Interview with Maciej Oleksowicz, President of the Management Board of Inter Cars.
1. How would you summarise the passing year in the Inter Cars Capital Group?
It was a year of constant uncertainty, which required us to flexibly adapt our operations to changing conditions. I am glad that the entire Inter Cars team passed this test and in times of fluctuating demand and problems with availability we managed to provide our customers - garages - with adequately high service.
2. How have the Company's revenues evolved in relation to 2019?
We recorded a double-digit sales growth for both 2019 and 2020. At the same time, our investments made in previous years have enabled us to achieve our profitability target, despite significant price increases on the market.
3. What novelties have you managed to introduce this year in the Inter Cars distribution chain?
Pandemic period is not the best time to introduce significant novelties. We have focused on doing even better what we have done well so far. We have improved many processes and developed our offer. In Poland we are introducing a new system for ordering parts - Inter Cars e-Catalog, already used on foreign markets and created for garages. It will make it even easier to find products and place orders on any device, including mobile ones. We are also in the process of introducing significant improvements in customer service over the phone, as well as creating additional contact channels - chat, voice bot or video.
4. Has the order realization process changed due to the pandemic, has this affected the operation of the European Logistics and Development Centre in Zakroczym and the operations of the branches?
No, the pandemic has not significantly affected how we handle the customer service. Of course, we have introduced many changes to increase the safety of our employees and customers, but in general the process itself has not changed.
5. Has Inter Cars been affected by the disrupted global supply chain and the lack of semiconductors? How did it look in the Polish and foreign subsidiaries of Inter Cars?
Yes, this is one of the biggest challenges in the pandemic era. The situation is very complex and often differs depending on the product group. E.g., in the case of brake discs, which are in more than 90% manufactured in Asia, we do not have good solutions, but in the case of many other products we have found new sources of supply and are able to provide parts necessary for repairs. It has always been our strategy to have a range of alternative products from different suppliers. Thanks to this today I am sure that we guarantee the best possible availability on the market.
6. What is the Inter Cars strategy for the coming years - are you betting on domestic development or maybe expansion outside Poland?
Geographical expansion is not our priority. We are concentrating on the markets on which we are already present. There we want to strengthen our position in all the segments we offer. We will continue to expand our offer for garages repairing passenger cars, as well as commercial vehicles, agricultural and construction machinery, motorbikes and boats.
7. Will there be a return to organising the exhibition fair?
We are still analysing this idea, considering various scenarios. However, we see that the pandemic is not over, so we are postponing the decision. The safety of our employees and customers is the most important.
8. Electromobility, digitalization, automation, ecology - there has been a lot of talk about it recently in the context of the development of the automotive industry. What actions does Inter Cars implement in the context of these market trends?
First of all, we continuously develop our offer so that we have the necessary products, knowledge and tools to repair all types of vehicles, also in the future. There are many scenarios and we want to be ready for each of them. We also analyse internally which processes have a significant impact on the environment and plan to optimise them. We are already using reusable packaging to a large extent and optimising our logistics. We have tested small electric delivery vehicles. Once the new regulations come into force that allow these vehicles to have a greater weight and therefore a sufficient range, we will put them into service. We will also ensure that the electricity required to charge these vehicles comes from zero-emission sources.
9. How do you assess the current state of the aftermarket market and its future in Poland?
Aftermarket garages provide services at a very high level. Thanks to the cooperation of distributors with premium parts manufacturers, we provide them with the necessary knowledge and tools to repair practically any vehicle. We are implementing an image campaign for our customers under the slogan: Together we create, support, deliver, which shows customers the real benefits of working with the company. At each stage of their activity, we are able to offer them support and provide services of the highest quality. Authorised garages have much higher prices, but offer virtually nothing in return. I suppose that if they do not change their approach to the customer, their market share will decrease not only in services for older vehicles, but also for new ones. I see no reason why the first servicing or repair should not be done in a proper independent garage.
