Maruti introduces new hygiene norms for dealerships amid Covid-19 pandemic

The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) on Wednesday said it has put in place a comprehensive standard operating procedure (SoP) for its dealerships across the country amid Covid-19 pandemic.

The process ensures highest level of hygiene and sanitisation across all its showrooms for the safety of its customers and employees, MSI said in a statement. The Covid-19 SoP designed by the company encapsulates all the facets of customer interactions, MSI said.

From the time a customer walks into the showroom till the final delivery of the vehicle, all processes have been scientifically studied, it added.

After the implementation of these SoPs, and based on approvals from state governments, company dealerships have started to open and deliver the cars to waiting customers, it added.

"All our dealerships have put in place steps to ensure complete safety, hygiene and sanitisation of all touchpoints," MSI Managing Director and CEO Kenichi Ayukawa said.

The auto major said it now offers the door-step delivery of cars. Besides, the dealerships will carry out complete sterilisation of the test-drive vehicles, it added.

MSI currently has around 3,080 dealerships across 1,960 cities and towns in the country.

Flipkart India's most preferred workplace; Amazon, Oyo come next: LinkedIn

Company News

Walmart-owned Flipkart is the most preferred workplace in India, followed by Amazon and Oyo in the second and third places, respectively, according to a list compiled by professional social media network LinkedIn.

Internet companies dominate the top 10 spots in LinkedIn's fourth edition of the '2019 Top Companies' list for India.

IT giant Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) made its debut at the seventh place, new entrants and homegrown internet and consumer services companies Swiggy and Zomato were ranked sixth and eighth, respectively.

Uber, another new entrant, took the fifth spot, while, One97 Communications was at the fourth rank and Oil and Energy conglomerate Reliance Industries was at the 10th place.

Others on the list include consulting firm Boston Consulting Group (BCG) at 13th, Yes Bank (14), IBM (15), Daimler AG (16), Freshworks (17), Accenture (18), Ola (19), ICICI Bank (20), PwC India (21), KPMG India (22), Larsen & Toubro (23), Oracle (24), and Qualcomm (25).

"This year, half the companies are new entrants on the list, including IT giants such as TCS and IBM that showcase the changing job and hiring landscape," said LinkedIn India Managing Editor Adith Charlie.

Charlie further said that "the presence of more blue chip Indian companies such as Larsen & Toubro and Reliance Industries, among others emphasises the fact that these large firms are getting better at attracting millennials employees".


 The report further noted that majority of companies on the list made maximum new hiring for engineering jobs followed by operations and business development.

Mahindra to increase price of vehicles by up to Rs 73,000 from April

Company News

Auto major Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) Thursday said it will increase the price of its passenger and commercial vehicles by Rs 5,000 to Rs 73,000 from April to partially offset the impact of rising input costs.

The price of the company's vehicles will go up by 0.5 per cent to 2.7 per cent from next month due to the price hike, the company said in a statement.

"This year has seen record high commodity price increases. Further there are regulatory requirements effective April 1 that have also led to cost increases.

While we have made efforts to reduce our costs, it has not been possible to hold back the price increase," M&M President Automotive Sector Rajan Wadhera said in the statement.
Consequently, the company is taking a price increase from April 1, he added.

The company sells various utility vehicles ranging from newly launched compact SUV XUV300 to premium SUV Alturas G4. M&M also sells various commercial vehicles including Supro and Jeeto in the domestic market.

Earlier this week, French car maker Renault had announced increase in price of Kwid range in India by up to 3 per cent from April.

Last week, Tata Motors had also announced increase in price of its passenger vehicles by up to Rs 25,000 from April on account of rising input costs and external economic conditions.

 M&M joins the likes of Toyota and Jaguar Land Rover which have also stated that they would raise price of select models from April.

Jet shares rise on report that airline has secured $293-mn loan from PNB

Companies News

Shares of Jet Airways Ltd rose as much as 4.8 per cent to Rs 255, the highest in over a month, after a report said the debt-laden carrier has secured a loan of Rs 20.50 billion ($293.07 million) from the Punjab National Bank (PNB).

The airline has raised foreign currency term loans worth Rs 11 billion and a non-fund based credit facility of Rs 9.50 billion from PNB, according to copies of loan documents reviewed by Indian daily Mint.

Jet and PNB did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The loan documents mention that Jet will use the credit facility for its working capital needs, but the money would be mainly used to pay rental dues to aircraft lessors and salary arrears, Mint reported, citing a source familiar with the matter.

Jet said last week another three aircraft had been grounded due to its failure to make payments, taking the total number to 28, but it has not specified the lessors involved.


 The airline has an option to sell down as much as Rs 2.50 billion of the term loan to other investors, Mint added...