Filipinos are known to be very particular when it comes to brands that they choose – which is why being hailed as part of the brand leaders of the annual The Filipino Times Awards here in the UAE is a prized win after being voted for by thousands of Filipinos here in the country.
For car brands Honda and Toyota, brand recall with Filipinos resonated from their years of building relationships with the public in the Philippines that stayed on top of mind of Filipinos who now drive at across UAE’s roads.
Establishing Trust
Aurelio ‘Lito’ German, General Manager of Brand and Marketing for Al-Futtaim Toyota said that winning The Filipino Times Awards’ ‘Preferred SUV Car of the Year’ builds stronger relationship with their Filipino customers as it brings with it an authentic connection with the Filipino market. “The Filipino Times Awards we’ve received helped to reinforce the trust that the Filipino community have in Toyota. As an organization, we have worked hard through the years to establish this trust by providing the best quality products and services, and by striving to constantly improve and never rest on our laurels,” shared German.
Fardeen Sara, General Manager – Sales & Operations at Al-Futtaim Honda, said that Honda has definitely made a mark with the Filipino community as it was continuously hailed as the winner of the ‘Preferred Sedan Car Brand of the Year’ for four straight years. “Honda owners tend to be brand loyalists and we find this especially true for the Filipino community. The community has voted Honda as the ‘Preferred Sedan Car Brand of the Year’ for the fourth year in a row. This recognition is further testament to how customers acknowledge Honda cars for their outstanding quality, durability, reliability and performance. This appreciation is extremely important to us as we continue to place the customer at the centre of everything we do,” said Sara.
Increased sales
Sara furthered that there was a ‘strong interest’ accompanied by a ‘notable increase’ of sales when it comes to their Honda models when they were hailed as winners of the award. “The Filipino community buys across the Honda range but there is a strong affinity towards the sporty sedans particularly the Honda City and Civic models. In the last year, we’ve seen a strong interest from the community for the Honda Pilot with sales increasing by 10% (vs. last year) for the model,” shares Sara.
Service powered by the Filipino brand of empathy
German likewise shared that the service of Toyota doesn’t stop when the drivers leave with their newly bought car, it extends to the service that they manage to provide not just for Filipinos, but for other nationalities as well. “It also helps that within Al Futtaim Motors, we have a large Filipino workforce including myself, across all levels — from greeters and technicians to senior managers. This helps us understand our customers’ needs and serve them in the best way we can. In this regard, serving our customers is our ultimate objective. The awards we receive are simply much appreciated by-products of the service that we provide,” said German.
The Filipino Times Awards is now on its 5th year and is currently accepting nominations from the public for both individual and brand categories until August 30.
To nominate, visit: www.thefilipinotimesawards.com
