Bosch sets out to meet 40k customers in 20 days!

In a massive customer exercise, auto component major Bosch is meeting 40,000 customers across 680 locations in India in just 20 days. The 20-day rally, which was flagged off on February 2, is cover all parts of India from Kanyakumari to Kashmir and Kohima to Kutch.

Christened ‘K4000 Rally’, the programme is aimed to strengthen Bosch’s aftermarket arm. This is likely to be the first such rally undertaken by any Tier 1 component maker. The company’s Automotive Aftermarket division is primarily responsible for the supply of its auto parts to vehicle servicing and sales of diagnostic equipment for workshops among other aftermarket activities.

Talking to Autocar Professional, S Srinivasa, senior general manager, Bosch Automotive Aftermarket (seen below with and Balachandra Phadke), said the rally aims to meet the division’s key stakeholders including distribution partners, retailers, sales associates, workshop technicians and mechanics, apart from customers.

The three-week programme, which ends on February 22, will help Bosch increase its brand awareness among consumers in the commercial vehicle, tractor, off-highway, passenger car, two-wheeler, industrial and institutional segments.

With over 500 Bosch associates from 28 sales offices participating in the rally, the initiative will also see more than 2,000 customers’ activities. These will include mechanic, retailer and fleet owner meets, merchandising drives as well as product demonstrations. Information on the Bosch technical hotline number as well as the scope of the team’s expertise and services will also be shared during the rally.

Srinivasa also said the Bosch Automotive Aftermarket distribution network is arguably the largest in the country, with over 1,000 authorised distribution partners and over 3,000 authorised workshops that are engaged in unit repairs as well as vehicle service.

“Our direct distribution reach extends beyond 60,000 semi-wholesale and retail points with a dominant presence in all the key markets of the country. The Bosch K4000 Rally aims to bring all these fine ingredients together to build an effective narrative to assert Bosch’s leadership status in the Indian automotive aftermarket,” he added.

The rally also works to enable greener mobility through its ‘Genius Parts’ drive, which aims to educate the automotive aftermarket division’s stakeholders on the environmental effects of using spurious parts in vehicles. It also spreads awareness on the statutory implications of selling these spurious components.

Bosch will also use the campaign to introduce its core strategy of ‘Parts, Bytes & Services’ and present its complete range of innovative technologies and solutions in the segment, said Srinivasa.

According to Guenter Weber, regional president, Automotive Aftermarket, Bosch Ltd, “Taking advantage of Bosch’s extensive offerings, the activities planned as part of the rally would enable workshop technicians and mechanics to offer technology-driven and more effective services to customers. This will equip them to meet the demands of the Indian automotive service industry better.”

Bosch’s Automotive Aftermarket division is responsible for the supply, sales and distribution of all Bosch- branded automotive parts for vehicle servicing, diagnostic equipment for workshops, technical aftersales service, imparting technical information, training personnel and consulting. The product range offered is the largest consolidated under one brand in India, which finds extensive applications in two- and three-wheelers, cars, MUVs, LCVs, HCVs, buses, tractors, off-road applications and stationary engines with a presence of more than 1,000 distribution network across the country.

The company’s service network is spread across 1,200 towns and cities with around 3,050 outlets comprising Bosch Car Service, Diesel Service Workshops, Electric Modules, Express Car Service, Express Bike Service, Bosch Diesel Service Workshops and Optimum Diesel Partners which ensures widespread availability of both products and services. It also has a strong automotive training network that spans over 14 cities covering parts, bytes, services and training all under one roof.

The break-up reveals the company has 1,000 Diesel Service Workshops, 600 Car Service Units, 400 Express Car Service staios and 300 two-wheeler service workshops. Srinivas said the company’s service network has been expanding at the rate of 10-15 percent every year.

The company’s major automotive parts product range in India include battery, belt, filter, horn, lighting, relays, systems, diesel fuel injection systems, gasoline systems, rotating machines and power spares, spark plugs, wider blades and lubricants.

It service solutions include fuel injection calibration test benches (from inline pumps for common rail testing), nozzle tester, auto electrical test bench (for starter motors and alternators), diagnostics scan tools, engine analyser, tyre service equipments, tyre changer, wheel balancer, aligner and nitrogen tyre inflator, battery and air conditioning service equipments,  ESI(tronic) software for vehicle diagnostics, vehicle lifts, connected vehicles (remote diagnostics, fleet management system, fuel and CO2 management, mileage reporting and vehicle tracking.