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Tight Aggressive Poker Style Basic TAG Poker Strategy

Monday, February 14, 2011 by ARSITEKTUR

Approaching the game of poker can be intimidating for any inexperienced player. Online poker takes away a large part of the intimidation factor, but a beginning player is still left with the difficult, strategy-based decisions that will determine his/her expectation. In this article, we will cover Basic Tight-Aggressive (TAG) Strategy.

Tight-Aggressive is probably one of the easiest styles to learn in No Limit Texas Holdem, simply because you are playing fewer hands. The word “tight”, in this case, refers to your starting hand requirements. Tight poker players will will rarely open a pot with a very weak starting hand (although even the most TAG player will loosen his/her requirements when opening a pot in position).

The word “aggressive”, in this case, refers to the way you play your hand in relation to the pot size and your opponents’ actions and reactions. A basic Tight-Aggressive player will mainly be forcing the action pre-flop and post-flop by raising or betting, constantly making opponents pay for entering pots with mediocre holdings while putting them to the test after the flop is seen.

Two things a consistent TAG player should always be on the lookout for from opponents are kicker strength and the possibility of being dominated by a huge hand post-flop. Many beginning players in today’s game would be surprised to learn that basic tight aggressive strategy, on its own, is not enough to be profitable at any game level above micro stakes. If you’re going to employ any broad-based strategy, you’ll need to learn and adapt to how opponents are playing against your table image.

Tight-Aggressive players, for the most part, enter pots where their starting hand represents an above average showdown value while having a reasonable chance of dominating others’ starting hands. In other words, there truly IS a ton of value in raising with Ace-Queen on the button, and getting one of the blinds to flat-call with a weaker Ace. More often than not, your Continuation Bet will double as a Value Bet, since you’re likely to be holding the best hand after the flop comes.

Beginning TAG players bet their hand strength, and bet it aggressively (at least on the flop they do)… hence the beauty of repeatedly getting opponents to pay for the privilege of seeing flops with inferior starting hand ranges. Opponents are repeatedly forced to either donate expectation with their post-flop draws, or muck… and this is pretty much the elementary theory of Tight-Aggressive play.

However, TAG strategy is highly exploitable, and simply can not survive on its own, especially versus competent players. Non-expert TAG players are constantly caught off-guard by players who trap with their own premium hands. Perhaps the most common (and unprofitable) trait of playing this type of strategy is the ease of becoming stubborn. Once you enter a pot or bet a relatively strong hand after the flop, it requires an enormous amount of discipline to rethink your betting lines once an opponent plays back at you. It can be argued that one of the main reasons people are willing to flat-call preflop raises with mediocre hands is because stubborn TAG players blindly bet their starting hand strength in spite of unfavorable community cards.

In order to play ANY style successfully, a player must put in the necessary work and make correct decisions in situations where “style” gives way to “what’s best right now”. Successful TAG players know how to value their strong starting hands… but perhaps more importantly, they know (more often than not) when they are up against a superior holding. If you are consistently stacking off with hands like Top Pair, Top Kicker in a deep-stacked blind structure, it won’t be long until you’re pegged by players who pay attention.

Especially in cash games, there are plenty of players who simply lie in wait for predictable TAG players. On nearly every site, it is common to find players who play 4 or more tables at a time, and give away tons of information without realizing it. More than anything, you DO NOT want to become predictable in deep-stacked blind structures.

So what’s the answer to turning a profit as a Tight-Aggressive player? Well, you must realize both the pros and cons of such a style. Take note of why exploiting edges is so necessary, but also work to discover how another player will attempt to chip away at your edge… and react/adapt appropriately. TAG is a style… and an extremely generic one at that. It’s highly profitable against opponents who have an unhealthy disregard for patience. It’s highly exploitable against opponents who know exactly what you’re doing.

As always, the determining factor of expectation is YOU. Learn how to play TAG… practice it… embrace it… make use of it. And when your opponents figure out what you’re doing… discard it in favor of a more-profitable “style” that will earn you the expectation a situational decision-maker deserves.

Posted in: Aggressive, Basic, Poker, strategy, Style, Tight | 0 comments | |

Simple strategy for slot machines

by ARSITEKTUR

Faced with the aggressive strategy of the simple slot machine, most players use the strategy of conservative stop loss. In this way, are capable of mixing aggression with caution, and therefore get the best of both.

Strategy Run Game Slots strategy is called to execute the game, because it is hitting a machine unless you leave what you want, this strategy leaves no room for sentimentality or instinct, use only the minimum bets that lets you quickly find the best machines. Run the game is a good option for everyone.

Naked and Pulls Limit Loss Before entering the specific approach of running the game, it is first important to understand two concepts that are central to the strategy; Pulls Naked and limit the loss.

Tire means a nude performance with a round win. A player must determine a slot number of spins on a machine that will last without a victory before considering the cold and go to the next machine.

A loss limit is the percentage of your money you’re willing to lose on a machine before leaving it. Between the number of Pulls Naked and the loss limit, their interests will be protected and not continually put a lot of money after the machine has a good bond.

Posted in: machines, Simple, strategy | 0 comments | |

Lilly's Rough Patch Has Analysts Questioning Strategy

by ARSITEKTUR

Eli Lilly (LLY), which has taken one body blow after another of late, on Tuesday threw in the towel on its much-anticipated Alzheimer's treatment, semagacestat.

The drug failed in its phase-three trials, Lilly said.

Lilly separately has recently suffered two court losses to generic-drug makers.
Eli Lilly CEO John Lechleiter wants the drugmaker to reinvent its

Eli Lilly CEO John Lechleiter wants the drugmaker to reinvent its "innovation engine," but some analysts want to see a more aggressive strategy. AP View Enlarged Image

Observers say it's time for the company to change strategy and look to make some acquisitions.

That runs smack-dab opposite the strategy extolled by Lilly CEO John Lechleiter. His strategy is "reinventing our innovation engine here," as he put it in an earnings conference call with analysts last month.

But the engine is sputtering. Lilly is appealing a judge's ruling Thursday that invalidated its patent for the ADHD drug Strattera. On Monday, Lilly asked a U.S. District Court to block all generic versions of the drug until Lilly exhausts all appeals.

The patent was to run until 2016.

Generic-drug makers Teva Pharmaceutical (TEVA), Mylan (MYL) and others are ready to launch generic Strattera. Generic competition commonly knocks 80% off the cost of a branded drug.

And on July 28, Lilly failed in another court to protect the patent for its chemotherapy drug, Gemzar. That patent was to expire in 2013.

A failed drug in phase-three trials means a write-off of many millions in already-incurred costs. The loss of a product to generic competition can cost billions in future revenue.

Lilly's stock has fallen more than 9% since Aug. 10, after sliding 2.3% Tuesday to 34.75.

Gemzar sales were $750 million in 2009. Lilly's Strattera sales last year were $600 million worldwide, $450 million in the U.S.

If prices fall 80%, then that's more than $1 billion off the company's top line, which was $22 billion last year. Add it up over the years until patent expiration, and that's more than $5 billion in forgone revenue.

"It's hard to see a reason for the stock to go up without a major pipeline success or without the company making some aggressive strategic moves," said Seamus Fernandez, an analyst with Leerink Swann, which has done business with Lilly.

Lilly's last big deal was its $6.5 billion purchase of ImClone in 2008, though it has made some acquisitions since. Last month, it bought privately held Alnara Pharmaceuticals for an undisclosed sum. Alnara is working on biologic drugs for metabolic diseases.

Posted in: Analysts, Lillys, Patch, Questioning, Rough, strategy | 0 comments | |

Trade unions switch to aggressive strategy

by ARSITEKTUR

After years of agreeing to moderate pay hikes to safeguard jobs, Germany's powerful unions are gearing up for a dramatic change of strategy, bidding for wage gains that bosses say could derail the recovery.

* O2 cuts 1,100 jobs - Business & Money (8 Oct 10)
* BMW and Daimler sales surge - Business & Money (8 Oct 10)
* Brüderle backs big pay rises as economy booms - Business & Money (7 Oct 10)

Heavily dependent on exporting quality German-made products, the economy, Europe's biggest, was hit harder than most by the global crisis but now appears to be recovering faster as demand across the globe picks up.

Foreign orders are booming, the country's low unemployment has been hailed as a "jobs miracle," top firms are reporting strong profits and consumer and business confidence levels are soaring.

And having contributed, they say, to this performance by not pushing for pay rises during the tough times, trade unions want a slice of the pie now the recovery is setting in.

"In this first wage round after the crisis, we want to ensure employees get their fair share of the upswing," Berthold Huber, head of IG Metall, one of Europe's biggest unions, wrote in the Rheinischer Merkur daily. "That is good for the employees, good for the economy and secures jobs."

"We want our part of the recovery," said Oliver Burkhard, another senior official from IG Metall, which represents more than two million workers in the steel and metalworking industry. The unions have German public opinion and many economists on their side.

A recent poll for ARD television showed that seven in 10 Germans thought union demands for a three-percent pay rise was "appropriate."

Peter Bofinger, one of the "five wise men" that advise Chancellor Angela Merkel on economic policy, called for a "strong increase in wages of at least three percent" saying it would boost Germany's sluggish domestic demand.

Horst Seehofer, head of the Christian Social Union, Bavarian sister party of Merkel's Christian Democratic Union, said in a recent interview he "absolutely" understood union demands for higher wages.

Unions have been "unbelievably responsible" in the past two or three years, which has enabled Germany to overcome the global slump better than many of its European neighbours, Seehofer said.

Fearing mass lay-offs amid plunging growth, IG Metall agreed in February a two-year deal with a pay freeze and a one-off payment in 2010 followed by a 2.7 percent hike next year.

On the other side of the negotiating table, employers' federation head Dieter Hundt warned it was "premature" to talk of wage hikes as the German economy is not yet completely out of the woods.

Some also caution that the unions' change of strategy could lead to German inflation taking off and eventually to European Central Bank interest rates climbing off their record low levels.

"German inflation slumbers but the alarm has been set," Commerzbank economist Eckart Tuchtfeld wrote Friday in a research note about German wage policy.

But the Financial Times Deutschland said bosses should not fear increased union pay demands as labour leaders have shown they can be responsible when times are tough.

"For unions to demand massive wage increases in light of the DAX (stock market) ... would of course be ridiculous, as the upswing is still too fresh and risky," the newspaper wrote in a recent editorial.

"But companies should not fear moderate demands, as unions have actually in recent years demonstrated that they are more sensible than some have claimed."

Nevertheless, Hundt warned that workers should wait until the upswing has fully taken hold before expecting a share of the proceeds. "We must not put the current recovery at risk," he told German radio. "It's still not yet time to start partying."

Posted in: aggressive, strategy, switch, Trade, unions | 0 comments | |

Las Vegas Sands Rethinks Macau VIP Strategy

by ARSITEKTUR

HONG KONG—Las Vegas Sands Corp.'s Macau unit is taking a second look at how it markets itself to high rollers after last week dismissing its chief executive, Steve Jacobs, who was a key proponent of direct marketing to clients.
Sands China Ltd., lauded by many analysts for its aggressive strategy of improving profit margins by cutting out middle men known as junkets to bring big spenders to its casinos, will "study the economics" of using intermediaries to bolster business versus marketing directly to VIP players, the company's newly appointed acting chief executive, Mike Leven, told Dow Jones Newswires on Thursday.

"It will be a number of months before we come to a conclusion," said Mr. Leven, who is also chief operating officer at Las Vegas Sands. Sands China is Macau's second-biggest casino operator by market share after Stanley Ho's SJM Holdings Ltd.

Las Vegas Sands's decision to re-examine its strategy in Macau comes amid a whirlwind of change at the Hong Kong-listed unit that has seen its chief executive depart amid rising tensions with Chairman Sheldon Adelson, as well as the appointments of two top executives in less than a week, all while the company struggles to restart a stalled $4 billion expansion project in Macau.

Mr. Adelson said on Las Vegas Sands' second quarter earnings call Wednesday that its Macau unit may pull back its efforts to drive the direct VIP business, despite analysts' estimates that the method is able to deliver double the margins of VIP business facilitated by junkets.

"We are in active discussion right now since we terminated Steve Jacobs about the wisdom of accentuating the effort for direct premium play," said Mr. Adelson.

Junkets, who bring high-spending gamblers to the casinos, issue them credit and collect on debts in exchange for commission. Although junkets do cut into casinos' margins, they are able to drive business volumes and reduce credit risk because they could be more familiar with their clients' financial standing, reducing the chances of bad debt, which is particularly troublesome to recover in China.

As gambling debt isn't recognized in China, there are no legal means for casinos to recover debts owed to them by Chinese players, which account for the majority of their customers.

Sands China has improved the margins on its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization to 28.5% in the second quarter from 22.6% in the same period last year under Jacobs' leadership, demonstrating the company's "effort to cultivate the direct VIP business is time well spent," Citigroup analyst Anil Daswani said in a report Thursday.

But the casino operator's new management now wants to make sure its bold strategy to save on junket commission fees hasn't been the company's relationships with these intermediaries, long a powerful force for driving gambling revenue in Macau, the only place in China where casino gambling is legal.

Sands China wants to make sure it doesn't lose valuable junket business to competitors such as Wynn Resorts Ltd.'s Macau unit by alienating these middle men with its strategy, Mr. Adelson said on the call.

The company's strategy reappraisal highlights an evolving debate in Macau over the best way to drive business from high rollers, which have powered Macau's nearly 70% year-on-year growth in gross gambling revenue in the six months ended June 30. VIP play accounted for more than 70% of total revenue for the period, according to analysts.

There are currently 75 active junkets in Macau, the top five of which control about 80% of Macau's VIP market, CLSA analyst Huei Suen Ng said, citing industry sources.

Though Sands China's efforts to drive direct VIP play "should ideally help margins," the strategy could "result in higher balance sheet risk," Morgan Stanley analyst Praveen Choudhary said in a note Thursday.

There are also concerns casino operators can't match junkets' client sourcing abilities: "We all understand the margins are better with direct but the question is if the operator can keep growing that business," said Credit Suisse analyst Gabriel Chan.

Sands, though arguably the most aggressive proponent of driving direct VIP business, isn't the only operator to do so. Wynn Macau, for example, does pursue its own high-end customers, but not in large volumes, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Posted in: Macau, Rethinks, Sands, strategy, Vegas | 0 comments | |

Re-position HR Department to Support Evolving Business Strategy

by ARSITEKTUR

Situation
A large academic medical center initiated an aggressive strategy to distinguish itself from its market competition. Several key objectives were central to this undertaking. These included; a focus on improved customer service; visible improvements to the campus; enhanced academic offerings; and distinction as “employer of choice”.

With more than 11,000 employees, the organization has a very high profile in the community. They were recognized for excellence in academic quality and patient care. However, their reputation as a preferred employer was far more tenuous. The Human Resources function had suffered from a chronic lack of resources and was poorly positioned within the management hierarchy. Additionally, minimal HR support was available to managers and application of talent management policies and practices varied widely.

Strategy
HResults was engaged to study the effectiveness of HR services throughout the enterprise; recommend improvements to the infrastructure and design a model for HR service delivery.

Client engagement and HR staff involvement is essential to the success of this type of undertaking. Balancing the needs of the university, hospitals and physician practices presented an additional challenge on this project. Critical steps were to:

* Obtain senior leadership sponsorship and buy-in through development of a clear set of guiding principles and defined outcomes;
* Establish a senior level advisory team comprised of representatives from all major constituencies to provide input, hear feedback and endorse recommendations;
* Gather feedback through interviews, focus groups and process audits;
* Apply HR Effectiveness measures and competitive practice data to design recommendations;
* Engage joint HR and operating management teams in targeted re-design activities;
* Pilot process changes and service delivery model in key client areas and evaluate outcomes

Outcome
The evaluation and re-design of the HR function resulted in significant change for this organization. Most significantly:

* The functional departmental structure was abandoned and replaced with a service delivery model with three major components:
o A client facing “Business Partner Team” with experience and competencies matched to the diverse customer base;
o An “HR Service Center” which is responsible for all processing and automation
o “Centers of Excellence” for talent acquisition, reward programs and development
* Senior HR staff were appointed to steering committees for major organizational initiatives
* HR function moved to new, modern facilities to improve service and access for employees
* Key processes were automated and employee self service was introduced for routine tasks such as open enrollment
* Short term savings of nearly $200,000 were realized and longer term recurring annual savings opportunities of over $1mm were identified enterprise-wide

Posted in: business, Department, Evolving, Reposition, strategy, Support | 0 comments | |

Honda’s Aggressive Strategy: Hybrid Green Technology

by ARSITEKTUR

Honda’s new president Takanobu Ito has announced that he will draw upon the legacy of Honda’s founder to try to ride the current storm in the auto industry; he will do this while trying to offer an aggressive strategy with its hybrid green technology.

The founder, Soichiro Honda was known for his love of cars as well as his boyish personality; sadly, he passed away in 1991. Ito has stated that Honda is to speed up its hybrid vehicle plans, the next vehicle is to be its CR-Z sporty hybrid, this should be released in February 2010 in Japan.

Honda also has plans for a Hybrid Fit subcompact before the end of 2010. Honda are also in the planning stages of offering a CR-Z for the North American and European markets, but it is not known if there will be hybrid versions for these reasons.

Posted in: Aggressive, Green, Hondas, Hybrid, strategy, Technology | 0 comments | |

Aggressive Strategy

by ARSITEKTUR

The goal of the aggressive strategy is to skip the initial chitchat. You want to jump straight to the appointment. You will make e-mail and phone contact almost simultaneously. The goal is to reach the prospect by any means necessary as quickly as possible to begin the enrollment process.

Overview of the Follow-Up Process

Below is a flow chart representing the basic steps necessary to effectively follow up on an Internet lead. The process begins when a potential student e-mails a request for information to the school.

To view flow chart click here.

Auto Response
An auto response is an e-mail generated automatically. It goes to the person submitting a request for information from the school. This is the first step in the process, and it acknowledges that you received the prospect's request. Provide your school's phone number in the auto response. Begin selling the value of a one-on-one meeting with an admissions representative at the campus.

Contact Method: Phone
In an aggressive strategy, contact your prospect by phone first. Contact forms generally request both daytime and evening telephone numbers. They should also ask for the best time to call. Use this and other supplied information to guide your follow-up. You should contact the prospect as quickly as possible.

Attempt phone contact at least once in the morning, during the day, and in the evening. Make contact attempts within 12 to 36 hours of receiving the lead. If you get a machine or voicemail system, leave a message. Make sure to leave your name, phone number and the reason for your call. Emphasize that you are responding to their request. This will indicate that the prospect solicited your call. Make sure to suggest 2-3 times during the day when it is easy for them to reach you. Finally, let the person know you will be making additional attempts to contact them. Leave only one voicemail message – on the first attempt. But let them know you'll call back. You do not want the prospect to feel harassed if additional calls from you show up on a caller ID log.

Once you establish telephone contact, work through the admissions process as you would with any other lead. Maintain control of the conversation. Guide the person to schedule a time to visit the school.

Contact Method: E-mail
It's important to realize that some people prefer e-mail to phone communication. You should e-mail a standardized letter to the prospect if you are unable to connect with them on your phone contact attempt. Develop one standard letter for your school and save it as a template. This will allow anybody who is aggressively working Internet leads to access and use it.

Prior to sending an e-mail as part of your aggressive strategy, set aside time for an appointment for the following day at the latest time you have available. If they indicated their daytime availability in their e-mail, you may also schedule the visit during that time. Assume that the prospect will be available and willing to meet during the time you have set aside.

Your standardized e-mail letter for this strategy should:

1. Be customized to the information the prospect provided on the contact form. Make sure to use the prospect's name. Mention some specific information supplied in the initial request, such as program of interest.
2. Have a subject line that makes your e-mail stand out. You don't want it viewed as spam or junk e-mail. An example of a good subject line is "Jim, your appointment has been scheduled."
3. Let them know that you have scheduled a time for a one-on-one meeting at the school. State the precise time you have set aside in terms of quarter hours, e.g. 10:45 a.m., 4:15 p.m. or 6:45 p.m., and provide the meeting location and specific directions.
4. Focus on the benefits of your school. You want to speak in language that assumes their desire for an appointment. State that you can answer all of their questions and discuss their opportunities during this visit.
5. Use proper grammar and spelling. Most e-mail programs have grammar and spell-check functions. Use these before sending the e-mail message, but not as a substitute for careful proofreading!
6. Be as concise as possible so you won't lose the prospect's interest.

Though you may encounter a small percentage of people who feel you are being presumptuous, and a few who never actually see this e-mail, most people will call you to either confirm or reschedule the appointment. Some actually just show up. Either way, this aggressive strategy generally results in a phone call and/or appointment. A common result of the aggressive strategy is:
•     10% show up for the appointment
•     35% do not respond and need to be pursued
•     15% call to confirm
•     40% call to reschedule

If the Prospect Does Not Show Up or Call
You may find yourself into a situation where the prospect simply ignores the scheduled appointment. To follow up with no-shows, call immediately, concerned that they did not make it. Whether you leave a message or talk to them directly, make sure to express concern. "Jim, I was concerned when you did not show up for your appointment … I hope everything is alright."

In most cases, prospects will claim that they did not receive the e-mail. In this case, apologize for assuming that they checked their e-mail daily and move forward with rescheduling the appointment. If you cannot reach them by phone, send an e-mail.

Now that you've seen 3 different strategies, let's move on. The next section will address the different types of Internet leads and the steps of the sales process. We will also address frequently asked questions and share testimonials from our clients.

When you finish reading the next 3 sections, we'll ask you to take a quiz on what you've just learned and fill out our short survey to give us feedback on the site.

After-market & servicing business: Bosch’aggressive strategy

by ARSITEKTUR

Is the vehicle servicing business in India undergoing a transformation? Looking at recent developments, the first impression is a definite ‘yes’. Steps are being taken for creation of a national chain of organized workshops that is likely to vastly change the vehicle servicing market.

Currently the players in the vehicle servicing market are vehicle dealers and their service centers, authorized service centers of vehicle manufacturers, some organized multi-brand vehicle service centers, and roadside mechanics. India adds a million new cars every year, half-a-million commercial vehicles and eight million two-wheelers to the vehicle population. There is a definite requirement for quality service at reasonable prices.

Identifying a huge opportunity in this segment, Bosch is planning to expand its presence in the automotive independent after-market business. The company is targeting a turnover of Rs. 1,000 crores in the after-market and service equipment business by 2010 against the current Rs. 700 crores.To know more about the company’s business plans I recently met Mr. K. Ravi, Regional Sales Director – India and SAARC (Automotive After-Market), MICO.He said there is huge potential in the after-market and service equipment business in India.

The car business in the country is just picking up volumes, and cars are increasingly becoming computers-on-wheels with 35 per cent of the vehicle dominated by electronics.He feels that the country still doesn’t have sophisticated service equipments and diagnostic tools to cater to the growing requirement. In order to tap this potential, Bosch is expanding the product range in this business by bringing some of its global technology products into India. It is also planning to manufacture some of these products in India.

A core competency centre has been created in the country to manufacture these equipments in the MICO production complex.Indian after-market Mr. Ravi further said that, in the Indian after-market business Bosch registered a 12 per cent growth in 2006. The company has had a good first quarter in 2007 and expects the after-market business to fare very well in the coming years. The reason is that the sales of vehicles, across all segments, have been growing satisfactorily for the past three-four years.

Usually for any new vehicle, the service requirement for the first three years are met by the manufacturers through their network. Vehicle manufacturers are now offering extended warranty. As a result, vehicle owners continue to use the OEM service network even upto five years. It’s only after five years that all these vehicles come to the open market for service and repairs.

In India 50 per cent of Bosch’s current business is accounted for by the diesel segment. The products offered by Bosch in the after-market include auto electricals, batteries, belts, braking systems, clutch plates and cover assemblies, diesel systems, filters, gasoline systems, gear pumps , glow plugs, horns, lighting, lubricant oils, relays, spark plugs, wiper blades.Going forward, Bosch plans to position itself as a one-stop shop for sales and service and to make available the entire range of products to those who come for service.

The service points would not only sell the parts but also service them. The company is providing intensive training to its business partners for service of components in the after-market. It has created a training centre in each and every State and is offering training in nearly 10 languages. Training is also given on soft skills.Mr. Ravi said Bosch has a network of 750 diesel service centers and 60 auto electrical workshops throughout India, plus 150 Bosch car service centers.

There are plans to raise the number of service and customer contact points to around 1,500 to 2,000 from the current 950 in the next three to five years. Global scenarioFurther, at the global level Bosch has given a boost to its workshop equipment business. It recently acquired brands like Beissbarth and Sicam. This will further strengthen Bosch’s diagnostics unit in the workshop equipment business segment, especially when it comes to diagnostic systems.

For Bosch, the main outcome of the acquisition will be an expansion of its chassis-measurement systems product segment. Its workshop equipment range will also now include tyre-servicing equipment. Moreover, the acquisition will serve to strengthen its workshop equipment business at OEMs’ authorized repair centers.

An agreement for acquiring Beissbarth and Sicam was signed on February 14 last. Together, the two companies generate sales of roughly 90 million Euros and employ a total of some 430 associates at two locations, as well as in several sales companies. Beissbarth GmbH manufactures chassis measurement systems and tyre-testing equipment, and also sells tyre-servicing equipment. Sicam s.r.l. focuses on tyre-servicing equipment. JV with MahaBosch has also agreed for joint development of new test equipment and processes with Maha.

The two companies will jointly develop new test equipment and processes. In this, they will be merging Bosch’s know-how in testing technology related to engine segment, such as vehicle diagnostics, and Maha’s expertise in the wheel and chassis-related business, such as chassis dynamometers.With mutual co-operation, Bosch and Maha are responding to the increasing cross-linkage of mechanical and electronic systems in vehicles.

The joint development work is focused on enabling test institutions and workshops to provide efficient and expert testing of modern vehicles.Bosch car service In India a vehicle owner has two options – one is to use the authorized service centers (ASCs) of vehicle manufacturers or roadside mechanics for their repairs. ASCs offered customers standardized service at costs predetermined by vehicle manufacturers that ensured transparent operations. The huge premium charged by vehicle manufactures for their genuine parts and the cost of labor meant that customer had to settle for a higher bill.

On the other hand, the roadside mechanic used spare parts openly available in the after-market that is cheaper compared to genuine spare parts. The problem with roadside mechanics is the lack of transparency in operations as customers are short charged in components used. The structure of the market created a gap in terms of customer’s needs and expectations.

This is were Bosch has positioned itself to fulfill these needs – quality service using genuine and OE quality spare parts at an affordable price. According to Mr. Ravi, India is one of the key growth markets for Bosch. The global partnerships in the area of automotive service equipments will have a huge business opportunity in India.

Currently, the multi-brand car service market is witnessing exponential growth in India. At the same time, the second-hand car market is also expanding fast. A customer buying a second-hand car is looking for a reliable service solution, and this market has touched close to two million cars and the customers want a branded reliable service solution.

Normally the OEM takes care of service for the first three years, and now with extended warranty some manufacturers retain customers even for upto five years. But in India, the life of all these vehicles is anywhere between 10 to 15 years, and from the fifth year till the end of product life it is the independent garages that provides service to the vehicle.

The Bosch Car Service (BCS) is a global phenomenon. Worldwide there are more than 8000 BCS centers. The company brought this concept to India a couple of years back. Today it operates more than 150 of its car service centers throughout the country. The company targets 200 BCS centers by the end of the current financial year. This is a ready market available for the new range of service equipments which Bosch plans to launch in the Indian market. In the service equipment business, Bosch currently offers battery testers, auto electrical test bench, multi-functional tester, diagnostic tester (Bosch KTS and ESI tronic software), engine analyser and MICO FIP test bench.

The company is also planning to launch a low-cost version of the diagnostic equipments to suit independent garages to be sold at an affordable price.Currently the garage equipments business is dominated by many Indian and international players. Madhus, RAI and Elgi represent most of the global brands in India. Snap-On has a direct presence in India and sells the popular JBC and Hoffmann range of products. Manatec, the Indian brand has its strong presence in the domestic market. Bosch Diesel Service CentreMr. Ravi disclosed that Bosch is also planning to expand its Diesel Service Centre and provide end-to-end service solutions for all diesel powered vehicles.

Apart from being an expert in the repair of conventional diesel injection pumps and components, it is well-equipped to repair all Bosch systems and components such as Electronic Diesel Control pumps & Common Rail pumps both on and off the vehicle.There are approximately 500 Bosch Diesel Centers worldwide, including 35 in the Asia-Pacific region alone.

In India, Bosch recently inaugurated its first diesel service center in Gujarat. This center, the first of its kind in India, exhibits highest level of capability with round-the-clock service. Bosch plans to open another five more centres in the coming year, depending on market conditions and future customer needs. He said: “With the state-of-the-art testing and repair equipment imported from our parent company, the BDC, initiated by its channel partners is authorized for all Bosch after-sales service and warranty work on diesel powered vehicles.

The center is well-equipped to service a large number of modern cars and trucks, as also provide regular diagnostics and repair diesel and auto-electrical units.Bosch is well poised to take the big leap forward. It has its service network in place and is continuously expanding its reach. With the automotive after-market set for exponential growth, Bosch is well on its way to scripting another success story.

Posted in: Aftermarket, Boschaggressive, business, servicing, strategy | 0 comments | |