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2011 was a very eventful year for KIA Motors South Africa and was filled with numerous new car launches including the launch of the Cerato Hatch in April, the all new Picanto in July and the new Rio in November. The launch of these new models resulted in increased sales across the dealer network, having a positive effect on overall growth for the brand.
Every year Kia Motors South Africa honours it’s best performing dealers. The annual KIA Dealer Conference, which took place at Emperors Palace this year, turned out to be a star-studded event, with Kia Brand ambassadors, Mark Pilgrim and Elana Afrika as joint Masters of Ceremony, and other Kia brand ambassadors Danny K and Kabelo attending the event.
The main purpose of the annual Kia conference is to award excellence in the Kia dealer network and honour top performing dealers in various categories including sales, aftersales and parts.
The title of the Overall 2011 KIA Dealer of the year was awarded to KIA Centurion, which excelled in all of the above-mentioned fields during 2011. When presented the award, Kia Motors Centurion Dealer Principal, George Haward and his team were over the moon. “We have only had the Kia franchise for 30 months, and this award represents the commitment and hard work of a dedicated team to make this dealership as successful as it is now”, comments George.

Renault Welkom has trumped 49 other contenders to take top title at Renault South Africa’s 2011 Club of Diamonds Dealer of the Year Awards. Renault Fountains (Tshwane) took second spot while third position overall went to the Western Cape’s Renault Paarl. Unitrans Automotive received Renault SA’s Franchise Award for Best Performing Group.
At the gala awards evening held on Friday night at Montecasino in Fourways north of Johannesburg, a triumphant Jurie Venter, Dealer Principal at Renault Welkom said: “I committed to winning in 2011 and my team and I worked really hard to make this win a reality.”
Customer sales and service has always been a dedicated focus and over the years, the dealership has sustained its reputation as being quality-driven. “In 2009 and 2010 we were proud to receive Renault’s Global Quality Award,” says Venter. “It’s a team effort and I am surrounded by the very best.
“To Renault South Africa, your support has been fantastic and you have gone above and beyond the call in helping us to achieve the success that we have. We have great prospects for the year ahead. In addition to the extended Renault Sandero range, I am very excited about the rejuvenated Clio III range and the introduction of the well-priced, entry-level Clio 1.6 Yahoo! and Yahoo! Plus models,” he concludes.
Renault Welkom’s perseverance and success epitomises Renault’s commitment to put people at the heart of its business by being an accessible, progressive brand with a vehicle for everyone and by providing an exceptional value proposition supported by comprehensive quality, safety and warranty offerings.
Bernie du Plessis, Divisional Chief Executive of Unitrans Automotive was on hand to accept the Best Performing Franchise Group Award from Xavier Gobille, Managing Director of Renault SA. Du Plessis has a longstanding association with the Renault brand having worked for the company as regional manager until 1981. “The brand has always been close to my heart and I would like to thank Renault for their tremendous support. I can’t stress enough the stunning product line-up that Renault now offers – the locally manufactured Sandero Stepway in particular, has been a major success for Unitrans, one of our best volume sellers.”
“Like Unitrans Automotive, Renault runs a tight ship and wants to succeed and should the opportunity arise to increase the number of dealerships that we have, we would certainly look at it,” he adds. Unitrans Automotive currently operates the Renault Kempton Park, Benoni and Clearwater dealerships in Gauteng.
As Vice President of Sales and Operations at Renault SA, Leslie Ramsoomar says that the 50-strong dealer network now has approximately 90 per cent coverage throughout South Africa making the Renault brand far more accessible to consumers. “Renault has become a very attractive franchise for motor retail organisations and independent operators alike and I am proud to report that during 2011, our Customer Service Index levels reached a record high.”
“Renault South Africa has much to be proud of,” says Xavier Gobille. “Our dealer network has never been as extensive or as satisfied as was independently borne out by the results of the 2011 National Automobile Dealers’ Association (NADA) survey which saw Renault awarded gold. Coming second out of a total of 37 motor manufacturers, just 0.1 per cent behind the front-runner, was a considerable achievement and so, a big thank you to all present for recognising and rewarding our efforts.
“While we never underestimate our competitors, Renault SA’s quality and service levels, product line-up and overall value proposition have never been as good,” he concludes.

Volvo Car South Africa announced the winners of the various categories in its 2011 Dealer of the Year (DOTY) at a gala dinner this week. The margins determining the overall result were narrow – illustrating the level of commitment to excellent service throughout Volvo Car SA’s dealer network.
The awards give recognition to Volvo’s dealer network in Southern Africa for commitment and dedication to the Volvo brand but also for consistently delivering excellent levels of service.
“The entire automotive industry, and therefore our dealer network, has faced a tough few years. It has been a challenging time for everyone, so it is inspiring to see how our dealer network has faced these challenges head on – with dedication and hard work. The results over the past year are a clear indication that our dealer network will continue to excel and it gives me great pleasure to award this dedication to excellence,” said Bram van der Reep, MD Volvo Car South Africa.
Sales Dealer of the Year was awarded to Volvo Cars Bedfordview for consistent and focused performance in exceeding all Sales objectives for 2011. Bedfordview achieved second place in this same category last year, showing this dealership is constantly striving toward excellence.
The Aftersales Dealer of the year award went to Eastern Cape Motors Port Elizabeth. During 2011 the team managed to relocate to modern new premises, not an easy exercise but still managed to claim this coveted award. This illustrates what a team with passion and a fantastic attitude can achieve.
The Most Improved Dealer award was snatched up by Auto Niche Bloemfontein who achieved in excess of 110 per cent of their Sales volume target and also showed a huge improvement in their Aftersales department.
And finally, the Overall Dealer of the Year was awarded to Volvo Cars Bedfordview. Bedfordview achieved this accolade due mainly to their focus on delivering excellent standards at all times. The team at Bedfordview is performance-driven with a passion for the Volvo brand that is setting new benchmarks within the Volvo dealer network.
Auto Baltic Boksburg was awarded the Volvo Financial Services Dealer of the Year award.
The Managing Director’s Award of Excellence was once again awarded to dealerships or individuals that stand out from the rest. The criteria for this award are entirely at the MD, Bram van der Reep’s discretion, but teamwork, passion and leadership are undoubtedly the deciding factors.
This year the Managing Director’s Special Award for Excellence went to:
1. Johan Coetzee – Auto Baltic Boksburg
2. Christo Leeuwner – AutoTec Nelspruit
3. Warren Ellis – McCarthy Tygervalley
4. Dennis Chapman – Eastern Cape Motors Port Elizabeth
“Hosting an annual Dealer awards ceremony is our way of saying thank you to all those individuals and teams that passionately embrace and represent the Volvo Brand in our Dealerships. It’s an annual event that everyone looks forward to, because it’s an opportunity to recognise the excellence, growth and brand pride that runs deep in the Volvo family”, concludes Bram van der Reep.

Chrysler South Africa held its annual Sales Champions and Dealer of the Year Awards Banquet in Cape Town on Saturday, 3 March 2012.
Seventeen awards were handed out to Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge winning Sales People and recognised Dealer Principals representing the best of the countrywide Dealer Network.
“Chrysler South Africa and its three brands: Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge celebrated stellar results in 2011 showing an overall 38 per cent increase in sales. These results deserved this great celebration of excellence and achievement,” said Trent Barcroft, CEO, Chrysler South Africa.
The evening of fine dining, spectacular Chicago theme and great entertainment was completed by Chrysler South Africa awarding the top achievers:
Dealer Of The Year:
• CEO’s Award: Maemo Motors, Ignis de Swart
• Metro Dealer: Grand Central Motors, Robbie Matticks
• City Dealer: Maemo Motors, Ignis de Swart
• Town and Country Dealer: McCarthy Inyanga, Brian Harvey
Champions:
• Brand Centre Sales Executive: Grand Central Motors, Pieter Jansen van Rensburg
• Market Centre Sales Executive: M&Z Motors, Christelle Erasmus
• Brand Centre Sales Manager: Grand Central Motors, Dawie Roux
• Market Centre Sales Manager: Maemo Motors, Rudi van Dyk

With engineering standards and customer service levels the envy of the motoring industry it takes more than just hard work and good service to exceed standard service levels and be awarded the title of Lexus Dealer of the Year.
This is exactly what Doran Jaffe, the Dealer Principal of Lexus Cape Town City, and his team did to be chosen as the 2011 Lexus Dealer of the Year. “For a long time, Lexus has used the slogan ‘We don’t just sell cars, we create experiences’. This Lexus dealer has shown that doing good business is about more than just sales volume – it is about the relationships built with customers that can last a lifetime,” says Glenn Crompton, Vice President of Market and Demand Planning at Lexus.
“Having gained a reputation for excellent management of the finer details in their business, including model mix, flawless facility standards, and enviable customer interactions, Lexus Cape Town City has contributed to the Lexus brand in a very positive way.”
It comes as no surprise that Lexus Cape Town City also received the honours as the top dealer on the Lexus Customer Experience Index, a key measurement in the luxury brand’s pursuit of perfection.
“At Lexus you can be assured of the best service possible, as was shown recently in the international JD Powers’ survey. With such high standards the excellent service soon becomes an expectation amongst customers and you have to constantly excel to achieve scores that are higher than that which the Lexus network is known for. In light of this we would like to congratulate Doran and his team for working exceedingly hard to build relationships and maintain them,” says Crompton.
The 2011 Lexus Dealer of the Year award earned by Lexus Cape Town City was announced at a gala dinner at Gallagher Estate on Friday 24 February.

Monument Toyota Constantia took home the coveted Toyota Dealer of the Year Award at a gala function held at Gallagher Estate in Midrand, Gauteng recently. The award was received by Dealer Principal Julian Visagie. It is the third Dealer of the Year trophy that Monument Toyota Constantia can mount in their already full cabinet, where it will take the pride of place amongst several other awards received during the night and previously during the regional dealer awards.
Speaking on this award Dr Johan van Zyl, President and CEO of Toyota SA Motors commended the Constantia-team for their hard work. “Monument Toyota Constantia’s performance is proof that strong leadership and the right people make all the difference. While the dealer principal is intimately involved with all areas of the business he allows his management team to lead their own departments, resulting in a very innovative and highly motivated team.”
The strength of the Monument Toyota Constantia team is evident in the number of other awards received during this glamorous evening. Julian was called to stage during the evening to receive the Vice President’s Award for Vehicle Marketing and Customer Service, while team members Jonathan Stephenson and Gustav Pelser received the Vice President’s Awards for the best New Vehicle Sales Manager and Service Manager respectively.
Gustav was also called to stage to receive the Vice President’s Award for the best Service Manager at a Monitor Dealer. Monitor Dealers are specially equipped to monitor and report on technical issues as part of Toyota’s constant aim for product improvement.
The Dealer of the Year Award was preceded by a number of President, Vice President and Chairman Awards. The evening started with a special Dakar Recognition Award handed to members of the Imperial Toyota South Africa team. With Dr van Zyl, Glyn Hall (Team Manager) and racing team Giniel de Villiers, Duncan Vos and Rob Howie on stage the team was thanked for what Dr van Zyl described as a “fairytale ending” to the team’s first foray in the Dakar, with three locally built Hilux vehicles in the top 10 of one of the world’s most gruelling off-road races.
Preceding the President’s and Vice President’s Awards a special Chairman’s Achievement Award was handed to George Baikie of the Halfway Group. Starting as an apprentice in 1968, George worked himself up in the Toyota network and now stands at the head of 9 Toyota and Lexus dealerships.
“George is well known for his never failing energy and drive and we salute his hard work and commitment to the Toyota brand,” says Dr van Zyl. Dr van Zyl also handed a special Chairman’s Award to Ryan Seele, who has worked tirelessly for two years as the National Dealer Advisory Council Chairman.
Receiving President’s Awards for exceptional performance in the Mega, Large, Medium and Small Dealer categories were Julian Visagie (Monument Toyota Constatia) Glenda Austin (McCarthy Toyota Durban North), Fanie Erasmus Snr (Lydenburg Toyota) and Riël Gresse (Upington Toyota) respectively.
President’s Awards were also handed to the best performing Group Managing Director (MD) (Andrew Miller – Imperial Toyota Group), best performing MD (Alfie Rieckhoff – Thekwini Toyota Group) and to the dealer with the most outstanding customer experience (Henk Louwrens – Riversdal Toyota).
The President’s Awards were followed by a special Toyota Financial Services CEO Award to Durban South Toyota and Dealer Principal Raj Rampathy. Raj and his team achieved an exceptional new and Automark vehicle market share for Toyota Financial Services and achieved an above average new customer service rating.
Speaking on the award Johan Brink, CEO of Toyota Financial Services, commended Raj and his team: “Toyota Financial Services is an integral part of the Toyota Group and we pride ourselves on our industry leading rating for customer service and fast turn-around times. Raj and his team have outperformed even our highest expectations and for that we congratulate them!”
Moving to the Vice President’s Awards McCarthy Toyota Pinetown was rewarded in the Automark category. Marc Darne, the Dealer Principal, and Viresh Rambaly joined the executive team of Toyota SA Motors on stage to receive this award. In keeping with Toyota’s spirit of putting the customer first and its ingrained belief in caring for the environment, several Vice President’s Awards were handed to dealers in the Environmental and Customer Service Categories.
In these categories the Imperial Toyota Group was honoured for its outstanding environmental credentials when it received the Vice President’s Eco Award. The awards for exceptional customer service for Mega, Large and Medium dealers were handed to McCarthy Toyota Durban-Kingsmead (Gordon Bannister), Oranje Toyota Klerksdorp (Dawie Lubbe) and Halfway Malanda Toyota (Suresh Sewbaran) respectively, with Riversdal Toyota walking away with the President’s Award in this category.
The final Vice President’s Award was awarded to the best Parts Manager. Harry Ramsugit of McCarthy Toyota Durban-Kingsmead was recognised in this category. Winners in the various categories will soon jet off to exotic parts of the world, like the Baltic and Dubai as part of their reward.
Guests at the gala award’s evening was treated to entertainment by some of South Africa’s best known artists, such Nianell, Jannie Moolman, Corlea and Lloyd Cele. The night also included special awards to the top performing Lexus and Hino dealers and a special Toyota South Africa Motors’ celebration of an unequalled 32 years of market leadership in the South African market.

Nissan South Africa hosted its annual dealer network business conference and awards in Mauritius, which included some ‘joy and fun and seasons in the sun’.
The traditional black tie gala event was replaced by an informal beach party in true Mauritian style. This event also marked the announcement of the Dealer of the Year and numerous other awards.
Datnis Nissan in King Williams Town won the Dealer of the Year and Jean van Aardt, Dealer Principal, was on hand to accept the award on behalf of Datnis.
Arnold du Plessis and his team at the BB Group were named Dealer Group of the Year.
Nissan South Africa would like to congratulate all the winners and thank them for their contribution to the company’s success.

Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) has recognised its top dealer franchises in its annual Dealer of the Year (DOTY) competition. B&M Bredasdorp emerged as the overall winner in the 2011 DOTY awards.
The incentivised programme allows Ford to motivate its dealer network staff and reward them for their performance and achievements during 2011. The competition yields one overall DOTY winner and six additional category winners as well as runner-up prizes.
“We would like to congratulate all of this year’s award recipients and thank them for their continued hard work and dedication” says Dean Stoneley Vice President: Marketing, Sales and Service. “In particular we would like to single out B&M Bredasdorp for emerging as the top dealer of the year, from a pool of exceptional performers.”
Dealers were divided into six performance categories (A, B, C, D, E and F) based on market share and sales volumes. They were then assessed on their performance in a number of different areas including sales and marketing, customer service, portrayal of the brand, dealer standards, penetration of Ford Financial Service offerings and training and development.
Congratulations to the following winners and runners-up:
• B&M Bredasdorp– Overall Winner
• Human Auto Group – Group Winner
• Lazarus Motor Company, Centurion – Winner Group A
• Eagle Corner, Bramley – Runner-up Group A
• Ritchie Auto, Richards Bay – Winner Group B
• Nelspruit Mazda Nelspruit – Runner-up Group B
• Ben Morgenrood, Randfontein – Winner Group C
• Casseys Auto, Springs – Runner-up Group C
• Fed Auto, Newcastle – Winner Group D
• Porters Auto, Kroonstad – Runner-up Group D
• Supreme Auto, Vryburg – Winner Group E
• Ritchie Auto, Standerton – Runner-up Group E
• B&M Bredasdorp – Winner Group F
• Dries Auto, Harrismith – Runner-up Group F
“We are extremely proud of our winning dealerships for achieving outstanding results during 2011. The market continues to be faced with many challenges making hard work, creativity and exceptional customer service more important than ever. We are confident that in 2012 the dealer network will once again raise the bar and rise to the task at hand,” concludes Stoneley.

Jaguar Land Rover South Africa and Sub-Sahara Africa recently honoured its top dealers at a Gala Awards ceremony hosted at Crystal Towers in Cape Town. With Mark Bayley as Master of Ceremonies and Bryan Habana as a guest speaker, the evening was one to be remembered for a long time to come.
Jaguar Bryanston scooped the Jaguar Dealer of the Year Award, while Land Rover N4 Witbank was named the Land Rover Dealer of the Year, the pair emerging as the company’s leading dealer franchises for 2011.
“Both Jaguar Bryanston and Land Rover N4 Witbank excelled in the stringent criteria we set down for all of our dealers,” said Kevin Flynn, Managing Director of Jaguar Land Rover South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa. “Our dealers are our primary point of contact with our customers and therefore it is imperative that they strive for the highest levels of service excellence in every sphere.”
Jaguar Bryanston also emerged as the Jaguar Top Sales Dealer of the Year as well as also scooping the award for Jaguar Top Service Customer Satisfaction Index Dealer of the Year for its consistency in customer service excellence.
Land Rover’s Top Sales Dealer title was awarded to Land Rover Sandton for its exceptional sales volumes during 2011 as well as the trophy for The Land Rover Top Service Customer Satisfaction Index Dealer of the Year. The award is presented to the dealer that consistently delivers excellent customer service. This is measured through the Tactix Programme, which is a daily Customer Satisfaction interview conducted by Conexus, a subsidiary of Synovate. Customer satisfaction scores are released on a monthly basis to dealers.
Daly Land Rover, Potchefstroom was named Land Rover’s Most Improved Dealer of the Year, demonstrating substantial growth and progress throughout 2011. Land Rover East Rand walked away with the Financial Services Dealer of the Year prize.
For the first time Jaguar Land Rover Sub Sahara Africa participated in the prestigious Dealer of the Year Awards event. Premier Auto Services, Zimbabwe took top honours as the Jaguar Importer of the Year, with Coscharis Motors, Nigeria the top Land Rover Importer of the Year. CMC Automobiles, Tanzania was named the Most Improved Importer of the Year for Sub Sahara Africa.
“I would like to congratulate all our award recipients for their exceptional efforts and thank them for their ongoing commitment and dedication to both the Jaguar and Land Rover brands. We strive to ensure all our customers receive a superlative ownership experience and this can only be achieved through the passion and hard work of everyone within our dealer network,” concludes Flynn.

The BMW Group has opened the world’s largest showroom for BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and BMW motorcycles in Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi Motors, the BMW Group’s long-standing importer for the region, has invested around AED 300 million (approximately 62 million euros) in the new 35 000 square-metre showroom over its three-year construction.
At the opening, Ian Robertson thanked investors and owners Sheikh Mohammed Bin Butti Al Hamid and Sheikh Saif Bin Mohammed Bin Butti Al-Hamid for their strong commitment to completing the new building. “The Middle East is an important region for the BMW Group. We sold more vehicles here in 2011 than ever before. There is tremendous future growth potential in many countries in this region and in the United Arab Emirates in particular,” said Robertson. He added, “The investment in this impressive and unique facility that makes the world’s biggest BMW Group showroom, is testament to the continued opportunities that lie ahead in Abu Dhabi and in the region.”
The expansive facility in Umm Al Nar houses separate showrooms and sales areas for the three premium automobile brands, BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, and for BMW motorcycles. More than 450 staff members will work at the facility. The new showroom will allow customers to view the brands’ entire model line-up in different colours and different option packages, with more than 70 automobiles and 10 motorcycles on permanent display. This will be complemented by an extensive range of newer pre-owned vehicles and a state-of-the-art service area equipped with the latest technology. The workshop will be able to perform maintenance on up to 120 vehicles simultaneously.
A further focus will be the facility’s extensive shopping and boutique area, which will sell a wide selection of BMW and MINI fashion items and other merchandise, as well as original parts and accessories. Film fans will not be disappointed either – there is a private cinema that can also host exclusive new-vehicle presentations for special occasions. A café, a Formula One racing simulator and a children’s play area make the perfect customer service offering complete.

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Tag: dealership

Kia Dealer Of The Year Announced

Renault Welkom Aces 2011 Dealer Awards

Volvo Car SA Announces Top Dealers For 2011

Chrysler South Africa Celebrates Dealer Excellence

Lexus Cape Town City Excels At Annual Awards

Toyota South Africa Rewards Top Dealers

Nissan South Africa Annual Dealer Awards

Ford Honours Top Dealers

Jaguar Land Rover Dealers Shine

BMW Group Opens Largest Showroom Worldwide

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