Dinesh Chinnasamy’s Post

"What went wrong for online car retailer Cazoo as it enters administration?" asks BBC News. Simple: the car business is hard, and understanding the needs of customers and customer behaviour is even harder. Cazoo got it wrong – I'm seeing others get it wrong, too. While fresh thinking in this most staid of markets is always welcome, things are done a certain way for a reason - and perhaps Cazoo thought it could reinvent a wheel that just needed refining. Perhaps they should have listened to a few more industry experts to get an idea of the market - and, more importantly, car buyers. Cazoo isn't the first automotive retail 'disrupter' to fail and there will be others. My thoughts are always with those whose livelihoods are affected, but it's rarely the people at the top! But one of the biggest problems the car business has is that it's run by people who don't buy and run cars like the rest of us do - and research groups are never a substitute for living and breathing your market. Any start up (or scale up) business - from manufacturing to retail - needs a laser focus on their customers and the processes and priorities needed to deliver what the customer wants. My guess is Cazoo didn't quite have that. The opportunity was there, but it's a shame the right plan obviously wasn't executed well enough. #automotive #retail #cazoo #administration #selling #cars #consultancy

It's easy to get bogged down in a brand's product launches, but what good is that when people don't know or trust the brand? That's where CarSauce comes in. CarSauce was the second most video-viewed new car Aussie automotive platform in 2023, with close to 50 million video views across our three major platforms: YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. At this rate, our 2024 will be even better. We also consistently rank among the highest - if not the highest - for engagement and car reviews. Jacob Brooke and I recently travelled to China with Chery Australia, and as we do with all international launches, we vlogged the entire process. This 1+ hour vlog, within 24 hours, is sitting at close to 20,000 views, with some of the highest engagement we've seen from our community to date. Not only has Chery Australia allowed Aussie buyers to see behind the curtain and the human side of their business, but we've also released five other full-length YouTube videos and accompanying vertical videos posted across all of our platforms. All up, Chery (shoutout to Tim Krieger) has received over 1 million views from a mostly Australian audience for simply bringing CarSauce along for the journey. And we can see the effects, with CarSauce.com/Buy - our car buying service - being flooded with Chery product inquiries. Other smart PR teams have noticed this too. I'll be traveling to China with ZEEKR Australia and Korea with Hyundai Motor Company Australia over the next couple of weeks, taking our audience with me and capturing bucket loads of other high-performing content. Although the biggest challenge for us is still gaining legitimacy in a traditionally stale, old-school boys' club industry; when we're pulling in scary good figures like we are - those who don't see the extraordinary value we provide really do miss out. And I'm proud of that! 😉 https://lnkd.in/g65Zi8xC

Moviegazoo Digital Network will allow all of its platforms to slowly allow their members to use their virtual currency to buy cars again. Gas base vehicles for now, and once the Flaw in 99% of automakers EV Framework is fixed members will be able to buy an EV. Moviegazoo Founder is hard at work updating his Virtual Dealership A.I. now, in order to create a 2-hour walk-in framework, for dealers who sign up for its Virtual Dealership System.  The system was created more than 6 years ago and had more than 500 dealers processing the orders that were generated within Moviegazoo Digital Network. The system enables its AI to process the order and then directed a member to a dealer to finish the paperwork; thus, allowing both parties to stay within the guideline of their respected agreements or license. Moviegazoo will no longer offer the Dealer Addon and Update Services Bundle anymore. But will let their members select the options they want within its Digital System. Over the last 4 years more than 37 million Purchase Requests were deleted from Moviegazoo Virtual Dealership System. Mercedes-Benz was the first auto company Moviegazoo sought to partner with but couldn’t get beyond its privacy policies and data ownership. Moviegazoo does not share its members data with anyone. And all data created or generated within its Digital Platform belongs to Moviegazoo Parent Company. Moviegazoo Virtual Dealership system is designed to remove the chaos, and waste from the equation. Because no consumer should have to spend 3 hours trying to purchase a car! Our Virtual Dealership platform doesn’t only allow us to process the sell, but also offer our members a Virtual Test Drive. All we need is a dealer code and we can instantly create a Virtual Test Drive for the vehicle and the area where the Dealer is located.  We are AI Mapping 10 to 20 miles around hundreds of dealerships, thus creating the environment a member will see when they get behind the wheels of the car they brought. And with the help of our AI Gaming League Developer’s, we ae expanding Moviegazoo Digital Network Framework and making money in the process. #hyundai #innovation #climatechange #entrepreneurship #autonomousvehicles #ev #ecommerce #brightdrop #supplychain #zeroemissionsTalks #bmwgroup #bmwusa #cars #sales #digital #network #acura #astonmartin #audi #bentley #bmw #bugatti #buick #cadillac #chevrolet #dodge #ferrari #fiat #fisker #ford #gmc #honda #infiniti #jaguar #jeep #kia #lamborghini #landrover #lexus #lincoln #lotus #lucid #maserati #maybach #mazda #mercedesbenz #mini #mitsubishi #nissan #peugeot #porsche #rangerover #renault #rimac #rivian #rollsroyce #smart #spyker #subaru #suzuki #tesla #ceos #cfos #seo #investor #pif #ipo #dubai #pifsaudi #saudiarabiaholdingCo #privateequity #money #mergersandacquisitions #ma #ai #toyotaventures #gmventures

Spinny: A Unicorn Success Story in India’s Used Car Market 🚗🚀 Founded in 2015 by Neeraj Singh, Spinny has transformed the used car market in India, now valued at ₹13,000 crore. From mortgaging his house to onboarding Sachin Tendulkar as a strategic investor, Spinny’s journey is nothing short of inspiring. In a market where only 22 out of 1000 people own cars, Spinny has served over 2 lakh customers, with 32% of them being women. By FY 2027, 80 lakh second-hand cars are expected to be sold annually in India, with the market growing at 14-15% annually. Spinny’s Success Mantra: Neeraj Singh emphasizes clarity of vision and solving real problems. From day one, Spinny focused on trust and quality, switching from just listing cars to a full-stack model—buying, refurbishing, and selling cars directly. Marketing Strategy: While competitors ran ads, Spinny focused on emotional connections, with Sachin Tendulkar and PV Sindhu as brand ambassadors. This strategic move, along with ads during the IPL, has resonated with India’s youth. Business Impact: Spinny now sells 6,500 cars a month, with 73% of buyers purchasing their first car. Online shopping accounts for 70% of sales, with 31% of customers choosing home delivery. Financial Growth: In FY23, Spinny's revenue skyrocketed by 2,892%, reaching ₹3,262 crore. Though the company faces competition, its innovative approach has attracted ₹4,364 crore in funding. From a dream to a billion-dollar brand, Spinny is revolutionizing India’s car market by focusing on trust, quality, and customer satisfaction. Important Reference: Divya Bhaskar News Article E-Cell, IIT Bombay #Spinny #SecondHandCars #StartupSuccess #SachinTendulkar #BusinessGrowth #ecell #iitbombay

Spinny: A Unicorn Success Story in India’s Used Car Market 🚗🚀 Founded in 2015 by Neeraj Singh, Spinny has transformed the used car market in India, now valued at ₹13,000 crore. From mortgaging his house to onboarding Sachin Tendulkar as a strategic investor, Spinny’s journey is nothing short of inspiring. In a market where only 22 out of 1000 people own cars, Spinny has served over 2 lakh customers, with 32% of them being women. By FY 2027, 80 lakh second-hand cars are expected to be sold annually in India, with the market growing at 14-15% annually. Spinny’s Success Mantra: Neeraj Singh emphasizes clarity of vision and solving real problems. From day one, Spinny focused on trust and quality, switching from just listing cars to a full-stack model—buying, refurbishing, and selling cars directly. Marketing Strategy: While competitors ran ads, Spinny focused on emotional connections, with Sachin Tendulkar and PV Sindhu as brand ambassadors. This strategic move, along with ads during the IPL, has resonated with India’s youth. Business Impact: Spinny now sells 6,500 cars a month, with 73% of buyers purchasing their first car. Online shopping accounts for 70% of sales, with 31% of customers choosing home delivery. Financial Growth: In FY23, Spinny's revenue skyrocketed by 2,892%, reaching ₹3,262 crore. Though the company faces competition, its innovative approach has attracted ₹4,364 crore in funding. From a dream to a billion-dollar brand, Spinny is revolutionizing India’s car market by focusing on trust, quality, and customer satisfaction. Important Reference: Divya Bhaskar News Article E-Cell, IIT Bombay #Spinny #SecondHandCars #StartupSuccess #SachinTendulkar #BusinessGrowth #ecell #iitbombay

As per a recent article by Zuha Siddiqui, "Careem introduced the Flexi Ride model in November last year (2023), allowing customers to bid for their preferred price, akin to inDrive’s bid-based model. The service, available only in Pakistan and Egypt, is Careem’s response to the growing popularity of inDrive." Post-Covid, major shifts in macroeconomic indicators impacted consumer behavior in the Pakistani middle-income social strata. Careem, a pre-Covid leader in ride-hailing, didn't adjust accordingly which has proven fatal. In 2021, InDrive emerged with a pricing feature that empowered users with fare negotiation, quickly gaining popularity. Today in 2024, Careem has 373,920 daily active users in Pakistan, whereas InDrive boasts over 2 million users, according to Data.ai. Our group at NUST analyzed Careem for a Marketing Management Semester Class by Dr Nauman Wajid in 2021, recommending a pivot in pricing dynamics and tailored product refinement. The lesson learned is that No product should be seen as Perfect, and Complacency at the Strategic level can be detrimental. Continuous innovation aligned with evolving consumer demand is crucial for longevity in the market. Change and adaptability are key in navigating the dynamic landscape of consumer expectations and economic trends. #Careem #InDrive #MarketingStrategy #ContinuousInnovation

■ Porsche, Mercedes Tap 24-Year-Old Adviser to Win Over Zoomers Germany’s carmakers are seeking outside help to hire and sell to Gen Z. By Monica Raymunt, Bloomberg Das Auto’s push for Gen Z For decades, when Germany’s automakers wanted to drum up sales of their sedans and sports cars with first-time buyers, they would call on their hundreds of marketing pros or, in a pinch, a big-name ad agency. This year, they’ve started looking to a 24-year-old named Yaël Meier. The entrepreneur heads Zeam, a Swiss consultancy that’s helping Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen sell to or hire Generation Z. It’s a cohort shaped by near-constant social media use, anxiety over climate change, a deep mistrust of traditional marketing — and it’s a black hole for the hidebound incumbents of German industry. But winning over Zoomers is key for legacy automakers as tech-first rivals including Tesla and China’s BYD push into their home markets. German manufacturers, after long resisting the shift to batteries, are contending with slumping competitiveness and have yet to offer affordable electric cars that cater to younger buyers. While the likes of Porsche and Mercedes-Benz have had some success on Gen Z-favored social media platforms such as TikTok, automakers have to stay proactive to keep Zoomers’ attention, Meier said. “Many car brands struggle with reaching young customers,” she said. “A company that’s not present on our social channels isn’t present for us at all.” For Volkswagen’s Spanish brand Cupra, Zeam produced TikTok campaigns at electronic music festivals in Barcelona and Crans Montana, Switzerland, to help improve the brand’s visibility with the younger crowd. The advisers also briefed managers at Mercedes-Benz and Porsche on how to successfully recruit Gen Z employees. Failure to convince Zoomers can have real consequences. In China, German brands have struggled to keep up with homegrown manufacturers like BYD and Geely, which are selling EVs priced below $20,000 with smooth-running software and gadgets like in-car karaoke. BYD last year dethroned Volkswagen to become the best-selling brand in China, where local manufactures now dominate the market for plug-in vehicles. “They’re losing a whole next generation of customers to Chinese car brands,” said Jo Dietrich, who co-founded Zeam with Meier four years ago. If Chinese EVs are cheaper and better, then “‘made in Germany’ won’t be a strong enough argument.” Volkswagen is turning to local partners including Xpeng and preparing a new EV brand in China to turn the tide. The automaker has been registering steep demand from younger drivers when a new model comes out, yet sales can drop off in the following year, said Stefan Mecha, who heads the VW brand’s China operations. #Porsche #Mercedes #Auto #car #AutoNews #Volkswagen #geely #BYD #Xpeng

Every time Ratan Tata drove through the streets of India, he couldn’t help but notice the same thing: families on scooters. A father, balancing the bike. A mother, holding on. And a child, sandwiched between them. It was dangerous. It was risky. And it sparked an idea. What if there was a safer, affordable car for these families? Something small. Something within reach. That’s how the Tata Nano was born. It wasn’t just a car - it was a vision. The Nano was designed to serve a purpose. It wasn’t meant for long highways. It was meant for city rides. It was compact, efficient, and perfect for the middle-class Indian family. It gave them something more than just a scooter. It gave them safety and comfort. But here's where it went wrong. The marketing team made a critical mistake. They pushed the Nano as the “cheapest car.” They thought highlighting affordability would appeal to the masses. But the word "cheap" stuck. And with it, the value of the car diminished. People didn’t see it as a smart, affordable solution anymore. They saw it as something less – a compromise. And in branding, perception is everything. What the Nano needed was a different story. A story about being an affordable, safe, all-weather alternative to scooters. A family car that brought security, not just savings. This shows how important brand positioning really is. You can have the most innovative idea in the world, but if you don’t tell the right story, it gets lost. The Nano was a fantastic car for what it was intended - city driving, affordability, and safety. But it was sold as the “cheapest option.” That one word cost the Nano its true potential. It’s also a reminder for all of us in branding and marketing - the story you tell matters. It’s not about the product being cheap, it's about what the product stands for. The Nano deserved a better story. Ratan Tata’s vision was ahead of its time. It was a solution for the people. Sometimes, great ideas are misunderstood simply because we don’t communicate them well enough. And that’s where we, as brand strategists, come in. And now, as we reflect on the visionary behind the Nano, Ratan Tata, we can't help but feel the weight of his absence. He wasn’t just a business leader. He was a man who thought deeply about what his country needed, and he tried to deliver it with heart and conviction. Ratan Tata's legacy will forever live on in the dreams he built, the lives he changed, and the way he shaped India’s industries. His ideas were big. His heart was bigger.

How BlueSmart outpaced biggies like Uber? Since its launch in 2019, BluSmart has grown rapidly, now operating over 3,000 electric cabs and boasting the largest network of EV charging stations in Delhi-NCR. The company has successfully raised $75 million from investors like BP Ventures and Mayfield, highlighting confidence in its sustainable and innovative approach. 🌟 Lessons in new brand launch strategy 🌟 ⁉️ How BlueSmart captured the Uber market? The key of any business success lies in finding the market gap. The customers were dissatisfied due to: 📍high ride cancellations 📍unhygienic cabs 📍unpredictable surge pricing 📍driver's rude behavior ✔️The solution: Customer centric approach 👍 BluSmart's strategy revolves around an all-electric, full-stack business model. Unlike the asset-light approach of Uber and Ola, BluSmart owns its electric vehicles, employs its drivers, and manages its charging infrastructure. This model allows for greater control over service quality, cost management, and customer experience. BluSmart's ability to offer reliable, clean, and green rides without surge pricing or cancellations has resonated with consumers, helping it capture a notable market share, particularly in high-demand areas like airport rides. This focus on enhancing the customer experience by filling service gaps left by competitors has been a key to its success. ✨️ Keys For New Brand Launch : BluSmart’s rise underscores the importance of identifying and addressing unmet consumer needs. By focusing on pain points and offering a superior, consistent service, new brands can disrupt established markets and build a loyal customer base. #strategy #business #innovative #ai #branding #inspiration #LinkedInTopVoices #marketing #linkedinnews

An 8% revenue increase in just 3 months sounds like a dream ✨ But this is what 99 Bikes, Australia’s largest bike retailer, has achieved after partnering with SAP Emarsys. By optimising their entire marketing approach, the cycling brand is successfully delivering personalised customer experiences that resonate with today’s mobile-centric consumers, fostering genuine loyalty and enhanced engagement, which results in a key competitive advantage.  To find out more about 99 Bikes’ accomplishments, read this insightful article by B&T: https://lnkd.in/dEfC8YnB #Personalisation #Mobilefirst #AI #Marketing