Maruti Suzuki is the most revered company in the history of the Indian automobile industry so far. It has vehicles in every category, such as hatchback, sedan, Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) and Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV). Though none of the company's cars has had a successful stint in the luxury vehicles category, it is still the most preferred company by Indian car buyers, indicated by the sales figures. Interestingly, the story of Maruti's success is quite similar to how Amitabh Bachchan has built his reputation in Bollywood.
Amitabh has been working in the Indian Film Industry since the year 1969 and has an illustrious career spanning over five decades. The amount of respect that he commands today, at the age of 70, has been a result of tremendous hard work in films over the years. Similarly, in a period of more than 30 years, Maruti Suzuki has also managed to win the hearts of Indian customers through its ability to understand buyer needs. Just like Amitabh has the experience to act in any genre of film, Maruti also has the wherewithal to target almost every segment in the Indian auto market. Much like Bachchan wins Filmfare awards on a regular basis, Maruti has been winning the J.D. Asia Pacific Customer Quality Awards for 13 years in a row.
Maruti's vehicles are among the top ten selling vehicles month on month. This includes the new Alto 800, Swift, Swift DZire and the Ertiga. Among the recently launched vehicles, MPV Ertiga is selling very well, due to the availability of a diesel engine and ability to carry 7-8 passengers. In the compact sedan segment, Maruti Swift DZire has set a high benchmark for other vehicles, registering sales of 20,778 units during March 2013, which is a growth of 22 per cent over the same period last year.
Several initiatives have also been launched by Maruti Suzuki India, with an aim of educating drivers about road safety. Its own driving school provides different cars made by the manufacturer for teaching safe driving methods to learners. Additionally, these training cars are also in good condition, unlike many unorganised schools in the country.
With the brand image that Maruti Suzuki India has built over the years, it is clear that the company will keep scaling new heights every year. Drawing a comparison with Amitabh Bachchan, just when it seems he cannot come up with a better performance, he surprises everyone by doing exactly that. The same is the case with Maruti, as witnessed after the success of Swift and DZire.
