Mercedes-Benz, created sales history by achieving the highest ever sales in a calendar year, in India. With this historic sales performance, Mercedes-Benz firmly retained its leadership position in the country’s luxury car segment, for the eighth consecutive year. CY 2022 marks the ‘Best Year Ever’ and ‘Best Ever Q4’ for Mercedes-Benz India, as the company delivered 15, 822 new cars to customers in the January-December 2022 period, registering a strong 41% Y-o-Y sales growth. (CY 2021: 11,242 +41%)
This growth has been achieved despite pandemic triggered headwinds and global supply chain constraints, underpinning the brand’s retention of its existing customers and conquering new ones.
With successful introduction of new products, local assembly of the flagship products including the EQS and continued success of the ‘Retail of the Future’ business model, Mercedes-Benz continued its robust sales performance each quarter, further extending its market share in the Indian luxury auto segment. In line with its 2023 motto, ‘DESIRE for the Extraordinaire’, Mercedes-Benz India also commenced its product offensive by launching the stunning Mercedes-AMG E 53 4MATIC+ Cabriolet, the first Cabriolet in an AMG Avatar in India. The new AMG E 53 Cabriolet highlights Mercedes-Benz’s vision of bringing highly emotive and desirable products for the Indian customers. This car is the perfect synthesis of exclusivity and sportiness, with sheer driving performance synonymous with AMG.
Santosh Iyer, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, commented, “We are excited to announce that 2022 has been our ‘Best Year Ever’, as more customers opted for a Mercedes-Benz than ever before. This stupendous growth has been on the back of new products, best ever production year despite continuous supply constraints, success of ROTF, support of our Franchise Partners and the trust of our discerning customers. Besides sales growth, we made an indelible mark on India’s electrification road map with the local assembly of the EQS 580 4MATIC and expansion of our fast-charging infrastructure. 2022 has laid a strong foundation for our new business model, our EV roadmap and reiterates our strategy of pursuing sustainable profitable growth, while making the brand more desirable for our customers.”
“As we embark onto 2023, we will cater to our customer’s DESIRE through our exciting new product portfolio, delightful customer journey and memorable customer experiences. The launch of the Mercedes-AMG E 53 4MATIC+ Cabriolet underlines our commitment towards our 2023 motto – ‘DESIRE for the Extraordinaire’. We will continue to introduce such desirable products and customer centric initiatives throughout the year, which will fulfill our customers’ aspirations and wishes for owning a Mercedes-Benz.” elaborated Mr. Iyer.
Mercedes-Benz India’s 2023 strategic roadmap: Luxury and desirability
Mercedes-Benz India’s strategy for 2023 is based on making the Three-Pointed Star more desirable and offering customers an enhanced luxury experience. The six key pillars aim at driving brand desirability and are aligned with the Three-pointed Star’s global goal of ‘building the world’s most desirable cars’. The six strategic pillars delineated for the Indian market are:
1. Think and Act like a Luxury Brand
2. Focus on Profitable Growth
3. Expand customer base by growing the super luxury segment
4. Embrace Customers with Seamless Journey
5. Lead in Electric Drive and Sustainability
6. Create future ready people
Based on these six fundamental pillars, Mercedes-Benz India will focus on the traditional strengths of the Three-Pointed Star, striving to make it more desirable, remaining at the forefront of the luxury car landscape in India. The ‘motto’ for 2023 thus combines elements of ‘Desire’ and ‘Extraordinaire’.
Theme for Mercedes-Benz India in 2023: ‘DESIRE for the Extraordinaire’
Mercedes-Benz India also unveiled its 2023 motto of ‘DESIRE for the Extraordinaire’.
Customers:
• Customers personify ‘Extraordinaire’ and they ‘DESIRE’ the same from Mercedes-Benz. Our commitment is to weave this ‘extraordinaire’ element across all functions to provide emotive products, innovative technology, exclusive experiences that uphold ‘DESIRE’ across the entire customer journey
Franchise Partners:
• Franchise Partners will strive to meet this desire of our customers by creating exclusive customer experiences across all touch points that soar the wishes and aspirations of our customers and evoke their emotions
Employees:
• Every employee will weave extraordinaire philosophy and commitment into their functions, to create a desirable customer journey with emotive products, innovative technology and exclusive experiences.
‘DESIRE for the Extraordinaire’: New customer centric initiatives for 2023
Mercedes me store (MMC store):
Mercedes-Benz India introduced the Mercedes me store a few months back for the Indian customers. This store provides customers the flexibility to purchase connected car services as per their requirement, for the duration of their choice. The customers can now purchase related digital products for each Mercedes-Benz vehicle on the MMC store.
Customers can also choose to renew these connected services after a period of 3 years. Renewal packages have unique services such as Remote Package for Personalization, Navigation Package for routes and Excellence Package, which is a combination of both features. Customers can buy new features for their cars under the On-demand feature list, ranging from Entertainment Package to Rear Axle Steering, Adaptive High Beam assist among others. Renewal packages starts from Rs. 7,999 and On-demand starts from Rs. 1,599.
New Online Store features:
Mercedes-Benz India achieved best ever-new car online sales with 2000+ bookings. The company also added a host of new features and advantages in its online store for customers. These are:
• Pin code based and upfront pricing | Pre-production cars bookings (N+3) capability
• Direct Business bookings | 360° vehicle images | Detailed vehicle information
• Market configurable feature display | Simpler UI | Easy vehicle filters and search
• Stock availability display
Pre-Owned cars: New online Trade-In Module
In line with its customer centric approach and enabling pre-owned cars as strong support for new car sales, Mercedes-Benz India will rollout the new Online Trade-in module on its website. This application will ensure ease for our customers to enter existing vehicle details on the platform and fetch the indicative price value for their car. This facility will also allow customers to choose their preferred dealership location for trade-in, get best pricing range seamlessly integrated, in the customer journey.
Pre-Owned cars: New AI powered ‘i-evaluation App’ for Pre-Owned cars
Mercedes-Benz India is also introducing a new best-in-class solution for evaluation of the Used Cars using an AI based application. This application will be highly beneficial, efficient and convenient tool leading to superlative customer experience during the trade-in process.
The AI powered ‘i-evaluation app’ will ensure ease for the evaluators to capture accurate vehicle details, images and required checklist. The app provides complete evaluation details to customer, which will drive transparency during the entire trade-in process.
Creating desire through Customer Services:
Customer centricity will be the key focus for creating desire and enhancing customer satisfaction for Mercedes-Bez India in 2023. Some of the key initiatives from Customer Services in 2023 will be focused on:
• Dedicated personalized workforce for AMG and Maybach customers
• Expansion of popular ‘Premier Express’ and ‘Fast Lane’ to newer locations
• Customer convenience through Digitalization of Customer Services offerings
• Expansion of Modern Brand Representation (MAR 20) to new markets
• Diversity and Upskilling of retail employees across locations
Mercedes-Benz’s commitment to a sustainable ecosystem:
Mercedes-Benz India manufacturing facility in Chakan underlines the company’s commitment to minimize carbon footprint. The company runs consistent programs to sensitize employees towards nurturing environment and become environment conscious and responsible. In its endeavor to become paperless organization in 2023 and introduce maximum digital operational processes, the company aims to improve the biodiversity index from 1.29 to 1.45. In addition, Mercedes-Benz India is focusing on reducing its water consumption and waste generation by 19% compared to 2021.
Mercedes-Benz India plant continues its green accomplishment and since 2022 runs on 100% Green Energy. The manufacturing facility also pioneers setting up the Biodiversity Index in the MB World. Mercedes-Benz India factory premise hosts over 300 species of Flora and over 75 Fauna.
The company has also set up 35 Ultra-Fast Chargers across the country. Mercedes-Benz EV customers can avail complimentary charging for the first year of car ownership. As a part of sustainable mission, over 1/3rd of Mercedes-Benz Franchise Partners will operate on ‘green energy’ by the end of 2023.
(All figures of Mercedes-Benz India are that of retail sales)
