Indian customer: One of the most evolved riders
Mr. Siddhartha Verma, spearheading Ducati’s marketing initiatives in India and leading the company’s growth and expansion strategy in the market, shares his views on the Indian rider, the impact of digital and his thoughts on developing the luxury bike segment in India.
Q 1. The modern-day biker is more sophisticated, demanding uniquely tailored solutions. Can you share some insights as to how the Indian customer has evolved over the years?
Mr. Siddhartha Varma: I think Indian customers are one of the most evolved riders. They have been riding for many years and have had a two-wheeler for the better part of their life. They are now upgrading their two-wheeler and going from using it just as a mode of commute to more of a lifestyle/recreational activity. The customers are now choosing bikes that are safer, which are more advanced in terms of technology, features and offers a different riding style that compliments their riding style. Ducati India has wide range of motorcycle portfolio catering to the entire riding fraternity in India.
Q 2. How is Ducati India utilising digital to support its growth strategy?
Mr. Siddhartha Varma: Digital is where all the communication is taking place. It is a platform which is currently being used by most of the people who are indulging within the luxury lifestyle, biking and what not. We have chosen platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to communicate and have a conversation with the riders and engage with them while inspiring them to take up riding. We have associated with women riders to encourage more participation from women towards riding. Also, a very creative point is that Ducati very recently launched two all new products and the whole press conference was organized on Twitter where the information about the bike was revealed and the bike was unveiled. This was also followed with Q&A pouring in from all around the world. It gave a platform not just to media, but a very high level of engagement was witnessed with regular users and mass enthusiasts.
Q 3. What do you think are the key challenges of developing the luxury bike segment in India?
Mr. Siddhartha Varma: I think the key challenge, currently is to make more and more people aware that riding is a recreational activity. Apart from being a recreational activity, it helps with a lot of networking in modern day and time. It keeps your mind healthy and your body fit because long distance riding or adventure riding or riding on track is like an exercise. I think the other challenge is to make people believe that they should get rid of the second car and work that into a luxury motorcycle. The idea of buying a second car should be dropped and people should choose a bike which gives them more opportunities to travel and to feel more connected with the environment while they are riding. For people who are buying a bike for the first time should look at it as a purchase that will add value to the kind of activity a person does. It is important to choose a bike wisely, test ride it and then decide on a bike that suits their riding needs rather than picking up a bike that only looks good.
Q 4. You are part of the customer panel discussion at the Two-Wheeler Forum (taking place 30 Aug 2018 at The Leela Gurgaon), can you give us a sneak peek into some of the insights you will be sharing?
Mr. Siddhartha Varma: I will be talking about how a typical two-wheeler customer has evolved and how the people who come to our dealerships – as the manufacturers would agree – are informed customers. They are customers who have done their research and have read reviews, gone online, compared all the products so once they walk into the dealership our sales team should be completely aware that it is an informed customer walking in who would have just come to close the deal there.
