One could go on about the attributes necessary for such an achievement or simply look at Rola Toyota Somerset West.

The dealership was crowned Toyota SA’s overall Dealer of the Year, with a long list of departmental awards also secured. This includes the much sought after President Award: Group MD Divisional, awarded to Rola Motor Group CEO, Marius Claassen.

Dealerfloor spoke to the very proud dealer principal (DP) at Rola Toyota Somerset West, Andries de Villiers, about reaching the top. Like the Springbok rugby coach, he is already thinking about the game plan for next year as, in his words, “we must now retain the trophy.”

“I completed my apprenticeship in Bredasdorp Agricultural Co-op in 1995 and qualified as a trained diesel mechanic, whereafter I worked for a family owned Nissan dealership. I also spent time in the United Kingdom (UK) doing various jobs and had a stint working for John Deere UK for almost 2 and a half years. I returned to South Africa in mid-2003 and joined Caledon Agricultural Co-op which later on became Overberg Agri.

“Shortly after that, the Overberg Agri bought the Toyota dealership in Bredasdorp where I was promoted to being the workshop manager, this being my first role within the Toyota brand. In 2009 I became the dealer principal at Bredasdorp Toyota and in 2011 the Rola Motor Group bought the dealership,” Andries tells us.

Andries remained in charge of Rola Toyota Bredasdorp and in March 2024 he was moved to the new Rola Toyota Somerset West as dealer principal, taking over from Gerhard Olivier, who retired after helping to establish the striking new Toyota dealership in Rola Motor City.

The dealership is known as one of the flagship outlets, with, among other features, a Vida Coffee shop and various comforts for visitors and customers. A new, separate and luxurious vehicle delivery bay is also in the planning stages. “I believe every customer, whether you bought a Vitz or a Land Cruiser, deserves an unforgettable handover and send off.

“And let us not forget our crowd drawing Gazoo Racing Zone, showcasing Toyota’s exciting performance range, of which we are the only dealership in the Western Cape with such a facility,” he says.

But what makes Rola Toyota Somerset West the top dealership, we asked?

“We are a large dealership with ever increasing sales on both the new and used side, with new vehicle numbers far exceeding one hundred units per month and used vehicles on their way there. This means our service and parts divisions must also keep up.

“The crucial aspect in giving customers the experience they deserve and expect is ensuring that all departments across the dealership are aligned. That can only happen if you have a dedicated, knowledgeable and committed team,” he tells Dealerfloor.

“I believe in discipline and order. We have a staff complement of more than 130 people, including cleaners and workers in the wash bay who are sourced externally. Getting these external staff members to understand our goals and involving them is an important part of running our business,” Andries says.

Moving from a small rural dealership with a strong agricultural focus in Bredasdorp to a large city-based dealership must have presented some challenges.

“Personal relationships are important no matter where you are. Yes, it is easier in a smaller town where a more relaxed pace and lower business volumes allow more time to build these relationships. In a city environment it is more challenging and requires greater effort because of the pace and volume of business, but it remains possible and is, for us, an essential part of our approach to customers.”

“Our involvement in the community, and specifically with schools, is high on our priority list. With the younger generation being less brand loyal than older customers, and with the rise of attractive Chinese brands, our involvement helps maintain focus on the strength of the Toyota brand. It is also important that customers understand the concept of residual value and its advantages,” Andries tells Dealerfloor.

Andries says several new product launches this year will put them in an even stronger position than last year, with favourites such as the Toyota Land Cruiser Mini FJ, New RAV4, Hilux as well as the bZ4X, the brand’s first fully electric vehicle for South Africa, arriving soon.

“We will build on the success of last year, adapt our strategy where necessary and maintain a strong focus on providing customers with the best possible service across all departments. We will continue to strengthen our relationship with the OEM and look after the interests of our valued staff,” Andries concludes.