Volvo Trucks & Buses Johannesburg scooped up the top award as the 2023 Mega Dealer of the Year during the truck manufacturer’s Dealer of the Year awards.
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The company’s Harrismith dealer claimed the top spot in the Medium Dealer of the Year category. Volvo Trucks & Buses Beaufort West was named the Small Dealer of the Year.
Other award winners include the best dealer performances in uptime, measured against various KPIs, and their commitment and ability to quickly repair customers’ vehicles at breakdown. In the Customer Satisfaction category, one of Volvo Trucks’ core values, the winners achieved the best combined overall CSI ratings in service and parts.
The mega Dealer of the Year: Waldemar Christensen (MD), Graham Norman (Parts Salesman), Haneef Laher (Branch Manager), Johan van Dyk (Customer Care Manager), Chrisjan Els (Director Retail Operations) and Reshie Balkisson (Director Service Market & Business Dev).
Best Uptime Dealer:
• Small Dealer: Volvo Trucks & Buses Newcastle
• Medium Dealer: Volvo Trucks & Buses Harrismith
• Mega Dealer: Volvo Trucks & Buses Middelburg
Best Overall CSI Small Dealer:
• Small Dealer: Volvo Trucks & Buses Kimberley
• Medium Dealer: Volvo Trucks & Buses Bloemfontein
• Mega Dealer: Volvo Trucks & Buses Johannesburg.
These awards where just some of the accolades presented to the Volvo Trucks network, which consists of 19 dealerships across South Africa.
“We constantly measure, evaluate and analyse the various disciplines within each dealership, from administration to parts, service, finance, and health and safety to ensure that we deliver only the best possible service to our customers,” says Waldemar Christensen, Managing Director of Volvo Trucks South Africa.
The Medium Dealer of the Year: Waldemar Christensen (MD), Anita van der Merwe (Branch Administrator), Chris Clarke (Branch Manager), Mohammed Yusuf (Diesel Technician), Reshie Balkisson (Director Service Market & Business Dev) and Chrisjan Els (Director Retail Operations).
In 2024, Volvo Trucks South Africa is also celebrating its 24th anniversary in the country. The company has an assembly plant in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal and currently employs around 900 people at various sites across the country.
“Every day, we work with some of the sharpest minds and most creative brains in our industry to bring South African customers the best solutions for their businesses,” Waldemar says. “We are passionate about what we do, and we thrive on teamwork. We are united by a culture of care, inclusiveness and empowerment, where all of us - regardless of gender, race, age, abilities or background - can give their very best.”
Volvo Trucks’ employees are also continually trained and developed to support customers’ businesses as they evolve and adapt to the ever-changing local operating and business conditions. Volvo Group Southern Africa has a dedicated Competence Development Centre that provides ongoing opportunities to learn and grow across all disciplines, including technician training and sales and management development.
The Small Dealer of the Year: Waldemar Christensen (MD, Ernst Wolfaardt (Branch Manager), Liz Botes (Branch Administrator), Reshie Balkisson (Director Service Market & Business Dev) and Chrisjan Els (Director Retail Operations).
In keeping with the latest trends and developments, training also includes Volvo Trucks’ new energy vehicles like Battery Electric Vehicles, Liquified Natural Gas and other sustainable transport solutions.
“South Africa has a unique transport landscape, and for the past 24 years it has been a privilege for Volvo Trucks to establish and grow its business here. We are committed to our people, our customers and the industry as a whole and believe in the future of this wonderful country,” he says.
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