Benchmarking

BENCHMARKING

Benchmarking is the technical word of comparison. It is the structured comparison between the similar products, similar processes or services. In the pre-design and development phase of vehicle development process (VDP), there are two stages of benchmarking- Benchmarking 1, Benchmarking 2. Benchmarking 1- It is the product level comparison, In this stage we will be defining the competitors, defining the price, defining the features and defining the specifications for the segment. Benchmarking 2- It is the part level comparison, In this stage we will be comparing our's with the competitor's product in part level.

In the benchmarking stage, we will be comparing our's with the existing products that is available in the market, we will be implementing the plus points of the competitor's product in our own product.

In the defined manner, Benchmarking is the process of comparing one's business process and performance metrics to industries bests and/or best practises from other industries.

The goal of the benchmarking is to create new methods or improve current processes to meet that higher standard. It is not a one time effort. Rather, it is another part of continuous process improvement that the best organizations commit to if they want to stay competetive.

There are four main types of benchmarking-

• Internal benchmarking- It is the process of analyzing our own company's performance, processes to determine best practices and identify the areas for improvement. This may be necessary if comparable industries are not readily available
• External benchmarking- It is the process of comparing our company's performance, processes to other competitor's organizations.
• Performance benchmarking
• Practise benchmarking- It is a type of internal benchmarking that evaluates practices and processes for optimization

CASE STUDY

Mr. D. S. Pughazhyendhii is a married man who lives in Bangalore which is highly crowded city. His family comprises five members including his wife, a five-year-old boy, his father, his mother. He visits his native place Madurai which is 500kms away from Bangalore once a month. Also, he will be using his car to commute to his office. His budget falls between 8 to 10 lakhs on road. Please suggest to him options so that he will buy a good car for his family.

NOTE: Pughazhyendhii is fond of big cars

My point of view-

Major requirements

• Since he needs a good family car, safety should be given the utmost priority
• It must have a good turning radius to make it ideal for crowded cities like Bangalore
• Great mileage, since he travels far distance
• 5-7 Seaters for his family members
• Budget friendly ( Must fall under the budget )
• Superior Aesthetic appearance
• Light weight- Which in turn improves the fuel efficiency of the car
• Good Boot space- Ideal choice for big families
• Must have good legroom and headroom

Comparison of 4 vehicles ( Compact SUV ) that are currently present in the Indian market-

1. Mahindra Bolero Neo
2. Maruti Suzuki Brezza
3. Honda WR-V
4. Hyundai Venue

1. Mahindra Bolero Neo ( 8.56- 10.8 lakh )

Pros:

Ride- Below the speed limit, there's an incredibly cushy ride over any road surface, gives a wonderful driving experience

Affordable price

Anti lock braking system

Power steering

Driver, Passenger Airbag

Multi- function steering wheel

Storage space- Ample space in the glove box/ door pads and between the front seats

Roomy front row- Large and wide seats, great under-thigh support, usable armrests

Performance- Meaty torque build-up until 100kmpl, be it in the city or on the highway

Pricing- More value over Bolero ( previous generation car ) due to additional features

Low maintenance cost, Superb SUV car in the desiel segment

Low service cost

Cons:

Mediocre interior finish- Shiny hard plastics are in use on the centre console/doors

Second row comfort- Legroom even for average adults, seat cushioning is flat/ too firm

Handling- Less dynamic at speed due to slow steering, soft ride and intense body roll

Specifications-

2. Maruti Suzuki Brezza ( 8.18- 11.04 lakh )

Pros:

Interior space- The cabin feels airy with ample storage spaces all over

Tall seating- Offers a commanding driving position with good outward visibility

Ease of driving- Light controls and the compact proportions make it nimble

Great service network

Power steering

Anti lock braking system

Automatic climate control

Driver, Passenger Airbag

Cons:

Pricey- Top end variants are expensive when stacked against segment rivals

Ride quality at slow speeds- Conspicuous vertical movement over broken roads

Engine lacks punch- The mid-range grunt could have been more exciting

Specifications-

3. Honda WR-V ( 9.11 - 12.32 lakh )

Pros:

High on cabin space and practicality; large 363 litres boot

Good visibility and ease of driving

Both petrol and diesel engines to choose rom

Cons:

Rear seats lack armrest, dedicated AC vent and USB port

Misses out on an automatic option

The soft suspension is bothersome on windy sections of roads and speeds over 80kmpl

Specifications-

4. Hyundai Venue ( 7.68- 10.73 lakh )

Pros:

Updated styling makes the venue look more bultch and upmarket

Powered driver's seat, Alexa/ Google home connectivity

Dual tone interior is classy, good quality of materials in the cabin too

Cons:

Silly feature omissions like auto day/ night IRVM and powered seat height adjustment

No diesel-automatic or CNG powertrain on offer

Specifications-

Comparison-

Conclusion-

According to me, Mahindra Bolero Neo will be a perfect fit for Mr. D. S. Pughazhyendhii. Since he needs a family car saftey should be given the utmost priority. It has good boot space, which is ideal choice for big families. It have good mileage, since he need to travel far distance. It would give him a wonderful travel experience.

Mahindra cars are always good for safety. Not only the car looks big and muscular, it is turbocharged with 100bhp power and 260nm of torque can take us to any place without any difficulty.