According to KIA Randburg Dealer Principal, Renaldo Singh, the Gold Awards in Category A were for Customer Service (CSI) Dealer of the Year as well as for a newly established category namely the Service Operations Dealer of the Year.

“In receiving these awards, we recognise the valuable and continuous input from every employee at the dealership. The valiant efforts of our Workshop Manager, Gerrit van Niekerk, cannot be underestimated when ensuring our customers are happy customers - every single time.”

Gerrit is quick to respond in saying that it can never be just one person, as it is about regular and relevant communication and total transparency from the side of the dealership.

“I prefer to call the customers and keep them up to date with the workflow. When necessary, I will send them photographs of problem areas, or get into my car and drive to them,” explains Gerrit.

“And that is exactly why KIA Randburg received the top honours when it comes to customer satisfaction,” says Singh while singing the praises of his team. “Gerrit has a very special relationship with our customers, proving aftersales care is as important as the actual sale itself.”

According to Suraiya Naidoo, Aftersales Director KIA Motors South Africa, the Service Operations Dealer of the Year encapsulates the difficulty in delivering superior customer service consistently. “We considered the dealership’s investment in training, the investment in their facilities, their variable margin performance, warranty management and the relationship between their customers and the importer,” Suraiya explains in a statement.

However, it is only in recent time that KIA Randburg became a customer’s paradise. An important turnaround for the team was the move to the new premises in 2018 and subsequent showroom upgrade providing a different look and feel to most dealerships in the country.

“As the KIA flagship dealer, we focus on smooth, clean lines when it comes to the furniture and the positioning of the cars,” Suraiya said. “It was like starting with a clean slate, providing a fresh and positive vibe for both customers and employees alike.”

And it shows. Happy customers and happy employees make for a success story in anyone’s book.