Royal Enfield is a brand associated with power and royalty. This can be attributed in part to his long association with the Indian Armed Forces, his history in England and his unique Thump sound that attracts attention.
To understand how Royal Enfield (RE) manages to keep loyal customers in a country where:
1. Gas prices are very high and the average RE fuel bicycle is lower compared to competitors,
2. comparatively cheaper and good design bikes that offer new advanced features are available,
3. other companies strongly announce their bicycles, while RE barely uses advertisements
I decided to go to the actual Enfield store in Adyar, Chennai which is one of the few showrooms of the RE company in Chennai.
Pre-Visit to the Showroom
I looked online and found that there were seven RE exhibition halls in Chennai. RE also has its manufacturing plant in Chennai. The most famous showroom based on online communities was the Adyar RE showroom. Prior to my visit to the store, I called the owner, Mr. D.U. Venkatraman and informed him of my purpose. He asked me to come to the showroom one Sunday.
Observations during the visit
Upon arrival I met with Mr. Shubhu who was a salesman in the showroom. He provided me with some ideas about the showroom and the various types of clients coming into the showroom. Then I made my observations from the showroom and the customer experience.
Layout of the plant:
• Only a few models remained and the rest of the floor was empty giving customers plenty of space. This was refreshing and gave us a feeling of freedom and choice.
• The walls of the showroom were filled with posters of RE Bikes and the company's Evolution story through the ages. This was interesting as it clearly indicated the historical roots and rich history of the company.
• The showroom was well lit by both natural and artificial lights. The temperature was moderate and it felt cool refreshing inside.
• The showroom was designed in such a way that outsiders could easily see the customers inside. I think this adds to the customer experience as it makes customers feel respected by outsiders and increases their own image.
• The showroom has shown the full range of motorcycles from the basic 350cc model to the Classic 500 Chrome and Desert Storm and also in all colors so customers can zero in on their choice.