The general manager of Porsche Romania has decided to launch the Weltauto sale system for used cars, after testing it in countries such as Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary.
"We decided to enter the used car market to the end of sustaining sales and also secure the customers'' loyalty for brands included in the Porsche dealers network," said Franz Fruehwirth, general manager of Porsche Romania. He has helped develop the Weltauto brand, dedicated to used car trading, for ten years, working with Volkswagen and Audi, in Austria. Last year, Fruehwirth decided to also introduce the concept onto the Romanian market.
"The Weltauto concept is the same in all Porsche Holding countries. Depending on demand on various markets, the implementation of the concept can prove more or less dynamic. In Romania, we''ve found a friendly environment and we''ve shortly become well known and gained our customers'' trust," he states.
The general manager of Porsche Romania started working on the pilot-project located at Porsche Bucuresti Nord dealer as early as January 2004, and the first Weltauto centre was opened in November 2004. He says that the most important aspects were the sales personnel training and especially the recruitment of staff specialised in car diagnosis.
"These aspects are essential, considering the safety and guarantee objectives we promote among customers," Fruehwirth stated. The Austrian official says that, before deciding to introduce Weltauto brand, demand was not strong on this segment or at least was not apparent at the level of Porsche Romania dealers.
"Most customers were used to going to car fairs or resorting to press ads to acquire or sell a used car, an operation that was most of the times associated with some uncertainty as to the origin of the car or its usage," he says. It was this very uncertainty that provided the opportunity needed by the importer. "Even though these are used cars, we offer a service package including the technical guarantee and other perks that generally come with new cars.
"Thus, for all the cars sold through Weltauto we offer an at least six month guarantee with no mileage limit, a guarantee that can be extended depending on the state of the car," states Fruehwirth. At present, somewhat surprisingly, demand for Weltauto cars is coming from companies needing prompt car deliveries, rather than from individuals.
"There is pressure on the used car market and this sector can not be easily penetrated. In Romania, the average age of cars is very high," says Fruehwirth. Several dairy companies will invest in development in the following period. For instance, Albalact will invest 5 million euros in a milk-processing unit, near Alba-Iulia, whereas Friesland will spend 6 million euros to develop some projects at its plants located in Baciu (Cluj) and Mures.
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