• Customers react positively after dealerships reopen
• MMSA increases market share
• Zero Deposit deals carried forward in July after massive success since restart

JOHANNESBURG – Mitsubishi Motors South Africa (MMSA) enjoyed the loyalty of scores of returning customers as soon as the retail automotive industry restarted in June.

Sales took off again after nearly three months after the start of the national lockdown in March, with new and loyal customers patiently lining up for MMSA’s successful Zero Deposit deals.

“We experienced good sales figures in June in this very tough time – also due to our Zero Deposit deals, which helped us to increase our market share,”

says Nic Campbell, General Manager of Mitsubishi Motors South Africa (MMSA).

“This came in a very tough market showing outstanding brand loyalty, and we have decided to continue the Zero Deposit offer into July.”

One of the great success stories for MMSA last month was the launch of the Triton Xtreme aimed at owners with an extreme lifestyle, and with no deposit the small premium over the existing 4×4 Auto flagship was a massive success.

The upgrades in the new Triton Xtreme, based on customer feedback, are valued at over R100 000, but the new model includes everything at a premium of only R40 000 compared to the previous model.

“The new derivative is extreme on all levels, especially looks that show its owner follows an extreme lifestyle and is not shy about it. From the outside, the new Xtreme will be turning heads at a distance thanks to its visual improvements all over,”

says Campbell.

June sales prove loyalty, draws new customers

Mitsubishi Motors South Africa improved its market share in a shrinking market

Mitsubishi Motors South Africa improved its market share in a shrinking market in June after the restart in spite of a limited work force, customers asked to only go to the dealership if really necessary and a limit on the amount of people allowed to visit the premises.

According to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa), new vehicle market sales continued to remain under severe pressure, although markedly up from the previous two months.

MMSA sales of 135 new units last month were part of the 31 867 new vehicles sold in June 2020 that show a 30% decline compared to the 45 953 sales in June last year, when MMSA sold 171 new vehicles.

However, in comparison, MMSA managed to increase its market share in the declining market.

Safety

As nothing is more important to Mitsubishi Motors than the safety of its customers and the occupants of its vehicles, MMSA is maintaining its focus on keeping the family safe – not only in their vehicles, but also during the Covid-19 pandemic in South Africa.

“We are maintaining high levels of dealer and workshop awareness after the reopening of our dealerships in the middle of the national lockdown,”

says Campbell, adding essential measures at all MMSA dealerships are keeping customers and staff safe.

“We have various operational and other guidelines to ensure the safety of everyone at our dealerships, including keeping safe distances and minimising time spent at the dealership. For instance, when a customer calls to make a service booking, we go out of our way to capture as much information as possible up front to shorten the time the customer spends at the dealership. We also use an online booking system and stagger bookings to alleviate congestion in the service reception, parts counters and waiting area.”

Other measures include:

• Sufficient seating in the waiting area at all times for customers
• Limiting access to and time spent at frontline desks and counters
• Everything is sanitised every two hours
• Partitions used for necessary face to face interaction
• Everyone wears masks at all times and visitors are requested to do the same
• Online payment is encouraged
• Xpress Servicing and Customer Awaiting Repairs have been suspended. Customers are rather dropped off and collected later to avoid waiting or the use of public transport to the dealership.

Key contact points in vehicles are sanitised with great care with the
same staff member assigned to the same vehicle pre and post the service visit. This includes:

• Door handles, lock system and all exterior and interior door panels and grab handles, including bonnet, fuel flap and boot openers
• All window switches or winders and glass, complete door panel with arm rests
• Steering wheel and stalks
• Gear and handbrake lever, including buttons and 4×4 lever
• Music and instrument panel, including dashboard and glovebox
• Seat belt including buckles
• All other switchgear and levers
• Head rest unit
• Seats and adjusters
• Interior mirror and
• All other electronic equipment buttons, including air-conditioning buttons and vents.

“We will also Ask the customer’s consent to dispose of old parts and not hand it back after service to help avoid possible transfer,”

concludes Campbell.