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
Although changes have been made to the Ford dealership in Welkom over the last 63 years, last year and this year saw some serious developments to one of Humans Auto’s beacons in the Free State.
Human Auto Welkom is currently undergoing a complete revamp. The first floor of the well-known building’s renovation has just been completed with the other phases virtually ready to be implemented.
The acquisition of some additional land at the back of the dealership will relieve the badly needed parking space shortage. This will make it easier for customers and employees to find safe and secure parking close by in the near future.
The other big development was the addition of the Chery dealership in a separate part of the premises but with Ford retaining its well-known corner spot.
“The dealership has been here and a landmark since 1960, which makes it 63 years old,” says Pierre Beukes, Dealer Principal at Human Auto Welkom.
“We also have our own forecourt, and the dealership’s location is a very central. When all the renovations are completed, access will be much better, more inviting and comfortable for our customers,” Pierre tells Dealerfloor.
He says the new Ranger pick-up range is already very popular as are the Everest SUV and the forthcoming new smaller SUV, called the Puma, which will arrive on showroom floors before the year-end.
“In our area, we have a very large agricultural sector and related industries. The arrival of our single and rap cab will strengthen our position. Apart from Welkom, towns like Virginia, Odendaalsrus, Winburg, Wesselsbron and Bultfontein, to mention a few, are part of our area of responsibility.”
He says the new generation Ranger’s sophistication and quality are something to behold. The Ranger is really a game changer. “On the Chery side, the products are focused on value-for-money, and the Chinese brand also took a quantum leap forward with technology and quality.”
The dealership has, over the years, contributed to the Human Auto Group’s trophy cabinet. In the recent Ford Dealer of the Year awards, Human Auto Welkom was runner-up in category C, and Cliffie Cawood, the Sales Manager, won the new car sales award in this category.
In 2018, when the dealership was still classified as a category D dealership (in terms of size), it won the Dealer of the Year award in the category, and in 2019 it was runner-up. In 2020, it became a category C dealership and has been the runner-up in this category for the last three years in the hunt for the top spot.
Pierre has been with the Human Auto Group since 2000, first as a sales executive on the new car side, then as manager for new and used cars before becoming the Dealer Principal at Human Auto Welkom.
Before that, he was in the South African Police Service as a member of Unit 19 in Pretoria and then for two years at the Welkom Flying Squad. He then tried his hand at insurance for two years before finding his home at Human Auto Welkom.
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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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