What can car companies do for dealers when the epidemic strikes?

An epidemic in novel coronavirus has greatly affected everyone's work and life. This sudden "black swan" incident also made China's automobile industry suffer another blow in the Spring Festival of 2020 after a great turning point in 20 19 years.

The impact of the epidemic on the automobile industry is still under discussion. However, according to estimates by relevant institutions and industry insiders, considering the traditional off-season and epidemic situation of the Spring Festival, domestic automobile sales are expected to drop by at least 30% in February, and both OEMs and dealers will face severe challenges.

Correspondingly, for the entire ecological chain of the automobile industry, the impact on the dealer level is also considerable. For the dealers of "Tainan", how to deal with it at this time and what kind of brand policy and customer service plan to give to the dealers have become an important basis for future development. So, how do car companies of all sizes do it?

Soothe the dealer? Decreasing index

At this time, because the start-up time of most enterprises has been delayed to 10, the dealer's original plan to open the door on the third day of the festival or even from the fourth day to the fifth day has basically been ruined. The reporter also learned that in order to avoid the second 14-day cycle, the opening time of some companies (other industries) in Shanghai was even postponed to the 24th.

In addition, even if the business is normal in 10, many cities are closed, and users are automatically isolated at home, the passenger flow of 4S stores will not return to normal soon, so the whole February and March should be greatly affected. The evaluation index in February, including whether to adjust the index for the whole year, is a problem that the main engine factory must think deeply.

At present, many car companies have come up with solutions. An Audi dealer friend of the reporter said earlier that FAW Audi is considering adjusting the assessment indicators in February, but the principle is never to let dealers lose money. The latest information shows that Audi cancelled the index assessment in February. Moreover, just yesterday, Audi sent a letter to the dealer, indicating its support for the Audi dealer. This also reassures dealers.

Volvo, another joint venture, also became the first car company to announce the exemption of dealer sales assessment during the epidemic. In addition, in order to alleviate the financial pressure of dealers, Volvo also directly provides personnel subsidies totaling over 10 million yuan for dealers' employees. These pragmatic measures are undoubtedly a timely help to dealers. In addition, Volvo Cars has provided some auxiliary policies, including stepping up negotiations with banks to reduce the repayment risk caused by the small number of dealers.

FAW Pentium also provided dealers with six policies of "one burden reduction, two support and three guarantees" and provided users with four services of "two cleanness and two sincerity". In terms of sales indicators, FAW Pentium has been greatly reduced. "In line with the principle of ensuring the operating state of dealers, the preconditions and target assessment of incentive policies have been completely cancelled. All policy incentives are given according to the highest grade, reducing the burden on dealers and maximizing the interests of dealers."

In addition, GAC Chuanqi also canceled the dealer's task of picking up the car, and immediately enjoyed the reward of picking up the car as long as it was picked up. In addition, it provides a 30-day interest-free period for dealer inventory financing, and gives special treatment to vehicles that need to redeem vouchers when repayment is due to ensure the dealer's capital turnover.

BYD soon issued a letter from BYD auto brand to all dealer partners, exempting the national dealer WES/KLOC-0 from the first quarter assessment in February, canceling the service quality assessment or postponing the re-inspection. Moreover, in February, dealers can independently plan the pace of picking up cars according to the sales situation.

In addition, Li, general manager of Jietu Marketing Center, told reporters that Jietu reduced the dealer's target by 50% in February and delayed the repayment time of the dealer's funds for one quarter to ease the pressure on the dealer. He believes that the impact of the epidemic will last at least one quarter, that is, three months from February to April. Because Jietu's dealer's car delivery target is set on a monthly basis, it will be lowered from February this time, and then adjusted appropriately according to market trends and conditions in March.

For the most affected automobile enterprises in Hubei, Dongfeng Nissan 65438+ issued the "Construction Guidelines for the New Year in 2020" on1October 28th. A distributor of Hubei Dongfeng Nissan interviewed by reporters said that the overall sales target adjustment policy has not yet been issued, because the opening time has been postponed to 14, and the government has to wait for a notice, so it is expected that Dongfeng Nissan will release a definite policy after the city is lifted. However, dealers also stressed that the after-sales income after the holiday is the challenge relative to the task indicators.

Where is the "machine" of the sales model?

At the time of the epidemic, customers coming to the store has become an unprecedented problem. The online sales model that once gave car companies a headache may be "unintentional" this time. Many car companies that the reporter learned have plans in this regard, which is also one of the "opportunities" brought by "danger".

For example, FAW Pentium brand said that FAW Pentium will take the opportunity of strengthening online services and strive to make consumers experience more convenient and efficient car purchase services. In addition, a 24-hour online customer service Q&A service was opened, and online flagship stores such as Tmall, Suning and Jiayiche were opened, helping most dealers to open VR exhibition halls and VR car-watching services. To help users look at the car and consult in all directions.

Guangqi Honda launched four major countermeasures, including: watching cars online and doing exclusive gifts online and offline; Strict management of the store environment, daily cleaning, all service areas according to high standards of disinfection, in addition, to provide customers with necessary epidemic prevention supplies; Establish an all-weather exclusive car purchase consulting group to provide online services, and some city franchise stores provide door-to-door pick-up and delivery services; Provide 24-hour rescue service to ensure the supply of spare parts.

Volvo also said that it will strengthen its investment and support in online marketing in the near future. Dongfeng Da Yue Kia dealers can satisfy users' worry-free needs by buying cars online. Dongfeng Nissan believes that the epidemic has stimulated customers' demand for private cars, but how to make customers "buy safe cars with confidence" is the most important issue at present.

Li, general manager of Jietu Marketing Center, proposed that he would fully support dealers to carry out online sales business. The first point is to make full use of the existing platform of Jietu Smart Exhibition Hall, because this platform can book cars online directly through the program without face-to-face signing. Second, comprehensively expand existing online platforms such as car home and Easy Car, and even put in more advertisements.

In addition, Gateway is still negotiating with an organization to open an online 4S store. The functions of online 4S stores include new car sales, loans, used car replacement, etc. , more powerful. The ultimate goal is to better integrate the three aspects and form a Jietu online marketing platform.

Of course, the online sales model has not brought more realistic sales results. However, with the "car" live broadcast, VR360 car watching and online car selling becoming more and more mature, the offline sales model dominated by 4S stores is constantly being impacted.

We know that as a successful case and a pioneer in the industry, Tesla has been pursuing the online sales model from the beginning. Moreover, in China, at the end of 5438+ 10, Tesla also established hundreds of WeChat groups through its circle of friends, and conducted live broadcasts on Tik Tok twice a day for several hours. Shops guide shopping or invite old car owners to show their car performance, official website reservation method, charging warranty, intelligent call, etc. These new models and practices have given useful hints to domestic car companies.

Therefore, although the epidemic is "dangerous", it also stimulates car companies and dealers to find new "opportunities". This duel, which began in 2020, warned many car companies and dealers that they need to prepare for a difficult future.

Influence of epidemic situation on automobile enterprises

According to past experience, the Spring Festival period was originally the lowest point of annual sales, and the sales targets of general car companies in February were not high. But this epidemic will definitely seriously affect the sales performance in February and March.

According to market research institute IHS? Markit predicts that Shanghai, Guangdong and Wuhan will reduce production by at least 6.5438+0.5 million vehicles in this epidemic. Although the final economic loss is still lack of specific estimation, the loss brought by the whole incident to the automobile industry will far exceed the SARS epidemic in 2003.

And Joseph, the chief financial officer of Aptiv, an American component supplier? Massaro expressed concern that after the entire industrial chain was shut down due to the extension of the epidemic, China's automobile production will be reduced by 3% in the whole year and 65,438+05% in the first quarter.

Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the association, also said that it is inaccurate to prove that the SARS epidemic promoted the market only by the high sales volume in the second quarter of 2003. The market situation in 2020 is more complicated. On the terminal side, the inventory of manufacturers decreased by 654.38+0.5 million vehicles in 2065,438+09 and by 220,000 vehicles in 2065,438+09. It was originally planned to replenish the inventory of manufacturers and distributors in February 2020, but it should be more difficult at present. In particular, some Japanese car companies have low inventory, so it is difficult to resume production as planned in the short term, and this time it should also be a big loss.

However, some people in the industry are optimistic that after car companies gradually start to formulate more favorable policies for dealers to pick up cars and reduce the task and burden of picking up cars, prices can naturally be discounted to attract consumers. Moreover, after the epidemic, the recently suppressed or suppressed demand for car purchase will be released, and some people will have an unprecedented enthusiasm for owning private cars for safety reasons.

So many car companies are not pessimistic about the future. For example, BYD Auto thinks that sales may increase in March. From the perspective of annual sales, the impact of the epidemic on the auto market is limited.

The reporter interviewed relevant persons of Changan Automobile. According to internal feedback, he told reporters that "the impact of the epidemic on Changan Automobile production is mainly reflected in the production rhythm of enterprises. In response to the national call, Changan Automobile postponed the resumption of work to February 10. At present, the start-up time of the best-selling models of Changan Automobile has been greatly affected. For example, Auchan X7 originally planned to put into production from October 28th to February 20th of 65438+/kloc-0. Both CS75PLUS and CS35PLUS need to be postponed from February 1 to February 10. However, through our recent series of layout adjustments, the overall risk is controllable. "

However, Changan Automobile also mentioned three important points, especially the logistics chain: First, the time for the main partners of the supply chain to return to work has been delayed, and the connection of the delivery time of vehicle production materials will be very challenging; Secondly, Changan and supply chain enterprises are affected by uncertain factors, such as the return rate and time of employees, which affect their productivity and efficiency. Thirdly, it will still take some time for the national logistics chain to recover after the resumption of work, and the on-time delivery rate of logistics will be affected.

When the epidemic comes, the relationship between car companies and dealers is more obvious. Therefore, it is what all car companies should do and are doing to strengthen the support for dealers, stimulate the fighting spirit of dealer partners and jointly deal with the immediate difficulties with a win-win mentality. We also saw that it was indeed the car companies that spontaneously contributed to the fight against the epidemic in the first place for the sake of reducing the burden on dealers. We believe that after the epidemic, we can usher in a healthier and more prosperous market.

Text/Wang Xiaoxi

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This article comes from car home, the author of the car manufacturer, and does not represent car home's position.