Hyundai Hermanus is a small, rural dealership with a real personal touch. They know their local customers by name – they are family, almost. And that is the name of the game to be successful in a smaller, tougher rural market.
Fortunately for Hyundai Hermanus customers even come all the way from Cape Town to get the service and deals they deserve. Over recent years, they have managed to extend their customer base and regularly deliver vehicles “over the mountain” in Cape Town and surrounding areas, and even as far afield as Gauteng.
The dealership was started in 2009 and is part of the Omnicar Group with its administrative head office in Paarl. Conrad Basson joined in 2015 and became General Manager in 2018 in time to celebrate a decade of growth with the friendly team at Hyundai Hermanus.
Every member of the team brings something unique to the dealership and plays a key role in offering customers the best possible service. The sales staff have more than 40 years’ experience in the motor trade and offer advice that can be trusted.
The big seller at this dealership is the Grand i10, reflecting the generally older population of the town who tend to buy smaller cars, although a big part of their turnover is pre-owned vehicles.
Other popular models include the Atos (voted as one of the 12 Best Buys), Creta (rated as the SUV with the best resale value), Tucson (short-listed for South African Car of the Year in 2016) and the ever-popular Hyundai H100.
Buyers here still have a preference for manual vehicles, especially in the smaller segments, but with the comfort on offer, automatic vehicles have become increasingly popular. Hyundai is also the only manufacturer to offer a 7-year / 200 000 km factory warranty.
Conrad is expecting big things from the Venue, as its sales have really taken off. The Venue is Hyundai's most compact SUV, but it’s big enough to offer good space, while also offering the brand’s popular SUV design language.
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Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve more and live richer lives.
Daniel Pink
One of the topics that comes up often when I write articles is “waste” within a dealership. Quite often, expenses are cut when times are challenging but often, waste is confused with expenditure.
The story of Gabisile Fakude will surely be an inspiration for many who have an eye on the automotive industry as a career, especially for those who have not traditionally been associated with this world as a career path.
Suzuki Kenilworth in Cape Town claimed top honours for the second year running at the annual Suzuki Dealer Conference and Awards.
