MAM
Toyota on top in TNS Automative study
MUMBAI: According to a study by TNS Automotive, Toyota continues to lead the satisfaction index. The no. 2 spot was claimed by Hyundai which improved its ranking over that of 2008. Mahindra & Mahindra and Maruti Suzuki shared the same number of points.
According to the study, the industry as a whole witnessed an improved relationship with dealer partners in 2010. This is reflected in the relationship level across all manufacturers.
The overall industry performance (measured through the profitability index) has improved significantly- from 66 in 2008 to 78 in 2010. Here too, Toyota and Hyundai are the leading companies. According to the report, in 2010, the industry as a whole witnessed an improved relationship with dealer partners. This is reflected in the relationship level across all manufacturers.
Says TNS Automotive Executive Director Pradeep Saxena, “The study helps manufacturers in assessing the strength of their relationship with their primary customers namely dealers.”
“In the current system of brand exclusive dealerships, it is all the more important for the existing manufacturers to retain their channel partners in their fold, particularly with some of the largest global companies such as Volkswagen and Nissan entering the Indian market,” he adds.
According to the survey, one more focus area for the industry is after-sales service. Dealer partners have consistently voiced their concerns on availability of spare parts as also service promotions. They also seek a greater support in handling complaints related to OEM fitted items.
The findings also revealed that dealer partners have rated the industry performance poorly on relationship aspects such as willingness to solve their problems and taking their suggestions on-board. Another such aspect is fairness in network planning.
The study was conducted across India covering a wide spectrum of passenger car dealers of all leading manufacturers. Giving due importance to the market diversity, the study coverage included tier 2 and 3 towns as well, in addition to metros and tier 1 towns.
MUMBAI: In India’s fast-moving payments race, Visa has just swiped in a new leader. The company has named Suresh Sethi as its India country head, marking a key leadership shift as it sharpens its focus on digital payments growth in the market. Sethi steps into the role following his recent exit from Protean eGov Technologies, where he served as chief executive officer. He succeeds Sandeep Ghosh, who has moved on after more than four years at Visa to pursue an external opportunity.
The appointment comes at a time when Visa is doubling down on its expansion strategy across India and the wider region, deepening partnerships and accelerating adoption in an increasingly competitive digital payments ecosystem.
Sethi brings with him a broad, cross-market perspective shaped by decades of experience across corporate banking, retail financial services, mobile money and large-scale government technology initiatives. He began his career at Citigroup, where he spent 14 years working across India, Africa, South America and the United States, focusing on transaction banking services within the corporate bank.
His appointment signals a blend of institutional experience and market familiarity qualities that could prove critical as Visa navigates a landscape where fintech innovation, regulatory evolution and consumer adoption are all accelerating at once.
As digital payments in India continue to scale rapidly, the leadership change underscores a simple reality, in a market where every tap, scan and swipe counts, who leads the charge can matter just as much as the technology itself.
