Meeting global standards
For the past three years, I’ve been driving a Hyundai Santa Fe and have been more than happy with its performance and diesel consumption. Before the Santa Fe, I was driving a Tucson; and back in the late 1990s, the Starex was one of the first vans I got as a family vehicle. So it’s fair to say I’ve been a Hyundai hard fan from way back, appreciative of how this Korean car manufacturer was a compelling choice when it came to performance and design, coupled with very competitive pricing. Today, the Premium Hyundai Sonata comes in for P1.6 million, while the comparable model of a noted Japanese maker costs P2 million; and the new Starex limousine comes with a bubble top, captain’s seats and a 21-inch screen TV.
So when I received an invitation from lawyer Lyne San Juan-Ponferrada to attend the grand opening of the Hyundai Commonwealth dealership, I was more than curious to see for myself what would make this Commonwealth branch different, aligned as it was with Hyundai global standards for its “Modern Premium” showrooms, a showcase and testimonial to its 2011 marketing tagline of “New Thinking, New Possibilities.” After all, in practically a wink of an eye in terms of automotive history, Hyundai has zoomed up the ranks to emerge as the fifth in global auto sales, number 8 in global brand value; and here in the Philippines, third in private vehicle sales. If in decades pasts, the Hyundai was perceived as the second car one would purchase for coding days, this was no longer the case; and Hyundai Commonwealth, recipient of the 2010 Dealer Excellence Award from Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), was among those at the forefront of this dramatic surge in the imaging and brand recall of Hyundai. Set up in 2004 by Lyne’s father, they sold 100 units in less than a year, and have not looked back since.
As Lyne likes to emphasize, the concept of “Modern Premium” is not just about the facilities and physical space — although there is a lot to say in that regard, as we will see. It also has as much to do with attitude and the approach to selling. At Hyundai Commonwealth, it’s all about bringing the luxe experience to any customer who walks through the door. From all walks of life, they’re entitled to, and guaranteed, this luxe experience as a potential Hyundai car owner. Occupying 4,800 sq. m., the showroom can accommodate 10 vehicles at one time, there’s a customer lounge with complimentary WiFi, a flat screen TV, comfortable lounge seats and hot and cold beverages. The showroom is open every day, and plans are afoot to eventually introduce “Jet Service,” a commitment to have one’s 1,000 km. and 5,000 km. regular service check-up done in two hours, a quick turnaround that’s unheard of so far in the industry.
Novels by authors from all over the world! A 2005 Law graduate, Lyne has harnessed her law expertise and business acumen to be one of the formidable women entrenched in the automotive industry of today. And at the distributorship level, she also pays kudos to Fe Agudo at HARI. With these women, it’s not just about selling, but also about building lifelong relationships — something I will admit, under duress, women are generally better equipped to create! It’s a Hyundai-hard experience that’s tough to beat, and Lyne and Hyundai Commonwealth invite us to get it first-hand by walking through their doors.
...And of global proportions
Our authors today hail from Canada (but writing about England), India and the United States (but with our own Philippines as backdrop). There’s mystery, action, deduction in all three novels; and they make for great armchair reading.
A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley (available at National Bookstore): Third in the Flavia de Luce series, our intrepid 11-year-old chemist/detective is back again with an engrossing mystery. Her skewed perspective — bullied by her older sisters, patronized by her widower father, and tolerated by the local constabulary — is as engaging as ever, and it’s her asides that make reading so enjoyable. The mystery/crime this time has to do with secret religious sects, the way Gypsies are treated with suspicion, and how pastoral village life can often conceal an underlay of criminal activities and nasty goings-on. It’s post-war England, and am constantly amazed with how this Canadian writer feels so at home in this milieu, and successfully portrays the mind of a precocious 11-year-old girl!
6 Suspects by Vikas Swarup (available at National Bookstore): If Agatha Christie’s Orient Express ended up in the Mumbai of today, this novel by Vikas Swarup (author of Q&A, which was adapted for film as Slumdog Millionaire) could very well be the result. It’s a parlour-room mystery that turns into a searing indictment of all the gory glory that is modern India. Vicky Rai, playboy millionaire, is murdered at his home on the night of his party celebrating his acquittal for murder. Six guests become suspects, as they are all in possession of firearms. While the American cowboy and tribal native are a tad too cliched and exhibiting the prevalent prejudices of Indians, the Bollywood actress and the two corrupt politicians are truly successful creations. Ambitious, and Swarup pulls it off!
Moondogs by Alexander Yates (available at National Bookstore): While Yates is a young writer, he’s been acknowledged as promising for his short stories, and the reason why Moondogs should be of special interest to us is that the novel’s setting is the Philippines! He spent some years as a child and came back to work with the Embassy. Yates understands our culture and while there is violence, mayhem and political intrigue, it’s written with an underlay of magical realism, with brujos and paranormal powers as part of the scenario. The elements are an American businessman kidnapped just as his estranged son is about to visit, a renegade police squad headed by a legendary police cop whose exploits have been immortalized on screen such that the actor who plays him is now running for senator! And add an Embassy spokeswoman whose family life is crumbling.
