“And for now it may be the first, but not the last time…” Well, this ‘statement of intent’ from Luke Dreyer (Dealer Principal at BMW Midrand) during an interview with Dealerfloor last year, proves to be spot on.
BMW Midrand had just been awarded Retailer of the Year for both BMW and MINI for 2024, achieving a very elusive twin victory for both brands as was the case in 2023.
And without hesitation Luke tells Dealerfloor they will be aiming to achieve this success for the third consecutive time, something that has not been done before.
BMW Midrand is no stranger when it comes to winning awards. It won the BMW Retailer of the Year award for the first time in 2021, and on the MINI side it has been awarded the top retailer title twice consecutively, in 2018 and 2019, and then the double win of the top titles for 2023.
During this year’s awards ceremony for the 2024 top spots, BMW Midrand also won some of the much sought-after titles: Best Aftersales (BMW), Best Financial Services (MINI), Best Sales Retailer (BMW Large), Best Used Car Retailer (BMW), Best Customer Support and then the two top titles – BMW Retailer of the Year 2024 and MINI Retailer of the Year 2024.
The dealership also took some second places as MINI Sales Retailer, BMW M Sales Retailer and for the Social Responsibility award.
“So, what is the secret?” we asked Luke.
“The importance of worldclass touchpoint interaction, to pinpoint and get every detail correct - remember the saying successful retail is in the detail, and the empowering of our staff with growth opportunity for everyone,” he tells us.
“With our staff I mean everyone, from the cleaners, washing bay operators to the top managers need to get everything right. Our Voice Of Customers (VOC) system, which influences the year-end bonusses, plays a vital role in driving and motivating staff to be on top their game all the time as it is measured on a monthly base.
“I am now living the Cape but travel to Midrand every week for three days. This allows me to concentrate on other aspects of the business and during my three days in Midrand, the interaction with the team is more meaningful as we have to be more focused in that time period.
“This new arrangement also allows for the managers to take a step forward and take on greater responsibility. Achieving a consistent ethos of the same work culture throughout all the departments ensures that everyone at the dealership is on the same page so to speak. This brings about the smooth running of our business operation.
“With this system in place, winning the customer award made it even more special. Last year, we serviced 17 500 vehicles and to get that kind of quantity together with quality is a significant accomplishment,” Luke says.
He also mentioned that they sold 595 new and demo BMWs in 2024, well ahead of the second-placed dealership. “Our aim was 600 vehicles. For 2025 we had a good start with 59 new and demo BMWs sold in January alone.”
And what’s next? “Like I mentioned, we are in a transition phase with my move to the Cape, but it creates a unique opportunity for the managers. It is important that we keep the momentum, build on it and keep the trophies at BMW Midrand next year.”
During May, MasterDrive will host a New Energy Vehicle (NEV) Fleet Workshop where the topic will be delved into with great detail. While the exact date is yet to be confirmed, several experts will be coming together to unpack pertinent issues related to NEVs.
Passenger car buyers in South Africa seemed undeterred by some of the economic concerns if one studies the retail vehicle sales figures for February, which show that car sales were up by 17.1% when compared to February 2024,” says Brandon Cohen, Chairperson of the National Automobile Dealers’ Association (NADA).
If treated as a cost, it simply flows through the income statement and once expensed, it generally is forgotten about after the month in which it is expensed. From a tax and accounting perspective it is processed as an expense and when one needs to cut expenses, it is often one of the first expenses to be reduced.
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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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If treated as a cost, it simply flows through the income statement and once expensed, it generally is forgotten about after the month in which it is expensed. From a tax and accounting perspective it is processed as an expense and when one needs to cut expenses, it is often one of the first expenses to be reduced.
UD Trucks Southern Africa announced the addition of its latest dealership in Midvaal, operated by the ETTC Group. This new facility strengthens UD Trucks’ commitment to providing high-quality sales, service and parts support, strategically positioned to serve fleet operators and transport businesses along South Africa’s key N1 and N3 routes.
Rola Ford Robertson won the Ford Dealer of the Year award for the second time in a row while the Human Auto Group bagged its fifth consecutive Dealer Group of the Year title.
