Asian Trucker got the opportunity to talk to key members of Sendok Group to see what it takes to put their vehicles on Malaysian roads.
In any organisation, the sales department plays a pivotal role in the success of the business. The unique and important role of sales is to bridge the gap between a potential customer’s needs and the products or services that an organisation offers that can fulfil their needs. Here, we delve into the achievement of some key sales personnel that has allowed Sendok Group to cement its reputation as the dedicated commercial vehicle provider it is today.
Gwee Bok Wee hails from the Southern state of Johor. Having left school at an earlier age due to financial difficulties, he then moved to Singapore to work at a spare parts distribution site. Having had an interest in vehicles since young, it was only fitting for Gwee to pursue his career in the automotive industry. On his break, Gwee and his friends had the opportunity to travel to Kuala Terengganu for a holiday. It was there where he realised that the state was in need of a spare parts distributor. “Old and broken down trucks were left by the roadsides, with no intention of being retrieved or scraped. Back in Singapore, old and unwanted vehicles were scraped so it was a shocking sight for me. I thought why not start a business in Kuala Terengganu selling spare parts to ensure a continuous supply of spare parts. It was killing two birds with one stone because I get to start a business and help out the community, by making sure broken-down vehicles were given a second chance at life,” he shared. He went on to discuss the plan with his boss back in Singapore and with his boss’ blessings and support, Gwee started the business in Kuala Terengganu in 1980, about 440 kilometres northeast of Kuala Lumpur as the only second hand spare parts distributor in town.
As business picked up, Gwee got the opportunity to visit Japan,Europe and America to source parts and expand his business across Malaysia. In 1990, they moved the entire operation to Klang. “It was a no-brainer situation. As many of our parts were imported from around the world by then, it would have been costly to transport the items from Port Klang to Kuala Terengganu. It made sense logistically to move our base to Klang, nearer to Port Klang.” During that time, the company also traded second hand vehicles which proved to be quite popular among Malaysians. As business began to flourish, Gwee was met with some hurdles as foreign vehicle manufacturers began to grumble that Sendok Group was causing their customers to ditch new vehicles for second hand ones. After discussions with the Government, Gwee decided to apply for an assembly licence which will allow R&A Commercial Vehicle Sdn Bhd (RACV), a subsidiary of the company to assemble and manufacture all kinds of commercial vehicle, reconditioning of the cabin, chassis rebuilding, engine and transmission rebuilding and upgrading. RACV also oversees spare parts for Sinotruk and CAM.
Sendok values customers’ feedback
To boost his assembly business, Gwee took a trip to China to seethe offerings of Chinese automotive manufacturers. On why he selected China, Gwee shared that “Chinese vehicles were unheard of back then. China was just getting started jumping on the automotive bandwagon of exporting to countries outside their vast domestic market. I thought that it was a good opportunity for us to introduce something new to the market. The price point was an added advantage as well. Today, the number of Chinese vehicles on the roads have increased by leaps and bounds and are used around the world.
On how he persuades his customers to purchase from him, Gwee said that after-sales support is essential. “We offer a five year unlimited warranty for some of our products. That is how confident we are in the quality of our vehicles. We also have approximately 100 service points across the country that makes it easier for our customers.Customers have reflected to us that they feel assured when they purchase our vehicles because spare parts
availability is never an issue. We continuously ensure that customers are able to source spare parts for their vehicles even after the warranty has lapsed.”
In line with the expansion of the company, CAM was founded in 2009 to specialise in light commercial vehicles, under the sales and marketing division of Sendok Group. The Malaysian brand offers products ranging from 1 ton to 70 tonnes including pickups, light
trucks, 10-18 seater vans, minibus, caravans, heavy machinery and mining trucks. Gwee further emphasized that Sendok values customer feedbacks. “The Co-Star is one such product. Our customers wanted a miniature bus that makes for easy city manoeuvrability
and we delivered. The CAM Co-Star is also the only bus in Malaysia that can be registered for private use.”
On some future plans of the company, Gwee shared that they are in the planning stage of manufacturing electric vehicles. “COVID-19 inevitable slowed down the process but we are currently working on it. In my opinion, electric vehicles are a way forward as more and more business owners are prioritising sustainability. More details will be revealed when we have more concrete plans” he concluded.
Loo Lian Khing is no stranger in the trucking industry, having begun his career in 1983. Loo, a MU graduate, kick-started his career selling spare parts and eventually became the branch manager. Later on, he started the Renault franchise in Malaysia and subsequently went on to work for Cycle & Carriage selling their trucks. Loo recently started working for Sendok Group where he is responsible for selling Sinotruk. He has been selling Sinotruk for more than a decade under various companies. It is no wonder that his customers refer to Loo as a Sinotruk expert.
According to Loo, the factors that determine a truck purchase versus that of a car are poles apart. “Customers usually have a specific image in mind when they buy a car but for trucks, it is more about usability. A truck can be customised to different usage and functions. When selling a truck, you form a relationship with the customer to assist them after they have bought the truck. I think of all my customers as friends. One might even say that after-sales is the most important aspect of buying a truck. Most people do not just buy one or two trucks at a go, they usually purchase ten or more than that to add to their fleet, so knowing what are the determining factors in making a purchase plays a vital role in closing the sale,” shared Loo.
To allow his customers’ trucks on the road with the highest possible uptime, Loo has to ensure that he is reachable at all times. He said that “I have to make sure that I am reachable around the clock, in the event of a breakdown or an emergency. Usually the scenario that plays out is that one of my customers’ truck breaks down in the middle of the night, the driver will then give me a call to determine his location and the severity of the
problem. They could be in a town or even deep in a plantation. I will then call our mechanics or support staffs to head to the location to resolve the problem. Sometimes, if we are able to decipher the problem, we might be able to resolve the issue on the spot but if we are unable to pinpoint the problem, we will have to tow the truck to our workshop so
that the truck can be meticulously looked into. I make it a point to constantly update myself and my customer on the status of the truck along the way.”
As one of the biggest truck brands in China, Sinotruk has made a reputation for itself across the world. “It is no different in Malaysia” said Alan.
On what customers look for in a truck, Loo shared that the first thing most of his customers look at is the specifications of the truck, then pricing. “There are so many brands and sellers of trucks here in Malaysia, so it is inevitable that customers will compare. It is up to me to persuade them to put their trust in me and it is not something I take for granted because without trust, it is only a matter of time before the relationship crumbles. And when they trust me, they recommend me to their friends and it is word of mouth that is significant to making a sale.”
On his accomplishments since joining Sendok Group, Loo expressed regret that the timing
was unfavourable towards him. He said “It is unfortunate that when I joined Sendok Group nine months ago, there was a political crisis in Malaysia and then there was the pandemic that plunged the world into a state of uncertainty. But now that we are starting to revert to normal, things are picking up. We at Sendok Group just started going into work not too long ago and I have continuously been answering to inquiries about the trucks. I am optimistic that by the end of this year, things will pick up.”
Having been in the industry for so many years, it is without a doubt that Loo has a list of accomplishments to back him up. Loo was responsible for bringing the Sinotruk brand into
Malaysia. From an unknown brand, Loo propelled Sinotruk to being one of the biggest Chinese brands in Malaysia. In 2013, the Sinotruk Howo 6×4 emerged the winner in the Prime Mover of the Year (three axles) category in the NST-Shell Rimula Truck of the Year Awards. On why he decided to bring in Sinotruk, Loo shared that when he was selling European trucks for Cycle & Carriage, the price was getting steeper by the year. “The market was not competitive back then as there were only a few makes of trucks available in Malaysia. I thought that SInotruk will be able to provide a competitive edge to the Malaysian market. I was able to sell 100 units in the first year and I believe that reflects on the market demands. Customers were anxious about the increasing price for European trucks and the availability of Sinotruk was a relief for them without a compromise on quality,” he concluded.
Alan Chai has been with Sendok Group since 1996. He joined as a construction supervisor, overseeing the workshop and spare parts inventory. With his vast experience in the technicality of trucks, he was given the opportunity to be part of the sales team in 2015. Now, he is a senior sales manager at Sendok Group, specialising in the sale of Sinotruk models.
Chai shared that he is glad that the company partakes in exhibitions and road shows to continuously market their products. “It is important to get the name of the company out there so that people recognise our name when thinking of commercial vehicles. Word of mouth is vital as well. When a customer is satisfied with our service, their recommendation means a lot to us,” he shared.
As one of the biggest truck brands in China, Sinotruk has made a reputation for itself across the world. “It is no different in Malaysia” said Alan. “Most customers will study and research truck models when they want to purchase trucks. They will naturally have some basic knowledge about trucks. Supplying more technical knowledge is where I come in. I will recommend them truck models based on their usage and the nature of business. This will allow them to decrease fuel usage and lower the overall cost of ownership, which I believe plays an important and deciding factor when making a purchase.”
Chai reiterated that “one of the first few things customers ask about is our after-sales service. To strengthen their confidence, I sometimes bring customers on a tour to our customer service centre so that they can see for themselves our organised and wellstocked
centres. As Chinese trucks are considered relatively new in the market compared to Japanese and European trucks, the availability of spare parts will no doubt raise some concerns. To counter that problem, Sendok Group has invested in a wellstocked warehouse with all sorts of parts.”
Tan Say Keong used to be a customer of Sendok Group’s rebuilt vehicles when he used to be a vehicle dealer some time ago. As time passed and the relationship between both parties grew, Gwee proposed to Tan to manage a 3S centre in Johor Bharu. That was how Tan came to manage the Johor branch.
On how the location plays an important role in marketing their vehicles, Tan shared that “Johor is a major gateway to Malaysia through Singapore. Many factories have their hubs here in Johor Bharu it is an important trucking hub in the Southern region of Peninsula Malaysia. With the presence of a service centre here, it will be easier for our customers to bring in their vehicles for service and maintenance intervals. The close proximity of the location saves them time, which is definitely an added plus.” The 3S centre comprises of sales, service and spare parts.
Tan added that Sendok Group does a thorough job of marketing their products, with constant updates and launches to suit customer needs. “Many business owners also take pride in that CAM is a locally grown brand and are proud to support us. It allows for the local automotive industry to learn and grow and eventually rely lesser on foreign manufacturers. Although the local commercial vehicle manufacturing industry is still in its early stages, I believe Sendok Group plays a vital role in propelling its growth,” said Tan.
He further concluded that with almost 40 years in the industry, Sendok Group has proven time and time again that they are a reliable company and will be there in the future to serve and attend to customer needs.
http://asiantrucker.com/magazines/malaysia/2020-2/157-at54-web/file