Fully charged up
CENTURY Battery is the market leader for automotive batteries in Malaysia, and caters to vehicle segments ranging from a compact car to a 16-wheeler truck.
Based on the company’s internal data, Century Battery has the largest market share and highest brand awareness among consumers in the country.
There are good reasons for Century Battery’s success, among which are understanding the needs of consumers and building good relationships with distributors and retailers.
“We do in-depth research to understand both the consumers and our distributors’ needs. When their batteries fail – consumers are upset and want a quick solution. Distributors and their retailers must have the right batteries in stock at the right price to the consumer. Our job is to make this happen,” said Century Battery general manager Suresh Nanoo.
“In the unlikely event that the battery fails within the warranty period, Century Battery outlets are instructed to ensure speedy resolution of a replacement battery. At our end, Century processes the claim and we get back to our distributors and retailers within seven days,” he added.
Another factor behind the Century Battery’s market leadership is local assembly which translates into newly-minted products and helps the company to manage prices, compared with competing brands and imported automotive batteries.
This is especially important in times of volatile economic conditions.
“We are intrinsically a manufacturer and not a trader, and thus, we offer fresher batteries compared with importers. Bear in mind that the longer the intervening period between battery formation and actual usage, the higher the drop in starting voltage,” Suresh pointed out.
He also noted that Century Battery was also better able to hold its prices last year, despite being hit by a double whammy.
“The price of lead (used in making batteries) went up and the ringgit dropped against the greenback. But because the group has lead recycling plants and produces its own batteries, we were able to hold our prices and reduce the impact on consumers.”
To further help customers with warranty support, Century Battery also has a warranty service centre located at 26/1 along the Federal Highway (located after Subang National Golf Club; opposite Setia Jaya KTM Komuter station).
“It is the first of its kind in Malaysia, and a one-stop centre geared for quick resolution of customers’ issues,” said Suresh.
Besides warranty support, the Century Battery warranty service centre provides services such as battery and charging system diagnosis, jump start, and battery charging and reconditioning.
Meanwhile, the company has also received good feedback for its Century Battery Assist service which is only a phone call away (toll free 1-800-22-8837).
The Century Battery Assist service is available in the Klang Valley, and provides a 24-hour delivery and installation service, as well as a free check on the car charging system.
The majority of Century Battery sales consist of the higher and premium maintenance-free or MF batteries models namely Ultramax (21month warranty), SDFC or Specially Designed For Continental (12 month-warranty) and Marathoner.
The Ultramax MF battery is the only battery in the country that is Sirim certified.
The Ultramax was also designed for long service life, with a flexible vibration pad that prevents damage from excessive vibration on bad roads.
The heavy duty Marathoner is the company’s best-selling battery, and is designed for long-lasting service life, as it has thicker battery grids which can minimise corrosion and degradation. Another premium MF battery is the Motolite heavy-duty, while the company also offers mass-market batteries such as Start, Izu, Ajax, Blitz, Marshall and Q-eL.
“People want convenience. However, while MF batteries are increasingly popular, we still see strong demand for conventional batteries from the commercial vehicle segment, taxi drivers and also, price-sensitive consumers. They do not mind having to regularly top up a battery with distilled water, compared with many urban motorists who probably don’t even want to lift up the hood of their cars,” said Suresh.
For more than 50 years, Century Battery Sdn Bhd has served millions of Malaysian motorists, automobile manufacturers and dealers with superior automotive batteries.
Over 2,000 outlets nationwide carry Century products, including its market leading line of MF batteries.
Positioned as “The Trusted Name in Batteries”, it is a leading player in the Malaysian market.
Century is also a preferred OEM (original equipment manufacturer) battery supplier to the country’s major car brands.