TODAY

As part of the motorcar market’s trending in Myanmar the renowned British Jaguar Land Rover opened its first showroom on 12-06-2014 in Yangon. Already an authorised distributor of Ford autos, the subsidiary Capital Automotive Ltd of Diamond Star Group targets Premium Market and will distribute the Jaguar here. TODAY has interviewed general manager Michael John Pease of Capital Automotive Ltd as follows:

Your work experiences please
I’ve been in auto business for 35 years — the last 20 which was in Southeast Asia, ie Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia. Four years ago I left Ford to work as RMA Group’s country manager in Kazakstan. As Ford country manager in Vietnam and Malaysia my respon-sibilities covered management, marketing, sales, after sales service, distribution and also small plants for auto assembly.

How do you assess Myanmar’s car market?
I got to watch Myanmar’s transformation since its open door policies began. I think the car market here has very good prospects because of people’s rising income and a great many foreign companies coming in to invest. But a lot of changes are needed. The auto world is expanding and the infrastructure has to keep apace. I hope official rules and laws will be initiated to keep abreast with them.

Based on your international experience, what do you think is the difference between Myanmar and other Southeast Asian countries?
Economic development or auto business, Myanmar is at the initial stage. Keep to the Right is prescribed here, but 90 percent of cars are right-hand drive. Other countries dealt with this problem over time, and set down restrictions against import of used cars. Why? Because it is unknowable whether such a car has proper legal ownership, is involved in an accident, or possessed of safety features or other required specifications. Thus most Southeast Asian countries restrict the import of used cars.

What are your duties as general manager of Capital Automotive?
The General Manager is responsible for both Brands — Ford and Jaguar/Land Rover. Mainly its sales, marketing, and after sales service; and generating profits and running of the business also. Our objective, apart from showrooms is to have the tactics include the growth of our busi-ness all over the country. Showroom with sales will come to be in Mandalay in 10 months, and Naypyitaw market is under study. Then regional centers also, because Ford and Jaguar Land Rover customers want peace of mind and fancy Service Centers with auto parts on the road. So our dealership would like to have a distribu-tion network. It is no easy work, because more importantly, we have to do recruitment and training to produce able technicians and mana-gers so that customer service will make for customers’ satisfaction.

How did Capital Diamond Star Group and RMA Group get to collaborating?
(RMA Group is Qualified Vehicle Modifier to Ford Motor Company, and Approved Vehicle Modifier to Land Rover.)
The Thai-based RAM Group is a shareholder in Automotive Services Ltd (ASL). It started as Vehicle Modifier, and its business has branched out from Southeast Asia to Central Asia and Africa. Besides car modification RMA works for corporate services management, food stuffs and other industries. It is especially strong in auto field. Capital Diamond Star Group also is a strong domestic industry. The two should be stronger upon their consolidation. More impor-tantly, both know of ethical approach, corporate name, labour management, and are possessed of basic commercial practice, tactics and coo-peration. So global resources brought in by RMA would be supplemented by local market, culture, legal procedure etc. Then satisfactory services should reach Customer through ASL.

Car market here is overwhelmingly Japanese Used car. Through what tactics could it be breached?
That notion is true but customers should come to appreciate the value of buying a new car from a dealership because the market has matured to some extent. We’ve come for no short term profit but long term investment. For vehicle’s Warranty we have all needed spare parts, and trained technicians to provide stand-ardized maintenance. In short, ours is Added value when compared with Used car. Jaguar Land Rover belongs in 3-4 topmost Premium Brands of the world. In particular, Land Rover has been well-known to Myanmar. So is Ford, which is likely to become a top Brand here. Ford aims for mini’s whose F 150 is a best-sell-ing pickup truck globally. We’d like to introduce its global strength to Myanmar. Our focus is Customer, like everywhere else.

Here what Jaguar and Land Rover models at what prices?
For Jaguar there are Jaguar XJ Sedan, Jaguar XF Sedan, and F-type convertible. In Land Rover / Range Rover are Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Evoque of new-found public interest, Land Rover Discovery, Land Rover Freelander, and 1948 vintage Land Rover Defender of all-time fame.
The cars start from under 100,000 USD, while Land Rover Defender and Freelander are below that. The high-end Range Rovers could cost 300,000-400,000 USD dependent on cus-tom-made features. For another 50,000-100,000 USD accessories in and out, even including the colour of seat seams, can be added on.

What about Service and Warranty?
Opening Period offers special services. Jaguar or Land Rover, the whole car carries three year Warranty, and maintenance for limited Period. During introductory Period a free trip called The Land Rover Experience is offered to every buyer of the car. By that he is taken all over the country in the car and taught how to put it to best use. It may include across-border passage. Range Rover buyer will be transported to UK to have personal experience of offroad driving and more knowledge of the car. For Limited Period, Jaguar buyers will receive a gift of Louis Vuitton Luggage.

Translated by-Khin Aung (Eng)