The Indian utility vehicle maker, Premier has announced it plans about ramping up its after sales service network throughout the country, in an effort to increase its brand presence and to offer a more convenient option for the Premier owners to get their cars serviced. Premier is planning to set up ‘Premier Authorized Service Stations’ branded as PASS all over the country. The company expects to open up a total of 200 PASS by June 2012. To carry out this initiative in a seamless manner, the company has appointed a dedicated team who will be implementing this in a time bound manner.
“We look at spare parts purely as customer service and not as a profit center. Consequently, our spare parts cost much less than comparable vehicles. Rio customers will not face any problem with sales, parts or service. Premier has been established in the passenger vehicle`s business for over 60 years and we understand the need for strong after sales service and parts distribution,” Mr. Rakesh Mehta, Vice President, said.
Apart from offering spare parts at reasonable costs, the company is also planning to increase its dealership network. Currently the company has a total of 30 dealers all over the country and plans to add 30 more dealers by June 2012. By December 2012, it has an aggressive plan of taking the total dealership count to 100 and 300 service stations. Premier of the grand old Padmini fame currently sells the compact SUV Rio in the Indian market. Though the car is offered at a very competitive price, yet it has not gained much market demand partly due to the not-so-good build quality and also sparse dealership and service networks. Premier wants to take things up seriously and the expansion plans are aimed at increasing its sales volumes. Good work, Premier but with the compact SUV segment heating up fast, it needs to develop the Rio much more to make it competitive with the global players.
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
On the look of it, it looks like Premier has been able to do to the Rio what Ford has not been able to do with the eco-sport – as far as availing the sub 4m excise sop goes! How’s the room inside this car, Joy?
Ganesh, we have not sat inside the Rio yet!
Looking forward to that Faisal. At 1150 Kgs, it could be a monocoque. I also noticed the differentials at the rear from your pictures. That makes it a rear wheel drive monocoque body which is quiet interesting. Sure, the old TUD 5 engine is outdated but they do have plans of upgrading to a fiat multijet engine, correct? This is a column to watch.
Ganesh, both TUD5 and Multijet engined Rios to be sold. Multijet comes to the Rio this March!
Wow that’s great news, Faisal. I read about the drive impression of the car elsewhere in the web. The TUD5 seems to be out for good in the interest of Bharat 4 emission norms. The Rio seems to using a 67 hp AVL petrol mill for the time being. There does seem to be short fall in the engine potent but the author complimented the car’s drive character.
I think it would be interesting to adopt my diff-lock proposal for this car. It would be a novel offer for this equally novel soft-offroading car.
http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=2412
Pl do propose to Premier when you have the chance :)
Ganesh, the Multijet will really boost the Rio big time. Adopting the diff-lock could be possible but are there as many Rio SUVs on the road.
Wow, that would be a ruthless skew towards volumes alone :)
If there can be a Sonalika Rhino then y not a premier rio :)
A differential hand brake kind of diff-locks on this car would be a natural extension of this car, I thought.
Ganesh, the simple thing going in for the Rhino is the taxi segment, the Rio is not a 7-seater people mover.
True faisal, but it doesn’t look like Premier is eyeing for this segment. Even otherwise these guys have a long way to go. They have been around once earlier, u know. I dont know how much of it guys from your generation are aware of. Back then a padmini with a exhaust header & 175/75 tires on 13 inch alloy rims use to give me goose-bumps!!! ;)
Ganesh, a Padmini’s stock exhaust sound itself gives goose bumps ;-)
haha…..true, Faisal!!