Tim Hendon, Marketing Manager at Isuzu SA, told Dealerfloor all Isuzu Dealers have been challenged to create a showroom display using all manner of “summer props”.

“It’s all part of the awesome spirit that exists among the Number 1-rated sales force in the industry,” he said.

Key Group Pietermaritzburg sells Isuzu vehicles and trucks, Opel and, more recently, Peugeot and Citroën.

Dealer Principal Mark Hall said sales for Opel and Peugeot were still slow, but the Isuzu side of the business is humming along.

The dealership’s large service area also still services Chevrolet vehicles that the company sold until Chev closed shop in South Africa in 2017, with clients’ Trailblazers and Cruze models parked among fire-fighting trucks for Sappi and water tankers for municipalities.

Mark told Dealerfloor his team aims to have the best showroom challenge among Isuzu’s 80 dealers in South Africa. To this end, he contracted Dave Moore of Classic Plants Nursery in KZN’s capital to build a mini beach on the dealer floor, complete with fishing gear, tanning lotion and the dealer’s mascot, a large soft toy ‘wild dog’.

“The challenge requires us to use summer props and what is more ‘summer’ than a dog running on the beach?” Mark asked.