Liu Jinliang: Geely to transform in sales strategy

Liu Jinliang, sales manager and deputy president of Geely said the company will reform its sales strategy in 2011. He also raised the idea of transforming the concept of price orientation to customer orientation.

Geely plans to sell 490,000 vehicles in 2011 to further push forward the company's strategic transformation.

The year of 2010 was significant to Geely as it sold 410,000 vehicles, up 30 percent year-on-year, and successfully accomplished its target. By the end of 2010, Englon was launched, which marked a new era for the company.

The essence of Geely's strategic transformation is to establish its brand image. Although Geely has listed in top 10 passenger vehicles automakers in China, it is still considered a low-end car automaker.

In order to change this situation, Geely launched the multiple-brand strategy in 2007. By the end of 2008, Geely's Gleagle base had gone into operation in Xiangtan, and in December the same year, Gleagle Panda was launched at the Guangzhou Auto Show.

Liu said in order to make the multiple-brand strategy work better, Geely will re-orient its three sub-brands. The brands are designed to meet different customers' needs and each brand has its own orientation and customer target.

According to Liu, Geely will launch eight new models this year, including Gleagle GC3, GC7, GX7, GV5, Englon SC5, SV5, Emgrand EX7 and Emgrand EV8, which will be equipped with the company's self-developed 6AT/6MT transmission and 2.0/2.4 power train.

Dealers: transferring from "price oriented" to "customer oriented"

Liu also suggested it (company) develops a new marketing mode. He said there should be a shift from price to customer-oriented, and the dealers should improve service quality.

Geely started from selling cheap cars and is now in a strategic transformation process. The domestic carmaker decides to compete with good quality and service. He believes that both dealers and producers should contribute to such transformation.

 "Many of our dealers are 'price-oriented', which means that they attract customers with cheap products. However, customers always judge your product and service quality by price. They believe that cheap products have bad service and quality. And it's true that the lower the profit a dealer can get, the worse a service he can provide," explained Liu. He pointed out that Geely's auto dealers should shift the focus from price to quality and provide better service to customers.