Interview with Erick Jarlego of Lamborghini Manila

Lamborghini Manila’s General Sales Manager Erick Jarlego probably has the most enviable job in the world. Carmudi Philippines chanced upon the world’s luckiest sales manager as he tames yet another raging bull.

 

Carmudi Philippines: Sir Erick, how long have you been in the automotive industry?

Erick Jarlego: I have been engaged in auto sales for 17 years now.

CP: Did you always want to be part of this industry? Why?

EJ: I’ve always wanted to be in sales because it allows me to meet and serve a lot of people. I take extreme pride in being able to provide satisfaction and happiness to our customers by keenly matching them with vehicles they aspire for or are best suited for them. It’s very fulfilling.

CP: Which automotive companies have you worked for in the past?

EJ: Since 2002, I’ve had the privilege of working for the pioneer of bringing in luxury exotic cars in the Philippines, PGA Group Chairman Robert Coyiuto, Jr. PGA Cars is the sole importer and distributor of Porsche, Audi, Lamborghini and Bentley cars in the Philippines.

CP: How long have you been with Lamborghini Manila?

EJ: Since 2011.

CP: Do you handle only Lamborghini, or also other brands under the PGA umbrella?

EJ: I am focused on Lamborghini.

CP: What were your previous positions at Lamborghini Manila?

EJ: I am proud to say that I’ve served as general sales manager for Lamborghini Manila ever since PGA Cars was appointed the country’s exclusive official importer, distributor, and after-sales service provider of the super sports-car maker from Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy.

CP: What fuels your passion to work at Lamborghini Manila?

EJ: I consider it a great challenge to serve a very exclusive and small niche of buyers; to be part of their journey in making their Lamborghini dreams come true. There is fulfilment in not just being able to close a sale, but to successfully convey what the brand stands for both from technical and lifestyle standpoints. I am also driven to work hard because our Chairman Robert Coyiuto, Jr. and our President Roberto Coyiuto III, have always been very supportive of me and the Lamborghini brand.

CP: As the General Sales Manager of an exotic, high-profile automotive brand, you probably had unique requests from your equally high-profile customers.

Can you tell us your most interesting encounters with your customers, experiences that stand out; memories that you will tell your children (and maybe grandchildren) about?

EJ: As I mentioned, we cater to a basically small market. We are not at all about volume, so I’d say all vehicle deliveries have been very memorable for me. This much I can say: Even if customers have various motives for buying a Lamborghini, they share a common denominator –an immense pride in ownership. Some deliveries take more than an hour because we really take time to answer questions about their new car; others are short and sweet interactions because owners are excited to get behind the wheel and drive the cars immediately.

CP: Speaking of driving the cars, have you driven all the models you sell? How did it feel?

EJ: Yes, I have been blessed with the opportunity to drive all the commercially available Lamborghini models. I’ve even experienced pushing them on racetracks outside the country. These precious opportunities afford me a greater appreciation for the kind of vehicles we are selling. I was definitely a fan of Lamborghini before; I’m an even bigger fan now. It’s not a stretch or challenge at all to champion it through sales. I know what I’m talking about.

CP: With other luxury brands under the PGA umbrella, how would assess the present state of the ultra-luxury and exotic car market in the Philippines?

EJ: I see the market as healthy and steady. Of course, it goes without saying that it’s a niche market. However, we note that there is a growing market segment of upgraders from the luxury to what we call the ESS or exclusive sportscar segment – a segment that features two-door vehicles boasting 475bhp and above. The market is slowly but steadily expanding and growing.

CP: If I walked into the Lamborghini showroom holding my checkbook and brochures from Lamborghini’s competitors, how would you make sure that I walked out with the keys (to my own Lamborghini), and not merely another brochure?

EJ: I would be glad to welcome you to our showroom which, incidentally, is a Lamborghini-compliant facility. This means you get the same holistic Lamborghini experience in our showroom as you would anywhere else in the world where the brand sells its cars. Making a sale starts with me striving to make a connection between you and the brand. I will walk you through the design, features, and benefits of owning a Lamborghini. I’d like to make mention too that one of the things we are very proud of at Lamborghini Manila is that if a guest walks in and makes a decision to buy a car, we have a unit available ready to be driven out of the showroom. For prospects who wish to customize, we can also help them through what we call our indent personalization program. We have our own car configurator in the showroom.

CP: Where do you see the exotic car market in the next ten years?

EJ: I can see that our country is on the path towards growth and development. The projection therefore is that the exotic car market would significantly grow over the next 10 years. With new models and new players on the horizon, the future is very exciting and holds a lot of promise.

CP: Do you believe in online automotive selling – with regards to Lamborghini, specifically?

EJ: We do aggressive promotion of Lamborghini through our dealership. Having said that, everything is going online, and, surely, there will come a time that online selling would be of great help to expand our market reach.

We certainly hope Carmudi will be one of Lamborgini’s online partners when that time comes.

Interview by Steven S. Matador