Kia unveils expansion, growth, and upcoming model launch
KIA Philippines recently hosted an online media session via zoom meeting. They discussed the current economic situation, its impact on the automotive industry, and how Kia intends to use its Power to Surprise to help ease its effects on the company and its customers. Anchored by no less than Kia Philippines president Manny Aligada, he also tackled aggravating by the challenges faced by the two major contributors to the country’s economic performance, the overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) and the Business Process outsourcing (BPO) industry.
These, in turn, are seen to affect economic indicators such as Gross Domestic Product, which is estimated to slip to 0.6 percent from a projected 6.6 percent for 2020.
The automotive industry in the time of Covid-19
FOR the automotive industry, vehicle sales declined by 52 percent year-on-year. Apart from that, the cautious lending of bank institutions and dealerships challenged to generate volume along with the burden of fixed overhead costs, are seen to dampen the industry’s overall performance. However, there are still a few bright spots that business entities who are operational can look forward to. For instance, Kia Philippines sees various opportunities for growth and a way to contribute to the local economy.
a few bright spots
WHILE Kia currently ranked 10th in sales rankings, some vehicles are seen as being in tune with the new normal way of life. The Picanto and Soluto, for instance, are perfect for daily drives and those looking for affordable personal transport. Then, there is the K2500, which is ideal for delivery and shuttle services for businesses. Kia fitted its K2500 Karga with plastic dividers to enforce physical distancing
measures. Customers are encouraged to check the Kia Philippines website to review current promos and offerings designed for buyers looking for an affordable deal.
a few surprises for the year
BESIDES its vehicles, Kia Philippines has a few plans lined up for its clients. For this coming third quarter of 2020, four new dealerships are set to open. These are Kia Marikina, Kia Fairview, Kia Isabela, and Kia Bonifacio Global City. This upcoming expansion would bring Kia Philippines’ entire dealer network to 34 sales and service facilities. Also, four more facilities are planned by the end of 2020 or early 2021. Kia intends to continue expanding its reach, way into 2021.
To further boost its presence and provide better customer service that Promises to Care, all vehicles are backed by a 5-year or 160,000-km warranty* and 24/7 Emergency Roadside Assistance. These will be further boosted by upcoming programs such as increasing its parts line-up by four times and subjecting each dealer to stringent operations standards. The overall objective is to improve the customer experience from walking in and after it has been delivered.
More unboxings lined up
BEFORE the year ends, Kia Philippines is set to surprise with two unboxing events. The first is the launch of its Virtual Showroom. Slated for the last quarter of this year, on top of the current website functions, it provides customers the opportunity to shop for a new Kia vehicle from comfort and safety. Following this is the unboxing of an all-new model designed to cater to the Filipino motorists’ needs and to provide speedy mobility for the Filipinos.
“The coronavirus and lockdown may have taken their toll on the local and global economy. Yet, we at Kia Philippines, are confident that we will overcome these with sales and aftersales initiatives, continuous expansion of our dealer network, entering into the digital age with a virtual showroom, and an unboxing of an all-new model,” said Aligada. “All these are designed to not only jumpstart our brand but the economy as well.” With all these surprises, Kia Philippines not only hopes to boost its presence in the country but help uplift our countrymen’s lives with relevant products and services.