From being totally clueless automotive industry rookie to leading a trusted brands Number one dealership to building one of the country’s most successful multi-brand automotive dealership companies to being the exclusive distributor of iconic car brand, Willy Q. Tee Ten has proven time and again that he is an achiever. People around the man also know that he is perhaps one of the hardest working men in automotive industry. What makes the man who (among other things) brought the MINI brand into the country such an enigmatic and tireless leader? We sat down with the man to try to find out exactly what makes him tick. Here are some highlights of our interview.
PS: Please give us a background on how you started in automotive industry up to where you are today.
WQT: It is during the height of the Asian Financial Crisis in 1998 when I decided to venture into his business. It was also at around that same time that the Ford Group returns to the Philippines. They opened the application for the Ford Makati Dealership. Fortunately, even with no background and less experience in the automotive industry, the absolute determination in putting up the business matched with the fresh and creative marketing ideas made them grant the dealership to me and to my partners. It wasn’t easy at first, as I need to learn everything faster than I think I should have- because almost everything was very new to me. However, the pressure worked perfectly and to my benefit. I put myself to the limit as I thought of very unique ways to penetrate the market. It turned out so well as we became the number One Ford Dealership, a position we’ve held since then. Later on, I tried expanding. Now, I have my Autohub Group, of which a big part is the automotive brand that we exclusively distribute, MINI(under the company British United Automobiles, Inc.).
PS: What is about the automotive industry that attracted you?
WQT: It really was about the opportunity. It wasn’t merely about cars, actually. It was more the challenge of trying the business of selling cars. There’s something in me that saying, “I can do it”. In other, it’s not the car but the drive.
PS: What is the Global marketing position of MINI? How are you able to adapt that to the Philippines market? In what way is MINI a unique car brand to market in the Philippines?
WQT: The MINI is pursuing the heritage of its successful predecessor (the Classic MINI) on a totally different and brand new technical foundation. It is a brand developed to a higher standard than ever before. I’m very happy how the Filipinos embraced the arrival of the MINI in the country. I can say that MINI is a car that you can actually call your own, as we require names for each car instead of plate numbers as their identities. And each MINI car is different from the rest because it always involves the personality of its owner.
PS: What, in your opinion, has made MINI one of the most unique brand in the country?
WQT: Aside from this car being iconic, MINI is a car that’s intelligently built and tailor-fitted to the taste, personal touch of each buyer. The very distinct drive experience differentiates the MINI from the rest.
PS: What’s a typical day like for the President of British United Automobiles?
WQT: Non-stop meetings, one after the other phone calls, never-ending exchange of text messages, and hundreds of email correspondents. I’ve been lining in the fast-paced life of all these years. My average working hours in a day is 16 hours. I’m thankful because I learned to play golf. It makes me slow down a bit once in a while and I get to meet and be with many good friends.
PS: What’s the most challenging and/ or difficult part of your job?
WQT: The most challenging part for me is meeting our “quotas”. I always set the minds of my people that they have double quotes- their actual quotas (manufacturer’s quotas) vs. WQT quotas (their quotas to me). And passing on the pressure to my Generals Managers makes it even more challenging.
PS: What gets you excited to get work every day?
WQT: The motivation of making my dealership and distributorship Number One. I get excited when I see text messages from clients in my mobile phone in the morning especially if those are not complaints (laughs). I always work like there’s no tomorrow, as they say. Everything that I could finish today Ill makes sure Ill finish it, with the total disregard of time. Everyone in the Autohub Group knows this.
PS: What else do you achieve in your life career?
WQT: Given the chance and resources, I would like to expand further to help employ more Filipinos, secure the future of my children and family, and make all businesses I’ve established stand on their own even when I can’t be around anymore. I would also like to put up an upscale training institution for potential and promising technicians in the country. At the Autohub Group, we have many different brands.. From the American Ford, Japanese Nissan, Korean Hyundai, Italian Vespa, and British MINI, They can learn lots of techniques out of these different car brands. This institution will not only hone their skills but it will also make these Filipino technicians globally competitive.
PS: What should we look forward to with MINI in the coming months?
WQT: The Launching of the most beautiful coupe ever… the MINI Coupé!
