KUCHING: Naza Kia Malaysia Sdn Bhd, the country’s official distributor of Kia Motors vehicles, is embarking on an aggressive campaign to improve its position and recapture the automative market in East Malaysia.
Apart from introducing two new models deemed friendly to the Borneon market soon, Naza Kia also plans to expand the company’s 3S (sales, service and spare parts) network in Sarawak apart from investing RM7 million for its expansion programme in Sabah.
Its head of company Nazman S.H.C Yusof said East Malaysia is a growing market with great prospects for Naza Kia Malaysia to explore.
“East Malaysia was a big market (for us) previously but there was not enough products to sustain the momentum.
“All this will change with out aggressive expansion programme, which has started about four months ago.
“Our network expansion programme for East Malaysia included opening more 3S outlet in Sibu and Bintulu, Sarawak as well as in Sandakan, Sabah, which will be finalised by end of this year.
“The setting up of the new 3S outlets are investment from local big players in the state, which is an important testimony to show that the Kia Motors brands have great interest among investors,” Nazman told reporters during the launch of the fourth generation Kia Rio here today.
Naza Kia’s Kuching branch manager Yeo Phuay Nguang was present.
Nazman, however, was tight-lipped on the new models expected to be unveiled by end of this year.
“One of the models will be a very exciting one for us and I believed our customers will share the same excitement. The new model will be a new volume for Naza Kia Malaysia,” he said.
Naza Kia, he said, is targeting to sell 5,100 units of vehicles this year, in which, between 10 per cent and 15 per cent of the sales will come from the East Malaysia market.
On after sales service, Nazman said Naza Kia had introduced Kia Value 5 programme to increase confidence among customers on its products in November last year.
“We are aware there were certain quarters raising doubts on resale value for our products and this programme was introduced to change this perception,” he said, adding that the programme was well received among customers.
He also said Naza Kia is expected to roll out its 360 Customer Relationship Management programme, which will enable the company to interact with its customers digitally by early next year.
“We had invested RM3 million for this programme because we aspire to give value for money services to our customers,” he said.