Cover Michael Joop (Photo: Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia)
Michael Joop (Photo: Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia)
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The vice president of sales and marketing of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia arrived on the job on the cusp of the Covid pandemic, but there are no challenges too big for him
Time does not stand still and in the fast-moving industry of the automotive world, this is especially true. Michael Jopp certainly knows this saying too well. He stepped into the role as Mercedes-Benz Malaysia’s head of sales and marketing in 2019, taking over the reins from Mark Raine. This was not his first rodeo. A well-seasoned veteran, Jopp had previously served as the vice-president of sales and marketing in Mercedes-Benz’s operations in India.
According to him, he was fortunate enough to work with his team physically for about half a year before Covid-19 lockdowns began in March 2020. But that has not deterred him as he recounts how Mercedes-Benz managed to adapt to the changing business landscape.
While showrooms around the country had to shut down due to lockdown restrictions, Mercedes-Benz started digitising many of its processes including launching a virtual showroom where customers can book test drives and appointments online.
“We saw a very high uptake of these offerings and coordinated with our dealers to ensure that the experience our customers get online is comparable to stepping into a physical showroom,” says Jopp.
“In 2021, we were excited to reopen again but there was uncertainty about how the economy and the automotive market would progress.”
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Above Jopp at the Kuala Lumpur launch of the Mercedes-Benz S580 in December 2021 (Photo: Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia)
Jopp at the Kuala Lumpur launch of the Mercedes-Benz S580 in December 2021 (Photo: Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia)
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Despite that, Jopp sees an uptick in interest among his customers and wants to ensure that all customer expectations are met. “The automotive industry is all about touch and feel as well as that interactive element between the customer and dealer.”
On the future of mobility, Jopp believes that a transformation is underway now as automakers are pivoting towards a future where electric vehicles will be commonplace. “Every three to six months we are launching additional battery-powered vehicles to our portfolio globally,” he says.
The announcement of the 2022 Budget by the government has helped clarify the conditions when it comes to importing or producing EVs in Malaysia.
“Admittedly, the volume will be relatively small in the beginning, but I believe we will be seeing a broader offering of electric vehicles soon,” says Jopp. According to him, Mercedes-Benz is already in talks with major players in the charging infrastructure field. “We have had discussions with them and we should be ready to make some announcements soon. We too want to do our part and contribute to the building up of Malaysia’s charging infrastructure,” he adds.
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