Service and auto repairs for 70,000 + vehicles this year  

Rising to the challenge of an expanding market, United Motors Lanka PLC (UML) stated that their service repair workshop at Orugodawatte and islandwide had so far provided auto repairs and services to over 70,000 vehicles this year.

A leader in the automobile business in Sri Lanka associated mostly with their flagship brand Mitsubishi, UML today counts 69 years in the motor vehicle industry and is now also synonymous with brands such as Fuso from Daimler, Perodua, DFSK, JMC, MG as well as assembling the Zotye and DFSK Mini Van locally.  With vehicle sales numbering over 20,000 in the last 4 years alone, a huge jump from the previous years of averaging 1,000 vehicles per year, UML has geared up their workshop facilities and expertise to meet the increasing demand.

To meet this demand, UML has been making strides in providing products which are the best of their kind in its main automotive service and repair center, as well as its 7 branches across the country.  “We were one of the first to set up service and auto repair centers island- wide for the convenience and accessibility of our customers,” explained B. Singhage, General Manager (Technical Parts and Accessories).

Spread over 7 acres of land, the Orugodawatte workshop is one of the largest of its kind in the country.  In accordance with the Company’s ethos of providing superior customer service, the workshop is equipped with customer lounges, complete with wi-fi facilities, ipads and children’s play areas.  A shuttle service for the convenience of customers is another plus which transports customers back to a central drop off location in Colombo after leaving their vehicles at the workshop.  As part of the Company’s new green initiative, the workshop provides an eco- conscious environment with greenery, well ventilated work bays and natural light.

“What we offer is the combination of premium customer care services and the expertise of our staff.  Continuous improvements in customer relations are a priority in our philosophy. Our technicians are trained overseas at the auto manufacturers’ plants.  We send around 25 technicians plus supervisors and managers for training annually, mostly to Japan,” explained Singhage.  “When a vehicle is brought into one of our workshops, a comprehensive vehicle maintenance history is recorded.  This includes vehicle information, repair history, mileage in repair order, etc.  The Service Advisor who attends to the vehicle therefore has detailed knowledge of the vehicle’s service history and is able to conduct a better diagnosis.”

“Customer satisfaction quotient is done every day and our benchmark is 98% happy customers,” Singhage said. Singhage went on to note that all repairs are conducted in accordance with the designated specifications and procedures recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.  Being a franchise workshop, the Company uses only genuine parts for all repairs and replacements.  Genuine parts also contribute to the safety of both individuals and the vehicle due to their durability and reliability.  “We also help the vehicle driver understand the finer points of driving for best use of fuel etc. under our driver training programmes. This allows the user to maximize the benefits of the performance of the vehicle,’’ Singhage added.

On new initiatives, Singhage stated that a 10 acre property in Ratmalana has been acquired to construct a similar high tech auto service and repair center to meet the growing demand which will particularly benefit customers from Colombo to Kalutara.

“Our continuing endeavor is to make UML after sales one of the best service providers in the automobile sector in the country and to build lifelong partnerships with as many customers as possible,” Singhage concluded.

About United Motors Lanka PLC: United Motors Lanka PLC is one of the oldest automobile companies in Sri Lanka having been established in 1945.  United Motors has been featured amongst the Top 100 Most Respected Entities by LMD several times and Business Today has listed the company amongst the Top 25 Companies for the past 2 years.  United Motors has also been honoured by the Chartered Institute of Accountants as the Winner of the Annual Report for the automotive sector in terms of profitability growth, corporate governance and Corporate Social Responsibility activities.  The brands marketed by the group through sole distributorships include Mitsubishi passenger and Fuso commercial vehicles from Japan, TVS two and three wheelers from India, Perodua compact cars from Malaysia, JMC commercial vehicles, DFSK Mini trucks, MG luxury cars and Zotye compact SUVs from China, Yokohama tyres from Japan, JK tyres and Mak lubricants from India and Valvoline lubricants and Eagle One car care products from USA.  The United Motors branch network is located in Anuradapura, Kandy, Kurunegala, Matara, Nugegoda, Nuwara Eliya, Ratnapura and Jaffna.  The UML group has over 2,000 dealers island-wide for the distribution of tyres, genuine parts, lubricants, two wheelers and three wheelers, with representation in both urban and rural areas.

Photo captions: (Top) Mr. B. Singhage, General Manager (Technical Parts and Accessories) and (below) the Orugodawatte workshop