Dear Members and Dealer Friends,

 

“The darkest night is often the bridge to the brightest tomorrow” - Johnathan Lockwood Huie

 

On behalf of FADA, I want to wish you a very Happy New Year and thank you for your continued support and participation! Like the quote above, it goes without saying that we are all very glad to put 2020 behind us and are looking forward to a healthier and more prosperous 2021.

 

As mentioned earlier, 2021 for us will be a year of Strength and Revival and I’m looking forward to working with you all – as individuals, organisations and experts. Together we can work on the best solutions to the challenges which we as Dealership Community are facing with and establish Auto Retail Industry as a great indomitable force to be reckoned with. Towards this, I urge all to work towards bringing more dealerships under FADA umbrella and help your Federation reach stronger with each passing day.

 

As you all know, fixation of HSRP and 3rd Registration Mark on existing vehicles have become mandatory for all vehicles. In this regard, the customers and dealers in Delhi NCR have been facing huge challenges in the implementation largely due to communication gap, technical glitches and constraints in supply of the plates and registration mark. To amicably resolve the matter in general and for Delhi NCR region in particular, FADA met SIAM Service heads and Delhi Transport Minister and senior bureaucrats. Following this, FADA has written to SIAM & to all OEM’s appraising them not only about dealer concerns and steps to be taken for seamless and time bound implementation but have also requested them to work with the transport department to ensure the implementation of the affixation of plates and registration marks on existing vehicles happen in a phased manner.

 

To make the roads safe, stringent measures have been incorporated in the new CMVR act. To create awareness and sensitise the issue, MoRTH conducts Road Safety week every year and FADA has always been supporting MoRTH in this by initiating programs on importance of wearing seat belt, creating awareness on safety protocols to be followed on the road to be safe and drive safely, distribution of safety stickers etc. This year the Road Safety program being conducted by MoRTH is for a month w.e.f. January 18, 2021 to February 17, 2021. I request you to support this initiative in your own regions by creating awareness about road safety in your communities so that many lives can be saved and tragedies averted. Please take the photographs of the initiatives taken up at your end and mail it back to us for highlighting the same on all our media platforms.

 

The Webinar on The New Consumer Protection Law, conducted  by Mr Anand Shankar Jha, Advocate on Records, Supreme Court of India was conducted on January 9, 2021. Many dealers from all over India participated and gained from the Session. The Webinar was very meaningful as it helped us to understand:

 

a.    The  Significant Changes in Law relating to Consumer Protection Act

b.    The potential risk and liability in a case of Product Liability

c.    How to address a legal action for misleading advertisement, unfair trade practice and “service deficiency

d.    The steps to handle Investigations before Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA)

e.    The 7 Best Practices to avoid penalty in consumer litigations and

f.    The Do’s & Don’ts for auto dealers in a consumer litigations.

 

The session was followed by Q&A which helped answering concerns expressed by our dealer friends. Those who were unable to attend and gain from the session or would once again like to refresh themselves about the learning’s, for them, FADA would be bringing out the FAQs to help understand the nuances of the new Law.

 

As I had indicated earlier, after the successful 3-series Webinar: Grow with Google, for Dealer Principals on digitalization and its benefits in growth and management of dealership business which was conducted in association with Google & ASDC, we will soon be launching the 2nd part of Grow with Google series: A comprehensive program via a series of 30 video sessions on how to best leverage digital to drive profitability by the front line staff of dealerships. I will request all of you to encourage them to enrol for the same.

 

During the course of the year FADA for the first time will be conducting Dealer Satisfaction Study to understand the level of dealer satisfaction on different parameters. The details for the Study are at present being worked out and shall be shared in form of survey once finalised. For the Study to be really effective, it must be as broad based as possible and for this I seek your support for your participation and also encouraging your co-dealers to participate in the same.

 

If all falls in line and the virus spread is contained, we hope to have our physical 57th AGM & 3rd Auto Retail Conclave in September this year. We are also planning to come out with 2nd edition of FADA Digest during the Conclave.

 

In February 2022, we shall be having our 12th Auto Summit and FADA Awards. Details for the same is also being worked upon. Once finalised, we will open nominations so that dealers can send in their nominations on basis of their best fit categories. 

 

I thank you in advance for all the efforts each one of you will be putting forth in strengthening my hands by cooperating and supporting me by actively participating in all the initiatives taken up by your Federation during the course of the year. Before I end, let me inform you that FICCI has invited me to be a part of their National Executive Committee for the year 2021. This is happening for the first time that FADA President has received such an invite. This is an achievement for all of us and our teams. With this FADA and FICCI ties will grow stronger and I am sure that we will be able to leverage this and make our voice heard louder and clearer!

 

Wishing you All Once Again A Very Happy & Safe New Year 2021!

 

Vinkesh Gulati

President FADA