Volvo Buses’ largest aftermarket partner in India
From a modest beginning in a 10ft x 10ft room, the Lathangi Group has grown into one of the most respected and renowned organizations in the country. Founded and managed by Managing Director Mr. M. P. Vikram Setty and chaired by Dr. M. K. Panduranga Setty, the Lathangi Group has made rapid strides since its inception over the last two decades. The group’s success is largely attributed to its vision of optimising customer satisfaction, improving the quality of life and innovating new products and services based on customer needs and market demand.
Lathangi Automobiles Pvt. Ltd., the group’s bus division, is a one-stop solution for all Volvo buses in Karnataka. The 2S dealership began as a 30-bus per month service centre in 2001 is now a 500-bus per month service station. From its initial single bay workshop, it expanded to an eight-bay centre and will be shortly moving to a new state-of-the-art Volvo Bus Centre on Hosur road in Bangalore which boasts of a 15-bay service workshop.
Lathangi, with a team of 145 people, operates with its special focus on the finer aspects of work which have contributed immensely to its progress. It aligns its operations with the agenda of its customers so that any customer visiting the dealership leaves with complete satisfaction. The Lathangi team, starting from the top management to the technicians, understands the challenges endured by customers as they try and earn a living by running trips. Volvo, being a premium product, demands utmost care when it comes to maintenance and service though the buses very rarely call for repair service as breakdowns are comparatively fewer occurrence.
Uptime is the most important factor when it comes to maintaining the buses, and Lathangi is completely focused on putting the buses back on roads within the shortest possible time. “Our customers’ business is to run the bus, our business is to maintain it”, says Mr. Vikram Setty.
Quick and efficient service is indispensable, especially in today’s highly competitive bus transportation segment. Both fleet operators and passengers must be satisfied with the quality and performance of the bus. Lathangi continuously strives to deliver the best quality in all its operations, be it a routine service at its workshop or an action-service at the customer point.
The company offers full support to small fleet operators in helping them grow. While meeting customers, its team has a preliminary study to understand the exact requirements before moving on to discussion service and maintenance. In fact, some success stories of how small fleet owners have made rapid progress with a Volvo fleet have been a source of inspiration and motivation to Lathangi’s workforce. Such a close and cordial relationship with its customers has ensured that over 80 per cent of them return back for service and maintenance. “It is the customer who decides where to go for service. We deliver our best in such a way that our service talks 1000 words. Whenever our customer has a problem, we make sure we are there to help him out in every possible way”, he adds.
Smart service
Smart service is another highlight of Lathangi’s operations. The dealership offers value-addition to its customers, adding to confidence and trust in the brand name. When a new customer buys a Volvo, Lathangi offers to send a technician for up to a period of one month at absolutely no cost. Though the bus owner and the driver usually gain complete confidence within a few days of running the bus, the technician also monitors the functioning of the bus and the driving style during his short stint in. He provides suggestions for improving the efficiency of operating the bus and also tips to enhance the driving style. If needed, the drivers are requested to undergo refresher driver training to upgrade their skills, especially when new products are launched by Volvo.
Lathangi has set up pit-stops on key routes where the density of Volvo buses is quite high. Through its forward-looking approach, routes which are likely to be important in the coming years are also covered, so that service is readily available when buses start plying. Free check-ups at pit-stops give customers a huge boost in confidence which binds them closer to Lathangi. Having established presence in most parts across Karnataka, Lathangi continues to follow its strategy of moving with customers. VRL, SRS and KSRTC are its largest customers whose requirements are catered to by dedicated service teams and outlets.
The dealership’s upcoming Volvo Bus Centre, likely to be inaugurated in April, will have a 16-bay service workshop and a body shop.
Lathangi pioneers the service of air-conditioning units, body-repairs and rectifying issues related to the major aggregates as well. Utmost care is taken to maintain internal hygiene of the bus, including upholstery, air-conditioning and filters, to ensure the best passenger comfort.
Employee development
When it comes to driver and technician training, Volvo is perhaps the best in business. The entire Lathangi team of technicians undergoes both simulation and as practical training at Volvo. Training is offered at four different levels throughout the year for technicians who are given special incentives by Lathangi as they graduate from one level to another.
The Lathangi group, committed to delivering the best service to its customers, is equally dedicated to being loyal to the society. It believes in bringing in people from rural background and the underprivileged who look for openings rather than hiring specialized people. With the needy people being completely open to quick learning, Lathangi has taken up the ominous task of training the people and making them skilled in various aspects of service and maintenance. In fact, all its technicians are trained in the art of English-speaking, apart from technical training they undergo. The new service facility has provision for accommodating the technicians, and also offers them food at subsidized rates. With such a comfortable work atmosphere, many employees have quit the organization seeking greener pastures elsewhere, only to return back realizing the overall benefits offered at Lathangi.
‘There are certain things which money can’t buy’ is a common of saying Lathangi believes in it. More than just training, service, maintenance and other routine operations, Lathangi has taken many initiatives to improve the life of its employees, starting from taking care of their medical requirements to supporting their children’s education and also helping them get settled in life. Samarpanam is one such special initiative in which the parents of technicians who have excelled in service are recognized and rewarded for their son’s contribution to the organization success. Such initiatives have been instrumental in maintaining Lathangi’s high employee retention rate despite growing competition.
The Volvo brand
On Lathangi’s association with Volvo, Mr. Setty says: “We have always believed in the Volvo brand which is renowned for its safety, quality, environmental care ,openness and dealer-friendliness. We have tried our best in following the same policy and as a result have grown into the largest aftermarket partner for Volvo Buses in India.”
Volvo as a brand has been extremely successful in the Indian bus segment, so too Lathangi in maintaining the brand’s value.
It is understandable that customers expect the Volvo kind of approach and quality from its dealers as well. The Lathangi Group has shaped up its team in a manner that customers find no shortcomings whatsoever. It has taken special care to see that the Volvo brand is given due respect and value, as it has been doing over the decades across the globe. While Volvo has driven the evolution of the Indian bus industry, Lathangi has been a perfect partner in nurturing the development in Volvo’s Indian home State of Karnataka.
“Volvo is looking at India for the long-term and is a company with immense foresight. After over a decade, we have never questioned our decision of being associated with Volvo and are very proud to be Volvo Buses’ largest dealer in the country”, he adds.
Other segments
The Lathangi Group started its partnership with Volvo 14 years ago when it became an authorized 3S dealer for Volvo Construction Equipment through Wilworth Earthmovers. Thought the mining segment is currently not in good shape, Wilworth has done well with its decision to diversify into multiple segments. In the construction equipment segment as well, the group operates with its customer focus and has been very successful in expanding its customer base over the years. It has a unique customer referral programme by which potential buyers are directed to the existing customers who become the company’s brand ambassadors and market the products successfully. It also has the distinction of setting up a 65,000 sq. ft. 3S facility which has won recognition as Volvo Construction Equipment’s best dealership in South Asia.
In 2012, the Lathangi Group made an entry into the Chennai market with its first Eicher dealership, Yashaswini Motors. Chennai being a hub of commercial vehicle activity, the group felt the importance of being present in this key market. Also, having been associated with Volvo for over a decade, Lathangi wanted to work with Volvo’s Indian partner Eicher, a company known for its strong presence in the light and medium duty truck segments. Apart from the existing strong points, Yashaswini Motors will also equally focus on the heavy duty segment in which Eicher’s presence has been growing rapidly.
The Eicher dealership has done extremely well in a short span of time, despite sluggish market conditions, and is targeting a good share of the Chennai market in the coming months.