Ready to move from container to state-of-the-art building

So says Charles Ueckermann, new Dealer Principal at the BB Motor Group’s Mahindra dealership in Mashishing, previously known as Lydenburg in the northern part of Mpumalanga.

“We are looking forward to moving into the dealership in around four months from now. This brand-new complex currently under construction will most definitely draw everyone’s attention. It will also incorporate ways to be more self-sufficient in terms of electricity and water and reduce our carbon footprint,” Charles tells Dealerfloor.

“Working out of containers brings challenges when running a dealership. However, we are proud that the quality of our workmanship and level of service in all respects of buying a new vehicle, are what will be remembered by our customers.

“In our current way of operating space, customer convenience and marketing our premises with branding are the big challenges. We operate out of five containers, which accommodate the sales team, parts store administration and finance division while our “showroom floor” is under shade nets. We rent a service bay at another dealership for the time being,” Charles tells us.

Notwithstanding this, he says they have the complete range of Mahindra vehicles available for test drives. They market and sell in a roughly 100 km radius around Mashishing, including neighbouring towns like Dullstroom, Sabie, Burgersfort, Steelpoort, Belfast and Ohrigstad. “With the lack of the physical marketing of our brand while the new dealership is under construction, we use opportunities like school events, golf days and shopping centres to exhibit our product range.”

He says they have a strong team with a diverse background in the motor trade that includes the highest-grade technician on the service side. “We receive compliments for the great service we render, even under these less-than-ideal circumstances. Being part of the BB Group has many advantages, and we can give customers access to brands from here that are sold within our group.”

Charles, who has a background and many years’ experience in banking, has been at different dealerships in various capacities over his career, in most cases helping to get new dealerships off the ground and up and running. Although I hae been DP here for the last two months of this operation, which started in October last year, I am familiar with the town and region.

“Earlier in my career, I also assisted in establishing the Volkswagen dealership here and spent some time in the nearby Mbombela. My motoring career, which included stints in places like Potchefstroom, Umhlanga and Ladysmith, saw me working in different capacities and gaining a vast experience across the dealership spectrum,” he says.

“We are looking forward to our new dealership and building on the current foundation we have laid,” Charles concludes.