FLEETDRIVE
“ Don ’ t go too far too fast .”
“ We ’ re a business about continuous improvement .”
Much like Rod , the essence of Isuzu UTE is about evolving . “ We ’ re a business about continuous improvement ,” he said . True to his philosophy on timeliness , the key to adapting to an ever-changing industry landscape is staying relevant . But what is the key to staying relevant , especially in Australia ?
Simple — it ’ s knowing what your customers need .
“ You jump straight into electric gear and all of a sudden , you become totally irrelevant to the market because no one knows about it . You can ’ t plug into a tree . You can ’ t take a jerrycan full of battery with you ,” Rod joked , but the core of this jest rings true as an honest observation of his market . “ It ’ s about not resisting change but being very smart with the transitions .”
Expertly navigating the changes in a large market such as Australia ’ s is a key part of Isuzu UTE ’ s business . Australia ’ s vehicle market , as Rod notes , is the biggest export market outside of Thailand . “ We have the ability , by listening to our customers telling us what they want , [...] to influence the future .”
It seems like a huge task , keeping tabs on a large vehicle market such as Australia ’ s . Most organisations utilise wide-reaching surveys or market tests , but Isuzu UTE communicates directly with their clients .
“ We ’ ve set up client-advisory boards ,” Rod replied . “ We listen to our customers more than we ever have . We need to know what they ’ re thinking more than ever . [...] The key to that is spending time with our customers .”
By maximising direct contact with their clients , Isuzu UTE is in-touch with customer needs and with their greater market . This allows them the leeway to be flexible and innovative , with the ability to build stronger client relationships .
Organisational flexibility isn ’ t all about the external factors . The internal parts of a business need to be just as strong and responsive . The flurry of interruptions from the pandemic caused shifts in work schedules , locations , and methods of communication . Though , a worldwide epidemic isn ’ t necessary for a business to internally evolve .
“ This world keeps changing , so any personal development helps you keep up ,” Rod noted .
ISSUE 50 DECEMBER 2024 / WWW . AFMA . ORG . AU 31