We are writing a book telling the story of GWM Menlyn. Every day is a new chapter on our journey towards becoming the flagship dealership in the country for the iconic Chinese brand.
With this inspiring words, Elsabe Herselman, Dealer Principal, tells Dealerfloor of the road they travelled from a “corner shop showroom” so to speak, to now occupying the complete premises and establishing a dealership she believes will make GWM Menlyn the leading dealership of its kind in South Africa.
GWM Menlyn, also historically known as GWM Haval Menlyn, is part of the Hatfield Motor Group and one of five GWM dealerships in the group’s portfolio. The stand-alone dealership is currently undergoing a comprehensive revamp to showcase all the different brands in the GWM stable.
“I am so proud to be the Dealer Principal at the dealership, and we are working hard to create something special at GWM Menlyn. I joined the Hatfield Motor Group at the beginning of 2023 . The dealership started off towards the end of 2022 and a year ago we could only showcase new and used vehicles, utilising one of our sister GWM dealers for the after-sales function.
“Today we are a full-fledged dealership with our own after-sales department, and we represent all the brands in the GWM stable. They include Tank, P-Series, Haval & Jolion, Steed and the electric ORA,” Elsabe says. “The end product will be something to behold, and it is a road our staff and customers are travelling together with shared experiences and bearing witness of our rise here in Menlyn.”
She tells us that they are living their motto of selling hearts, making a difference one heart at a time. “We are creating a different vibe here. One example is to use our show-room floor over weekends for activities like self-defence lessons for women and children and yes, men are also more than welcome. The dealership loves to invest in general well-being initiatives in order to uplift the community.
“We also encourage our staff to have a healthy work life balance, and our staff members’ well-being is always top of mind as we know and believe that this will ensure that we can best look after our customers and deliver the best in customer service aligned to our Hatfield Motor Group commitment of ‘Rated #1 in Service’.
“Our aim is to get as many as possible vehicles on the road with the GWM Menlyn energy and spirit. The way we go about achieving this fundamental aspect of our business is where we shine. With the platforms we create for customers and staff, our dealership and the GWM brands we represent get noticed,” Elsabe says.
Elsabe only has compliments for GWM South Africa. Their assistance, dedication and training are exceptional and makes a significant difference across all aspects of the business. They really listen and support us as a dealership to deliver first-class service,” she tells Dealerfloor.
Asked about her career in the motor trade, Elsabe says she wanted to become a teacher but after her first year, the business bug bit her. A friend suggested the motor retail business and as they say, she has never looked back.
“My career kicked off in 2007 for three years at a GM dealership after which I joined two other motoring groups before finding my feet at the Hatfield Motor Group,” she tells us. “I enjoy the shared vision of our future journey and the fact that we all contribute to shaping that future, especially here at our new GWM Menlyn dealership,” Elsabe noted.
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You can't buy happiness but you can buy cars and that's kind of the same thing.
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When Cobus Coetzee (photo) accepted the opportunity to join the Morgan Group in Upington, he had to weigh up more than a new position. The move meant exchanging the West Coast’s cooler climate and seaside lifestyle for the Northern Cape’s desert heat, while taking responsibility for a multi-franchise operation spread across several premises.
Dealer excellence was recognised at the Mahindra South Africa Dealer Conference Awards Evening, where dealerships were acknowledged for their performance across retail sales, commercial vehicles, customer satisfaction, aftersales and other areas of the business.
To turn the fortunes of a dealership around from one not firing on all its cylinders, so to speak, to one of the top five dealerships in the country and now the top Dealer of the Year, is testimony to what can be achieved with dedicated leadership.
