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Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd on Friday announced the launch of ‘Own-Online’, an online vehicle ownership solution that offers an end-to-end sales experience for prospective buyers.
Mahindra’s pan-India network of more than 270 dealers and 900 touch points is integrated with the Own-Online platform.
Prior to this new platform, M&M had a provision to enable consumers to book vehicles online through external sites. “Today, about 15 per cent of our sales happen on the digital space. I think that is going to go up exponentially,” Veejay Nakra, CEO – Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, told BusinessLine. “Looking at where we are today, the whole consumer journey is exponentially and significantly going to shift into the digital world,” he added.
Contact-less delivery
With the coronavirus pandemic raging across the country, social distancing is bound to be the norm for a while, even after the nationwide lockdown ends.
Own-Online enables customers to finance, insure, exchange, accessorise and own a Mahindra vehicle, from home, in four steps. Customers can first explore M&M’s range of SUVs on the site, select a dealer of choice and get an instant, real-time quotation for their old car, choose from multiple finance and insurance options and get an online approval, and then proceed to make the payment to get ‘contact-less’ delivery at the preferred location.
In recent times, online has been a preferred purchase channel across categories and, going forward, the online purchase of vehicles is set to gain more traction, said Nakra. “We are ready to lead this change in automotive retail by providing many industry-first experiences to our customers,” he added.
The fundamental shift in consumer behaviour that is bound to happen is that they would want to prioritise their safety and security, said Nakra. “And that’s where the digital platform has a very important role to play.”
Role of dealerships
The way consumers are going to interact with the brand would be different, he said, adding this was a significant shift that would happen. While interactions with the dealers at physical dealerships can get replaced by interactions on the digital space, the delivery and servicing would still be physical transactions, he pointed out. Dealerships would continue to have an integral role, but the kind of role they would play is what would change, said Nakra.
In case the customer needs any assistance to complete the Own Online process, its product and process experts would be available online on chat (video and text).
The platform also allows customers to personalise their chosen Mahindra vehicle by accessorising it and opting for add-ons such as extended warranty and roadside assistance.
“Own-online is the only mass-market car owning platform that gives the customer the visibility of on-road or transaction price offered by our dealerships, including break-down of all components such as registration, road taxes, insurance, etc., as well as benefits like discounts and offers,” the company claimed.
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