Successful drive to fame

I DROVE a Porsche the other weekend. Actually I didn't. I've just always wanted to say that! I merely saw one, at Electra Automotive, the garage for champions, on the Old Mahabalipuram Road, and it was to die for.

Kamlesh Patel, the owner of Electra Automotive, is passionate about cars. It is in the blood. Ever since he can remember he has been behind a wheel, either on a race-track, or tracking the route during a rally. His father, Suresh Patel taught him that before one can drive, one has to get the fundamentals right. Sundays were either spent at the Sholavaram, or peering under the hood of a bonnet. This early training made all the difference when Kamlesh opened his garage.

Stopping by at Electra Automotive, past Tidel Park, you will be interested to find an exotic array of vehicles ranging from bright jelly-bean coloured Hyundai Santros, to impressive BMWs, that leave an ache in your heart. Or if you are really lucky, an olive green Jaguar, and the occassional silver Porsche - that needs one week for you to recover from, when you see it in all it's glory.

"We have been in the business for over 20 years, so we have built up some kind of reputation for being good and clean in our dealings with our customers," explains Patel. "We deal, not just with Hyundai cars, but with all types of cars. We never took on dealership or service for any one type of car, because we felt that if our customers have four or five types of cars, then we must be in a position to look after all those cars. So we geared ourselves with the necessary equipment and manpower to deal with all kinds of problems that arise with various types of cars made both in India and abroad."

Kamlesh Patel's garage was one of the first places chosen by Hyundai Motors to train and service people from all over the country to look after their range of Indian-made automobiles.

Of this privilege Patel says, "Hyundai was basically looking for owner-run workshops, where the customer gets personalised service from the owner of the garage, rather than the supervisors of a professionally managed garage."

There are many reasons for preferring owner-run workshops to professionally managed ones. "Here, the work is done by specialists in the automobile field. But the core business, most importantly, customer care, is managed by myself. The advantage is that if you have a problem with your car, you don't have to speak to a supervisor and start to explain who you are all over again. The problem is handled by Krupesh Patel or me first and then handed down to professionals".

"Another major difference is that we assess the problems faced by the car independently, and do not go by what the customer thinks is wrong with the car. So, to us at Electra, the car is of prime importance and the customer is secondary, because we believe that if the car is in good shape, then, the customer is happy," he adds.

Today's cars are being designed to have the minimal problems. But our roads, traffic congestion and the entire driving situation is deteriorating. So the clutches wear off, and this is an increasing complaint in cars driven regularly during peak hour traffic. The brakes too take a beating. There are problems with the car over-heating, and driver-related problem that usually result in a tremendous number of accidents. So problems keep up with the times."

A routine maintenance service, at Electra, where you have to change oils and ensure that the car runs well for the next 5,000 km. costs about Rs. 800. Patel says that they are able to keep prices very low, because most of their basic equipment has been paid for over a period of time. "Since we have not invested heavily at one time we have no interest burdens of any kind. We've moved to this South Chennai area, where there are plenty of industries, but no good workshop for cars. We have three garage complexes here and we can do everything, from fitting sun- control, to wheel balancing, to tyre fitting and painting in these garages."

Having seen so much motoring over the past 20 years, Patel is still fired with enthusiasm when it comes to automobiles. "It is always interesting to deal with a new clientele, and today there is a different cross-section of motoring public in Chennai, that is growing. This is due to the affordability of cars that makes it possible for several younger people to own them."

A CORRESPONDENT

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