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14
MOTORINDIA
l
August 2012
Ruba, a vegetable-vendor, shunts
between Hosur and Salem every
second day for selling vegetables
and provisions. She became a DOST
customer in February this year and
ever since has seen her profits soar,
thanks to the huge benefits offered
by the vehicle.
It all started in 2008 when Ruba
and her parents were left stranded
by their driver in the middle of no-
where. Ruba, without her husband’s
support, did not know to drive but
had no choice other than take the
wheels of her former LCV. Since
then, without looking back, Ruba
has fought against the hardships of
life, successfully sustaining her fam-
MI: How many vehicles have you sold till date? Has the response been as expected?
NS:
We have sold 14,841 vehicles since launch (September 2011 to June 2011). The response has been over-
whelming, and we now have a waiting period for the DOST emphasizing customer’s confidence in our product.
As of now, demand exceeds supply, and we have ramped up production to meet the same.
MI: Which are the markets in which DOST is offered? How are your expansion plans progressing?
NS:
Till April, the DOST was offered in seven States (Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Ma-
harashtra, Goa and Gujarat). We launched the product in Rajasthan in May 2012. As of June 2012, DOST is sold
through 32 dealerships in 76 outlets. Our primary focus at present is to adequately meet the demand from our
existing markets before seeking to spread our reach and network by ramping up our production, which is being
done in a phased manner.
ily. She owned a different
vehicle a few years back,
and when the DOST was
launched, the buzz around
the town lured her to con-
sider buying the vehicle.
Considering the promis-
ing prospects offered by
the vehicle and impressed
with its specifications, she
bought the DOST, a move
which has brought her big
returns in business. Says
Ruba: “Ashok Leyland
was talked about very fa-
mously, and we also heard
from people that the vehi-
cle was good. We wanted
to buy the DOST in Febru-
ary and went ahead by tak-
ing a 40-month loan.”
The DOST has given
Ruba and her family a lot
of benefits, financially speaking
a profit of around Rs. 25,000 per
month. Her 160 km drive every al-
ternate day from Hosur to Kolathur
(near Salem) takes three hours, but
the journey gives her very little ex-
haustion, thanks to the vehicle’s
overall performance and comfort
levels. She has opted for a power
DOST’s first-ever lady customer,
Ruba, getting ready to drive on
vehicle zone (cover story)