In a bid to expand its presence, German luxury carmaker Mercedez-Benz will increase its penetration in tier-2 cities.
The carmaker, which has witnessed an uptick in demand from tier-2 cities, will introduce 10 service centres in CY24.
“Mini-markets are growth engines and some have shown bigger growths compared to last year. Raipur and Nashik will show higher growth; however, when we look at the absolute numbers, the growth continues to come from the major metro cities in the country, including Mumbai, Delhi, and the nearby suburbs. We will continue to grow in mini-markets and go deeper in the market as higher penetration attracts more customers. We will be focusing on service first rather than sales in these areas and will be opening 10 new workshops in mini-metros and smaller markets by the end of 2024,” Santosh Iyer, Managing Director & CEO of Mercedes-Benz India, told businessline.
The carmaker is also looking into localising some of its accessories available for consumers in the country. The company will also transform 25 of its retail outlets into luxury boutiques this year.
“We have gone away from larger formats to smaller retail formats focused on customer experiences. The formats will have design studios in the showrooms, private consultations for our top-end vehicle customers, and will provide customisation of vehicles. In the past, while servicing the vehicles, we had a premium experience wherein we could deliver the car in three hours for normal routine maintenance. However, now if cars in the warranty period are delayed in the workshop for more than three days, we will ensure that during this period, the customer will receive a courtesy car from us,” added Santosh Iyer.
Mercedes-Benz, which recently launched the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 4MATIC Coupé and CLE 300 Cabriolet AMG, will introduce its first electric Maybach EQS 680 SUV in September in India.