By bringing Bridgestone’s MOBOX subscription service to the region, Al Masaood TBA Division has found itself at the very head of the curve when it comes to offering genuinely new ideas and ways for consumers to ease their financial worries as well as the stress of maintaining their vehicles. Talking to T&FME, general manager Salah Adib, explains that while his business is pleased to be the first to offer the so-called Netflix of tyres outside of Europe, it will continue to pioneer sustainable services and products in a much more digitalise world.
What is MOBOX by Bridgestone – and what are the benefits for the customer?
MOBOX is a new and efficient mobility solution by Bridgestone that caters to customers’ vehicle maintenance needs. It is basically a subscription package that offers a customisable range of services, including tyres, full warranty and other vehicle-related services, for a set monthly fee. Over the years, we have noticed that vehicle maintenance could be considered an inconvenient and expensive factor for a car owner. The MOBOX service has been rolled out to alleviate this inconvenience, and present an overall approach to facilitate car maintenance in a convenient, easy, and seamless manner.
After its success in Europe, Al Masaood TBA was the first Bridgestone partner to pilot this solution in the MENA region, owing to the increased demand for proper vehicle maintenance in Abu Dhabi. It reduces the possibility of unexpected bills, which can arise due to tyre malfunctions, through its set monthly payment options.
MOBOX offers three packages – MOBOX Light, MOBOX Plus, and MOBOX Premium – which include 2/4 tyres and services like tubeless valves, tyre fitting, wheel balancing, nitrogen filling, wheel alignment, tyre rotation, aircon services, and a full warranty. The MOBOX solution was designed to reduce the risk of unexpected bills due to various vehicle malfunctions and to make vehicle maintenance easier for customers.
Do you think it changes the way the customer approach a company such as yours? For instance, does it encourage them to come to your Al Ain and Abu Dhabi facilities to change their tyres more often?
We noticed vehicle maintenance was a hassle for customers, so in partnership with Bridgestone, we rolled out this solution in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and the Western Region to provide customers with a simple and cost-effective solution to address their needs. Since its roll out in 2021, we have recorded a notable growth in MOBOX subscriptions, with over 500 contracts already sold and no let-up in fresh subscribers.
Al Masaood Tyres, Batteries, and Accessories (TBA) Division is the first company to market the solution outside of Europe, and you have also been awarded for it — how did that come about?
Across the world, businesses are witnessing a transition from a product- based economy to a more service-oriented one. Adapting to the pace of consumer demands, which has seen a move from products to overall package services, our partner, Bridgestone’s MOBOX solutions in Europe, looked promising to us, and we realised that it would add greater value and make vehicle maintenance convenient for our customers in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.
The UAE as well has been rapidly progressing in terms of digitalisation, and we can see more and more consumers adopting the subscription model in food and lifestyle services. We considered it the right time to introduce MOBOX during this period considering the changing consumer trends and preferences in the UAE.
Since introducing MOBOX, we’ve seen a positive response from our customers, which prompted our principal Bridgestone to award us with the ‘Global MOBOX Award’. This award is basically in recognition of our efforts in launching the all-in-one MOBOX service in Abu Dhabi as the first pilot in the MENA region.
You have had such a successful launch. What do you think this says about the market’s appetite for Netflix-style subscription services – particularly when it comes to the auto market here?
Customers find easy and accessible services convenient for their lifestyles. Recent trends have them expecting subscription-based services like Netflix or Amazon, where their payment and service solutions are made easy. This has raised the desire for efficient and seamless solutions, which gives MOBOX an upper hand. At Al Masaood Tyres, Batteries and
Accessories, we always seek modern and simple solutions that meet customer trends and expectations. Customer preferences and feedback is our top priority.
For more on MOBOX and why we are seeing a shift towards more sustainable mobility methods, look out for the September issue of Truck and Fleet Middle East – Out this week!
