General Manager, Group After-Sales

The General Manager, Group After-Sales is responsible for the overall after-sales service strategy and operations across all brands represented by CIG Motors (GAC, Wuling, JMC, and others). This role is a horizontal leadership position ensuring that once vehicles are sold, the customer experience through warranty, maintenance, and parts supply is first-class across the group. The GM, After-Sales safeguards the company’s reputation by delivering on service promises, driving customer satisfaction, and creating repeat business through excellent support. In essence, this role underpins all the brand promises reinforcing that CIG Motors not only sells vehicles but also stands behind them throughout their lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities: The Group After-Sales GM’s responsibilities span service operations, parts management, and customer support at a strategic level:

• After-Sales Strategy & Standards: Develop and implement a unified after-sales strategy for CIG Motors that supports each brand’s positioning while optimizing group resources. Set service quality standards and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to be used across all service centers and authorized workshops. This includes establishing guidelines for quick service, repairs, customer handling, warranty processing, etc., that meet or exceed manufacturer requirements and local customer expectations.
• Service Network Management: Oversee CIG’s network of service centers (company-owned and authorized dealer workshops) nationwide. Ensure adequate service coverage for all brands – customers should have accessible service points in major regions. The GM will decide on establishing new service facilities or accrediting new workshops if gaps exist. They also ensure existing workshops comply with tooling, equipment, and facility standards for multi-brand support. Regular audits of service centers for quality, efficiency, and adherence to process fall under this purview.
• Parts & Supply Chain: Manage the spare parts and accessories operations for the group. This involves forecasting demand for each brand’s parts, maintaining optimal inventory levels, and ensuring fast distribution of parts to all service outlets. The GM should implement robust inventory control and procurement systems to maximize parts availability while minimizing excess stock. Key metrics like fill rate (percentage of parts available when needed) and inventory turnover are monitored. Vendor relationships (with the OEMs for genuine parts, or local suppliers for consumables) are maintained and negotiated by this role.
• Technical Support & Training: Provide leadership to technical teams and act as the top escalation point for complex vehicle issues. Ensure that each brand’s technical problems are resolved effectively by coordinating with the manufacturers’ technical support when needed. The GM must also champion training programs: technicians and service advisors across the network should receive continuous training on new models, EV systems, diesel systems, etc. Developing local expertise (including master technicians for each brand) is a critical outcome for sustainable service quality.
• Customer Care & Warranty Management: Oversee the customer service processes post-sale, including handling of customer complaints, goodwill decisions, and recall or service campaign execution. The GM sets the tone for customer care – e.g. instituting prompt communication, transparent pricing for repairs, and follow-up on service satisfaction. They also manage warranty administration: ensuring warranty claims are processed correctly and cost-effectively, and negotiating warranty support with OEMs to cover major defects. Monitoring warranty cost trends and initiating corrective actions (like training or quality feedback to OEMs) are part of this responsibility.
• Financial Performance of After-Sales: While service is a support function, it is also a significant profit center (from service labor and parts sales). The GM is responsible for after-sales P&L – setting labor rates, parts pricing strategies, and profitability targets for service operations. They must ensure efficiency (high throughput, optimal staffing) to maximize revenue and margin in after-sales without compromising quality. Regular performance metrics include service revenue per repair order, gross margin on parts and labor, and overall contribution of after-sales to the group profit.
• Reporting & Continuous Improvement: Provide regular reports on after-sales performance to the executive team. This includes KPIs like service volumes, parts sales, customer satisfaction scores, and any serious issues affecting customer experience. Use these reports to identify trends (e.g. a recurring failure on a model, or a region with low satisfaction) and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

Commercial KPIs: Key performance indicators for the After-Sales GM focus on service effectiveness, efficiency, and customer satisfaction across all brands:

• Customer Satisfaction & Loyalty: Measured via CSI scores or feedback surveys for service experience. A high satisfaction rating and positive customer testimonials indicate success. Repeat service retention rates (what percentage of customers return to CIG service for maintenance) and post-warranty service retention are also tracked, as they translate to loyalty and future sales.
• Service Volume & Utilization: Number of vehicles serviced per month (by brand, by location) and the utilization rate of workshop capacity. Achieving a high throughput without excessive backlogs means the network is both busy and efficient. KPIs like average service lead time (time to get a service appointment) and repair turnaround time gauge if capacity matches demand.
• First-Time Fix Rate: The percentage of issues resolved on the first visit, without repeat work. This is crucial for customer confidence and operational efficiency. A high first-time fix rate indicates strong technical competence and proper diagnostics, aligning with the “deliver” aspect of our brand promises.
• Parts Supply Metrics: Parts availability rate (fill rate) and parts inventory turnover. For example, a target might be a 95% fill rate for fast-moving parts, meaning the vast majority of parts requests are met immediately from stock. Inventory turnover measures how well stock is managed (avoiding tying up capital in slow stock).
• Financial KPIs: After-sales revenue (from service labor, parts, extended warranties, etc.) against targets, and profit margins. This could include the ratio of after-sales revenue to vehicle sales (to ensure after-sales is contributing strongly). Cost control metrics, such as warranty cost as a percentage of sales, are also tracked; the GM is expected to minimize avoidable warranty expenses by proactive quality measures.
• Training & Certification: Although not financial, an internal KPI may be the number of technicians certified at various levels for each brand, or training hours provided. These ensure that service quality will be sustained and improved over time

Ideal Candidate Profile: The ideal candidate for Group After-Sales GM is an automotive after-sales expert with broad experience and strong leadership skills.

Key attributes:

• Extensive Aftersales Experience: 10+ years in automotive after-sales management with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role (e.g. Aftersales Director, Service Operations Manager, or National Service Manager). The candidate should have a track record managing large service operations, preferably covering multiple locations or multiple brands. Experience with a reputable automotive OEM or dealer network known for service excellence
• Technical and Operational Mastery: In-depth understanding of vehicle service processes, diagnostics, and parts operations. The candidate should be comfortable discussing technical issues (engine, EV systems, diagnostics software) and have overseen workshops and parts warehouses. Familiarity with warranty claim processes and service quality control is essential. An engineering background (automotive or mechanical) or strong technical training is highly beneficial.
• Leadership & Team Management: Proven ability to lead large cross-functional teams of after-sales staff (service managers, technical trainers, parts managers, customer care). The role requires coordinating service advisors, technicians, parts staff, warranty administrators, etc., across different locations. The candidate must be adept at setting performance targets, monitoring results, and coaching teams for improvement.
• Customer-Centric Mindset: A genuine focus on customer satisfaction and empathy for customer issues. The candidate should have examples of how they improved customer service or solved major customer pain points in previous roles. Because after-sales often deals with unhappy customers (when things go wrong), the GM must excel in crisis resolution and maintain a calm, solution-oriented approach.
• Business & Financial Acumen: Solid grasp of after-sales financials – capable of managing a P&L, analyzing profitability, and optimizing operations for cost-effectiveness. They should understand how after-sales drives business performance (both as a profit center and as a driver of vehicle sales through brand reputation). Experience implementing efficiency improvements (like throughput increase, cost reduction initiatives, or digital service systems) would be valuable.
• Qualifications: A bachelor’s degree in a related field (Engineering, Business Administration) is expected. Additional certifications or training in automotive service management are a plus. Professional certifications (e.g. from automotive manufacturer training programs or Institute of the Motor Industry certifications) signal a commitment to the field. An MBA could be an advantage if coupled with technical experience, but practical service management expertise is weighted more heavily.

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