Hyundai UK sees 2011 a "tough year"

With the UK's scrappage scheme now ended and an increase in VAT (sales tax) from 17.5% to 20% scheduled for January 2011, what is the future for scrappage sales leader Hyundai and the new car industry in general?
Managing director Tony Whitehorn said: “The scheme, introduced to incentivise new car sales during the recession, came just at the right time for the brand because we had just introduced new models such as the small i10, the i20 supermini, the i30 family hatch and the iX35 compact crossover SUV, ideal fuel efficient, cost effective scheme models.”
As a result, Hyundai was scheme market leader as about 400,000 new cars and light commercial vehicles were delivered.
Hyundai topped the scheme sales league with 45,700 sales compared with Ford’s 44,457. In third place was affiliate Kia with 33,444 customers.
Whitehorn added: “Our success with the scheme not only increased our sales by over 102% to 56,726 units, it raised our brand’s profile and product awareness. So far this year our UK sales are up again on the same period last year by 138% to 34,611 units and we should achieve 60,000 sales this year – slightly more than last year. Vehicles on the roads are the best form of advertising.”
He said: “Scrappage was also useful for us because people experienced our products for the first time. The brand in the UK had suffered enormous anonymity in the past but 90% of our scheme sales were to conquest customers.  We had one customer who bought an i10 and he introduced 16 other people to the brand.”
“After scrappage customers are still looking for affordable, stylish and reliable vehicles and affordability above all is going to be a key issue in the future because of the economic climate. This is more good news for us as we introducing nine new models in the next 17 months – a real ‘product-fest’.”
“Hyundai is very focussed on reducing CO2 levels and are working on supplying more petrol and diesel engines to meet the sub-120, -110 and -100g/km tax levels. I question whether there will be the infrastructure in the UK to support electric vehicles. Hybrids we can supply but the long-term answer is fuel cell technology. In the meantime, the realistic route is to make current petrol and diesel engines even more fuel efficient.”
“Although we remain a predominately a brand which appeals to retail customers, the fleet and business user-chooser sector is a biggest opportunity for us in the future and we already have the products to meet their requirements especially the new iX35 compact SUV which is creating a lot of interest. We are looking to supply smaller fleets – not major discounted fleet sales. We need to increased our the size of our current 148 strong dealer network and we are looking to add regional dealer groups to our network to bring that number up to 165 by 2011.”
He said, “The proposed VAT increase next January will be a major challenge for the market, everybody knows what is coming in January 2011 so the last quarter of this year, which wasn’t going to be good, will now be good as customers beat the VAT increase.  But 2011 will be a tough year”
“The industry cannot absorb the VAT increase, with the margins we are all working with it is just not possible.”

SRC-interview just auto.

Head Hunters!

Yes Head Hunters. Now don't think of an image of some guy hunting your head.But Yes it is.Most of the premium jobs around the world is filled up by Private Head Hunters.Recent surveys says that 70% of the job never reach the market as they are already filled by Head Hunters.
Now what is Head Hunter?
The answer to this is Head Hunter is a person who is in higher authority of the company or a group or organization who has pretty good knowledge of  keeping personal relation ship's and thus when a job opening comes up , these Head Hunter use there PR to hunt down some men they know and that's it the job is filled.

Think of a executive job opening when there is a opening for a team lead or a manager in a company .No company advertise it for the 1st week or may be month ,the reason behind is others may be manager or higher level executives use there contacts and call in some of the people whom they have worked for and offer them the job opening there company has .99% of the time the offer is being accepted by there contacts result the person who had offered them the the job had just earned 1 month of his salary by referring him to the company.So do always keep in mind no matter if you are just 1 month old or 3 years old in the company if you find that your manager is leaving .Try to push your leg by asking your company senior to promote you .
The company will never say no as they know that you have the talent you are working for .So you may have a 50-50 chance to kick into yours managers or your team lead shoes.
Most of the people whom i have worked with don't even bother to think about it becz of the myth that they can only excel by changing job , well from now on try doing this and if your company says no find another job and put down your papers , the company will on its knees to retain you hence you will be in the part of negotiating the job you do the salary you get and many other things.
Always remember that people in your past hasn't made with you in your present becz they don't deserve .

What i have learn t in my previous job experience back in India was "Love your work , Not you Company".
So next time you see your old boss do remind him that you still exists and are willing to change your job.Who know he might be able to help you out.

Comments would be appreciated.