Datsun India partners MyTVS to strengthen service network across India

Datsun India, which launched the Redigo hatchback on June 7, has partnered with South India-based multi-brand car service player MyTVS to increase its service network across the country.

TVS Automobile Solutions Ltd (TVS ASL), a part of the $7 billion TVS Group, is one of India's largest players in automobile aftermarket offerings. It offers services including multi- brand car service, roadside assistance, extended warranty, insurance broking, tools and equipment, telematics, fuel stations and commercial vehicles.

At present, the Japanese carmaker has 274 sales and service outlets for both Nissan and Datsun cars, of which 55 outlets are exclusively for Datsun vehicles. The company plans to expand the network to 300 by the end of 2016.

The company claims 32% lower maintenance costs, including labour and spare parts costs, for the Redigo against products from its main rivals Maruti Suzuki India and Hyundai Motor India. For some components in the new Datsun model, the replacement interval may be longer than the same components in the Alto.

Talking to Autocar Professional in Bangalore at the launch of the Redigo for the Karnataka market, Jerome Saigot, vice-president, Datsun India Business Unit (pictured above), said the company is expanding its aftersales service reach following the launch of the Redigo.

“We have signed with MyTVS for service arrangements. Datsun cars will also be serviced in MyTVS service stations with the same standard followed in Datsun garages.”

The Redigo comes with a two-year/unlimited kilometres standard warranty. It also comes with another segment-first – an optional warranty for 2 or 3 years/unlimited kilometres with free roadside assistance. This gives Redigo owners the option of up to 5 years/unlimited kilometres warranty coverage.

Saigot said the company has received an overwhelming response for the Redigo as more than 150,000 people have downloaded the Datsun India app which provides detailed information on the Redigo.

Southern focus and the MyTVS connect

Currently, around 50 Nissan-cum-Datsun outlets are in South India with 22 of them exclusively for Datsun cars.

South India is the primary market for Datsun and it has a 5.5 percent market share in the ‘B’ segment market in South India with its two existing cars, the Go and Go+ MPV. In 2015-16, the company sold over 20,000 cars. Now with the launch of the Redigo, the company expects to increase its market share in the ‘B’ segment significantly.

Datsun’s partnership with MyTVS seems to be a win-win proposition for both companies as Datsun is targeting first-time owners for the Redigo and will rely on MyTVS services to penetrate semi-urban and rural areas. Meanwhile, MyTVS which has around 100 outlets spread across south India, will benefit from additional business.

Talking to Autocar Professional on this partnership, G Srinivasa Raghavan, executive director, TVS Automobile Solutions, said, “Nissan was looking for a partner to cover Tier 2-3 towns where it needs high quality service, no compromise on genuine parts and trained mechanic. MyTVS suits this requirement extremely well as we have spread across various states covering Tier 2-3 towns. All our mechanics are trained, the parts are supplied by TVS and we use our technology platforms. Therefore, Nissan sees potential where every vehicle will be service out of our outlets.”

Speaking on the benefits this tie-up will bring to MyTVS, Raghavan said, “For MyTVS, this is a big validation that there is an opportunity to organising an entrepreneur in the garage business in a branded approach. Today more and more garages can convert into MyTVS and increase their revenue and profitability and get a social status to be associated with branded retail”.

This is the first of its kind of tie-up for MyTVS but the company sees more and more such opportunities and looking at similar partnerships with other OEMs.

Also read: TVS Automobile Solutions invests Rs 75 crore in three start-up companies