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41 AutoData | March 2018 Wiping the net Number of active concessionaires in Brazil 2 098 Motorcycles 2 450 Motorcycles 4 120 7 330 6 056 Automobiles and light commercials 3 394 Automobiles and light commercials 760 Trucks, buses and agricultural machinery 564 Trucks, buses and agricultural machinery 2015 2018 mental success recipe for the automaker that wants good sales numbers. An excellent example of this is Ge- neral Motors, the market leader in the last two years under the Chevrolet brand. According to Carlos Zarlenga, president of the manufacturer, “this moment that GM is living today, market leadership, has everything to do with the relationship with the network. Big part of our success is because of them.” PART OF THE HOUSE The executive explains that recently a work has been done with the dealers, “mainly during the crisis, to improve the performance and the quality in the distri- bution”. The Chevrolet network today has the ideal size, he calculates. For Zarlenga “the dealers are not com- mercial partners, they are part of the hou- se. We worked the strategy together with Abrac [Brazilian Association of Chevrolet Dealers], and their structure is very good. We react quickly to what the network in- forms us, it is our challenge as a team”. The president of GMMercosul reveals that when the Chevrolet portfolio was totally renewed in the Country “it was the dealers who gave us theway, the best way to reach the consumer. We really believe in their customer knowledge”. One item that has always been discus- sed in the relations of the manufacturers with their distributors is the profitability, and according to Zarlenga there was also good evolution here: “it has improved a lot and at this point and the volume helps. But it is importante to mention that the network did a great job with the reducing costs. Now I say to them: keep the cost at the level you are at and let sales grow”. Who also agrees with the theory that good relationship means good result is Daniel Kelemen, president of Abrahy, Brazilian Hyundai Dealers Association, founded in 1994. A good summary is the current situation of the brand in the ma- rket, as the leader states: “Everything that is produced, is sold”. Position on January 1st of each year. Source: Fenabrave