By Ravichandran Srinivasan
In an increasingly competitive automotive aftermarket landscape, dealership success is no longer defined by volumes alone, but by the ability to deliver consistent quality, optimise throughput, and build long-term customer relationships. At the forefront of this transformation is Harkirat Singh, Managing Director of Gulzar Motors, whose dealership network has emerged as a benchmark for operational efficiency and customer-centric service in Punjab.
With a strong footprint across Ludhiana and a disciplined focus on productivity, manpower retention, and system-driven growth, Gulzar Motors reflects a forward-looking approach to scaling aftermarket operations. Backed by robust OEM alignment with Maruti Suzuki, the dealership continues to evolve its service ecosystem to meet the demands of a growing vehicle parc while maintaining profitability and customer trust.
Scaling Capacity with Strategic Intent
Gulzar Motors currently operates an extensive network of workshops across Ludhiana, handling significant service volumes month-on-month. The strategy has been clear – strengthen depth before expanding width.
Harkirat Singh explains that expansion is carefully calibrated. “Our focus has been on strengthening capacity in high demand locations by scaling existing workshops with additional bays, equipment, and manpower, while selectively adding new facilities. The idea is to ensure that expansion is always demand-driven and sustainable.”
(Standing L-R) Arjun Singh, Director; Gurcharan Singh, Chairman; and Harkirat Singh, MD
With plans to add two additional body shops in the current financial year, the dealership is aligning growth with real market requirements rather than speculative expansion.
Productivity as a Core Operating Metric
High volumes demand high discipline, and productivity sits at the core of Gulzar Motors’ workshop strategy. The dealership maintains an average bay productivity of around 3.5, supported by structured monitoring and operational rigour.
Singh outlines the approach clearly. “Productivity is monitored daily at each workshop, and our focus is not just on volume, but on ensuring smooth workflow and minimising vehicle idle time within the system. Each bay is assigned a dedicated technician, and for express services, we deploy two technicians to ensure quick turnaround.”
Extended working hours, shift-based operations, and performance-linked incentives ensure that throughput is maximised without compromising turnaround time or quality.
Proactive Capacity Planning
One of the defining strengths of Gulzar Motors lies in its proactive capacity planning. With around 40 trained technicians across its network, the dealership consistently stays ahead of demand curves.
“We take a forward-looking approach by adding technicians, expanding infrastructure, and upgrading equipment ahead of demand. Reactive expansion typically leads to bottlenecks and compromises customer experience, which we consciously avoid,” Singh notes.
This strategic foresight allows the organisation to maintain service consistency even as vehicle populations grow.
Balancing Revenue Streams with Technical Integrity
A key pillar of profitability at Gulzar Motors is maintaining a healthy balance between labour and spare parts revenue, with a near 1:1 ratio.
Singh emphasises that technical correctness takes precedence over commercial considerations. “Our philosophy is neither over-repair nor over-replacement – we strictly follow OEM guidelines to ensure vehicle performance and longevity. In the body shop, we are focused on improving repair-to-replacement efficiency while reducing turnaround time, which directly impacts both revenue and customer satisfaction.”
Inventory Discipline & Parts Availability
Managing parts inventory across multiple models and ageing vehicles is a complex exercise, but Gulzar Motors has built a robust system to ensure seamless availability.
“Our approach combines automated ordering systems with internal monitoring. We actively track stock movement, conduct regular audits, and minimise dead stock through dealer network liquidation where required. At the same time, we ensure that technicians never have to wait for parts, as that directly impacts workshop efficiency,” Singh explains.
Unlocking Value-Added Services
Beyond routine servicing, Gulzar Motors is steadily building its Value-Added Services (VAS) portfolio across aesthetics, performance, and comfort.
Singh highlights the emerging opportunity in this space. “We are seeing strong potential in services like ceramic coating, underbody coating, and detailing, especially as customers become more conscious about vehicle aesthetics and long-term protection. Our current focus is on building awareness, creating infrastructure, and training teams to position these services effectively.”
Preventive maintenance offerings and structured vehicle health checks further enhance the dealership’s value proposition.
Manpower Retention – A Long-Term Differentiator
In an industry challenged by high attrition, Gulzar Motors stands out with technician retention spanning over two decades.
“Retention is not just about compensation. While we ensure timely pay and performance-linked incentives, we also focus on creating a supportive work environment where technicians feel valued and recognised. Internal promotions, job rotations, and clear career paths play a significant role in long-term retention,” Singh shares.
This stability directly translates into consistent service quality and operational continuity.
Upskilling for a Changing Mobility Landscape
With increasing vehicle complexity, continuous training is a strategic priority. Gulzar Motors integrates internal capability building with OEM-led certification programmes.
“Our effort is not just to meet certification requirements but to exceed them. With the rise of EVs and hybrid technologies, we are investing heavily in upskilling to ensure our technicians are future-ready,” Singh says.
“Right First Time” – Driving Quality & Profitability
The dealership has embedded a strong “Right First Time” (RFT) culture, recognising its direct impact on profitability and customer trust.
“Redoing a job is a profit killer. We have built a culture around accurate diagnosis, quality checks, and accountability at every level. Consistent performers are recognised and rewarded, which reinforces the importance of getting it right the first time,” Singh notes.
CRM as a Retention Engine
A dedicated CRM team at Gulzar Motors ensures continuous customer engagement, with a clear focus on meaningful KPIs.
“Our CRM team plays a critical role in building long-term relationships. Most of our executives have been with us for over five years, which adds continuity and trust. Incentives are directly linked to performance, ensuring accountability and consistency,” Singh explains.
Building Long-Term Customer Loyalty
Customer retention beyond the warranty period is driven by trust, consistency, and structured engagement strategies.
“Customer retention is built on delivering quality service at a reasonable cost and maintaining personal relationships. Over time, this creates loyalty where customers prefer returning to us rather than exploring alternatives,” Singh says.
OEM-backed programmes such as service packages and extended warranties further strengthen this ecosystem.
OEM Synergy Driving Efficiency
The dealership’s close alignment with Maruti Suzuki plays a critical role in operational standardisation and efficiency.
“MSIL provides strong backend support across training, systems, and field-level guidance. Their structured processes and continuous inputs help us refine our practices and improve overall efficiency. The biggest value addition comes from system-driven efficiency, supply chain reliability, and process standardisation,” Singh notes.
The Profitability Equation
Despite strong operational performance, achieving full service absorption remains an industry-wide challenge.
“With rising input costs and relatively stable service pricing, workshops are under pressure. While the workshop contributes significantly, it does not yet cover 100% of fixed costs. Our focus is on improving throughput, increasing labour contribution, and building additional revenue streams,” Singh explains.
Rather than aggressive cost-cutting, Gulzar Motors is focused on scaling efficiency and volume to drive sustainable profitability.
The Road Ahead – Strengthening Legacy with Modern Systems
As a third-generation business, Gulzar Motors is now entering a phase of structured transformation driven by the next generation.
“The objective is not to change what has worked, but to strengthen it with better systems, sharper insights, and a more customer-centric approach. There is a strong focus on process optimisation, data-driven decision-making, and enhancing the overall customer experience,” Singh concludes.
