ON THE ‘FASTEST’ LANE
In the context of family businesses, it is often said, “Shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations.” In other words, the aforementioned proverb heralds the third-generation curse, meaning family enterprises tend to lose a significant portion of their wealth by the third generation. However, considering the case of the Gautam Modi Group, which is clearly an anomaly, the family-based organisation, which is now running into its third generation, has defied all odds and gone from strength to strength.
Gautam Modi, a second-generation entrepreneur in the automobile business, is at the helm of the Gautam Modi Group. He is blessed with two daughters, Nidhi and Manasi, who have joined him. Reckoned as India’s one of the leading automobile dealership group, Gautam Modi Group has been in the business since 1932.
Gautam recalls, “My grandfather started the dealership business when he shifted from Saurashtra to Gwalior. We were the first family to bring oil to Gwalior. We were the dealers of Burma Shell and had one hand pump in the heart of Gwalior providing kerosene. Besides, we had many petrol pumps in the district.”
Nidhi Modi
Director, Gautam Modi Group
After gaining experience on the dealership front, the Modi family ventured into automobiles in 1932. To begin with, they became the sub-dealers of Chevrolet cars under Prem Nath in Delhi. “We imported cars and sold to royal families,” says Gautam. They were also the wholesalers of tyres.
Gradually, the Modi family ventured into the dealership of Massey Ferguson tractors in the early 1940s. “Back then, people had a myth that tractors would burn their crops. It was challenging to sell tractors, but somehow, we managed to sail through,” notes Gautam.
Mansi Modi
Director, Gautam Modi Group
In 1969, they started with the dealership of premier cars and buses. Three years later, they acquired their first dealership of Mahindra cars in Jabalpur. After spending time in Madhya Pradesh, Gautam and his brother came to Mumbai in 1979. He started with the dealership of Massey Ferguson tractors, followed by Ramona motorcycles, LML Vespa in Thane (1987), and Royal Enfield motorcycles (1992). While it may seem like a bed of roses for Gautam, it was not the case. He came across legions of challenges in the mid-1980s, including the failure of food trucks and a host of myths associated with tractors that dented the sales.
The year 2000 was a watershed for the Gautam Modi Group. It obtained the dealership of Hyundai. Within four months, it became the second-largest dealer in Mumbai and achieved the numero uno position in Maharashtra within one and a half years. To date, the Gautam Modi Group continues to rule the roost in the Hyundai dealership space, which has a presence in Santacruz, Vasai, Virar, and Wada. Additionally, it has had a Ford dealership since 2009, a Hero Honda dealership in Malad, and MG dealerships in Prabhadevi, Malad, and Jogeshwari since 2019.
Gautam avers, “Over the years, we have dealt in different segments, including luxury cars and affordable automobiles, to name a few. We have a dedicated section to address the service issues in every facility, which 90% of the dealers in India don’t have. We deliver timely service and boast of top-drawer offerings, the corollary of which is we are blessed with a loyal customer base. Recently, one of our customers had booked a Mahindra car from some other dealer, but when he learnt about our newly launched Mahindra dealership in July this year in Thane, he cancelled that booking and booked a car with us.” Celebrities like Shahrukh Khan and Parineeti Chopra have also bought their wheels from the Gautam Modi Group.
Like father, like daughters, in 2010, Gautam’s elder daughter Nidhi joined the family business after completing her education in business management from the eminent S.P. Jain Institute. Manasi, the younger daughter, too, has decided to take the family business to its zenith. She joined the forces after completing her MBA from the UK. While Nidhi looks after the overall Gautam Modi Group, Manasi oversees the Hyundai facilities. Besides, Nidhi is actively involved in women’s empowerment drives.
When the next generation joins the business, there will inevitably be a positive change as refreshing ideas come to the fore. Gautam says, “The next generation has brought about a paradigm shift in the business. Earlier, we were more product-based. Now we follow a 360-degree approach with emphasis on customer centricity.”
He adds, “About 30 million cars are sold annually in India. Buying a four-wheeler has become more of a necessity than a luxury. Every client that visits our showroom is advised and guided properly before they make the purchase.” Speaking about the EV, Gautam states, “EV technology is yet to establish its footprint in our country. I don’t think it will completely replace conventional IC engine cars due to the shortage of electricity we face in India. However, car technology is evolving, and in the near future, we will see ADAS (advanced driver assistance system) in all our cars.”
Gautam Modi Group has been a boon to car lovers and society in general. It has the lion’s share in the smooth running of over 2000 families. To further contribute towards society, Gautam Modi is associated with schools such as Utpal Shanghvi Global School in Juhu as the Vice President and C.P. Goenka School in Borivali.
Before signing off, Gautam sheds light on the most recent dealership of Gautam Modi Group in Thane, “Mahindra showroom is spread over a sprawling area of three acres. It is equipped with 40 service bays armed with 51 trained mechanics that can service up to 1400 cars a month. It has a huge body shop where we sell passenger and commercial vehicles under one roof. It also features a dedicated adventure model test track to offer off-road experiences for Mahindra’s SUV enthusiasts.”
It is quite ironic that Gautam Modi himself is not the biggest of car lovers, but his passion for making people happy with his top-notch car offerings is unparalleled.
Read E-Magazine : KYT (Know Your Town) Sept 23
