Tata
Motors has been comprehensively supporting the transport ecosystem to ensure
all necessary supplies remain uninterrupted and seamless, nationwide. Closely
working with truck drivers, small transporters, mid-size transport operators
and fleet owners amidst the unprecedented times, Tata Motors identified the
existing and emerging pain points in every link of the transport value chain
and partnered it to address them in the most effective and efficient
manner.
Partnering
truck drivers and transporters:
•
For frontline hero truck drivers transporting goods across the country,
supplies of food, masks and sanitisers have been arranged at numerous ‘Saarthi
Aaram Kendras’, across the entire Tata Motors operations network, and many
other Indian Oil facilities located on the busiest national and state highways
across the country. Several thousand truck drivers benefitted from the
facilities and services offered.
•
During the lockdown, a dedicated, 24x7 helpline 1800 209 7979 was set-up for
truck drivers and transporters across the country. To speedily address the
requests received, 900 emergency response teams were created and meticulously
located in key transport hubs and corridors. These teams were manned by 4,000
trained and experienced technicians selected from Tata Motors extensive network
of 1400 workshops nationwide and supported by 21 well-stocked warehouses with
spare parts quickly accessible for fast turnaround of vehicles. Over 10,000
requests received for vehicle related assistance were promptly addressed to
keep the wheels of supplies running.
•
To provide requisite repairs and servicing support, workshops were made
operational at the earliest possible with a new set of standard operating
procedure (SOPs). These defined minimal interactions, maintaining prudent
social distance, vehicle contact and sanitisation etc. while engaging with
customers.
•
Warranties of commercial vehicles expiring during the period of national
lockdown have been extended. Similarly, timelines of Tata Suraksha annual
maintenance contracts have also been extended for the benefit of customers
Speaking
about the initiatives undertaken, R. Ramakrishnan, Global Head - Customer Care,
CVBU, Tata Motors Limited noted, “Truck drivers and transporters are frontline
heroes as they have played a stellar role in ensuring that the wheels of the
nation are kept running with seamless transportation of all supplies. Being
India’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturer, a majority of them use our
vehicles and we are their first port of call for assistance. In these unprecedented times, we are the
committed partner, providing all possible support to them and their vehicles.
We have focused our efforts with a holistic approach to making their tough
tasks and lives a little easier”
With
the entire logistics sector hit hard due to a significant reduction in overall
economic activity, Tata Motors Finance (TMF), a subsidiary of the Tata Motors
Group engaged with 3,000 of its customers, across segments and vehicle
applications, to understand the key issues being faced by them and accordingly
extend assistance. Getting stranded vehicles operational, low fleet utilisation
and challenge of operational viability due to minimal cash flow, emerged as the
major areas of concern.
Understanding
their difficult situation and cognizant that these were exacerbated by the
unprecedented disruption caused by COVID-19, TMF extended the RBI moratorium on
payment of EMIs to all its retail and corporate customers who opted for it.
While it was amongst the first financiers to do so, additionally TMF has also
developed and is offering a rich portfolio of customised options for its
customers to avail basis their need and ability. These include:
•
Opex Funding to maintain liquidity in the value chain by taking care of fixed
expenses for 3-4 months and service claims financing for dealers and suppliers.
•
Restructuring of loans of retail fleet customers for benefit from flexible EMIs
by reducing current EMIs to a level in line with their current income levels
and with provisions to step up EMIs once business normalises over next 6-9
months. This is for customers who come within the definition of MSMEs and are
eligible under the prevalent scheme of RBI.
•
Working capital solutions for large fleet operators meet their obligations for
the next few months. Funding is made available against collateral of their free
vehicles or any other tangible collateral already available with TMF.
•
Bill Discounting Solutions for fleet operators to take care of increase in
payment cycle from an average of 45 days Pre-COVID days to an anticipated level
of 90 days going forward.
•
Developing Credit solutions that will be of immense benefit to retail fleet
operators by providing much needed plying time liquidity and credit support.
Customers can buy fuel, recharge their fastags, pay for scheduled expenses like
vehicle service, insurance, permit-road tax etc.
•
New vehicle loans with low EMI levels for first 12 months. Also, bundled
working capital loans with new vehicle loans with requisite collateral.
Customers can navigate easily through the initial few months taken for the
operations of a new vehicle to stabilize.
Samrat
Gupta, CEO, Tata Motors Finance said, “Being one of the large NBFCs operating
in the country and as a committed captive commercial vehicle financer, our
primary focus is to ensure economic success of all our stakeholders, especially
our customers. In the aftermath of COVID, we have extensively engaged with them
to understand their immediate challenges better and accordingly develop a range
of solutions to address their need of liquidity for immediate survival and near
term sustenance. This partnering amidst crisis has strengthened our
relationships with our customers for the longer term.”