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July 28, 2016

Kizuna: The Art of Mazda Service


With Mazda priding itself with building cars that create kizuna—a lasting, almost inseparable bond with its owner, it’s imperative that the company would also offer world-class after sales service. At the Mazda ASEAN Media Forum, the company has revealed just how far it has gone to achieve this and where they are taking aftersales parts and service next.

Understanding the unique situation of ASEAN roads for their constant traffic gridlock, penchant for vehicle overloading, and unpredictable flooding, Mazda has put emphasis on the importance of proper car maintenance. To this end, Mazda is investing a huge amount of money to ensure adequate parts supply. The ASEAN HUB PDC (Parts Delivery Center) in Thailand, for instance, stocks around 24,000 different items at its 22,935 square-meter facility.

In addition, Mazda is shifting towards a global certification standard for all service technicians including those from their distributors. Rolled out a decade ago, it’s now fully implemented to all ASEAN markets. This has had tremendous effect on customer service satisfaction. In a recent J.D. Power Customer Service Satisfaction Survey done across the region, Mazda has always landed in the Top 4. In the Philippines, Mazda climbed to the top spot after languishing in the mid-pack when the brand was still handled by its former distributor.

The modular design of the 6G model line-up (the Skyactiv models) also helps in reducing servicing costs with its easy-to-service design as well as lower parts cost due to economies of scale. In Mazda’s own internal studies, they concluded that they have a lower maintenance cost over a 5-year period across the line-up (Mazda2 by 17 percent, Mazda3 by 19 percent, CX-3 by 20 percent, and CX-5 by 24 percent) compared to similar models from Toyota, Honda, and Nissan.


For dealerships, Mazda is shifting to a modular diagnostic system. With just one computer, it can easily connect to the vehicle’s various modules seamlessly. Plus, they are doing away with the traditional paper service manuals and shifting to electronic ones. Along with the most detailed electrical wiring diagram among its peers, this is an enabler for service technicians to do their job quickly and correctly.

And Mazda isn’t stopping there.

Mazda is now focusing on the concept of omotenashi or supreme hospitality to show their gratitude towards customers. Understanding that they must deliver “premium service to their premium customers”, they have now expanded their relationship with their customers.

Instead of a three-step process: before purchase, purchasing, and ownership experience; Mazda is expanding this to a four-step process: before purchase, purchasing, ownership experience, and retire from driving. In short, they are aiming to keep customers as part of the Mazda family even when they stopped driving their vehicle. This neat strategy actually helps keep the “emotional bond’ between car and driver at a high level (it usually goes down a year after purchase). Eventually, they hope this will increase brand loyalty equating to repeat purchases as well.


Current programs such as Mazda Philippines’s Yojin-3 are a part of this expanded ownership experience. And moving forward, Mazda is close to making parts and service support more readily available on its classic and iconic models. This sort of “classic car” program is timely given the company is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2020.

Furthermore, next-generation service technologies are underway which will soon make owning a Mazda even more affordable. Future iterations of the Mazda Connect infotainment system will contain on-board vehicle diagnostics that will result in flexible maintenance based on actual wear-and-tear. Plus, it will actually contain an interactive owner’s manual and can guide the customer in the case of a malfunction. From the dealer perspective, the Global Mazda Service Support System will offer better technician support through detailed, interactive guides to specific problems by simply just plugging in the on-board diagnostics module.

As a brand, Mazda is committed to bringing cars that enrich people’s lives and giving the best customer care is certainly a part of that experience. Through their parts and service strategy program, Mazda is very well on the way to successfully creating kizuna or an emotional bond between car and owner during his whole life.

22 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Mazda's technology will soon become "In-Active" technology due to its poor and monotonous designs in all its cars. Also proudly known as "Timba-i tae!". "Tae" is a matter which is similar in design whenever it comes out from human anus production lines. Broom broom Hooray Mazda !

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    1. Pinagsasabi mo? High ka ba?

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    2. Bilang na araw niyan. Adik ata.

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    3. Corny and stupid. AutoActiv isn't a car enthusiast, he's just a guy working at Chevy who's jeje and gets high every now and then. If the design is poor, then why do people buy them ? Autoretard is an idiot. He hates on everything and makes the worst rankings. Unless the topic isn't about the Chevy Craporodo then he's gonna hate. Car people respect other people's decisions.

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    4. Baka kaka kuha lang ni autoactive ng e-bike nya. Na disapprove loan for mazda kya sour grape mood.

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    5. Bitter amputa.shabu pa more next in line ka na gago! ��

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  3. Ibig ko sabihin kung gets nyo pare-pareho lang ang design ng mazda. Wala na ba silang maisip na iba? Para sana man lang marami tayong choices. I admire the Miata pero madagdagan pa sana. Ginigising ko lang ang mga inhinyero ng mazda.

    Tingnan nyo yon 'manure' ng kalabaw di ba lahat pabilog? Ganyan ang mga CX's pare-pareho. Baka nga kayong owners ng mazda magkapalitan ng sasakyan sa parking lot ng di nyo namamalayan!

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    1. Autoactive sa fb mo nlng i-post yung opinions mo. Bka mg like pa nanay mo sa pinag ssabi mo. We honestly dont care about it here. And I'm not even a mazda fanboy

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    2. Agree ako dyan. Kaya nga marami nagpapa modify at naglalagay accessories dahil gusto nila unique at naiiba car nila, yon walang kagaya

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    3. Mazda should take a clue and at the very least vary their design language to gain customers and compete with the worlds top automakers. Iyan ang punto ni autoactive

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    4. You should think of the reason why Mazda did that. Personally I think that because they're a small car company, they have limited budget for design and if it looks good, why think of another design? Also because of corporate identity/image. It doesn't bother me anyway, every Mazda model looks pleasing and good looking.

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    5. This gay is an idiot. That's called a consistent design language, and that's the point! Hindi tulad ng Honda or Toyota na halo-halo design kapag inalis mo yung badge at hindi mo na alam kung anong brand yung sasakyan. Nasanay siya sa Honda na parang ibang designer nag-desigg nung harap ng sasakyan at ibang designer yung gumawa sa likod. Lol. Aralin mo po yung BMW, Mercedes, Audi at Porsche, lahat po ng saksayan nila fanun din magkakamukha, kasi yan ang brand identity, at consistent yan over the generations. Walang alam kasi nag-cocomment dito palibhasa puro pintas lang kaya gawin.

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  4. At least Mazda's look better than the old Ssangyongs. And, if it ain't broke then why fix it. People buy cars for their design, power etc. If Mazda cars don't look good, then why do people buy them ? Ask yourself that. And yes I agree Mazda is a relatively small company and I don't think they'd want to risk the sales of their products if they make a new design.

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  5. I like the way mazda looks. It's equally ok if others don't. It's a personal preference.

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  6. I like the way mazda looks. It's equally ok if others don't. It's a personal preference.

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  7. Mazda's same design wont bother you if you bought a 3 or 2 now. If you happen to buy a 6 years ago and now everyone has the same looking car like mine. Sabihan pa ka ganda ng mazda2 mo ah

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  8. Perhaps the design is really connected to other things like aerodynamics, a uniform look.. anyone notice that ford and toyota are going the same direction?

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  9. Why change , this design language is better than the competition as of now, the new civic has a good looking front but boring profile and the back though stunning I'm not used to it , Honda engines kick ass though. Toyota have boring recycled tech , I will not buy a car with old mechanicals and tech with a premium price tag (though reliable) I will not pay 200k extra compared to the old model just to say "ok lang reliable naman" (Toyota boy here that is disgusted by their direction). But of course this is just my opinion and should not be taken to heart

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  10. Ang hindi ko lang maintindihan mga katoto ay kung bakit tatlong buwan na sa casa mazda ko after the accident eh hindi pa rin magawa kahit na may echos na omotenashi na yan. Leche!

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    1. Yun lang! Hehehe...

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    2. Thru insurance ba repair nyan migo? Matagal talaga yan..

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