Autos play key role in bid for harmonious society
Harmony is an essential Chinese value, and it can be found in many ancient Chinese concepts and practices. It's found in the philosophy of yin and yang, which describes the opposing but complementary forces that can be found in all things in the universe.
Nowadays, the creation of a harmonious society in the context of economic growth and rising living standards is one of China's main objectives. As such, it must be built on the basic elements of peoples' daily lives, such as food, clothes, accommodation and transportation.
Much more than a simple means of transportation, automobiles are the machines that change a lot in people's lives, and therefore play an crucial role within the concept of harmony.
Auto affordability
With more than 20 million cars on the streets, China is on its way to shedding the image of the "Bicycle Kingdom" and becoming an "Auto Society".
Each year the automobile improves the lives of millions. Newly gained mobility offers opportunities to see relatives more often, to make daily routines more comfortable and to save time. All this contributes to a harmonious life, and reminds us that harmony grows out of individual well-being.
Affordability is one aspect to build a harmonious auto society. Chinese car manufacturers have understood that and offer low priced vehicles between 60,000 to 80,000 yuan with small engine displacements below 1.4 liters to young Chinese families. What manufacturers need to understand is that affordability must go along with the guarantee of safety and protection. Only worry-free usage of vehicles, equipped with advanced safety features and quality assurance will lead to a harmonious feeling, something that certainly benefits foreign car manufacturers in their sales efforts.
Mobility and comfort
But there's another obstacle on the road toward a harmonious automobile society: Is China catching up with the construction of roads, city development and efficient traffic systems? Probably not quickly enough! Endless traffic jams throughout the day bring the idea of mobility and comfort to an abrupt halt, and damage the perception of harmony.
China is only at a starting point regarding the harmonious cohabitation of different types of road users. Harmony in this sense has to do with responsibility, and progress will be made when car owners understand that the "stronger" part, (i.e. the person that owns the bigger vehicle), is not dominating, but protecting and taking care of the "weaker".
How about harmony between car manufacturers and customers? The auto market has switched from a seller's market to a buyers' market, where consumers have become more powerful due to a greater product selection.
Higher competition has driven prices down, which makes cars more affordable. On the other hand, there is still a lack of harmony in the relationship between car dealers and car buyers, which cannot be neglected.
Mainly due to inexperience - 70 percent of customers are purchasing a car for the first time in their lives - auto buyers rely heavily on advice and recommendations. They get these mainly from friends and family members, but only seldom from sales persons in dealerships. This is due to a lack of professional knowledge and insufficient understanding of customer needs.
Customer relationship
Customer service also needs to be improved regarding the post-sales relationships. Dissatisfactions ranges from the inability to fix sometimes even small functional problems to the lack of road-side assistance and emergency aid. Not to speak about faulty spare parts due to serious counterfeit problems.
Finally, a thought about harmony in the auto sector must not neglect the notion of harmony with nature and the environment.
A lot has already been accomplished in China by implementing stricter emissions standards. Furthermore the cancellation of restrictions on using small displacement cars by the government has prompted a rise in small vehicle demand and helped reduce fuel consumption and pollution on a macro-economic level.
Car manufacturers themselves are experimenting with various types of alternative energies, and even propose eco-friendly products, as demonstrated by Toyota with its hybrid-model Prius.
However, success and failure in establishing a harmonious relationship with the environment will eventually be decided by consumers, when they decide to abandon heavy fuel consuming vehicles and opt instead for advanced technologies.
The author is executive director in the automotive business with TNS China
(China Daily 07/05/2007 page15)
