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AutoReportNG:
When it comes to cars, luxury and showing off, Nigeria takes the lead in the world. It is only a Nigerian that will have 3 to 4 cars and still stay in a rented apartment, no wonder the likes of Kia, Toyota, and the likes take Nigeria as their second home. Lagos especially being the commercial city of Nigeria boasts of roughly 5 million cars.

When Goodluck Jonathan administration signed the automotive law last 2 years, it was greeted with mixed feelings as Innoson was on the lips of many Nigerians that it will help boost its local productivity, but this seems not to be the case as the only indigenous automobile company, Innoson Motors is struggling to catch up, it was reported last year that the company was considering closing its factory and sacking all its workers which the company later denied and released a statement.

We did a cross check, and a background analysis on why Nigerians are not patronizing their own despite Nigerians love for cars, luxury and showing off, these few findings are what we found disturbing, and we urged the management to quickly look into it.

1. Customer Care/Social Media

A Chinese proverb says, "If you don't know how to smile, don't think of opening a shop." Nothing amounts to great customer service and relations, a cross check at Innoson Motors website is nothing to write about, the site was linked together with its parent company. Innoson is a brand itself and so should be made to stand out, the navigation, the contents there are just too boring to read or to assimilate. It is being expected that Innoson website ought to have a functional chat, email and social media that is up and running. A visit to their Twitter page shows that they last tweeted on 11th of Feb., 2017 and their facebook page 20th August 2016, where companies like Toyota, Peugeot, etc. tweets at least 5 times daily. Nothing amounts to having an excellent customer care, a responsive website, and a proactive social media personnel.

2. Show Rooms

I smiled when I checked for Innoson showrooms, and I can only see four in the whole of Nigeria, I said to myself, these guys are not ready for business yet. Lagos is a cosmopolitan city. Therefore, this is where your marketing strategy has to come in full force. Innoson only has one showroom in Lagos and its not even in a high brow area like VI or Lekki area, they went and site their showroom in Oshodi-Apapa Expressway. A school of thought says you take your wares to where you know your clients will be able to see them. Even if you are trying to be relevant, you need to come up with the marketing strategy to attract the high-class men you made these cars for. How many people will find you in Oshodi? BMW has at least 15 showrooms in Lagos state alone and they are located in high brow areas like Lekki, VI, Ikoyi etc. Even if you can't open a shop there, you can partner with likes of Lanre Shittu, Coscharis Motors etc. Innoson, time to wake up.

3. Spare Parts/Accessories

One of the worries of car owners is finding spare parts for their vehicles, a check at spare part dealers at Ladipo market, the largest in Africa shows that the parts are not available. I was talking to a friend who is a driver, I asked him if he has heard of Innoson Motors and he said he is just hearing the name for the first time, how can you expect someone of that caliber to introduce the brand to his company talkless of finding the spare parts in the market. I think the firm can collaborate with the spare part dealers and make these parts available to them in bulk.

4. Advert! Advert!! Advert!!!
Nothing sells in this world without an advertisement, Innoson has been behind in promotion and advertisement, I wonder if the firm is afraid to spend or partner with media houses. Last week when Mercedes-Benz wants to release its new models to the market, it invites newsmen, bloggers, and lots more. Advert can be in form sponsorship, beauty pageant etc

5. Create a niche of your brand

I see most of Innoson vehicles as a replica of some other cars I have seen before. Take for example, the Innoson G-Wagon is a complete replica of Mercedes-Benz and some of their cars, it's quite essential for them to produce something unique and relate with.

- AutoReportNG



Source
http://www.autoreportng.com/2017/03/why-nigerians-are-not-buying-innoson.html

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I just want to see if I made F P this time.

Valid points though.

ITbomb:
Innoson is doing it wrong, he is going for the big fish at heavy cost rather than using the rodents to spread

Partner with bloggers, media outfits, promo platform.
Also partner with Kazeem, local mechanics, they play a big part in influencing a prospective car owner over choice of car.

Do free limited training, and educate them on how to get spare parts. Do a program to give spare parts on credit at the start

Abi ooo, they should go nd learn from Techno

anonimi:


Nope.
The koko is that we Nigerians are not patriotic beyond just TALK.
And that includes our president and other politicians who ride imported OFFICIAL cars while telling us to Buy Naija to Save the Naira!

patriotic?..Lolz!!!!..when I don't even know what I want to buy?..people don't part away with money on patriotic level..they must know why they are parting with their hard-earned money

If innoson fails as a brand, it should blame itself. The Chinese are doing more branding and advertising of their cars than innoson is doing.
Over reliance on govt patronage won't do the brand any long-term good. Nigerians are a people with taste like op said, IVM seriously needs to up its game.

The OP has said it all...

He needs to make the cars very affordable for Nigerians ... I should be able to go to innoson and buy a sedan of 2.5m

Innosson is waiting for the government to mandate evry Nigerians buying new cars to buy from them with moving a muscle

AutoReportNG:
Lagos especially being the commercial city of Nigeria boasts of roughly 5 million cars.

Cross check your facts sir. 5 million cars in Lagos?
I think not

anonimi:


Nope.
The koko is that we Nigerians are not patriotic beyond just TALK.
And that includes our president and other politicians who ride imported OFFICIAL cars while telling us to Buy Naija to Save the Naira!
We never suffer reach and UNEMPLOYMENT never wire us for better place.

No be lie my broda.

D change only begins wit d masses

Judah95:
You are right bro. innoson motors still operate as if we are in the 50's

Below is the Chinese president's OFFICIAL car- ugly but used as patriots and to PROMOTE their own economy unlike we stupid Africans.







www.nairaland.com/attachments/294278_chinainafrica_jpgbd4ea16cc6391fffe329bb549e5ad537

Bad belle people... like say the man complain give una..

Abi he don ask un for loan or help..

So wetin you wan achieve with this post.. why not go to his office... and drop your proposal.

Nansense....

Good points!

babyfaceafrica:
patriotic?..Lolz!!!!..when I don't even know what I want to buy?..people don't part away with money on patriotic level..they must know why they are parting with their hard-earned money

Let be honest 4 once, are the cars safe? what safety test was carried on the cars?

Op you are not given is the facts

Yeah, the website is complete crap.Looks like it was created in 1991

anonimi:


Nope.
The koko is that we Nigerians are not patriotic beyond just TALK.
And that includes our president and other politicians who ride imported OFFICIAL cars while telling us to Buy Naija to Save the Naira!
We never suffer reach and UNEMPLOYMENT never wire us for better place.

Will you buy a car for your family that you have no idea about the safety standards in case of an 60km frontal accident? This are the questions we should be asking before we start signing we are not patriotic.

babyfaceafrica:
patriotic?..Lolz!!!!..when I don't even know what I want to buy?..people don't part away with money on patriotic level..they must know why they are parting with their hard-earned money

That is where the leaders as ROLE MODELS come in.
To match their words with action.
The masses can force them to do that if we become conscious enough ourselves.







www.nairaland.com/attachments/3937452_fbimg1455225198661_jpeg11aac1d4a66dda821df3f6422c5fd4c4

They should relaunch the cars and do massive adverts Nationwide

i have no idea where to buy innosson cars woh, infact i only accidentally heard about them when i was busy trying to annoy the common sense senator bruce on Twitter

tutudesz:
Will you buy a car for your family that you have no idea about about the safety standards in case of an 60km frontal accident?

If the president is buying the car, they will make it special and continue to improve it.
Many oyinbos and Chinese died using their own products on their way to being industrial giants that produce everything we use including toothpicks.



www.nairaland.com/attachments/4207170_fbimg1469018943096_jpeg2e87af2b28b00dc62a4dbf71ba6f4cf7

If I hear

There is really no standization in Nigeria. even Korean models on sale in Nigeria are substandard when compared to those available in other markets like the US . People who are supposed to ensure this cars meet necessary standards will collect brible and turn a blind eye to substandard practices. And the clandestine way innoson operate further worsens matter. No adverts little to no publicty. Why can't we have documentary that allows unlimited access to their factories, aired on TV why can't we have crash test results for each of their models. They need to give us reason to buy their cars things like durability, mpg, saftey, competitive prices etc. we can just put money on the unknown in the name of patriotism

invisibleman2:
Innoson am available 4 controlling your social media accounts u can reach me on mumekwe2@gmail.com

Work on your English first
Imagine Innoson giving you the job and you are writing "am going to show you a new ride"

Who's going to take you serious?

tutudesz:

Will you buy a car for your family that you have no idea about the safety standards in case of an 60km frontal accident? This are the questions we should be asking before we start signing we are not patriotic.

Afonjaic argument

anonimi:


If the president is buying the car, they will make it special and continue to improve it.
Many oyinbos and Chinese died using their own products on their way to being industrial giants that produce everything we use including toothpicks.



www.nairaland.com/attachments/4207170_fbimg1469018943096_jpeg2e87af2b28b00dc62a4dbf71ba6f4cf7

But there was a safety standard for cars produce in Chine Yes/No? What are the safety standard for cars produce in Nigeria? And don't forget the presidential car will go through different safety process than the ordinary ones!

ITbomb:

Work on your English first
Imagine Innoson giving you the job and you are writing "am going to show you a new ride"

Who's going to take you serious?

I agree with the OP on the issue of showroom. When Gej signed that automotive industry bill and everyone started talking about Innoson, I quickly searched for their contact and reached out to them. I had a proposal for them and even discussed it with my partner. I was ready to go take a loan to have a branded showroom to display their cars but the attitude of the person who spoke to me, wasn't encouraging. After several attempts, I just perished the idea and focused on my tokunbo sales. I really do think their customer service and pr is poor. They're like a pretty lady looking for a spouse, but always hiding in the dark. No one sees them. We all just know that someone said there's a pretty lady in that corner of the street.