Following are the excerpts from an interview with AMW Automall Head Rohana Dissanayake.
Can you tell the customers, those wanting to purchase vehicles, about the current automobile market?
Finding a good vehicle to purchase could be a daunting task with the current market conditions. Going through paper advertisements, calling vehicle sellers, visiting sellers, checking market prices, negotiating the price and even obtaining leasing information can be very time consuming when time is not a luxury that many of us have. Most importantly, how trustworthy is your vehicle seller? How sure are you about the vehicle that you’re purchasing?
What about those wanting to sell their vehicles?
It’s more or less the same process. In addition, you will have many unwanted people coming to your house to see your vehicle. I really doubt anyone these days would want unknown people visiting their houses. At Automall, we take that burden away from you where our team of professionals will provide you with a hassle-free service.
What is the concept of Automall?
AMW Automall is a fully-owned subsidiary of AMW, the leading automobile company in Sri Lanka. Identifying a gap in the pre-owned vehicle market, where customers had no access to a trustworthy source for selling or buying a pre-owned vehicle, AMW launched its very own brand for pre-owned cars in 2009. Our core objective was to give the customers an opportunity to trade in their old vehicle, hassle free, for a brand-new vehicle of their choice from AMW.
At Automall, a customer can purchase a certified pre-owned vehicle, sell an existing vehicle or trade-in the existing vehicle for a new vehicle. Throughout the years, AMW Automall has grown into becoming the largest pre-owned vehicle seller with eight branches located around the island offering over 1000 vehicles to choose from any brand.
We stand by our principles: trust, quality and value and are committed to providing a superior customer offering. We’ve got all the criteria covered whether you’re looking to sell, trade in or buy a certified pre-owned vehicle.
What makes buying a vehicle from Automall different from buying a vehicle on one’s own?
All vehicles sold through Automall are certified pre-owned vehicles. We trade-in or purchase only vehicles of good quality; all vehicles are appraised and valued by a set of professional valuers. Prior to reselling, we complete all maintenance and repair requirements at state-of-the-art AMW workshops. Our trained engineers and technicians attend to all mechanical and body work requirements. These vehicles are then sent for a complete interior and exterior treatment. The vehicles are then brought to our showrooms where they undergo a 99-point check prior to reselling. This rigorous process is followed to assure our customers the highest quality of service and added value. We also offer an unmatched one-year or 20,000 kilometre warranty for all our certified pre-owned vehicles. We are proud to say that we are the only company that offers a warranty for registered vehicles in the market. Customers also get free AMW Roadside Assistance for the first year and can be part of the AMW World Loyalty programme. The quality of our vehicles, hassle-free process and customer experience are some things that we are truly proud of.
Tell us about the level of service a customer can expect at Automall?
We take pride in delivering a professional service. Our young and energetic team that goes beyond their call of duty are committed to provide a professional service to our customers. We are proud to have an energetic team that is the reason behind the level of customer service we deliver. I’m proud of the team we have at Automall, who are devoted to delivering value to the customer and living up to our brand principles. In terms of our product offering, we have a wide range of vehicles from any brand through our widespread islandwide branch network. With this unbeatable combination, I can assure anyone that Automall provides the best product offering in the market.
Can you elaborate on the one-stop-shop concept of Automall?
Automall has solutions for customers looking to sell an existing vehicle or purchase a vehicle all under one roof. We give the customer the assurance of giving a competitive value for his well-maintained vehicle. When purchasing a vehicle, the customer has a wide selection of certified pre-owned vehicles to choose from. We can also fulfil your vehicle financing needs with our very own in house leasing company – AMW Capital Leasing and Finance PLC, which will arrange the lease within three hours.
What are the special incentives every Automall customer can expect?
There are many incentives for the customers who buy vehicles from us. We offer a class-leading, unmatched one-year or 20,000-kilometre warranty on the engine and gearbox for all certified pre-owned vehicles sold through AMW Automall.
A comprehensive 99-point check is carried out on all vehicles assuring the best quality on all vehicles sold by us. AMW Automall customers can make use of AMW’s roadside assistance service free of charge for the first year and also be part of the AMW World Loyalty programme, which brings great benefits to customers across the AMW group. We also have a surprise waiting for our customers, which will be launched soon.
How wide is your network?
We initially started off with our showroom in Borella. This still stands as our flagship outlet. Since then, we have expanded by adding seven showrooms located in Nugegoda, Galle, Kurunegala, Matara, Negombo, Kandy and Malabe to give wider access to customers to enjoy the services of Automall. Automall has evolved into a concept that provides true value addition for anyone who is looking to buy or replace a vehicle.
What advice can you give to the customers of today?
Considering the highly competitive nature of the industry, what I would advise is to be extra vigilant when either selling or buying a vehicle. Make sure that you buy a certified pre-owned vehicle from a known and trustworthy source. There are so many aspects that need to be looked into when purchasing a vehicle; the mileage, number of owners, certificate of registration and accident-free condition of the vehicle are some. It’s always good to go to the professionals in the industry to make an informed decision on your vehicle purchase or sale.
