Where are your new-vehicle profits hiding?
- Dealer News
- 26 November 2024
What two traits do tractor salesmen, truck dealers and purveyors of premium sports cars have in common? They all still sell in old-fashioned horsepower… and few of them know what horse they are talking about.
To stimulate sales post lockdown, Motus Honda and Subaru West Rand’s Dealer Principal, Colin Chipps, decided to run a competition where each salesperson was asked to produce their own promotional video.
Midway through September, Petrie van der Merwe, Used Vehicle Manager at Fury Motor Group in Pietermaritzburg, can already report his small team has sold 34 more cars in August than they did in June — and he predicts the good sales will continue.
With 32 years’ experience as new car salesman, Volkswagen Tableview’s sales executive, Gerhard Rademan, still has the pedal to the metal (he prefers mettle) coping with some metaphorical oil leaks and flat tyres of a long career in the automotive business.
A full list of the Dealer of the Year winners for Kia for 2019
These days dealership awards are about more than just recognising and celebrating success, says Gary Scott, CEO of KIA Motors South Africa.
The workshop is where dealerships generate cash flow, but few people spare a thought for the most important part of the workshop — the wash bay.
Sitting in her office at Barloworld Ford Bruma, one cannot tell that Marcia Mayaba was once a “goafer” who was assigned, under the title of trainee, to jobs ranging from receptionist to driver, wash bay attendant and cabin assistant in a delivery truck.
When it comes to dirty work and heavy lifting, Hannes van Reenen at Netech Distributors likes to tell dealerships, “relax, we got your back”.
Farouk Dangor, owner of the well-known Speedy Car Sales in Klerksdorp, will soon be celebrating his 40th anniversary in the exclusive pre-owned car business in South Africa. Dealerfloor approached him about the business that led to numerous awards and accolades and the fascinating motorsport museum at the dealership.
The old adage that those who race on the weekend, sell on the weekday, but for Elvéne Vonk of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) East Rand, it holds special significance.
Erad de Lange is a man of few words. As Dealer Principal and owner of Caledon Toyota since 2007, he is a busy man, though. The dealership is buzzing – all day, every day.
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You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do.
Henry Ford