What is the role of the Porsche Center Locarno? within the commercial organization of this brand in Ticino?
«This Center It was established nine years ago with the specific mission of meeting the needs of customers in the Sopraceneri region. Today, Locarno is not only the second Ticino branch after Lugano, but also a well-established presence in Switzerland, located in a highly attractive region for both business and tourism, with customers who are particularly loyal to the Porsche brand. I am proud to say that this Center achieves significant numbers and stands out for being smaller than others, yet precisely for this reason, very customer-friendly. In the coming years, modernization work will be undertaken to adapt this facility to Porsche's guidelines for the new Corporate Identity.
What were your previous professional experiences before taking on this new role?
In 2010, I earned my finance and accounting specialist certificate, always working in the fiduciary sector. In 2017, during my EMBA program at SUPSI, I was offered the opportunity to become sales and marketing manager at the Porsche Center in Lugano, a role I held for seven years. During this time, I had the opportunity to work alongside a brilliant mentor, Jvan Jacoma, who taught me many things, believed in me, and greatly helped me develop my skills. As of February 1st of this year, I have been the Director of the Porsche Center in Locarno. My goal is to bring my empathy and creativity, as well as my desire to innovate, to this very positive and dynamic environment, together with the entire network of highly skilled collaborators.
What are the most important services that your Porsche Center offers its customers?
"Customer proximity is certainly very important to us, as is our ability to treat each individual customer individually, from the most loyal to the youngest, without too many distinctions. Anyone who joins the Porsche world can then access a whole host of promotions and special events. I come from the events world, and that's why it's a priority for me to engage customers and make them feel at home—almost like 'family'—through a wealth of attention and various initiatives specifically designed and developed to put the customer at the center."
Specifically, what communication initiatives and events do you organize to build customer loyalty?
Let's start with the fact that we have several communication channels, from social media to our magazine called "Porsche Times," to advertisements, and last but not least, events. We have events for all tastes, from those related to customers' hobbies to others organized to engage and build loyalty with women, to those dedicated to our Swiss-German customers, and many more.
For example, at the beginning of May, at our Lugano showroom, as Porsche Ticino Centers, we organized an event exclusively for our female customers, where they enjoyed a yoga and meditation session, followed by a delicious brunch. It was a wonderful moment of sharing, so much appreciated that we asked them to keep it an annual event.
We currently have a marketing campaign dedicated to our electric vehicles, the Taycan and Macan. Customers have the opportunity to test drive our cars, and for the launch, we've organized several initiatives, including special wraps on the vehicles, dedicated test drive days, a partnership with a well-known influencer from Lugano, and various sponsorships of local events.
To what extent does the ongoing automotive crisis in Europe and the world threaten to affect the Porsche brand?
The automotive crisis exists, and the transition to electric vehicles is a historic crossroads. The outlook for the automotive sector is a complex issue with many interconnected causes, including the forced transition to electric vehicles, high energy costs, international competition, and economic uncertainty. It may take longer in Ticino than the rest of Switzerland to accept this transition and this change, but something is starting to change here too, even though the lion's share is still dominated by those historic, branded models with internal combustion engines that are a must-have for Porsche and its customers. Electric vehicles require a huge shift in mentality, but this doesn't scare us, even though Porsche is a brand that has built its history and successes around internal combustion engines. Personally, I see Porsche as a champion of change and as a company that has never been afraid to embrace innovation: every "problem" has proven to be an opportunity to be transformed into a chance for further success.
What are the strengths of this brand that have made it successful among luxury sports car enthusiasts?
Ferdinand Porsche was a visionary who placed his dream at the heart of his company, transforming it into an object of desire for many. I would say the strengths that determined his success were:
- Brand recognition: luxury, performance and reliability and attracts an exclusive clientele.
- Quality and innovation: Porsche vehicles are recognized for their design, quality, and performance. Porsche is a company that continuously invests in research and development to keep its products at the forefront. Furthermore, it demonstrates its willingness to adapt to new market trends with sustainable options without compromising performance, as with the Taycan and Macan BEV.
- A diverse and customized product range: high-performance sports cars, SUVs, and sedans, with extensive customization options to meet the diverse needs of our customers.
- Successes in motorsport: the history of successes achieved in the sporting field has strengthened the brand's image and has acquired not only customers but also many fans."
