For the second year in a row, she won the award for Best Parts Manager from Suzuki Auto SA, no small feat for a woman who has stamped her authority on is this highly demanding job. The dealership was also awarded Platinum dealer status and Dealer of the Year 2020 in the Rural Category.

In her fourth year with this brand and dealership, Odette streamlined all the processes and systems for optimum use in an ever-changing dealership environment.

“Passion for what you are doing lies at the heart of any success story. It is not only about a job and a salary, but also about fulfilment and going the extra mile to achieve more than a noteworthy outcome. In short – what you put in, is what you get out, and I am honoured by this award.

“I also believe you can only achieve this if you have a strong team around you who buys into the way you organise and act. People are the foremost asset in any business, and happy, well-equipped and knowledgeable staff in turn reflect positively on the customers,” Odette says.

“With the pandemic, we had to adapt to circumstances brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic that resulted in lifestyle adaptations with stock shortages and lockdown restrictions. Our systems, knowing every aspect, the whereabout and availability of each part become crucial to optimise our service delivery and turnaround time.

“It was back to basics to find the touchpoints with the new way of life and conducting business with people working from different locations and customers who wanted to spend as little time as possible at the dealership, she tells Dealerfloor.

One of the aspects that led to this award was our first place in the Best Practice Parts for the period July to September 2020. This is measured on a quarterly basis and carries a certain weight towards the award they won.

“With the shortage of new vehicles and in some cases parts, we are very fortunate for the help we get from Suzuki Auto South Arica, which monitors our parts inventory on a daily base and assists with the sourcing and allocation of especially fast-moving service parts.

“We are grateful for an increase in business and the retention of customers at our workshop and the after sales of parts. Thank you to our staff and customers who made it possible for us to achieve this awesome accolade,” says Odette.

Jacksons Suzuki Queenstown is an independent dealership that belongs to Mark Wilson, and Patrick Casey is the Dealer Principal. The complex also includes the Isuzu dealership, which received a Dealer of the Year award for 2020.