Skoda to expand presence to100 cities in India by next month

Czech automaker Skoda is planning to enhance its presence across 100 cities in India by next month as it looks to cater to more customers with the launch of its mid-sized SUV Kushaq less than a month ago.

As per the automaker, the expansion of the sales network is an important part of the Kushaq launch strategy.

The brand will be present in more than 100 cities across India by August 2021, and this will be its largest coverage in the country since it entered the Indian market, Skoda Auto India said in a statement.

With this the automaker, which also sells models like Octavia and Rapid, would have more than 170 customer touchpoints, including sales and after-sales facilities, in the country, it added.

The brand aims to take the figure to 225 outlets by next year. Its presence is currently limited to around 85 cities across the nation.

The launch of Kushaq stands testament to a new era for the company in India. On the back of this world-class SUV, we had a clear vision of taking the Skoda brand to new and emerging markets across the country. I am delighted to share that we will be present in more than 100 cities from the coming month, Skoda Auto India Brand Director Zac Hollis noted.

Enhancing the ownership experience is a key pillar of the company's growth strategy and increasing the network presence is one of the important pillars to meet this objective, he added.

Some of the new cities where the brand is making a foray include Sangli, Bhilwara, Faridabad, Panchkula, Navsari, Vapi and Hardoi, among others.

The automaker noted that the rollout of the network expansion strategy is a result of tremendous efforts over the last year in identifying the right partners.

The increased network reach will support the brand's three-pronged strategy of launching new products, introducing new services and building on its promise of customer centricity, it added.

The launch of the Kushaq has infused tremendous confidence and excitement across the dealer fraternity and there have been more than 200 dealership applications by potential partners who want to be part of the growth of the brand in India, the automaker said.

This includes a mix of new dealers, and also existing dealers who want to build on the brand association and open additional facilities, it added.

The automaker has also recently announced the launch of its 'Peace of Mind' campaign to provide additional benefits and an enhanced experience to customers in India.

The initiative is built on four pillars cost of ownership, customer reach, convenience and transparency. Through this initiative, the company plans to build its after-sales offerings in the country where the market is dominated by Japanese and Korean carmakers.