Q: How will synchronisation take place?

Raghavan: There are three significant areas where synchronisation will happen. One is on the supply chain, second on digital solution portfolios, and the third is the common process and policies of franchisees management and marketing. At least, in the short term, both companies will keep their own brand identities.

Q: Multi-brand car service is yet to become a profitable business in India. What does make you so bullish on the industry?

Raghavan: Profitability must be looked in a time perspective. It (multi-brand car service) is a very nascent business in India. It captures three things. One you have to change the cultural behaviour of the garages so all entrepreneurial will work. Second, you need to improve the productivity through adoption of technologies which the industry has not been using, and the third is you should able to have your supply chain right so that you can deliver spare parts on-demand at the reasonable costs. These all three elements, TVS has done in its ASPL businesses. Having the background of spare parts business, TVS ASPL has established a parts supply-chain to take a leadership position in however the small market it is as of now.

We strongly believe the three competencies - digital technology, parts and digital marketing, drive businesses and bring profitability in the garages. TVS ASPL has achieved profitability in that part of the business.

Q: Procurement of spare parts is the biggest challenge in the business? How do you deal with this challenge?

Raghavan: The focus is to access to spare parts. Your knowledge of parts says what are the choices of parts available. TVS has been historically in spare parts business so we have digitised and developed one of its kinds of catalogue which automatically cross-checks the differences to make the model engine and then which are the alternative parts you can use. The knowledge is very critical if you want to supply parts within committed time.

Q: What about investment in digital marketing and digitisation in the business?

Raghavan: It is city-wise; you need to determine where do you want to invest based upon your requirements. With this acquisition, once you got pan India coverage, your marketing costs and transactions get reduced drastically because the cost gets covered in wider geographic coverage and larger interest.

Q: Did you see an increase in the business post lockdown?

Raghavan: I will put into two different angles. If you ask if the business has come back to the pre-COVID stage, I will say yes. If asked, whether the business has been affected by COVID, I would say yes, it has been impacted at a large extent.

We strongly believe in developing an ecosystem where you will be able to help when there are growth opportunities. For example, for some of the franchisees, we have worked with NBFCs and banking to offer financial services and solutions. I would say, the business has come back to the pre COVID stage, but there are exceptions. The white-collar workforce, which is mostly not going to the office but working from home, so to that extent, the service and parts business of ours come down. But the two-wheeler business has picked up and is growing much faster than the pre- COVID stage. Making this business organised and lending to the brand name to it gives more confidence to customers to go to these franchisees for incremental services.

Q: How is the partnership with Google shaping up?

Raghavan: Google partnership is live. The ease of digital adaptation has increased, so I do not have to go physically to roll out solutions to garages. They can download from google and implement it. We have moved all our solutions on google cloud, and by January, our marketplace should be up for google. Any retailers or garages can download our digital solution and start implementing it.

Q: What is the role of digitalisation in aftermarket business?

Raghavan: Digitalisation can be looked at from three perspectives. One is as enablement through digital technologies. Garages can have our service management platforms and keep tracking the consumers’ behaviour, such as what repairs he did. The second, we have developed the AI algorithm to find what kind of services the customers need. Instead of recommending service for the core vehicle, can he replace his clutch or overhaul his air-conditioner or he should replace his brake pads. That’s where we can drive more trust of customers that I am monitoring the health of your vehicle. The third one is getting the vehicle diagnosed first time right. (MT)

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

As a key contributor to India’s rail modernisation, Pinnacle Industries has been selected as the official partner by Indian Railways to design and manufacture the sleeper berths and executive seating for the new Amrit Bharat Express. This partnership aligns with the train's role as a transformative, high-speed and affordable option for long-distance travel across the country.

The seating solutions developed by Pinnacle are the result of extensive ergonomic engineering, created to provide superior comfort, safety and longevity. They are specifically optimised to perform reliably in both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned coaches. A primary focus has been placed on passenger well-being for extended journeys, achieved through enhanced cushion thickness in both seats and berths. The design also incorporates refined aesthetics with improved colour schemes and features like aluminium extrusions for the upper berths.

Safety is a critical component of the design, which includes specialised anti-injury fittings integrated into the seats and berths to minimise potential risks. Furthermore, all materials fully comply with the stringent fire safety standard EN45545-2 HL3, meeting Indian Railways' rigorous requirements for fire-retardant properties. Leveraging decades of expertise in mobility interiors, this project reinforces Pinnacle Industries' position at the forefront of developing world-class transportation solutions for India.

Arihant Mehta, President, Pinnacle Industries, said, “We are honoured to be a part of this visionary initiative by Indian Railways. Our seating solutions for the Amrit Bharat Express reflect our commitment to designing products that combine comfort, safety and innovation while being proudly Made in India. With this, we continue to drive India’s vision of modern, accessible and reliable public transport.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

The Society for Automotive Fitness & Environment (SAFE), an initiative of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), held its 26th annual convention today to address the urgent need for road safety and a transition to green mobility. Held at Bharat Mandapam, the event, themed ‘Together for Safe Roads and Green Mobility: Building a Sustainable India,’ brought together government officials, industry leaders and experts.

Rekha Gupta, the Chief Minister of Delhi, was the Chief Guest and emphasised that accidents are a result of driver behaviour, not vehicles. "We must shed the mindset that breaking rules is a badge of pride," she said.

She also highlighted Delhi's commitment to clean mobility, with a goal of electrifying 100 percent of its public transport by 2026. The Chief Minister also launched SAFE's new Road Safety Context Paper and a new initiative to involve college students in road safety.

In a video message, H D Kumaraswamy, the Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel, noted that the government has invested over INR 600 billion to boost domestic manufacturing and support clean energy adoption.

Sushant Naik, President of SAFE, stressed that safety must be a core part of design and manufacturing. "Over 173,000 lives are lost each year, a stark reminder that action should be urgent and collective," he said. He emphasised that road safety requires the collaboration of the five ‘Es: Education, Engineering, Emergency Care, Enforcement and Evaluation’.

Speakers, including Mahmood Ahmed, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), highlighted the need for a comprehensive accident database and a unified system to link driver licensing, vehicle registration and enforcement.

Sanjay Bandopadhyaya, a member of the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety, pointed out that accidents rose in 2023 despite a goal to halve them, calling for stricter electronic enforcement to curb reckless driving.

Ajay Chaudhry, Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) of the Delhi Police, noted that while the city has cut accident fatalities by 8 percent, speeding and violations remain a serious problem and he called for ‘zero leniency.’

The convention featured two plenary sessions focusing on ‘Education and Engineering’ and ‘Enforcement, Emergency Care and Evaluation.’ These sessions covered topics like promoting responsible driving, designing safer infrastructure and the importance of a swift emergency response to reduce accidents and save lives.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Piyush Goyal, inaugurated the Electric Vehicle (EV) Zone at the International Electrotechnical Commission's (IEC) 89th General Meeting in New Delhi on 15 September 2025. The exhibition, hosted by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), runs until 19 September at Bharat Mandapam.

The EV Zone, organised by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), showcases the country's progress in electric mobility. Goyal toured the pavilion, which features 31 production-ready electric vehicles from 14 major manufacturers, including Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra and JSW MG Motor.

During the event, Minister Goyal emphasised that sustainability is a core pillar of India's growth strategy. He highlighted the importance of high-quality standards in protecting consumers and boosting the competitiveness of Indian-made products on the global stage. He also stated that ‘Design in India, Made in India’ products would soon be recognized globally for their reliability and excellence.

Prashant K Banerjee, Executive Director of SIAM, expressed appreciation for the government's vision, noting that the automotive industry is committed to this journey. The IEC GM 2025 has brought together over 2,000 global experts from more than 100 countries to discuss international standards, with the exhibition also featuring advancements in smart lighting, electronics, and IT manufacturing.

SIAM’s participation is part of its commitment to sustainable mobility and achieving India's Net Zero targets by 2070. Visitors to the EV Zone can also take a ‘Digital Sustainability Pledge,’ with BIS planting a sapling for each pledge made.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) has released the results of its Dealer Satisfaction Study (DSS) 2025. The study, conducted in partnership with the Singapore-based consulting firm PremonAsia, was announced at the 7th Auto Retail Conclave on 10th September.

C.S. Vigneshwar, President, FADA, noted that the study provides a ‘true mirror’ to the relationship between dealers and OEMs. The study surveyed over 1,800 dealer principals, representing nearly 5,000 outlets across the country. For the first time, it was conducted in nine regional languages to ensure broader participation.

• JSW MG Motor captured the top position in the 4-Wheeler Mass Market segment with a score of 868 points.
• Royal Enfield led the 2-Wheeler segment with 852 points, followed by Hero MotoCorp. Both companies showed improvement from the previous year.
• Ashok Leyland retained its leadership in the Commercial Vehicle segment with 786 points.
• The 3-Wheeler segment was included again after three years, with Atul Auto topping the category with a score of 924 points.
• Volvo Cars topped the 4-Wheeler Luxury segment with 884 points.

The industry average dealer satisfaction score was 781, a 13-point increase from the previous year. Product continues to have the highest score across all categories, indicating dealers are largely satisfied with the quality, reliability and range offered by OEMs.

Rahul Sharma, Director and COO, PremonAsia, said, "close to two-thirds of dealer sentiment is shaped by after-sales service and viability factors. While after-sales service is the most important factor, Business and viability remains a key concern for dealers. Dealers cited issues such as buyback/write-off of unsold inventory, training cost-sharing arrangements and margins on vehicles and spare parts.”

Dealer satisfaction improved in the 2-wheeler segment compared to the previous year, but it declined in the 4-wheeler Mass Market and Commercial Vehicle segments. Vigneshwar stated that while the industry is performing well on product quality, structural issues like buyback policies, training costs and dealership viability cannot be ignored.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!