Triton brings the challenge to competitors
The bakkie war has intensified with the local launch of Mitsubishi’s next-generation Triton, an evolution in the iconic bakkie’s 46-year legacy.
- Product News
- 21 November 2024
Suzuki is doing well in Kroonstad, with a constantly growing interest in the brand a year after it opened its doors in the Northern Free State town.
So says Nico Olivier, Dealer Principal of the Williams Hunt division of CFAO Mobility in Kroonstad, which consists of Isuzu and now Suzuki, also sharing the same premises.
Williams Hunt, which started out countrywide as Chevrolet dealerships, then started selling Delta products, which included Opel and Isuzu and later General Motors, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
CFAO Mobility’s product offering in Kroonstad also includes Toyota and Volkswagen in separate divisions.
“We had space available and transformed it to accommodate Suzuki, sharing a workshop area with Isuzu. The two brands supplement each other well. Kroonstad is centred in an important agricultural part in the country with Isuzu one of the big players in this sector.
“Suzuki’s vehicle range is popular and has found favour with a number of different people in this region. Farmers who come here to buy Isuzu’s, like to buy Suzuki’s for their children as student vehicles, while our commercial Super Carry bakkies and Eeco panel van is popular with smaller businesses in town. The complete Suzuki range itself has found wide acceptance across the board,” Nico tells Dealerfloor.
He says they service a number of smaller towns in the area like Steynsrus, Petrus Steyn, Ventersburg, Hennenman, Arlington, Lindley, Parys and Frankfort. On the Isuzu side, we make use of livestock auctions and other agricultural events to showcase the Isuzu-bakkies.
“Roads to certain towns and even in Kroonstad remain a challenge. We are part of a bigger process in Kroonstad itself to assist in maintaining the town as we all live and work here,” says Nico, who has been at the Williams Hunt dealership since 2000 in different capacities.”
He is in the “hot chair” as DP for both Suzuki and Isuzu since February 2021, and he also acts as new and used vehicle sales managers. “In smaller towns in the rural areas, a DP has to fulfil more than one role. We have a very good staff complement.
“We are in a constantly changing environment in the automotive sector and in general doing business in the country. Change sometimes brings uncertainty and therefore resistance. My task is to guide my staff, keep them motivated and to ensure we deliver the best customer service possible,” Nico says.
“Rendering first-class customer service means you retain customers. It is important through the complete value chain from when a customer buys a car to servicing and buying spares from us. Back to basics is our motto, and it’s part of our success I believe,” Nico concludes.
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Unlike in the past, when dealerships primarily waited for customers to come to them, we now take a more proactive approach, bringing our vehicles directly to places where people gather, allowing them to experience the product first-hand, including offering test drives,” says Gerrie van der Kaay, Dealer Principal at Supergroup Dealerships Jetour Midrand.
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