DARE - Because Entrepreneurs Do

Providing complete car solutions is what Jagdish Khattar wanted which led him to start Carnation Auto. Today it has become one of India’s largest auto retail brands.

“I started with a small team of passionate individuals. We were bound by a common belief and vision. The same team members are with me till date and are responsible for key departments or important functions”, says Jagdish Khattar, founder and chairman, Carnation Auto.

Jagdish Khattar Carnation Auto India Pvt Ltd.

He started his career as an IAS officer and went on to work with Maruti Suzuki for 14 years. During those days he used to visit a lot of dealers and interact with customers to understand their needs and also the aspirations of the discerning Indian car owners. “One of the observation was that customers were looking for a quality alternative to their authorized dealerships. Back then a car owner could either go to an authorized dealership or to a neighborhood workshop. I saw an opportunity here and translated this insight into the vision on which Carnation is established” explains Khattar.
Today, Carnation has 24 auto solution hubs across India and have covered 16 cities. It currently witnesses a footfall of 20,000 a month and has delivered more than 2,00,000 cars so far. It has as well successfully launched several verticals like workshop on wheels, pre-owned cars, accessories, etc.

“We build a better mouse trap, and customers came to try us. We delivered on the promise of transparency, right first time and deliver to promise. That endeared us and made them come back again and again,” tells Khattar. His very belief that a satisfied customer will not only give a larger share of his wallet but would also help get more quality customers through positive word of mouth and referral has helped him in his journey.

Incepted over a year back with a small team, Carnation now has over 2000 team members. However, the journey hasn’t been all rosy. The major challenge that the venture faced was that it was one of its kind with no competitors who offered similar services. There were no benchmarks in the industry with which it could compare its performance. But they didn’t dmamage the team’s spirit, instead the team created its own targets and strived to better them on a continuous basis. The hunger in the team to reach newer heights has continuously driven the team and so will it for the coming days.

“All in all I feel that the need for such a concept existed in the market and we recognized the need and provided a solution to the customer. This is what helped us reach the level we are at today. But we still have a long way to go to make Carnation an established and responsive brand not just in the automotive space, but in the country as well”, says Khattar.