National carmaker Proton Group has been actively rebranding itself over the past few years and one of their main challenges was to break away from its ‘power windows’ problem that it has been facing over the past. According to Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Abidin, theManaging Director of Proton, the brand is no longer associated with problematic power windows. Of course, unless and unless you are still driving the first or second generation Proton Iswaras.
In fact, so confident is the company that they have solved that problem that they are now promoting that their windows are ‘defect free’ and that they will soon be offering lifetime warranties for their power windows. He was speaking a quality campaign recently where he said that while the power window system fitted into Proton is free of defects, it is still difficult to change the negative perceptions of the customer and the market.
He said that the quality in Proton cars have already improved by leaps and bounds but it is in the shaking off the negative image of the brand which makes it difficult. That remains as the biggest challenge for Proton. He added that perhaps a lifetime guarantee could be the ‘once and for all’ solution so as to prove their confidence in their products. Meanwhile, Proton is working and finalizing the terms of conditions of the proposed terms and conditions which would be done by the end of the month.
He shared a personal experience at the talk where he said that while sitting behind a Proton Waja taxi, the driver used the door instead of winding down the windows. Upon asking the driver, he found out that the driver did not use the window not because it was faulty but did not want to overuse it in fear of it ‘breaking down’. Hence he gave his card to the driver and a personal assurance that the power window will work and if it doesn’t he can call Zainal anytime. So far, no calls have been received. Certainly, it would be one of the biggest challenge for the company to try and shake off such negative perceptions which have been built over the years.
