This article is slightly different from the norm. Well, with the new social norms in place these days, showcasing something different on Motoring Malaysia would be good. Today we talk to Mr. Robin Soong, Managing Director – Street Car Sdn Bhd (3S). He is the chap who basically manages Street Car, a Proton cars 3S (Sales, Service & Spares) over in Kluang, Johor. This is a quite a new 3S outlet which first started operations in 2019 and basically part of PROTON's new change in direction and their new beginning.
Let's see what he had to say to us about his journey selling and servicing Proton cars to date. Of course, things must have been a challenge coming out of the recent Movement Control Order imposed throughout Malaysia due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
1. It has been more than a year now since your outlet was launched in March 2019. How is business so far?
Business has been good for the past one year. However, just like everyone else, there was a drop in sales during the MCO period, particularly March – May 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Currently, we are ramping up sales activities to catch up on the lost months. We are very encouraged by the amount of queries we receive especially on car prices since the government announced the zero sales tax for locally produced cars.
2. In your opinion – operating as a 3S outlet, what are the challenges you face and the advantages of operating one?
As a 3S outlet we offer Sales, Service and Spare Parts to customers. This means that we operate as a one stop centre which fulfils most of our customers’ need. We make customers our number one priority in everything we do. It is very important that we adhere to the values and expectations that are entrusted upon us - service from the heart.
However, managing a 3S outlet also means that at times, we may also experience higher overhead costs. I mean for us to operate at full capacity without disruption - we need to have sufficient parts and stocks to meet customer needs.
On the positive side – operating a 3S outlet also means that that we are able to capture more
business from service – and in return, able to attract newer customers to the outlet as a result
of the convenience of a one-stop centre. Ultimately, what we intent to do is build customers’
confidence in our service and product offerings.
3. With the zero sales tax in place, do you think this will help to drive car sales?
Yes, definitely. Now customers can enjoy greater savings of up to RM7000 (seven thousand
Ringgit) – a really good deal, especially those considering owning an SUV.
4. What are the activities that are ongoing in your outlet/social media platform to attract potential buyers?
Currently our marketing team is using Facebook to promote our outlet and our cars to the members of the public. Sales Advisors (SA) are also actively promoting through their social media such as Facebook, Tiktok, Instagram, etc.
Almost every day, there are various posts from SAs to engage with customers. We hope that by doing this – we can continue to stay connected with them, and induce in their minds as an outlet of choice, should they decide to look for sales or service needs.
5. You joined as a PROTON dealer in 2019. How has the journey been? Any regrets? Or a wonderful experience?
There are no regrets. It is all about learning new experiences. After all, our investment is in a
national automotive brand - a brand which resonates well with many Malaysians.
So what could be better than this? Obviously, it has been a wonderful experience as a PROTON dealer. We receive a lot of support from PROTON Head Office, in terms of business incentives, as well as sales and service training.
6. As a businessman, what is the one thing that keeps you awake at night? (What is the one worry that make you couldn’t have a good night rest?)
Low or poor sales revenue will keep me awake at night. The reason is clear – we need to keep the business going to ensure not only for the well being of my family, but also the many staff working under us. We are all part of each other’s lives and it matters to me, whether they can bring the next meal to the table to feed their families.
7. Street Car is very much a family business. Is this the perfect arrangement?
Very much so, yes. As a family we work hand in hand. We find that we can solve problems
easily as we are family. As such, things can be managed more efficiently and effectively as we
understand each other’s strength and responsibilities.
In addition, we came from the same background and life experiences, so these are important
factors. Our struggles are somewhat similar. From how my father built this automotive business, how he taught us its trade secrets like how to spot genuine or ruthless people.....and many more priceless lessons. And it is sweet when the knowledge can be passed from one generation to another.
8. Lastly, what is your business plan for the future?
The people behind Proton Street Car Sdn Bhd
We look forward to expanding our current 3S centre to a 4S centre for us to touch base with a
larger segment of customers. We are also aggressively moving towards digitalisation to attract
more customers through social media and to be able to close deals with minimum face to face
interaction as buyers nowadays have more inclination towards online transactions – customers buying mode has shifted toward a different platform, from how it used to be.
We are living in a different era and we need to adopt fast to the changing appetite of customers in order to stay in the business for long term. That said, we also hoped to increase our sales and revenue by double in the next 1-2 years.
(Ed - This article was published with the assistance of PROTON. Without them, this wouldn't have happened.)
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