In a recent Forbes study, it was again confirmed that it can cost a business up to five times more to acquire new customers, as opposed to retaining the ones you have.
It is startling to see that 44% of businesses still have a greater focus on getting new customers versus 18% that focus on keeping them. Research done by Frederick Reichheld of Bain & Company in fact shows that by increasing customer retention rates by 5%, it increases profits by 25% to 95%.
The Directors at Secunda BMW understand this concept fully and recently celebrated one of their favourite and most loyal customers, local attorney Evert Underhay, who has purchased no fewer than 15 cars from them since 1993.
According to Jacques van der Westhuizen, Dealer Principal and co-owner of Secunda BMW, providing customer service to a buyer on the day of purchase, with some aftersales follow-up and ensuring good service at the workshop are basic rules.
“However, to make sure we keep our customers coming back, we just love giving them the best interaction with us that we can… every.single.time,” he emphasises. “It doesn’t matter if they call any of our employees on a Monday morning first thing, or on a Friday afternoon after we have closed, we always treat them as friends, because that is what they have become.”
Underhay concurs, stating that he cannot fathom being disloyal to Van der Westhuizen and the BMW team. “Just the idea of buying a car from another dealer gives me an anxiety attack,” he told Dealerfloor. “I am a super BMW supporter, had the opportunity to visit the BMW museum in Munich, and I have owned a variety of models over the years, but I can say with all honesty that it is the treatment I receive at Secunda BMW and from Jacques that keeps me coming back.”
The updated Isuzu MU-X has arrived in South Africa with a blend of familiar strengths and carefully considered upgrades. The 2026 model year introduces improvements in safety, convenience, and efficiency, while retaining the rugged reliability that has defined the MU-X range.
Stellantis’s reported plan to invest more than €1 billion in its Mulhouse factory from 2029 could become one of the most significant industrial bets in France’s electric vehicle transition.
South African buyers are increasingly drawn to vehicles that combine the practicality of a bakkie with the comfort of an SUV. The LDV Terron 9 enters the market positioned as a double cab that blends rugged utility with modern refinement, the manufacturer claims.
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Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?
George Carlin
Stellantis South Africa announced the opening of a new Star Motor Group dealership in Vanderbijlpark, bringing five of its leading automotive brands under one roof, Citroën, Fiat, Jeep, Opel, and Peugeot.
Hyundai Automotive South Africa officially opened Hyundai Midrand, a new dealership aimed at strengthening the brand’s presence in Gauteng and responding to growing customer demand in one of the province’s fastest-growing commercial corridors.
Chinese vehicle brand Changan has strengthened its South African retail presence with the opening of a new flagship dealership in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal, as the company pushes ahead with plans to establish about 45 dealerships nationally during 2026.
