| Winning
the CNBC Autocar Manufacturer of the Year title isn’t just about
good products - although Hyundai has excelled with all three of its models
in the past 12 months. It isn’t just about customer service, although
Hyundai has won the JD Power award for best quality and most appealing
car in its segment. No, it’s about a manufacturer’s ability
to win the hearts of Indian consumers. Its brand management has been exceptional;
where else in the world could Hyundai claim to be ahead of Fiat, GM and
Ford in the perception of car buyers?
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| Y
S Kim, MD of Hyundai India, wiht CNBC's chief H Chawla. |
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The
key to Hyundai’s success in India is its insistence on showing the
customer as much respect as it does in any developed country of the world.
It never shortchanges the customer, giving them the best quality and value
possible and never trying to pedal old products.
When
Hyundai launched the Santro, few Indians knew the brand. They knew the
cars were made in Korea and that wasn’t exactly an advantage. But
though they started out from scratch, Hyundai has made a number of good
decisions, the right calls and have put themselves into a position of
strength. They have their ear to the ground and are quick to respond to
customer demands.
 “All
its three models lead their class and the brand is much stronger than
in other markets” - Hormazd Sorabjee
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The
large investment into their greenfield plant in Chennai, market strategy
and penetration into the Indian market have all come right this year,
with all three of Hyundai’s models, the Santro, the Accent and the
recently launched Sonata, leading the sales charts for the year.
Hyundai will soon be forced to demonstrate its ability to respond to pressure,
however. The launch of the Fiat Palio has taken the spotlight away from
the Santro and it will take all of Hyundai’s marketing skills to
keep the top spot this year.
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February 2002 
