SALES PROCESS
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It provides a clear description of each step of the sales process and explains how to sell a vehicle based on the value of its features and benefits rather then on the overall price of the vehicle. It also provides helpful ideas for improving the productivity and volume potential.
Sales process
Ford typically uses a 10-step Showroom Experience Sales process.
Two more steps are there i.e. prospecting (before greeting) and follow up (after exit interview).
STEP 1: GREETING
Prospecting
Step 1
Greeting
Step 6
Trade-In Appraisal
Step 2Need
Assessment
Step 7
Price Discussion
Step 3 Vehicle
Selection
Selection
Step 8
Financial Products &
services
Step 4 Product
Presentation
Step 9
Vehicle Delivery
Step 5Vehicle
demonstration
Step 10
Exit Interview
Follow up
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Objective: Make customers feel welcome and begin to collect information from them.
Process Flow:
*SC- Sales Consultant
STEP 2: NEED ASSESSMENT
Desk SC* notices customer
Desk SC determines
purpose of visit
SC provides general dealer information
Step 2:
Need Assessment
Desk SC gets appropriate SC to work with customer
Desk SC welcomes customer
Customer arrives
Desk SC enters customer data into showroom Traffic
Log
SC completes Greeting section
of customer record
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Objective: Ask open ended questions to identify the customer’s purchase motivators.
Process Flow:
STEP 3: VEHICLE SELECTION
SC finds out who is making purchase decision
SC builds customer relationship by asking leading questions
SC asks about purchase motivators
Supervisor verifies that SC has identified customer’s purchase motivators
SC completes Needs Assessment section of customer record
SC finds out how the customer wants to buy
SC obtains agreement on purchase motivators
Step 3: Vehicle selection
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Objective: Match a Ford vehicle to the customer’s purchase motivators
Process Flow:
STEP 4: PRODUCT PRESENTATION
SC restates customer’s purchase motivators
SC discusses make , model, style, options
Sc presents brand image
Supervisor verifies that SC has recommended an appropriate vehicle
SC completes the vehicle selection section of customer record
Sc discusses vehicles that meet customer’s purchase motivators
SC recommends vehicle
Step 4:
Product Presentation
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Objective: Present a vehicle to the customer by employing the ways the vehicle fulfills the customer’s purchase motivator
Process Flow:
STEP 5: VEHICLE DEMONSTRATION
SC restates customer’s purchase motivators
SC explains how vehicle meets customers need
SC summarizes standard/optional
features Supervisor helps SC present vehicle features that match customer’s purchase motivator
Sc presents brand image
SC provides competitive comparison
SC performs six –position vehicle walk around focusing on features/benefits that match purchase motivators
Step 5: Vehicle Demonstration
SC completes the Product Presentation section of Customer Record
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Objective: Allow the customers to drive the selected vehicle and highlight how the vehicle’s features and benefits match the customer’s purchase motivators
Process flow:
STEP 6: TRADE-IN APPRAISAL
SC confirms availability of vehicle
SC performs safety and security check
SC drives to predetermined point
Supervisor verifies that SC presents vehicle features and benefits during demo
Supervisor monitors
Customer Record to access customer response
SC demonstrate vehicle operation
SC allows customer to drive remainder of route
SC and customer return vehicle to dealership
SC asks for customer feedback
SC asks customer to buy
Step 6:
Trade-In appraisal
SC completes the vehicle Demonstration section of
customer record
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Objective: Evaluate the value of customer’s existing vehicle to include trade-in appraisal in a profitable vehicle purchase
Process Flow:
STEP 7: PRICE DISCUSSION
SC reviews vehicle disposition methods
SC explains and gains approval to start the appraisal process
SC drives and evaluates vehicle
Sc approves used vehicle appraisal
SC completes Trade-In section of Customer record
SC completes used
vehicle appraisal
SC presents used vehicle appraisal
SC links trade- in to sale
Step 7:
Price Discussion
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Objective: Sell vehicle based on value to maintain profitability levels
Process Flow:
STEP 8: FINANCIAL PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
SM provides factory price incentives before
negotiation
SC highlights value of customer’s purchase
motivator
SC restates how vehicle benefits match customer’s purchase motivator
Supervisor helps with negotiation if SC reaches impasse
SC reminds customer of ford brand competitive advantages
SC asks for the sale
SC responds to objections by discussing features and benefits
Step 8: Financial Products and Services
SC completes negotiation section of customer record
SC thanks customers
SC obtains signed offer to buy
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Objective: Offer finance products and services to meet customer needs and increase profitability
Process Flow:
STEP 9: VEHICLE DELIVERY
SC/finance team explains finance process and alternatives
SC/Finance team determines customer needs preferences and priorities
SC/FT presents leasing, financing and cash transaction options to meet customer needs
Supervisor help SC present finance products that match customer’s purchase motivators
SC completes financial products section of the customer record
SC/FT presents insurance products to meet customer needs
SC/FT presents insurance products to meet customer needs
SC/FT processes customer finance application
Step 9:
Vehicle Delivery
SC/FT processes customer finance application
SC/FT reviews terms before getting customer signature
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Objective: Deliver vehicle to the customer on time in perfect condition
Process Flow:
STEP 10: EXIT INTERVEIW
SC explains delivery process to customer
SC schedules delivery with service department
SC inspects and reviews vehicle
Supervisor submits paperwork for delivery
SC introduces customer to service department
SC makes first service appointment
SC presents vehicle, vehicle operation
Step 10:
Exit Interview
SC explains warranty and maintenance if applicable
SC completes Delivery of the customer record
SC thanks customer
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Objective: Ensure the customer’s satisfaction with the showroom experience and for follow up
Process Flow:
SC reviews customer’s preference for follow up contact
Supervisor asks why the customer did not buy
Supervisor resolves any customer concerns
SC sets up initial follow up call
Did
customer buy?
Was customer satisfied?
Yes
Yes
No Geographical Extend – NCR Region
Time – 4 weeks
No
SC completes Exit Interview section of Customer record
SC/Supervisor asks customer to completes Delivery Customer Satisfaction report
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CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
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2.1 Ford gains, Chrysler loses ground (2009)
According to a new survey conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center there
has been a huge increase in demand for American cars. They used a nationally representative
probability sample.1,777 adults whose household owns at least one vehicle were interviewed
telephonically.
Ford has benefited the most from the recent turmoil in the auto market, with the largest gain in
new-car buyers who say that they are likely to consider buying a Ford model—up 17 percentage
points compared with a year ago. The respondents considering buying a GM model were up six
percentage points, but those considering a Chrysler model were down 25 percentage points.
Other highlights from the survey:
The most important considerations for today’s new-car buyers are fuel economy,
quality, safety, price, and value. Brand, environmental friendliness, or a manufacturer’s
stability as a company does not hold much importance for car buyers.
Among new-car shoppers who consider manufacturer incentives important to their choice
of vehicle, a long warranty, discounted price, and low interest rate have the most influence on
their purchase decision. These are considered more important than cash rebates or programs
involving a “job-loss protection” promotion and free or discounted gasoline.
Only 9 percent of those interviewed are likely to buy a new car in the next year. That’s
less than half of the percentage—19—of new-car buyers in a June 2008 survey, suggesting
that the market may not rebound to those levels for some time.
Overall, four in 10 consumers said they have put off purchasing a new vehicle, a
percentage that reflects the national sales decrease. Among those considering a purchase, 61
percent are looking specifically to buy a used car.
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Most important factors when car buying
The most important consideration in deciding which vehicle to buy is price, followed by fuel
economy, safety, and quality for most of the respondents. But among active new-car buyers, fuel
economy was the most important factor, with quality and safety also rising above price.
Most-important considerations when buying (factors that respondents cited as one of their top three when deciding on their next car):
Factor All respondents
New-car buyers
Used-car-only buyers
Price 49% 36% 55%
Fuel economy 46 46 51
Safety 42 39 39
Quality 39 42 37
Value 24 24 24
Performance 21 18 26
Brand 16 14 19
Environmentally friendly/green
13 13 10
Design/style 12 19 13
Manufacturer’s stability 12 13 10
Technology/innovation 6 7 5
Manufacturer incentives 4 8 2
Government incentives 3 11 4
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The power of incentives
In the survey, 71% of new-car shoppers said that manufacturer’s incentives were an important
consideration in their choice of vehicles.
A long warranty was the top consideration among all respondents and for active new-car buyers.
For both groups, a low interest rate and a discounted price are also more influential than a cash
rebate or niche programs, such as “job-loss protection” and free or discounted gasoline.
Automaker incentives considered important to consumers:
Program All respondents New-car buyers
Long warranty 75% 82%
Low interest rate 74 65
Discounted price 72 71
Cash rebate 50 52
Job-loss protection 39 27
Free or discounted gas 38 30
2.2 What influences car buyers, 2008
According to another study conducted by the Booz Allen consultancy of automobile buyers there
are only two critical factors that influence car-buying decisions i.e. "product excellence" and "cost
of ownership.
The study, which was the result of an intensive investigation into a decade of automobile buyer
data, have crystal clear implications for auto marketers and their ad agencies. As one Booz Allen
vice president states, "If the pictures people are seeing don't show the functional attributes of the
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vehicle, you're wasting your money." Lifestyle and "feel-good" advertising, he further contends,
fall flat because they completely ignore the real reasons people buy.
People buy cars for functional reasons, so they need products that perform. They use these
products to commute to the office, pick up groceries, schlep the kids to soccer practice, and tow
the family outboard to the lake on Friday. What they want -- and need -- to know is how the car
will hold up and what sort of long-term return they can expect to get for their large investment.
The conclusion is that functional attributes are enormously important to consumers.
2.3"Demand for Car Market", 2010
National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) conducted a survey at national level
with the objective of understanding the consumer behavior of Indian car market by studying the
purchases and demand patterns of Indian households.
The socio-economic structure of households is one of the important factors affecting the car
market. With increasing purchasing power, the number of households crossing the threshold plays
an important role in passenger car sales.
The survey result shows the following characteristics of car owners:
▪ Nearly 65 per cent of car owners are in urban areas.
▪ Around 90 per cent of them belong to higher income classes.
▪ The average annual household income of car owning households is Rs. 206,556 and average
expenditure is Rs. 108,664.
▪ Though their average household size is 5 but average number of earners is just 1.4, which shows
that the earlier saying in Indian families "More members in family adds to more household
income" is no more valid.
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▪ Zonal distribution of car owning households shows that majority of them are in south (35 per
cent) followed by west (30 per cent). 23 per cent of them reside in north.
▪ About 66 per cent of car owning households also own a two-wheeler.
▪ The car purchase decision in Indian urban families is influenced by the head of the household
followed by the chief earner. Female members contribute just 14 per cent in making such
decisions.
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CHAPTER 3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
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Research is systematic investigation into a subject to discover facts, theories, applications etc.
Methodology is the system of methods followed by a particular discipline.
Thus research methodology is the manner we conduct a research.
3.1 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE
Primary Objective:
To study the impact of corporate advertising and dealership sales process on auto customers
purchase decision.
Secondary Objective:
To study the demographic profile of auto customers.
To study the level of impact of different automobile ads on auto customers.
To find out the impact of frequency of ad on auto customers.
To study the quality of customer service offered at the dealership location.
To understand the 10 step dealership sales process.
3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN
It is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project. It specifies the details
of the procedures necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure or solve marketing
research problem.
Descriptive Research
The kind of research used in the study is descriptive research which is highly formal and structured
in nature. It basically helped in examining the amount of association which exists between
corporate advertising, dealership sales process and the purchase motivators for customers. The
information needed was clearly specified in the form of questionnaire and sample was large and
representative.
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3.3 SAMPLING UNIVERSE
The sampling universe for studying the impact of advertisement on auto customers consists of all
the customers who are seeking to buy a new car of any brand.
The sampling universe for the studying the satisfaction level of customers with the Dealership
Sales Process of Ford consists of only the Ford customers who bought car from Harpreet Ford
dealer at Moti Nagar in the month of June.
The sampling universe for the short term project on Study on Endeavour consists of only those
customers who purchased Ford Endeavour from the Dealer at Moti Nagar i.e. Harpreet Ford in the
month of May
3.4 SAMPLING TECHNIQUE
A sample of 250 respondents was selected for the research of age above 18 years through
Convenience Sampling Method. Convenience sampling is a non-probability sampling technique
where subjects are selected because of their convenient accessibility and proximity to the
researcher. Since the population of auto customers is too large so it is impossible to include every
individual thus convenience sampling technique is the most preferred form because it is fast,
inexpensive, easy and the subjects are readily available.
Out of a total sample of 250 respondents, the research on impact of advertisement was conducted
on 100 auto customers and the study on Dealership sales process of Ford was conducted by asking
feedback questions to the 110 Ford customers. Study on Endeavour was carried out on 45
respondents out of which only 26 gave valid responses.
Questionnaire
According to Ruane (2005, p. 123), a questionnaire is a “self-contained, self-administered instrument
for asking questions”. The questionnaire was divided into structured and unstructured questions
accordingly. A structured question may either entail multiple choices, dichotomous questions, or a
scale, whereas an unstructured question is an open-ended question, which implies that the respondents
answer in their own words (Malhotra, 2004).
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3.5 SCALING TECHNIQUE USED
The structured questions that were asked were either dichotomous or scales. In dichotomous questions,
the respondents could only choose between two response alternatives, such as Yes or No, making it
easy to code and analyze. This is also known as nominal scale.
A ratio scale was also used which allowed the respondents to rank order the various automobile brand
according to their preference, i.e. 1 – 5, where 5 represents “very good” and 1 indicates “very bad”.
Finally, in combination with the structured questions, unstructured questions were also asked, where
the respondents were able to clarify and express in detail their responses and opinions (Neuman, 2003).
3.6 DATA COLLECTION METHOD
The data used for this study were obtained from basically two sources. Primary and Secondary.
However, the major data for the work were collected by means of questionnaire.
Two hundred and fifty (250) copies of questionnaire were administered on the auto customers.
The major areas covered included Dilshad Garden and Moti Nagar in Delhi and data was collected
basically by interacting with the auto customers at the above mentioned two dealership locations
for a period of 3 weeks.
The respondents were selected randomly at each of the locations on the basis of convenience.
The secondary data that were also of great assistance were extracted from the company’s HPSS
sales consultant toolkit, newspapers like Economic times, Hindustan times, magazines like Auto
car and other research papers found online.
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CHAPTER 4
ANALYSIS AND INTEPRETATION
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ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
FOR
IMPACT OF ADVERTISEMENT ON AUTOMOBILE CUSTOMERS
DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF AUTO CUSTOMERS
GENDER
As shown in the pie chart most of the auto customers are male i.e. 82 % and only 18% are female.
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AGE GROUPS
Auto customers exist in all the age groups.
Maximum numbers i.e. almost 70% are found in the age group 18 to 30 years as can be seen from
the pie chart. Only 21% of the customers belong to the age group of 30 to 40 years who are
seeking for a new car. Thus, people of age 18 to 40 forms the main target market for auto
companies.
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ANNUAL INCOME
As can be seen from the pie chart that 64% of the data is missing. This shows that mostly people
are reluctant in disclosing their annual incomes.
Out of the rest 36% who gave their annual incomes 51% of the auto customers had an annual
income of 3 to 6 lakh.
30% had an annual income of 6 to 10 lakh and 13 % had 10 to 15 lakh.
Just 5% respondents had an annual income greater than 15 lakh.
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OCCUPATION
Auto customers are of different occupations but they mostly belong to either business class or
service class.
38% of the respondents interviewed belonged to service class.
34% belong to business class and 18% are students
Rest 10% include home maker, retired people, people working in Indian Army or NGO.
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RANKING OF AUTOMOBILE BRANDS ACCORDING TO CUSTOMER’S PREFERENCE
43
44
According to the means obtained the final order of the cars preferred by customers is
Honda
Toyota
Hyundai
Maruti
Ford
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REASONS FOR PREFERING A PARTICULAR AUTOMOBILE BRAND
More than 80% of the customers prefer a
particular brand of automobile due to its
quality. Advertising has a very little impact
i.e. just around 11% believe that advertising
has a role to play in their preference or
purchase decision. Other reasons include
personal usage of the product/car, after sale
services offered etc.
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36% of the people go for a particular brand of car because of its low cost of maintenance and large
no. of service stations. Price affects just 25% of the customers and only 8% of the customers go for
a particular brand of car because of its easy availability.
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SOURCE OF AWARENESS FOR THE VARIOUS AUTOMOBILE BRANDS WHICH CUSTOMER’S PREFER
Advertising acts as a major source of awareness among customers but at the same time customers
gather a lot of information through Buzz marketing i.e. through word of mouth.
Sales promotion activities and magazines are also able to give almost 35% of the customers what
they are looking for. Other reasons through which a customers knows about the brand’s quality
and performance is by its personal usage.
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MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE IN A CAR WHICH CUSTOMER’S TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHILE PURCHASING
65 out of 100 respondents stress on performance while they go for purchasing a new car. 54 auto
customers look out for comfort and 42 look for safety as the most important feature along with
other factors such as maintenance, price and fuel efficiency. Only 38 customers out of 100 take
design and look of the car into consideration while purchasing it.
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MOST TRUSTABLE FORM OF ADVERTISEMENT
More then 50% of the auto customers consider recommendations from people and around 38% of
auto customers consider consumer opinion i.e. those customers who have already used the product
as the most trustable form of advertisement so it’s very necessary for an automobile company to
create positive brand image in front of its customer and avoid any such activities which might lead
to even a single unsatisfied customer.
Other advertisements forms such as T.V., newspaper, magazines and the brand website have also
been able to gain trust of around 20% to 30% of auto customers. Thus a balance is needed to be
maintained amongst all these forms of ads in order to keep all the customers satisfies and provide
them the required information.
Other forms of ads make a very small percentage of the total
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CHANNELS MOSTLY WATCHED BY AUTO CUSTOMERS
Almost 38% of the customers prefer to watch news channels, 34% of the customers like to watch
entertainment channels and 27% prefer to watch sports channels.
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SPECIFIC PROGRAMS WHICH AUTO CUSTOMERS LIKE TO WATCH ON T.V.
Most of the people like to watch programs on wildlife or technology on channels like Discovery,
National, Geographic, Fox History and Animal Planet.
Most of the youngsters like to watch shows like Roadies and Splitzvilla on MTV and other music
channels. English movie channels like hbo, star movies, axn are also liked by many.
Reality Shows are also watched very frequently by most of the customers.
Many Auto customers also like to watch various programs on news channels or others related to
auto sector like car and bike show, zig wheels, fifth gear, top gear, wheelocity, car craze, autocar
etc.
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SITES MOSTLY SURFED BY CUSTOMERS
As can be seen from the bar graph that almost an equal no. of auto customers i.e. 50 prefer to surf
both social networking and mal sites. Almost 40 customers showed interest in technology sites and
very few like the blog sites.
53
AUTOMOBILE AD RECALL BY CUSTOMERS
This question was asked basically to find out which brand has been able to create the strongest
impact on customers mind by using the various modes of communication. The ad recalled by auto
customers is of any form i.e. t.v. ad, radio ad, posters, banners, online ad etc.
20 respondents could recall a Maruti ad due to the long term existence of the brand in the Indian
market. It mostly included ad of the cars belonging to the small segment like Alto, Swift, Wagon
R and other mid segment cars like Swift Desire and SX4.
Ford Figo which made the latest entry into the hatchback category car and has been able to capture
a sale of around 25000 just in 100 days. It stood on the second number on the recall list as 19
customers could recall its ad.
Because of the rigorous advertisement carried out by Volkswagon Polo and the various
promotional activities carried out by collaborating with MTV channel its ad could be recalled by
almost 15 respondents.
Honda is on number four on the recall list as 10 customers could recall its ad. The cars included
mostly Honda City, Honda Accord in the luxurious segment.
7 people could recall a Hyundai ad mostly of i10 and other cars like verna ,santro. The main
reason for recalling an i10 ad was due to its brand endorsement by Shahrukh Khan.
Other brands ad which auto customers could recall were:
Tata Indica; Fiat Punto and Linea; Scorda Yeti and Fabia, Chverolet Beat; and othe luxurious
segmnat cars like Mercedez, Audi etc.
11 people could recall ad of SUV’s like Endeavour, Scorpio and Fortuner.
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MESSAGE THE AD CONVEYS
The main information which people get from Maruti’s ad about the small segment cars is that they
are very affordable and economical cars for small families having high performance and good after
sale service. The SX4 ad conveys them that it is very energetic car specially made for men.
Hyundai i10 ad conveys that it is one of the best cars in its segment having a comfortable drive
with SRK as it brand ambassador
Honda ads talks about quality, perfection, safety, the cutting edge technology, features and
interiors of car.
The information which people get from the Polo ad is the amount of confidence the company has
on it. The German Technology used in the car which makes it a powerful, safer and fuel efficient
car.
Ford Figo ad talks about the unique features of the car like Bluetooth connectivity and portrays its
tag line i.e. smart and smarter in a very beautiful manner in the ad. It shows the owners attachment
with the car.
The SUV’s ads mainly convey the customers of the capabilities and versatilities of the car. The
energy, speed and power associated with these cars.
Chevrolet Beat’s ad shows the style, passion and status associated with owning the car.
55
MODE OF AROUSAL BY THE AD
Out of sample size of 100, 58 people say that the ad which they can recall arouses them to seek
more information about the car
56 people after seeing the ad are excited to discuss about the car with friends and colleagues
49 people are influenced to search more about the car on net.j4swx2
Almost 45 people are encouraged to go to the showroom as well as have a test drive.
Only a very few people (20) are motivated to purchase the car just by watching the ad.
56
.
LIKINGS ABOUT THE RECALLED AD
Most of the customers feel like the overall presentation of the ad i.e. the way the ad has been
shown, the story board, the description of the car’s features and interiors, the kind of music and
color combination used. Few people like the simplicity of the ad, humorous nature of the ad, the
catch line used, the models or brand ambassadors used, and the uniqueness shown in the ad about
the car. Some people also like the association and compassion which has been conveyed in the ad.
DISLIKINGS ABOUT THE RECALLED AD
Some people think that the sometimes the ad does not provide them the information which a
customer is looking for. Some times the ad is little stretched one or the kind of sound used is not
appealing to the customers. Customers even don’t like the ads which make false promises.
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USAGE OF BRAND AMBASSADORS
60% of the auto customers say that brand endorsement is not needed and does not effect their
purchase decision while 38% customers feel that there is strong need for brand ambassadors for car
promotions.
58
RIGHT PERSON FOR PROMOTING A CAR
As most of the customers told that brand endorsement is not necessary and is just a wastage of
money for the manufactures so they consider common man as the best person for conveying any
message in the ad.
As the trend is going on these days specially among the FMCG companies to use experts to gain
confidence of the customers so almost 37% of the auto customers also believe that by holding car
expert talks as promotional activities, auto industry can develop a lot of trust in their customers for
the products.
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NUMBER OF TIMES AN AUTO CUSTOMER COMES ACROSS AN AUTOMOBILE AD IN A DAY
45% of the auto customers come across an automobile ad just one to two times in day and 31% 3
to 5 times in a day
Around 25% of the auto customers come across an automobile ad more than 5 times in a day
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IMPACT OF FREQUECY OF AD ON CUSTOMER’S PURCHASE DECISION
57% of the customers feel that the more they are exposed to a particular advertisement the more
they would be aligned towards that brand or car and thus it would influence their purchase decision
while 42% of the customers belief that frequency of ad doesn’t make any difference to them till the
quality and service offered by any car is good.
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Cross tab between age and the number of times a customer is exposed to automobile ads in a day
It can be seen from the bar graph that youngsters of the age group 18 to 25 years are exposed to
maximum advertisement because they in constant touch with the media. These youngsters act as
great influencers to their parents while making purchase decision for cars.
25 to 40 years of age group comes across ads lesser then the earlier age group as this group mainly
consists of working class people who have very less exposure to the media because of their busy
schedules.
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FEEDBACK OF FORD CUSTOMERS
Out of a total sale of 110 cars at Harpreet Ford, Moti Nagar for the month of June 2010, 90 cars
were Figo, 12 were Fiesta , 7 Endeavour and just 1 Ikon.
As it can be seen form the graph that the sale of Ford Figo has been maximum in the last month
because of the pre launch advertising undertaken by Ford for Figo as well due to the various
promotional activities carried out.
MODEL NUMBER PURCHASED
ENDEAVOUR 7
FIESTA 12
FIGO 90
IKON 1
63
64
65
66
67
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Over all the service offered by Ford dealers i.e. Harpreet ford is very good as maximum number of
people i.e. almost 90% have given excellent or very good ranking to the various services offered
by them but there are a few people who are highly unsatisfied. Thus there is a need to keep a check
that all the ford customers undergo a uniform sales process and for this the 10 step dealership sales
process should be strictly followed by all sales consultants.
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CHAPTER 5
FINDINGS, SUGESSTIONS
AND
CONCLUSION
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FINDINGS
Most of the auto customers are male falling into the age group of 18 to 30 years having an annual
income of 3 to 6 lakh and belonging to mostly service or business class.
Maximum numbers of customers prefer Honda as a brand cause of the superior quality of the
product offered by them.
Most of the customers believe that corporate advertising does not influence their purchase
decision, it just helps to build the brand awareness and positioning. Quality of the product serves
as the main reason for preferring a particular automobile brand.
Recommendations from people and the customer opinions or blogs posted online serves are the
most trusted form of advertisements amongst auto customers
Performance of the car acts as the top most feature which customers take into consideration while
purchasing a new car. Comfort and safety stands at the second place for consideration while
making a purchase decision for car.
Most of the ads recalled by the automobile customers was an unaided recall. In this Maruti topped
the list because of its long term existence. Many other recently launched cars ads like Figo, Polo
etc were also amongst the recalled list.
Ads of automobiles focusing on features and technology used in cars are able to generate enough
curiosity amongst the customers and able to pull the customers out of their houses to the
showrooms in order to have detailed knowledge about the car.
Around 60% of the customers think that using a celebrity for the promotion of car is just wastage
of money for the manufacturer and they stress on using a common man in the ads for better
association with the ad. Even by holding expert talks a lot of trust can be gained of auto customers.
45% of the customers come across an automobile ad in a day just once or twice and 57% believe
that frequency of ad has an effect on their purchase decision.
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SUGGESTIONS
Maruti Suzuki still holds a market share of 47% due to its low cost after sales services and large
no. of service stations all over India. Thus Ford still needs to increase the no. of service stations
and decrease the maintenance cost in order to attract more customers and bring its market share at
par with other competitors.
Even Prior Experience in terms of earlier usage of the product serves as the first and foremost
consideration when buying a car. Maruti being the oldest player in the market has an edge in this
consideration. Thus, Ford needs to develop better means for influencing and attracting the
customers.
Advertising mainly online advertising serves as the main source of awareness amongst auto
customers due to the shifting interest of customers towards internet. Thus Ford should focus more
on online marketing of products along with traditional means of advertising in order to reach both
types of customers.
Buzz marketing also acts as a great source of awareness for the customers. So there is a strong
requirement by Ford to keep its earlier customers completely satisfied in order to maintain its good
reputation in the market.
The kind of promotional activities which Ford is doing currently for Figo should also be done for
its other cars.
Ford has an excellent sales process but it needs to ensure that it is completely followed by the sales
consultant and in an orderly manner. The dealers also need to ensure that the all the customers
undergo a uniform sales process in order to increase the level of satisfaction amongst the
customers.
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CONCLUSION
Advertising is a subset of promotion mix which is one of the 4ps in the marketing mix i.e. product,
price, place and promotion. As a promotional strategy, advertising serve as a major tool in creating
product awareness and condition the mind of a potential consumer to take eventual purchase
decision.
Automobile ads just act as ‘Reinforcement Ads’ which help in convincing the current purchasers
that they have made the right choice. They basically act as source of awareness for the new
products launched by the auto industry.
Since advertisements and buzz marketing constitutes the main source for generating awareness
amongst the customers, hence efforts should be made for maintaining a positive word of mouth
publicity, showing only unique and relevant things in the ads and delivering what is promised to
the customers.
‘Brand/Reputation’ and ‘Quality’ acts as the most likely purchase influencer overall and is a
dominating decision-influence for consumers in Asia Pacific when it comes to make investment in
cars. Almost 51% of the customers take the brand into consideration before purchasing a car.
Thus, understanding the customer’s expectations and focusing more on the quality and
performance along with better after sales services can make any automobile company reach up to
heights.
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CHAPTER 6
SHORT TERM PROJECT
ON
FORD ENDEVOUR
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OVERVEIW
Introduced in India in 2003 the Ford Endeavour is a midsize SUV that has the capacity to seat
seven adults is available in two versions namely the 2.5-litre XLT 4x2 and the 3.0-litre Thunder+
4x4, both with Variable Geometry Turbocharger (VGT) Geometry Turbocharger (VGT).
Ford Endeavour is a perfect Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) to discover the amazing experience of
outings with family and friends. The cutting edge 'Duratorq' (trade mark of Ford Motor Company)
engine technology makes Endeavour a responsive and fuel efficient SUV compatible with tough
terrains. Plush and delightful interiors and stunning exteriors give this SUV a commanding
presence on roads.
Ford Endeavour is a combination of power, safety, comfort and also style. Ford endeavour is
teamed with powerful 2.5 litre Duratorq TDCi engine which delivers 143 PS of power and 330
Nm of torque that makes the SUV raring to go in all terrain. With its bold hood, new headlamps,
robust fenders, distinct grille and 16" large alloy wheels, the presence of Ford Endeavour is really
towering that can't be ignored.
The dashing and sporty Ford Endeavor is available for sale in various colours such as panther
black, diamond white and three brand new colours: jeans blue, brush steel and mystic wine. The
price of Ford Endeavour is around Rs. 14.50-15.50 Lacs for its three newly launched variants :
TDCi, 4x2 (Diesel), 4x4 (Diesel).
Company Segment USP
Ford India
Limited
SUV (Sports Utility
Vehicle)
2.5 litre Duratorq TDCi
engine
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REASERCH METHODOLOGY
OBJECTIVE
To study the demographic profile of the Endeavour customers.
To know about the competitors of Endeavour.
To find out why people buy Endeavour i.e. what purpose does it serves for them.
Dealer location: Harpreet Ford, Moti Nagar, Delhi
Sample size : 45
No. of Valid responses: 26
Method: Survey Questionnaire ( tele-calling)
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DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
AGE GROUP
The pie chart shows that though Ford Endeavour customers are found amongst all age groups
but it is manly concentrated in the 30 to 40 years bracket (40% of the customers belong to the
age group of 31 to 40 years).
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OCCUPATION
Most of the ford Endeavour customers belong to the business class i.e. almost 80% of the
customers and rest 20% to the service class.
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LOCATION
Most of the customers are from Delhi i.e almost 75%. 20% customers belong to Gurgaon and
the rest 5% to other locations.
This shows that proximity of the showroom plays a significant role for sale of cars.
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ANNUAL INCOME
The bar graph shows that either the middle income group or the very high income group people
prefer to buy SUV’s.
35% of the customers had an annual income of 6 to10 lakh and an equal no. of % had above 15
lakh income.
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72% of customers of Endeavour had also investigated about other SUV’s before purchasing Endeavour
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COMPETITORS
Almost 75% of the people considered Fortuner before purchasing Endeavour. This shows that
Toyota’s Fortuner is a very big competitor of ford Endeavour.
11% of the people considered all the SUV’s before purchasing Endeavour. This proves that
Endeavour has a strong competitive advantage over other SUV's which influences the
customers to purchase it.
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PURPOSE FOR PURCHASE
Utility serves as the main purpose for purchase of Endeavour amongst customers.
Those traveling to long distances and requiring more cargo space and safety prefer Endeavour
because of its reasonable price. Some high business class people buy SUV's just for pleasure
purpose.
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MODEL PURCHASED
The sale of both 4x4 and 4x2 models are almost equal for the month of may.
This shows customer’s interest in all the models of Endeavour
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CONCLUSION
Demographic profile of Ford Endeavour customers:
Age Group: 30 to 40 years
Business class people
Very high income level (above 15 lakh)
Competitors:
The main competitor of Ford Endeavour is Toyota’s Fortuner but because it is priced
comparatively higher and due to the long waiting period before delivery, people prefer
Endeavour.
Purchase purpose:
Utility purpose i.e. for traveling long distances.
People mostly call it a family car.
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REFERENCES
Articles:
Car buyers are thinking American, with Ford, GM up; Chrysler down, August 2009
Riding the Figo, Vishal Krishna, Business World, 24 May 2010
Socio-Economic Factors influencing Car Ownership by Indian Households
Rajesh Shukla, Anuj Das and Charu Jain (NCAER, New Delhi), July 02, 2010
Why Car Buyers Buy, William J. McEwen, October 2008
Books referred:
HPSS Sales Consultant Toolkit, Property of Ford Motor Company
Naresh K. Malhotra ,Marketing Research,5th Edition
Philip Kotler, Marketing Management, 9th Edition
Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM)
Magazines and newspapers:
Auto car India, June 2010
Business World, 24 May 2010
Economics times
Hindustan times
Websites used:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Philip_Zelinger
www.fordindia.com
www.wikipedia.com
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Annexure I
QUESTIONNAIRE
Name of the respondent:
Sex: Male Female
Age: Annual Income:
(a) between 18 to 25 yrs (a) between 3 to 6 lakh(b) between 25 to 30 yrs (b) between 6 to 10 lakh(c) between 31 to 40 yrs (c) between 10 to 15 lakh(d) between 41 to 50 yrs (d) above 15 lakh(e) between 51 to 60 yrs(f) above 60 yrs
Occupation:
(a) Business(b) Service(c) Any other _____________________
Phone no/Email id:
Location:
Q1. Rank the various automobile brands according to your preference
Maruti
Ford
Hyundai
Honda
Tata
Toyoto
General motors
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Q2. Why do you prefer a particular brand
(a) Advertising(b) Quality(c) Maintenance(d) Price(e) Availability(f) Any other reason ______________________
Q3. How did you come to know about this brand
(a) Advertising(b) Sales promotion(c) Word of mouth(d) Auto magazines(e) Don’t remember(f) Any other source __________________
Q4. Which feature you consider most important in a car
(a) Design / Style(b) Performance(c) Comfort(d) Safety(e) Environment friendly(f) Maintenance(g) Price(h) Fuel efficiency
Q5. What form of advertising you trust the most (at least two)
(a) Recommendations from people(b) Consumer opinion/ blogs posted online(c) Brand websites(d) Newspaper(e) Magazines(f) T.V.(g) F.M.(h) Search Engine ads(i) Online banner ads(j) Billboards (outdoor advertising)
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Q6. What channels you like to watch on T.V.
(a) News channels (b) Sports channels(c) Regional channels(d) Entertainment channels(e) Any other _________________
Q7. What programs you like to watch on T.V.
(a) __________________(b) __________________(c) __________________
Q8. What all sites you like to surf on net
(a) Social networking sites(b) Mail sites(c) Message boards or blogs sites(d) Technology sites(e) Any other
Q9. Which automobile ad can you recall right now _______________________________
Q10. What does the ad convey to you or the main message you get from the ad________________________________________________
Q11. Does the ad arouses you to
YES NO
Seek more information about the car
Go to the showroom
Search on the internet
Discuss/ask friends or colleagues about the car
Have a test drive
Purchase the car
No influence
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Q12. What you like the most about this ad _________________________
Q13. What you dislike __________________________
Q14. What’s your opinion about using a brand ambassador for cars
(a) Very necessary(b) Not needed(c) Wastage of money for manufacturer
Q15. Whom do you suggest as a right person for promoting a car
(a) Sports person(b) Any celebrity(c) Film stars(d) Car experts(e) Common man(f) Any other______________
Q16. How many times in a day do you come across an automobile ad
(a) 1 to 2 times(b) 3 to 5 times(c) More than 5 times
Q17. Do you think frequency of the ad affects your purchase decision
(a) Yes(b) No
Thank you very much for your time and answers!
The information provided by you will be kept confidential and will be used for academic purpose only.
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Annexure II
FEEDBACK FORM FOR FORD CUSTOMERS
Customer Name:
Model Purchased:
Date of purchase:
Name of the sales consultant:
Q1. The way the sales consultant acknowledged you and welcomed you was
(a) Excellent(b) Very good(c) Good(d) Fair(e) Poor
Q2. Physical appearance of the dealership was (a)Excellent(b)Very good(c) Good(d) Fair(e) Poor
Q3. Salesperson’s ability to listen, understand and answer your queries and product knowledge(a) Excellent(b) Very good(c) Good(d) Fair(e) Poor
Q4. The test drive offered by the sales consultant as per your convenience was(a) Excellent(b) Very good(c) Good(d) Fair(e) Poor
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Q5.The help provided for car loan /finance facilities(a) Excellent(b) Very good(c) Good(d) Fair(e) Poor
Q6.The information provided to you by the sales consultant about the other services offered to you like Extended warranty, TMP and accessories was
(a) Excellent(b) Very good(c) Good(d) Fair(e) Poor
Q7. Delivery of vehicle at the promised time with explanation of vehicle features and operating control
(a) Excellent(b) Very good(c) Good(d) Fair(e) Poor
Q8. Making sure that everything in the vehicle was in working order(a) Excellent(b) Very good(c) Good(d) Fair(e) Poor
Q9. Explanation of the vehicle features and operating controls to the level of details needed by you(a) Excellent(b) Very good(c) Good(d) Fair(e) Poor
Q10.Explanation of vehicle warranty, maintenance and service schedule(a) Excellent(b) Very good(c) Good(d) Fair(e) Poor
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Annexure III
QUESTIONNAIRE
Name of the respondent:Sex (Male/ Female):Age:Occupation:Phone no:Email id: Location: Q1.Annual Income
(a) between 3 to 6 lakh(b) between 6 to 10 lakh(c) between 10 to 15 lakh(d) above 15 lakh
Q2.Did you consider any other car before purchasing Endeavour
(a) yes(b) no
Q3. Which all cars did you consider
(a) ____________(b) ____________(c) ____________(d) ____________
Q4.Did you book any other car before purchasing Endeavour
(a) __________________
Q5. Why you bought Endeavour at the end
(a) utility purpose(b) more spacious(c) increase in road tax(d) competitive advantage(e) maintenance cost(f) safer(g) any other______________________
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Annexure IV
VISIT TO FORD DEALER: HARPREET FORD AS A CUSTOMER
DATE: 29th AprilTIME: 5:00 P.M.LOCATION: Harpreet Ford
Near Dilshad Garden Metro Station Delhi-95
Yesterday I visited the showroom of Harpreet Ford which was located very nearby to the Dilshad
Garden metro station. There was a watch man sitting outside the showroom where many Ford cars
were standing. As I entered the showroom Mr. Onkar Jha approached me and greeted me. I told
him that I am planning to buy the new Ford Figo car for myself so I have come just to enquire
about it. Then I was offered a glass of water. I found the showroom spacious enough and it was
very neat and clean.
The ambience of the showroom was very pleasant and everyone was at their respective place i.e.
the receptionist, the person handling the accessories department.
Mr. Jha asked me to have a seat and asked for my name and contact details. Then he showed me
the catalog and the price chart of ‘Ford Figo’. He also told me about the various models available
in it (Petrol as well as Diesel models).
First of all he told me verbally about the features that would be available in the different models of
Figo. I also enquired about Ford Fiesta, Ikon and Fusion , and came to know that Fusion is not
manufactured anymore.
Then he told me to have a look at the Figo car placed in the showroom which was the ‘Titanium
Petrol Model’. He showed me the various features available like the AC, airbags, stereo,
electronically adjustable mirrors, fuel and km indicator etc.
I really found the interior of the car very attractive. The leg space at the back seats and the space
for luggage was also good enough.
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Then I asked for the various colours available in it and Mr. Jha showed me the Figo cars placed in
the godown of various shades like green ,white.
Then Mr. Jha asked me whether I would like to make cash payment or finance the car.
I went for financing so then he mentioned a list of documents required for financing the car at the
back of the price list. He also told me that the delivery time for the car was nil if I made cash
payment and it would take around five days if I would finance the car.
Finally he handed over the catalog, the price list and his contact details neatly in an envelop and
asked me when could he contact me back so as to know my final decision.
Overall it was a great experience and a very good customer service in a very systematic manner.
COMPARISON:
I even visited two other showrooms of Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai just to feel the difference in the
customer service.
When I entered Maruti’s showroom there was a lot of chaos. The no. of staff was greater than
required and no one was at their required place. The service was not at all systematic. I asked to
show me a small segment car and before showing the car the attendant asked me whether I would
go for financing the car or make cash payment. The person was not aware of the features of the car
completely nor was aware of which model was placed in the showroom.
In a very small showroom they had packed so many cars that it was deteriorating the whole charm
of a car showroom. I basically saw A-star, Swift and Zen-Estilo.
The delivery time was more than a month and varied according to the colour of the car.
Hyundai’s showroom ambience and customer service was good but I had to prompt the
attendant again and again to tell me what extra features were available in the different models of
the car. I saw Santro zing and i10. While at Ford the attendant himself was telling me on his own
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what all extra features or benefits I will be getting in different models. The delivery time was same
as Ford.
Overall I would Like to say that the customer service offered by Ford was far better than the other
two and amongst all the cars of the same range which I saw I found Ford Figo was the best having
an awesome interior(seats which gave very royal look) and even the steering look was great.
SUGGESTION:
The no. of cars offered by ford in India are very few in number i.e. just four out of which I could
see only three in showroom :
Ford Fiesta
Ford Endeavour
Ford Figo
Thus more no. of cars should be launched in India especially in the premium segment.
CONCLUSION:
Launching Ford Figo this year would be very beneficial as through this Ford would be able to
capture the middle income group which forms a major portion of the Indian population.
As Figo offers a great look along with affordable price in comparison to the other cars in the same
segment it is definitely going to be a great success.
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DATE: 30th APRIL
TIME: 6:00 P.M.
LOCATION: Harpreet Ford
Moti Nagar-15
Yesterday I along with one of my friend went to Ford showroom. There were many cars parked
outside the showroom almost of all the shades available.
When I entered the showroom there was no one to attend but when I told at the reception that I am
here to enquire about the new Ford Figo, the receptionist told me to have a seat.
This showroom was livelier than the Dilshad garden showroom where I was the only customer.
Over here there were many customers who had come along with their family to select the car.
Many kids were playing around the car. There were only two cars standing in the showroom ie.
Fiesta and Figo.
Then an attendant came and asked me which model and version I wanted to know about i.e diesel
or petrol. He showed us the price list and then we went inside the car. Neeraj showed the various
features present in the titanium model of figo. He also showed us how to connect our mobile and
car’s stereo using Bluetooth, how we could directly play the songs through our mobile, how the
cars stereo could be used for making and receiving calls while driving. This Bluetooth feature is
very unique and is definitely going to push the youngsters to go for this car.
Then one another attendant explained me about the engine of the car and other details like :
Average : 14 km on Delhi roads and 16.5 km which the company claims.
Engine : 1200 cc which gives it more power.
Delivery Time: 20 days as the cars have to brought from Chennai and then they are
kept at Gurgaon’s godown.
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The other distinct features he told me about the Figo car was :
Size: the length of the car which is much more than the other cars available in the same
segment like i10, swift and zen estilo.
Dashboard: this kind of dashboard is mostly found in luxurious car segments.
After sale services: Normally for other cars we have to go for servicing in 6 months or
5000 km but for Figo it is 10000 km or 1 year.
Thus I found that the attendants at this location technically more sound than at Dilshad Garden.
Neeraj also told me about the extended warranty period for people working in companies which
fall under their authorized list and as my father is working in O.N.G.C. so he told me that I would
able to get this extended warranty for 3 years and the kit free of cost which would reduce the cot of
the car by 5000.
He also recommended me to go for Exi model as it had all the features I required.
Finally he handed over the brochure and the price list along with his contact detail on it.
Then we also went to two other showrooms of Skoda and Volkswagon located nearby to Ford
which offered cars mostly in the premium segment. So, again my suggestion to Ford would be to
launch some car in this segment or it can re-launch the Ford Mondeo with little modifications in it.
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