Can you briefly talk
about the activities of your division Delphi Product and Service Solutions?
Philippe Denos (PD):
I run this division and Faisal represents us in the Indian sub continent. This
division has the target to take most of the products (OE) that we have in
Delphi and bring it to the aftermarket channel. We complement that offer with
other aftermarket products we have. We represent Delphi in the aftermarket. We
are in charge of developing the business. Delphi is really designing the
vehicle of tomorrow. We are already servicing this vehicle today. It is not
only product, but service too is critical. This includes diagnostic tools,
technical training, telematics etc. We design all this around a product in
order to service it.
When you talk of
training, it also requires a lot of equipment. What are the different tools
that you use for this training?
PD: Globally we
have a team of engineers who are working on developing the diagnostic tools. We
work with the OE division, the people who write the software inside the vehicle
in order to write our software for our diagnostic tools. We cover all kinds of
products and all technologies because the diagnostic tool just cannot cover
Delphi alone. When you plug it in the car, it should be able to service any
car. That is very important and we design this in-house.
What is the demand
for such products, especially in the developed markets of US and Europe?
PD: It is huge.
These are the biggest markets for diagnostic tools. Think about it, you cannot
do anything with the car without the diagnostic tool, even if one has to change
a brake pad. You have the electric arm brakes, in order to remove the arm
brakes at the end, you need to plug the diagnostic tool. In order to reset the
service instrument on the cluster, you need a diagnostic tool. Every garage
needs at least one, some of them have two or three, of these diagnostic tools.
In the emerging markets too they are going to come through. Because what is
good for Delphi and for us is the fact that the technological content in a
vehicle is increasing in India. That is
very good for Delphi.
What’s been the
response for such tools among garage owners in India?
Faisal Matin (FM):
It has been getting better over a period of time. Five years back if I were to
talk to someone about oxygen sensors to somebody, people would not know about
them. Today people not only talk about oxygen sensors and also vehicle contents
of a car. In the aftermarket they have not yet opened up so much. And when that
comes, it will change the market big time. The roadside mechanic too may have
to upgrade his skills as he goes by. They may not be phased out because of all
the technology coming in, but he may have to modernise. India itself is in that
learning phase. It’s not just about a mechanic rather it is for everyone in the
country.
PD: Like a lot of
emerging markets, India is fast tracking the change. It is not like the same
pace what you had in Europe or North America, here in India it is fast
tracking. This is very good.
You have a website
delphiautoparts.com What purpose does this serve?
PD: We already
had an aftermarket website in the past. But we improved it and changed it
completely. The response has been very good. We are now more and more involved
in social media. What is interesting is that the generation that is entering
the garage today, the generation X and Y, they use only one tool and that is
the cellphone! We have to reach this technician through the social media be it
facebook, linkedin, youtube or anything else.
How is the DPSS
division doing in India?
FM: We have been
in there in India for the last 15 years. Over a period of time we have
developed a lot of products. Fifteen years back we started off with four to
seven part numbers. Today we have developed a full range of products for a
chassis system, thermal system, vehicle electronic parts and we have developed
the maintenance parts too. There is a huge range that we supply to the
aftermarket. Not only the products, but our customers and distributors too have
increased over a period of time. Today, we have 11 different product lines in
the aftermarket which fall under the four product categories as such.
Which segment are you
more in—the passenger car segment or the commercial vehicle segment?
PD: Globally we
are more prevalent in the passenger car segment. But commercial vehicle segment
is also big.
How does a show like
the Automechanika benefit a company like yours?
PD: Globally we
are very much associated with such show. Most important, it enables us to meet
all our customers. We want to be close enough to meet our customers. The shows
also help us leverage our brand.
FM: It adds to
our reach to our customers. Customers in turn recognise and realise our worth.