The vehicle industry in Sri Lanka is now going through a major crisis due to import restrictions. As a result, more than 500,000 direct and indirect local jobs are at risk, says Renuka Wijesiriwardane, Director, Sterling Automobiles Lanka (SAL).
“Our company’s main business being vehicle after sales services, all stakeholders have been noticed that our business has dropped by more than 50 per cent up to now”, Mr. Wijesiriwardane said at the recent launch of the SterlingCars.lk website by Sterling Automobiles Lanka Pvt. Ltd. – one of Sri Lanka’s prominent automobile service providers.
SterlingCars.lk is a web platform which aims to provide a marketplace for buying and selling automobiles. The website offers a comprehensive range of vehicles, covering numerous makes and models. The event was held at Taj Samudra Hotel.
Mr. Wijesiriwardene said that all vehicle importers must completely convince the decision makers of the country and avail of some relief because people in this sector cannot switch for any other job.
The design of SterlingCars.lk aims to provide a free of charge, simple, fast and reliable buying and selling experience to consumers. Through this website, Sterling Automobiles aims to drive online sales for cars of all makes and models and hopes that it will be an ideal platform for potential vehicle buyers and sellers to get the right value for a product.
Moreover, vehicle sellers, who opt to sell through SterlingCars.lk, have the option of obtaining a Multipoint Inspection Certificate from the Sterling Aftercare Centre. The site will distinguish those vehicles that have received the Multipoint Inspection Certificate – meaning that the vehicle on sale has been inspected and its condition is certified by the expert technicians at Sterling Aftercare.
Not only will this concept add value to the vehicles on sale, it will also provide an assurance to buyers about the quality of the vehicle. Furthermore, automobiles that are sold via the website will be entitled to a labour free full services from Sterling Aftercare Centre for one year from the date of sale.
In addition, upon receiving automobile services and repairs from Sterling Aftercare Centre, customers who have purchased their vehicles via SterlingCars.lk will also be entitled to join Sterling Aftercare Centre’s Sterling Steorra Loyalty Programme. The Steorra Loyalty programme will enable customers to opt for a Sterling-HNB co-branded Visa debit card and turn the loyalty points they earn into cash and use it anywhere in the world.
The website allows users to seamlessly upload ads onto the site and have them displayed within 2-3 hours of posting. All ads will be subjected to a verification and approval process to ensure that they follow the site’s terms of use and the information published is correct and is as genuine as possible.
Sterling Automobiles is the sole authorized franchisee service provider for reconditioned Japanese and European vehicles that are exported to Sri Lanka by Sterling Japan under the Sterling Aftercare Guarantee. The company operates six state-of-the-art facilities known as Sterling Aftercare Centres to provide after sales services to vehicles with the Sterling Aftercare Guarantee.
Located in Mahara, Udahamulla, Ratmalana, Dunagaha, Narahenpita and Galle, Sterling Aftercare Centres are fully fledged facilities that are geared to provide any automobile related service to discerning vehicle owners.
