Kia Motors Nigeria, the sole distributor of the leading Korean brand in Nigeria has recorded increased sales in the year 2017 with over 200% year-on-year sales from 2016. On the heels of this achievement, the company is set to triple its sales in 2018 with a sustained comprehensive business strategy.
Kia’s increased sales followed the Nigeria’s economic recovery from the recession that had hitherto stagnated all the sectors of the economy particularly, car sales in 2016. As a major player in the automobile industry, Kia’s business strategy and the extensive customer-based sales and service programs broke the ice and paved way for a record high year-on-year (YoY) sales. “With our strategic business propositions, we are set to triple sales by expanding our units in operations (UIO) with increased new sales in the in the year 2018,” said Chief Executive Officer, Jacky Hathiramani.
On how Kia defied all odds to record the increased sale, Jacky alluded to the fact that Kia had always stay ahead of the curve with the top of the segment cars that have low maintenance costs and are affordable to the customers. It will be recalled that there was an offshoot in the prices of products across all sectors of the economy amidst low buying power, however, Jacky maintained that Kia’s commitment to offering highly competitive pricing on its models played a major role in the record sales.
As a major player in the automobile industry, Kia is poised to sustain the sales growth by introducing new models to the market and offering a highly competitive pricing on all their models. Jacky said he’s confident that the second half of 2017 (2H17)’s sales momentum can be sustained into the 1H18, and this would help the company achieve better results over last year. “There’s an increased sale in the last six months compared with the same period last year. So, we project increased sales in 2018.”
Among the aggressive sales initiatives undertaken by the company in 2017 was Kia Drive Your Dream and Ember Surprise Promos. The company’s service promos also contributed immensely to the overall revenue for the company. The introduction of Kia Double Deal Promo with over 15% discount on both parts and labour recorded tremendous success and helped increase Kia brand confidence among customers. “These programmes increased our customer retention and loyalty towards the brand,” said Jacky.
He added that the company is set to introduce new models in the year 2018, headlining these models will be the world adjudged best-in-class luxury sedan, Kia Stinger, the B-Segment leader, SC Kia Rio and newly refreshed Kia Cerato amongst others.
Meanwhile, on the general low stock level pervading the industry, he said the company was currently facing a high back order for some models, and was looking forward to assembling the cars at its plant in Lagos, Nigeria before the year-end.
It will be recalled that Kia Motors Nigeria began its local production in the wake of the implementation of the auto policy in 2014. The company built an ultra-modern assembly plant in Lagos with a capacity to produce 27,000 units of vehicles per annum. Locally producing cars to the exact standard of Kia Motors Corporations in Korea, Kia Motors Nigeria currently produces the cars locally and the 2018 Kia Rio in addition to the recently launched Sorento, Sportage and Optima are produced in its plant in Lagos.
Meanwhile, Kia Motors has been presented with a trio of 2017 Good Design Awards, celebrating the form and function of three of the brand’s newest vehicles.
In good design category, ‘Transportation’ category, Kia received awards for the designs of the new Rio compact hatchback, Stinger fastback sports sedan and Niro hybrid crossover.
This is the eighth consecutive year in which Kia has received Good Design awards for its vehicles. Previous Kia winners include concept cars such as the 2016 Kia Telluride Concept and 2014 GT4 Stinger Concept, as well as production vehicles like the Soul EV and Cadenza premium sedan.
Seon Ho Youn, Head of Kia Design Center at Kia Motors, commented: “Our designers around the world have worked tirelessly and collaboratively to bring stylish new models to market, attracting new customers and raising awareness of the brand through beautiful, impactful design. The Good Design awards for these three models are recognition of their excellent work.”
The award-winning Rio, Stinger and Niro have been created by teams working at each of Kia’s three global design studios, in Namyang, Korea; Irvine, California in the USA; and Frankfurt, Germany.
The awards program is held annually by The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design, and is run in cooperation with the European Centre for Architecture, Art, Design and Urban Studies. Made up of design professionals and media, and specialists from numerous industries, the independent jury evaluates submissions for design innovation, use of new technology, form and function, materials and construction, utility, efficiency, and environmental impact. All three of Kia’s 2017 entrants left a positive impression across every one of the judging categories.
Established in 1950, the GOOD DESIGN awards are among the oldest and most influential design award programs in the world, celebrating innovative and contemporary designs of new consumer products, graphics and packaging from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. 2017 saw the jury critique products and designs from 49 countries around the world.
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