최근 수입차 판매가 급증하면서 메르세데스벤츠, BMW 등의 금융사업 역시 호황을 맞고 있다. 특히 지난해 벤츠는 21.54% 증가한 24,780대의 차량을 한국서 판매했다. 같은 시기 벤츠파이낸셜의 순이익 역시 184억원으로 2012년과 비교해 20%이상 크게 성장했다
다임러 디터 제체 회장은 지난해 방한해 현재 벤츠판매량을 2020년까지 40,000대 이상으로 늘리겠다는 포부를 밝힌바 있는데 그와 함께 벤츠파이낸셜의 실적도 꾸준히 성장할 것으로 예상된다.
오펙사장에 따르면 현재 한국에 있는 약 40%의 벤츠오너가 벤츠파이낸셜의 고객이다. 이외에 40%는 현금고객이고 나머지 20%가 타사의 금융프로그램을 이용하고 잇는 것으로 나타났다.
“이는 저희의 균형있는 성장을 위해 적절한 수치라고 생각합니다. 다른 주요 시장에서도 비슷한 수준을 유지하고 있습니다.”
한편 독일 럭셔리브랜드들의 금융수익이 늘어나면서 일부에서는 이들의 높은 금리 등에 대한 비판적인 시각이 있는 것도 사실이다. 하지만 오펙사장은 가격만으로 회사의 금융상품을 평가하는 부분에서는 아쉬움을 드러냈다.
그녀는 “벤츠의 금융상품은 패키지프로그램입니다. 첫 구매부터 애프터서비스 이후 신차 구입부터 중고차매매까지 일생에 대해 서비스를 하는 것이죠. 이런 점들은 분명 특별한 점”이라고 말했다.
본인의 소득수준을 넘어서는 고가의 차를 구매해 결국 이를 갚지 못하는 “카푸어(Car Poor)” 문제에 대해서도 미국이나 싱가포르 등과 같은 주요시장에서도 빈번하다며 한국서도 적극 대처하고 있다고 덧붙였다.
“다임러그룹의 표준에 따라 고객들의 소득 및 신용상태를 꼼꼼히 따집니다. 그런 조건들이 맞지 않는다면 단호히 거절하고 있습니다.”
이제 부임 5개월이 넘은 오펙사장은 앞으로도 한국고객들을 위한 특별한 서비스를 계속해서 선보일 예정이라며 최근 출시한 차량견적계산 모바일앱에도 기대를 드러냈다.
끝으로 한국에서는 군대 다녀온 여자가 인기가 있다고 얘기하자 웃으며 “이스라엘에서도 여성이 전투에 투입되는 건 드물다”며 “협동심이나 효율적인 업무처리 등 많은 것을 배웠다”고 답변했다. “물론 리더쉽을 비롯해 대부분의 비지니스스킬은 다임러에 입사해 갈고 닦았습니다.“
<관련 영문기사>
Financial services broaden Mercedes appeal
CEO calls customers ‘life-time partners’
Adi Ofek, managing director of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Korea, had no hesitations on joining the Korean team in January. Among several options given to the then-chief risk officer of Daimler in Africa and the Asia-Pacific, Korea was almost her own choice, she recalled.
“It was because of the people. I felt very much at home whenever I visited Korea on business trips,” the Israeli CEO said in an interview with The Korea Herald on Friday.
“Koreans are hard-working people. They always try to find a solution passionately. That’s the point where I feel connection between Korea and Israel.”
After completing her military duty in her home country, Ofek joined Daimler, Mercedes-Benz’s parent company, in 2000. She served several jobs at the German auto giant, including leading the risk operation team in Africa and the Asia-Pacific since 2007 as the first female executive in the region.
For the 42-year-old finance veteran, leading the Korean team is a challenging but exciting new mission.
The captive finance companies of foreign carmakers, especially those of top-selling German luxury brands, are expanding their presence in Korea where import car sales have surged in recent years. And of them, Mercedes-Benz is one of the top players.
Last year, the German carmaker sold a record 24,780 vehicles, up 21.54 percent from a year ago. During the same period, the financial service company’s net profit also soared 21.85 percent to 18.4 billion won ($18 million).
Currently, financial service customers, who are considered more loyal, make up almost 40 percent of all Benz owners here, like in other mature markets such as the United States and Singapore.
Daimler Group chairman Dieter Zetsche had pledged during his visit in November to pour resources into Korea to double car sales to some 40,000 vehicles by 2020.
Reflecting their operation linkages and shared branding, the finance company is also expected to continue to pose its strong growth in the coming years.
Amid some criticism about Mercedes’ high-priced financial products, Ofek made it clear that pricing cannot fully explain the company’s premium package programs combined with maintenance services and other special features.
“We see customers as partners for life,” she said. “We offer them the best deals to lower their initial burden, then help them upgrade to a new vehicle years later. It’s a lifetime service.”
But she is well aware of the value of saying no to customers in the credit business. There are a slew of sexy cars and attractive loan programs luring potential buyers in the market. But some motorists fail to pay back the money, falling into the “car poor.”
“It’s not easy to say no to customers. But affordability is the key thing to us,” said Ofek, adding that the company’s debt analysts offer thorough consultations and the best deal for customers under Daimler’s strict global standards. She stressed: “Our business is not just about today.”
She added her team is working on a variety of new products and social contribution programs for the Korean market only. Among others, the company plans to introduce more tech-savvy programs, such as a mobile app for calculating car prices, to appeal to younger customers.
Asked if her time in the military has affected her social career or management style, she responded with a smile.
“I joined the army after high school at 18. I learned a lot of skills on how to be efficient and collaborate. But I was too young to learn social skills in the military,” she said.
“I would say my leadership has been cultivated, inspired mainly in Daimler.”
By Lee Ji-yoon (
jylee@heraldcorp.com)
