“We do the basics, which we do to the best of our ability, every single day. We stick to our business plan, keep it simple and we work hard.”
So says Mark Torrance, Dealer Principal at Motus Hyundai Pinetown and Hyundai Hillcrest in KwaZulu-Natal, on receiving the Dealer of The Year Award from the manufacturer for the Pinetown dealership. It is the second consecutive year that Hyundai Pinetown has won the award in Category A for large Hyundai dealerships.
To say Hyundai Pinetown is a well-known, multiple award-winning dealership, would be a more accurate description as it has accumulated numerous awards over the years, including the prestigious global Regional Excellence award (Global Top Dealer) in 2017, for which Mark had to travel to South Korea to receive.
Mark knows the product, the dealership and the region exceptionally well. He started his career with the brand as a Sales Executive at Hyundai Pinetown, moving on to become the Sales Manager, and he has been the DP there for the last 15 years.
Notwithstanding all the negative circumstances impacting especially KZN recently, he says, keeping a positive mindset, motivating his staff and selling vehicles even with stock shortages, remain the day-to-day focus.
“On that note – you do not focus on what you do not have. We have a broad spectrum of model ranges and there are always cars to be sold. You concentrate and what you have,” Mark tells Dealerfloor.
“I believe in transparency and have an open-door policy. We talk every day, and it is important that the staff members understand why decisions are made and buy into our plan to achieve our goals. I have a solid core team, and our staff are all committed to delivering the best possible service across all departments.”
And what does winning awards mean to him and his team? “Winning awards, tells you that you are on the right track because you are benchmarked against other similar dealerships in this competitive industry. The fact that we get noticed is reassuring and we know our plan is implemented successfully on a day-to-day basis.
The dealership, which is close to a number of other Hyundai dealerships, managed more than 60% sales in its area of responsibility, which augurs well for the After Sales Department. “We have a large database, and our workshop has an excellent reputation. Our sales consist of a good mixture of repeat business, first-time vehicle owners and on the other end commercial sales largely to industries in the nearby industrial area here,” he says.
And what is next? “For us it is important to keep on doing what we do, measuring our output against the minimum criteria and achieving the goals set out in our business model. Nothing fancy, just doing the basics right, every day,” Mark concludes.
The South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ) has announced the long-awaited semi-finalists for the 40th edition of the prestigious 2026 Car of the Year (COTY) competition, held annually since 1986.
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