Inside Nissan’s Comeback Gameplan: Profitability, Product Mix, And The Long Road Ahead | Vinay Shahani, Chief Marketing & Sales Officer Nissan/Infiniti USA

This episode explores Nissan's comeback strategy, focusing on revitalizing the brand and strengthening dealer relationships. Against the backdrop of declining market share and trust issues with dealers, Vinay Shahani, Nissan's Chief Marketing and Sales Officer, outlines key initiatives. More significantly, Shahani details efforts to simplify dealer programs, focusing on those that directly impact sales, dealer profitability, and customer experience. For instance, several ineffective programs were eliminated, and the product mix was adjusted to prioritize models with high turnover rates. As the discussion pivoted to profit per vehicle retailed (PVR), Shahani highlighted the importance of building the right product mix and optimizing pricing strategies. He also emphasized the need for powertrain diversity, introducing plug-in hybrids and e-power vehicles to cater to diverse consumer needs, exemplified by the increasing popularity of hybrids among consumers. In contrast to the immediate need for improvement, the long-term strategy involves leveraging platform sharing between Nissan and Infiniti to enhance profitability and efficiency. This means a potential shift in resource allocation and a renewed focus on the brand's historical strengths to regain market share.