Kia’s Tasman bakkie arrives in South Africa
Kia has taken a bold step into one of South Africa’s most competitive automotive segments with the launch of the Tasman, its first-ever double cab bakkie.
- Product News
- 9 April 2026
Sales activity management is probably the most important job of any sales manager but there is very little information available with which to manage it.
I know some manufacturers and a few dealers that have taken this quite seriously, but I am not sure that companies pay their sales managers or reward dealers on the effective management of sales activity.
Sales enquiry volumes by vehicle.
Source of the enquiry (phone, walk in, promotion etc).
Number of potential trade-in vehicles.
Manage the workload of the sales team.
Determine what vehicles are being enquired about (efficiency of advertising, pricing, branding and positioning).
Determine what resources are required where (telephonists, floor salespeople, greeters, product specialists).
Which salespeople are proficient in dealing with clients face to face versus over the phone.
Which salespeople are more successful on which models.
Predict sales outcomes that will enable the sales manager to manage stock more effectively.
Determine which salespeople are better at negotiating a deal when there is a trade-in.
Once you have accurate activity data over a period of time, it will give you an incredible insight into which salespeople and processes are truly effective and where there is opportunity.
An example I use often is if salesperson A regularly receives 100 enquiries and sells 15 vehicles and salesperson B receives 20 enquiries and sells 10 vehicles, who is in fact your better salesperson?
You may want to find out why two salespeople have such a vast difference in enquiries – maybe one has a telephonist friend and receives more than their fair share of enquiries. Another possibility is that salesperson B may be happy with selling 10 vehicles and is not too keen to take on extra leads.
I could go on forever with possible scenarios, but the fact of the matter is that unless you have activity data that can be effectively used to manage sales, you cannot maximise the potential of the dealership.
In closing, I have personal experience in using the data described above and it made our business incredibly efficient and effective, as we know, efficiency and effectiveness always lead to improved results.
Take care.
Donald
Kia has taken a bold step into one of South Africa’s most competitive automotive segments with the launch of the Tasman, its first-ever double cab bakkie.
Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) has reached another major milestone with the production of the 500 000th unit of the current Polo for the export market.
OMODA has expanded its South African lineup with the arrival of the C5 SHS hybrid, a new addition to the C5 range.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?
George Carlin
LDV South Africa recently hosted its dealer conference, with representation from dealerships across the country. Among those present was Joy Zhu, Africa Regional Director for SAIC Motor International, reinforcing the brand’s global backing and commitment to growth in South Africa.
BMW Group South Africa hosted its annual Retailer of the Year Awards celebrating the achievements of its national retail network and recognising the retailers who continue to deliver exceptional customer experiences across the country.
Lifting above the currents, Orbit Commercial Vehicles Cape Town was once again named the overall 2025 Dealer of the Year and Elite Class winner for Southern Africa at Daimler Truck Southern Africa’s (DTSA) Dealer of the Year Awards.