Mahindra First Choice Services launches CarXSpace outlet

Mahindra First Choice Services Ltd., a part of the $6.7 billion Mahindra Group, today inaugurated its first CarXSpace multi-brand car service outlet in Chennai. Spread across 15,000 sq. ft, the outlet is located at Thiru Vi-Ka Industrial Estate, Guindy Industrial Estate and will service all brands of cars across segments. This is the company’s third outlet since launch and its first outlet in South India.

“We are delighted to introduce the CarXSpace brand experience from Mahindra First Choice Services Ltd., to Chennai. In India, the car servicing market mainly comprises authorized repairers and independent garages. Our market research has shown that car owners would prefer a service outlet such as ours with a value proposition built on trust, customer experience and convenience,” said Mr. Rajeev Dubey, President (HR, After-Market & Corporate Services) & Member of the Group Management Board, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.

“The new CarXSpace outlet at Guindy has eight compact bays and trained technicians will service a limited number of vehicles per day, ensuring each customer gets individual attention. Customer centricity is a key aspect of business at CarXSpace with each customer receiving photographic evidence of work undertaken on his car. Since our inception in May 2008, we have serviced 35 different car brands and are being perceived as a one-stop shop for multi-brand car servicing,” said Mr. R. Subramani, CEO, Mahindra First Choice Services Ltd.

CarXSpace aims to redefine the car servicing experience in India with a range of unique services available at very competitive rates, as compared to authorized dealerships. The company employs technicians who can cater to multi-brand servicing requirements. Only original spares and accessories, directly procured from companies at competitive rates, are used. CarXSpace also follows stringent quality measures including photographic evidence of parts being changed and a mandatory 50 point check which is performed on all cars with an Engine Analyzer. Moreover, car owners are given a warranty that their cars will not need repairs for the next 4,000 kilometres.

Vehicles will be washed only with car shampoo and soft water as the mineral content in hard water may cause scratches to the body and underbody of the car. Each outlet will have a water softening facility for this purpose.

Car owners can relax and enjoy a cup of coffee in a soothing ambience while their vehicles are being serviced. They can also avail of a unique pick-up and drop service for their cars and a ‘night only service’ where repair work will be undertaken only at night. In case extensive work needs to be carried out, the company will provide a temporary car to the owner for his use.

The company’s first CarXSpace outlet was launched in Parel, in Central Mumbai, in April 2008. Since then, it has seen a steady of increase of both corporate and individual customers with an average of 15 cars serviced per day. The outlet has undertaken both mechanical and body shop repairs for 27 different car models.

The second outlet was opened in Andheri in Suburban Mumbai, in September 2008 and is already servicing an average of nine cars per day.

Mahindra First Choice Services Ltd. is part of the Mahindra Group’s newly launched After-Market Sector which also includes Mahindra First Choice Ltd., which undertakes purchase and sale of pre-owned vehicles and the Mahindra Spares business (both Mahindra and non-Mahindra). The new vertical seeks to create a business ecosystem in the after-market space which mirrors the ecosystem for new vehicles.

The vehicle population in India currently stands at 6 million cars and is estimated to grow to 17 million by 2015. This implies vast, untapped potential in after-market services encompassing multi-brand pre-owned vehicles, servicing, spares and the financial instruments and exchange platform which support this value chain.