The prestigious motorcycle brand receives Statista’s and Philippine Daily Inquirer’s first-ever Best Customer Service Award
Philippine Daily Inquirer President and CEO Atty. Rudyard Arbolado presents the Best Customer Service Award to Yamaha Motor Philippines President Hiroshi Koike
In today’s high-tech world, customer service has taken quite the drastic turn. With solutions such as artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, more often than not, we find ourselves communicating directly with ‘bots instead of humans. Sure, ‘bots may reply faster and direct you to relevant solutions or links much quicker than any customer service representative can say “Ma/am, Sir” but what we gain in speed and perhaps accuracy, we lose in warmth and the individualized service we get from human-to-human interaction.
Yamaha Motor Philippines believes in finding that fine balance between making the most out of today’s technologies while still keeping the geniality of personal connection. So, it’s not a surprise that the company received Statista’s and Philippine Daily Inquirer’s very first edition of the Philippines’ Best Customer Service Award. This distinction was given to brands selected based on an independent survey of almost 11,000 Filipino customers who have used services or made purchases in the past three years. This is a landmark achievement for Yamaha Motor Philippines, as it beat others in the motor vehicle retailer category, including popular automotive manufacturers.
True to their brand slogan, Yamaha Motor Philippines has been “revving the hearts” of its customers since its launch in the country in 2007, and even more so with the introduction of its big bike segment in 2015.
“Our customer service has definitely evolved when we launched big bikes here,” says Yamaha Motor Philippines’ President Hiroshi Koike. “When we came here, the major market was tricycles. Eventually, motorcycles started to be perceived as one of the personal mobility choices (for Filipinos). And as the roads got smoother, more people started to buy automatic, the area we’re strong at. Now, many people have started to look at motorcycles beyond transportation–it’s become a lifestyle.”
And that’s exactly what the well-loved brand has started offering its customers, especially those who have started to include motorcycling as part of their lifestyle, passion or hobby.
Adds Sales and Marketing Director Shinsuke Iida, “We’ve started to introduce different activities for big bike customers. Yamaha, after all, believes in the joy of riding–we aim to rev up your heart and body just like an engine. So, we always want to give opportunities for our customers to enjoy riding their motorcycles and making the most out of their capabilities and bike features.”
From pickleball tournaments and bike launches to organized rides and fun events that highlight a bike’s unique features, Yamaha Motor Philippines always finds creative ways to engage with existing and potential customers. For instance, the company held a fashion show for their stylish and widely popular Yamaha Fazzio kast year. They also have Yamaha Club (YClub), an exclusive group for Yamaha motorcycle customers that provides exceptional experiences and builds camaraderie among members. To date, YClub, which was founded 13 years ago, boasts a roster of 60 accredited clubs. Last year, YClub hosted three legs of YClub Mania–one each in Alabang, Cebu and Davao. Each of the events treated members to fun breakfast rides, and games, and other activities to build fellowship.
On the other hand, Yamaha Motor Philippines’ sales, service and customer representative personnel receive regular training so they’re up-to-speed when it comes to Yamaha’s different motorcycles and their features, as well as how to address concerns and issues properly.
Even those who have recently started their big bike journey can attest to the exceptional pre- and post-sales service they’ve received from Yamaha.
Mike Pua recounts that he was disappointed by other brands’ responses when he visited their showrooms to make his first big bike purchase. He was either not attended to closely or dissuaded from buying a particular model he showed interest in. This was such a stark contrast to the warmth he received when he messaged a Yamaha sales representative and then visited YZone in Greenfield.
“The sales rep I messaged was very responsive and honest and up front,” he said. “When I went to YZone to pick up the XSR700 I wanted, there was free coffee and the whole process took about an hour.”
The representative, after learning that it was Mike’s first time to ride a big bike, watched him closely go around the block twice before giving him the go signal to ride the bike home. Even after-sales service was a breeze, according to Mike. Appointments were made easily over Viber and you can even watch your bike being serviced while relaxing at YZone’s lounge.
Yamaha SR400 owner Myra Zamora agrees that Yamaha Motor Philippines’ service has always been top-notch. “Allen, the chief mechanic of YZone, has become my go-to person whenever I had questions about my bike,” she said. “I never had a problem scheduling services and it’s always a pleasant experience in the lounge.”
The Best Customer Service Award, is indeed, a well-deserved distinction for Yamaha Motor Philippines. For the company, the award means a lot.
“This award connects us with the customers and how customers perceive how we do things,” stresses Koike. “I think it’s the right time to really emphasize that we’re focusing more on the quality, not just our quantity (sales). What makes this very honorable for us is the fact that we’re not only above among our competitors, we’re even above other well-loved car manufacturers in the country, which we respect very much. In many ways, this really means a lot. And hopefully, this gives encouragement for all the people who have been working hard for us.”
