When it comes to cars, luxury and showing off, Nigeria takes the lead in the world. It is only a Nigerian that will have 3 to 4 cars and still stay in a rented apartment, no wonder the likes of Kia, Toyota, and the likes take Nigeria as their second home. Lagos especially being the commercial city of Nigeria boasts of roughly 5 million cars.

When Goodluck Jonathan administration signed the automotive law last 2 years, it was greeted with mixed feelings as Innoson was on the lips of many Nigerians that it will help boost its local productivity, but this seems not to be the case as the only indigenous automobile company, Innoson Motors is struggling to catch up, it was reported last year that the company was considering closing its factory and sacking all its workers which the company later denied and released a statement.

We did a cross check, and a background analysis on why Nigerians are not patronizing their own despite Nigerians love for cars, luxury and showing off, these few findings are what we found disturbing, and we urged the management to quickly look into it.

1. Customer Care/Social Media

A Chinese proverb says, "If you don't know how to smile, don't think of opening a shop." Nothing amounts to great customer service and relations, a cross check at Innoson Motors website is nothing to write about, the site was linked together with its parent company. Innoson is a brand itself and so should be made to stand out, the navigation, the contents there are just too boring to read or to assimilate. It is being expected that Innoson website ought to have a functional chat, email and social media that is up and running. A visit to their Twitter page shows that they last tweeted on 11th of Feb., 2017 and their facebook page 20th August 2016, where companies like Toyota, Peugeot, etc. tweets at least 5 times daily. Nothing amounts to having an excellent customer care, a responsive website, and a proactive social media personnel.

2. Show Rooms

I smiled when I checked for Innoson showrooms, and I can only see four in the whole of Nigeria, I said to myself, these guys are not ready for business yet. Lagos is a cosmopolitan city. Therefore, this is where your marketing strategy has to come in full force. Innoson only has one showroom in Lagos and its not even in a high brow area like VI or Lekki area, they went and site their showroom in Oshodi-Apapa Expressway. A school of thought says you take your wares to where you know your clients will be able to see them. Even if you are trying to be relevant, you need to come up with the marketing strategy to attract the high-class men you made these cars for. How many people will find you in Oshodi? BMW has at least 15 showrooms in Lagos state alone and they are located in high brow areas like Lekki, VI, Ikoyi etc. Even if you can't open a shop there, you can partner with likes of Lanre Shittu, Coscharis Motors etc. Innoson, time to wake up.

3. Spare Parts/Accessories

One of the worries of car owners is finding spare parts for their vehicles, a check at spare part dealers at Ladipo market, the largest in Africa shows that the parts are not available. I was talking to a friend who is a driver, I asked him if he has heard of Innoson Motors and he said he is just hearing the name for the first time, how can you expect someone of that caliber to introduce the brand to his company talkless of finding the spare parts in the market. I think the firm can collaborate with the spare part dealers and make these parts available to them in bulk.

4. Advert! Advert!! Advert!!!
Nothing sells in this world without an advertisement, Innoson has been behind in promotion and advertisement, I wonder if the firm is afraid to spend or partner with media houses. Last week when Mercedes-Benz wants to release its new models to the market, it invites newsmen, bloggers, and lots more. Advert can be in form sponsorship, beauty pageant etc

5. Create a niche of your brand

I see most of Innoson vehicles as a replica of some other cars I have seen before. Take for example, the Innoson G-Wagon is a complete replica of Mercedes-Benz and some of their cars, it's quite essential for them to produce something unique and relate with.

- AutoReportNG



Source
http://www.autoreportng.com/2017/03/why-nigerians-are-not-buying-innoson.html

This is as a result of our personal investigation and facts finding

Read more here

http://www.autoreportng.com/2017/03/why-nigerians-are-not-buying-innoson.html

We have heard but there's nothing we can do.

WE ARE NOT BUYING UNTIL HE DO Small Launching & PROMO!

Come to Lag. And launch it, then give out 10 free to first attendees

Do buy One and get one free or win free fuel for 3months

---

Clemsworld:
WE ARE NOT BUYING UNTIL HE DO Small Launching & PROMO!

Come to Lag. And launch it, then give out 10 free to first attendees

Do buy One and get one free or win free fuel for 3months

---

Onigbese!


U wan mk dem run down.

Imagine !
We prefer tokunbo sir and at least, even if scrap, it must be IMPORTED

Innoson is doing it wrong, he is going for the big fish at heavy cost rather than using the rodents to spread

Partner with bloggers, media outfits, promo platform.
Also partner with Kazeem, local mechanics, they play a big part in influencing a prospective car owner over choice of car.

Do free limited training, and educate them on how to get spare parts. Do a program to give spare parts on credit at the start

They stingy. They can not even hire a social media manager. They should consult me for more info

Wetin I wan use am do, chinko? I rather buy a very nice tokunbo wey spare parts dey available, cheap and have second hand value.

Op I agree with you, especially the 5th reason.
Innoson needs to design cars distinct from designs of known brands. Why would someone buy an Innoson SUV that looks exactly like Toyota Prado when he has money to buy Prado
Also, they need to connect with local market, produce vehicles that can withstand local terrains, do advertisement showing their cars plying muddy roads and entering potholes but still working perfectly well. Show images of their cars on terrain Nigerians could relate and not some snowy mountainous landscape like the picture attached by the OP
Lastly, collaborate with Nigerian government on the campaign of buying local products. Because if Nigerians start buying Aba made shoes instead of Italian shoes, sooner or later, they will start buying Nigerian made cars

What's made in Nigeria that Nigerians buy??

Op you've hit the nail on the head, were they expecting the government to do everything for them? they have to do the own part also, I remember the first time I saw a Toyota hilux advert on dstv, see how they displayed the ruggedness of the vehicle overcoming obstacles with easy, they made it look fun and easy to ride, but innoson? nahh, they are like meh naijarians will buy from us without much effort in advertising.
They should show us that yes these cars are capable of handling our roads, and they can be relied on for parts which are two of the biggest fears we have concerning their vehicles.

Its ok

Is Innoson still producing vehicles?
I thought they temporarily shut-down due to FX crises

***Just Asking O***

Very true. I'm yet to see any ad on Innoson cars whether on TV, blogs or YouTube. I still don't think the man is fully ready for business.

The koko is that innoson marketing is poor

Their marketing na wack if they have one

They should have started producing very cheap cars like when tecno and infinix came in after which they gradually start doing it big

ok

You are right bro. innoson motors still operate as if we are in the 50's

I used Gjh to book space but I no reash. Some ppl get 50glte network oo

Clemsworld:
WE ARE NOT BUYING UNTIL HE DO Small Launching & PROMO!

Come to Lag. And launch it, then give out 10 free to first attendees

Do buy One and get one free or win free fuel for 3months
Ole!!!!

---

ole!!!!!

Op

The politics section bigots will come for ur head soon

Watch out

Innoson am available 4 controlling your social media accounts u can reach me on mumekwe2@gmail.com

I support you OP.
see how they advertise Toyota on a aljazeera sport everyday.

low self esteem is a major factor..

babyfaceafrica:
The koko is that innoson marketing is poor

Nope.
The koko is that we Nigerians are not patriotic beyond just TALK.
And that includes our president and other politicians who ride imported OFFICIAL cars while telling us to Buy Naija to Save the Naira!
We never suffer reach and UNEMPLOYMENT never wire us for better place.

AutoReportNG2:
Having reviewed cars of some Nigerian officials from President Buhari, Gov. Fayose, Ooni of Ife, HRH, Sanusi Lamido among others, the lists will be not complete without taking a review of the Senate President's wonders on heels. The SP came under backlash last year when the Premium Times broke an exclusive that the Senate took delivery of some exotic cars despite been under economic crunch and recession, Dr. Bukola Saraki was quick to explain his stand on the issue and how the cars came about. I won't bore you with the details as we are interested in that now. It may be of note that these cars were supplied by the Lagos Auto- Sellers, Mr. Lanre Shittu. The official car of the Senate President is 2016 model Mercedes Benz S550, of course, its an armored car.

www.nairaland.com/attachments/4878503_sp_jpegf88c139fb0f1ebae0db6a79d3aa63832

The points OP listed are valid. But then, I'd choose Innoson for my first car over some other world-known brands. And if they need a social media manager, they can hire me to finish work for them. I promise I can do better than EFCC's guy

Nigerians are not contended with our products. But who go allow a substandard car kill am?