Proton has announced a 12.5% increase in year-to-date (YTD) sales, shifting 56,297 units compared to 50,091 units in the same period last year. The national carmaker’s sales performance is aligned with an improved YTD total industry volume (TIV) of 1.8% in 2017 compared to the same period last year. This is despite the significant slump in September due to the number of public holidays.
“Proton is fortunate for the planning of its Saga and Persona launches in August and September 2016, respectively. With the upgrades done on both cars, we have gained traction in car sales, largely contributed by both Saga and Persona, making up 42.7% (24,061 units) and 27.4% (15,448 units), respectively, for Proton’s overall car sales, year-to-date,” said Abdul Rashid Musa, vice president of sales and marketing of Proton.
“Both these cars also performed much better than 2016 with an increase of 9,661 units. The Persona itself saw a 90% increase year-to-date compared to the same period last year,” he continued. Rashid also revealed Proton’s market share grew by from 12% in 2016 to 13% in 2017. This is backed by Proton actively promoting its products to the public via not only roadshows, but also during various public events.
“We have been doing our roadshows more aggressively, going into more busy areas especially during weekends and the display of the key safety features of our cars had generated a lot of interest among the public. This shows a positive sign for Proton and this is why we need a good partner with us to ensure that we can continue to remain competitive in the market,” he explained.
During a media briefing at Proton’s Centre of Excellence, Rashid gave a deeper insight into these initiatives, which included educating the public on the various safety features that aren’t easily demonstrated.
For instance, ESC system demonstrations require a large, open area that aren’t exactly readily available within a shopping mall area. To remedy this, Proton has prepared an ESC simulator (pictured here), capable of allowing the public to experience the active safety system in action.
There are other exhibits to drive home the point of safety too, including an airbag system display and structures showcasing Proton’s use of Hot Press Formed (HPF) steel in their vehicles. According to Rashid, there are 18 HPF displays at various roadshows and showrooms, along with 46 half-cut structures. Lastly, the company is continuing its push for the adoption of child car seats, offering tutorials on the proper way to install and use them to the public.
While educating the public on Proton products is a necessity, as are the safety features they offer, Proton haven’t forgotten about developing and further improving its after sales either. For starters, its collaboration with Petronas has resulted in customers having access to more affordable lubricants, while the increased service interval from 5,000 km to 10,000 km means less trips to the service centre.
Other examples include the launch of the MyProton app, which not only allows customers to make scheduled appointments (reducing unnecessary wait time), but also allows them to keep track of their service records. Customers will be able to see when their last visit to a service centre took place, as well as what parts or service was done at the time.
Furthermore, with the introduction of the Amazing 5 promotion (more on that below), there has been a higher number of customers (around 1.2 million) returning to official service centres. As a result, Proton has kept service centres open seven days a week to meet servicing demands at cheaper prices too.
In light of the good response from customers, the company will extend its Amazing 5 promotion for all new Proton car purchases nationwide until the end of November 2017. The promotion includes a five-year/100,000 km free service package (inclusive of parts, engine oil and labour charges) as well as a five-year/150,000 km warranty.
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AI-generated Summary ✨
Comments generally acknowledge the 12.5% year-to-date sales increase for Proton, attributing part of the improvement to new CEO leadership and Geely's involvement. Many express optimism that Proton is turning around, praising design updates like the new Saga, and highlighting the importance of cost efficiency and parts sharing facilitated by Geely. Some comments mention that sales figures are driven by the previous team's efforts, not solely recent changes, and debate the impact of Geely's influence. Concerns about aftersales issues, vendor costs, and product segmentation are also raised. Overall sentiment is cautiously optimistic, with many supporters pleased with the sales growth, though some remain skeptical about future profitability and the true influence of Geely and new management on sustained success.