From left: Calvyn Hamman, Senior Vice President: Sales and Marketing, Toyota SA Motors, Hitoshi Muramoto, Executive Vice President and Chief Co-ordinating Executive, Toyota SA Motors, Alex Frielingsdorf, former Dealer Principal of Barloworld Toyota Centurion, Yasumori Ihara, Executive Vice President of Toyota Motor Corporation, Dr Johan van Zyl, President and CEO of Toyota SA Motors.
Barloworld Toyota Centurion the 2013 Dealer of the Year
Alex Frielingsdorf and his team at Barloworld Toyota Centurion were recognised for their exceptional performance in 2013 and awarded as the 2013 Toyota Dealer of the Year at a Gala function on Friday 21 February 2014 in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.
“Barloworld Toyota Centurion is proof that strong leadership and the right people make all the difference in the performance of a dealership. We are very proud of what they have achieved and of their spirit of customer service,” said Calvyn Hamman, Toyota Motors South Africa Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, when handing over the award.
“The Toyota Dealer of the Year award is always very hotly contested but this year the competition amongst the best performing dealers was particularly fierce. Barloworld Toyota Centurion is a worthy winner,” said Hamman.
The Toyota Dealer of the Year is awarded annually based on a comprehensive set of metrics on which each dealer is measured throughout the preceding year. These measurements include customer service, environmental protection, financial performance and vehicle sales.
In selecting the 2013 Toyota Dealer of the Year, Toyota identified the best performing dealership in the small, medium, large and mega categories. Frielingsdorf and Barloworld Toyota Centurion were recognised in the mega category and received the overall award, while Annelie Davis of Monument Toyota Randfontein, Sean Bacon of Imperial Toyota Strijdom Park and Brian Jones of Halfway Toyota Shelly Beach were awarded for their outstanding achievements in the small, medium and large categories respectively.
Toyota recognised several dealers and dealer groups during its award ceremony, including the coveted Chairman’s achievement award, that is awarded on discretion of Dr Johan van Zyl, the President and CEO of Toyota South Africa Motors. This year Dr Van Zyl recognised Jimmy Smith of the McCarthy Toyota Group.
In awarding the Chairman’s award, Dr Van Zyl recognised Smith’s tireless service to Toyota, notably as Regional and National Dealer Council Chairman, as well as mentor to many managers in the Toyota network and as Managing Director in the McCarthy Dealer Group.
Following the special chairman’s award, Toyota celebrated the dealership with the best environmental initiatives. For innovative environmental initiatives, both in the dealership environment and in the surrounding community, and for keeping true to the global Toyota Earth Charter, Toyota recognised Shaun Finn of Northam Toyota for his hard work.
Apart from the Chairman’s and Environmental Awards, Toyota also singled out the dealer with the highest level of customer service. For an exceptional customer experience score in excess of 96% for the past year, Toyota recognised Martinus Rossouw of Status Toyota in Cradock. Citing his performance, Mr Hamman emphasised Rossouw’s high level of customer communication and attention to detail.
In a related category Toyota recognised its best performing monitor service dealer. Monitor service dealers act as specialist resolution dealers for complex problems or problems that do not have an apparent solution. Hannes Marais of Mosselbay Toyota received the award.
Toyota Financial Services (TFS) also recognised the best performing Toyota dealer, who maintained a new vehicle market share in excess of 44% over the past year. Martin Klopper of Halfway Toyota Fourways received the award.
Other awards – Vice President’s Awards
The Toyota Vice President’s Awards recognise the best overall achievements in various functional categories, including vehicle sales, vehicle marketing, parts and servicing. Toyota recognised the following dealers for their outstanding achievements:
- Customer Experience (Medium sized dealerships): Thekwini Toyota Westville – Michael Koberstein
- Customer Experience (Large dealerships): Halfway Toyota Shelly Beach – Brian Jones
- Customer Experience (Mega dealerships): Carnival Toyota – Nic Muller
- Customer Service (Parts): Barloworld Toyota Centurion – Stephanus Botha
- Customer Service (Service): Carnival Toyota – Danie Smit
- Customer Service: Carnival Toyota – Nic Muller
- Automark (Pre-owned vehicles): Oranje Toyota Kimberley – Leon Diedrichs (Dealer Principal) and Jacques Cloete (Functional Manager: Automark)
- Vehicle Marketing: Monument Toyota Constantia – Julian Visagie (Dealer Principal) and Jonathan Stephenson (Functional Manager: Vehicle Sales)
Toyota South Africa Motors also recognised the most proficient Divisional Group Managing Director and Group Managing Director of Dealer Groups in the Toyota network. Jimmy Loubser of the Locross Toyota Group was recognised in the Divisional category, while Andrew Miller received the Group Managing Director of the Year award.
- Toyota South Africa Motors has the largest network of dealers in Southern Africa, with 190 dedicated Toyota dealers serving customers in South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana and Swaziland.
- Frans Cloete, the Dealer Principal of Hino East Rand, was recognised as the Hino Dealer of the Year for 2013.
- Leon Brand, the Dealer Principal of Lexus Midrand received the award for the Lexus Dealer of the Year for 2013.
Alex Frielingsdorf, former Dealer Principal of Barloworld Toyota Centurion, the 2013 Toyota Dealer of the Year.