The other national car brand and even the non national car brands in Malaysia with full factory and after sales have never been ‘baby-sitting’ their dealers like how Proton has all these years. During the good times (in the early years) they all become overnight millionaires and only the ‘privileged’ and the ‘connected’ could get a Proton dealership.
Only a handful of ‘real’ business people were Proton dealers and these handful are surviving today without baby-sitting services from Proton…a company that has never failed to hold their hand, walk them out of the darkness and fund them month after month to maintain their bungalows, multiple overseas homes and lavish European trips.
Remember the good old days when Proton dealers (PEKEMA) were sitting in their showrooms just taking bookings without looking after their customers.
Remember the time when cars like the Saga, Iswara and Wira were so high in demand that Proton dealers would ask for ‘under table money’ to rush your delivery.
Remember the time when you asked you dealer for a particular colour and they said ‘take what they have’ or you can leave as they are plenty of other customers.
Remember the time when:
- Your NEW Proton power window would fail just weeks after purchase.
- Or the sticker that were ‘forced’ to pay at the side of the car would peel off.
- Or the Blaupunkt head-unit would fail.
- Or the car alarm would keep going off in the middle of the night repeatedly and you could only shut it off by disconnecting the power cable from the car’s battery.
- Or the roof lining would start sagging after just a few months?
Now, these same people want more handouts…….from a company that has been bleeding from lack of sales while the internal staff at the Proton headquarters and its corporate owners work tirelessly to keep the brand, image and sales moving forward.
Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. Ltd. (Geely) buying into this trouble company is the best thing that has ever happened to the brand and we hope that the management of Geely will maintain the Proton headquarters head count and allow them to breathe easier and reward them soon for their tireless enthusiasm to keep the brand moving along.
As for the ‘babies’….we say….get rid of the cry babies, find new partners (there will be ‘real’ business people now wanting to hold a Proton dealership) and grow the business professionally like all other car brands in Malaysia. No more baby-siting. This is not politics…..this is business and the millions of Malaysians who have supported the brand all these years and have paid dearly in high depreciation and high maintenance costs due to useless overpriced vendors are fed up and tired of listening to their nonsense.
Good job! ??
Totally agree with your post and hope Proton is reading…
Remind me of the good old days with my proton saga and work.
I have never really had major issues with my PROTON cars, to be honest. But yes, I remember the time when waiting lists accorded salesmen the opportunity to make extra by cutting queues. People, usually dealers, also speculated and bought the cars and sold them at higher than list prices when a customer walks in and wants a car ASAP.
I suppose PROTON has to respond as the truth needs to be told. I like their response. Shows that they are ready to run like a business instead of running to their parents each time they fall.
In a way, the Mahathir-Najib face-off seems to have emboldened the carmaker. Kudos!