After the "broken cauldron" doubled sales, DPCA seized new opportunities in this way

Chen Bin, secretary of the party committee and general manager of DPCA Automobile Co., Ltd., said that under the fierce market competition, every additional customer means that the enterprise increases an intangible asset, and winning the trust of customers is the fundamental way for enterprises to achieve sustainable development.

"On May 18, 2021, if the overall sales volume of DPCA increases by 8%, I will run from Shiyan to Wuhan to complete a 518-kilometer ultra-long marathon!" On September 4, 2020, Zhao Jianjun, a grassroots employee of Shenlong, released this message in the circle of friends.

Chen Bin, who had just taken up the post of party secretary and general manager of DPCA Automobile Co., Ltd., not only did not get angry after seeing this rather "gunpowder" news, but copied this circle of friends to the mailboxes of all the cadres of DPCA for the first time, and responded positively at the subsequent Thousand Personnel Union: "The target of 8% is too low, and the sales volume of DPCA automobiles will definitely be much higher than this goal." ”

Now, more than a year has passed, and Chen Bin has fulfilled his original promise as scheduled. According to the data, the annual sales of DPCA exceeded the 100,000 mark this year, an increase of 100% year-on-year, and the sales volume doubled.

As we all know, in the past two years, under the influence of negative factors such as the outbreak of the new crown pneumonia epidemic and the shortage of on-board chips, the automobile market has entered a trough of sales. It is not an easy thing to go against the trend in the stock era, not to mention that DPCA has completed a "leap" of doubling sales in the true sense of year-on-year, so how did DPCA "break the boat" and finally seize new opportunities?

"There is no way back for the Dragon Car"

"Now we have issued a new policy, and there is no way for DPCA to retreat, because we have no way to retreat now." I hope that today can be the starting point of the rebound of DPCA. In October last year, at the annual DPCA Automobile Culture Festival, Chen Bin's frank words won the applause of more than a thousand dealers and car owners.

In fact, 5 days before the DPCA Auto Culture Festival was held, Chen Bin released an open letter to the outside world. In the letter, Chen Bin bluntly said that "the 28 years of customers, partners and DPCA have been accompanied and trusted by each other is the most valuable wealth."

This plain-spoken but affectionate open letter touched the hearts of many people. A DPCA supplier left a message under the open letter: "We have been insisting and hope that DPCA can get through the difficulties." Only if you survive, the upstream suppliers can better survive. In our hearts, DPCA is the birthplace of the dream of wuhan, a heroic city, and the development zone is built because of DPCA, and our company is also built because of DPCA. After 28 years of ups and downs, I sincerely hope that the dragon will take off again. ”

As the first joint venture car company established by Dongfeng Group, in the past 28 years of development, peugeot and Citroen dual brands of Peugeot and Citroen have attracted more than 6 million Chinese users and created many records in the domestic automobile market.

However, in recent years, the performance of the Shenlong Group has been very unsatisfactory. Especially in 2019, data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers shows that French cars have less than 3% market share in China. Although DPCA has also continuously adjusted its policies, there has still been an expected rebound in sales.

"At that time, the DPCA had reached the node of 'breaking the ship', and we had to make drastic changes. Through a series of policies such as announcing new plans, releasing new car plans, improving service levels, and strengthening marketing, a "full breakout" with clear goals has begun. Chen Bin recalled.

The change started with "customer centricity." Just over a month after taking office, Chen Bin visited 8 cities and 54 core dealers and found many criticized places, such as "under the top match is the beggar version", after-sales service can not keep up with the prominent problems.

In response to these problems, DPCA adjusted and updated its medium-term business plan, formed a "yuan +" plan, and upgraded its strategic actions to "more Chinese products, more accurate marketing, more reliable services, and more efficient operations".

"In order to allow users to truly feel the sincerity and attitude of DPCA, we took the initiative to reduce the price of commonly used spare parts, and also launched new service measures such as 'two-hour rescue', 'free order if not satisfied', 'free return and replacement of new cars within 7 days'." Chen Bin introduced.

The landing of a series of heart-warming measures has also won the recognition and response of consumers. According to the data, the "general manager hotline service" of DPCA auto has a two-hour response rate of 100% customer satisfaction rate, 320+ seminars face to face to listen to the voices of customers, and the May Day/National Day guardian customer travel service exceeds 25,000 people...

"In the face of market and consumer doubts, DPCA will show the 'fierce' strength to do what it says and keep its promises." DPCA will achieve a breakthrough with the image of 'conscience car', 'safety car' and 'assured car'. Chen Bin said.

In addition to a full range of service upgrades at the end of the car and the back end of the sale, DPCA is also in the field of daily marketing and user co-creation, narrowing the distance between it and consumers, increasing the stickiness of fans and the sense of brand identity.

The reporter of China Youth Daily and China Youth Network learned that Dongfeng Citroen launched the "Leading Tide Partner" program at the 2021 Shanghai Auto Show, inviting the "Leading Tide Partner" to deeply participate in the co-creation, experience and sharing of Versailles C5 X from the aspects of product development, user experience and brand building.

Dongfeng Peugeot also held a car owner story selection activity this year, providing a display stage for car owners with stories and talents, and taking the summer solstice music festival activity as an opportunity to "play together" with car owners fans.

Chen Bin revealed that among the total 6 million customers of DPCA, as many as 3.6 million "first car owners more than 6 years old" are as many as 3.6 million. More importantly, in the first nine months of this year, the replacement rate of DPCA reached 19.4%, while the industry average was only 8%. This also means that the owners of DPCA not only recognize the brand and products of DPCA, but also have recognition and loyalty far above average.

"Under the fierce market competition, every additional satisfied customer means that the enterprise increases an intangible asset, and winning customers and winning the trust of customers is the fundamental way for enterprises to achieve sustainable development." Chen Bin said that committed to becoming "the most trusted automobile enterprise for customers" is the constant goal of Dongfeng Dongfeng Dongfeng, and DPCA will continue to guard and accompany customers throughout the life cycle of their cars.

China and France have worked together to accelerate the localization process

"The dismal performance of French cars in China is caused by their own blind self-confidence and stubbornness. French cars have had opportunities, but they are too conservative and stubborn. Xia Shu, an independent auto industry commentator, believes that all car companies should understand that only by conforming to the development trend of the market and meeting the needs and preferences of customers can they make a difference in the Chinese market.

As Xia Shu said, for a long time, both Peugeot and Citroen under DPCA have been criticized for "not paying enough attention to consumers".

All along, according to the custom, the chairman of DPCA has been alternated between the Chinese side and the French staff, and almost all important documents need to be signed by the management of the two sides. Although this can make the power of China and France equal, it is also prone to dilemmas such as "no one can convince anyone" and "key decisions cannot be advanced".

DPCA is also aware of this problem. In order to better carry out China's localization management, the French PSA Group also handed over the important positions such as chairman and general manager of Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Automobile to the Chinese side, giving the Chinese side sufficient leadership.

At the same time, from 2020 to 2037, PSA Group will provide hundreds of millions of yuan of funds to Peugeot Peugeot and Dongfeng Citroen dual brands every year for brand image building and channel development.

It is worth noting that the determination of China and France to promote the localization process is not only at the level of "management decision-making", this change has also penetrated into new products and is clearly perceived by consumers.

Taking Dongfeng Citroen Versailles, the fist product of dongfeng Citroen, as an example, the suspension double tail and the coupe-style streamlined body all highlight the French design temperament of Versailles, and the characteristics of movement and elegance have attracted the attention of many people.

More importantly, Versailles also has insight into the clear needs of Chinese consumers for intelligent networking, and targeted the new generation of C-connect intelligent interconnection, L2.5 C-Pilot, 3D color eHUD head-up display, and through THE PHC adaptive hydraulic stabilization technology and all-sensory comfort seats, to bring consumers a new driving experience.

In addition, in order to seize the new outlet of "rejuvenation" in the Chinese market, Versailles has also launched a variety of personality colors such as gilded green, space silver, pearlescent white, blue rock gray, starry blue, as well as new modified cars, which also make Versailles have a larger audience and a larger potential market.

It is precisely with the characteristics of "more localization" and "more understanding of Chinese consumers" that dongfeng citroen versailles has been favored and concerned by the market after opening pre-sale, and more than 5,000 orders have been harvested in 20 days of pre-sale, becoming an important "hero" for Dongfeng Citroen to double sales this year.

"In the past, French car companies lacked a global perspective and the ability to accumulate localized experience, and always introduced European models into the Chinese market by adjusting the parameters." Zhong Shi, an independent contributor to the automotive industry and an analyst in the automotive industry, analyzed, "Today, DPCA has carried out comprehensive and drastic reforms to enhance the right to speak in Chinese design. Such changes immediately received a positive response from the market and consumers. ”

Although the achievement of doubling sales year-on-year is very gratifying, compared with the brilliant sales in the peak period, today's DPCA still has a long way to go.

"'100,000 vehicles' is a threshold for DPCA, and winning this life-and-death battle this year is equivalent to rushing out of the 'Luding Bridge.'" Chen Bin frankly said that the road to the rejuvenation of DPCA has a long way to go, but with the deepening of reform and the "double promotion" of product reputation, the upward momentum of DPCA next year may be more rapid in the future.

China Youth Daily, China Youth Network reporter Zhang Zhenqi Source: China Youth Daily

Source: China Youth Daily Travel Weekly