1. IMPERIAL Auto40 41
From strength to strength
Issue 4/6, 2015
IMPERIAL PERSPECTIVES
I
MPERIAL Toyota CapeGate is going
from strength to strength – and the
fact is in no small part due to the hard
work, commitment and dedication of its
dealer principal, Charl Odendal.
The dealership in Brackenfell, Cape Town,
was honoured earlier this year by winning
three of five annual awards made to Toyota
dealerships in the IMPERIAL Auto stable –
Best Dealer of the Year, Best Service Division
and Best Parts Division. Further, the outlet
also took the prestigious Lighthouse Dealer
Award.
Odendal personally received recognition af-
ter successfully completing Toyota’s Executive
Management Programme Course and was
presented with his graduation certificate by
Andrew Kirby, senior vice-president of Toyota
South Africa Motors, in a ceremony at the
company’s headquarters in Prospecton, Dur-
ban.
Following acceptance of the IMPERIAL
awards, Odendal was quick to praise his team
at IMPERIAL Toyota CapeGate for the outlet’s
success. “The awards are wonderful recogni-
tion for the hard work the team has put into
revitalising the dealership over the last four
years,” he said.
“Our parts manager, Barry Leaner, and Ly-
zette Snyder, our service manager, have gone
far beyond the call of duty in ensuring that
our customers receive the best possible ser-
vice, and the whole team, consisting of 55
people, should receive all the credit for this
remarkable achievement.”
In the new vehicle sales department, Alan
Robinson and his team received a 99% posi-
tive rating from customers – well above IM-
PERIAL’s national average of 93% percent.
“This is a resounding endorsement by our
customers and this, as well the awards – the
first the dealership has won – inspire us all to
continue to provide the best possible service
to our customers,” Odendal said.
Originally from Durban in KwaZulu-Natal,
Charl went overseas for four years after leav-
ing school and, following his return home,
relocated to the Cape about a decade ago.
He has worked in the motor industry for many
years, and took up the position of dealer prin-
cipal at CapeGate about four years ago. Since
then he has made it a priority to ensure the
long-term sustainability of the business and to
put it on a growth path.
His efforts have been so successful that the
dealership’s current premises in Repens
Crescent lacks capacity to cope with a grow-
ing customer base that includes receiving
up to 45 vehicles a day for service, mainte-
nance or repair.
New premises close to the M15 in Brackenfell
have been found and construction has started
on a complex that includes a bigger show-
room, a service centre with 10 extra bays, a
separate warehouse and a dedicated Auto-
mark showroom facility.
“I am very excited about the project,” said
Odendal. “The new premises are well situated
and the layout will ensure a much better flow
compared with what we currently have.”
So, what is his recipe for success? “It’s all
about people – whether staff or clients,” he
said. “You need to have the right people in the
business, and you need to build up a relation-
ship of trust with customers.”
Also, Odendal believes in good marketing and
utilises a variety of platforms to advertise and
promote the dealership, such as regular radio
ads on various radio stations, special client
days and motorsport sponsorships.
As an avid rally follower he also uses motor-
sport as a marketing tool. IMPERIAL Toyota
IMPERIAL Toyota CapeGate is on the expansion trail. Ferdi de Vos reports
sponsors Giniel de Villiers, winner of the 2009
Dakar Rally and runner-up in this year’s event.
“IMPERIAL Toyota CapeGate has a special rela-
tionship with Giniel and a personal highlight for
me came when he recorded his maiden vic-
tory last year in the National Rally Champion-
ship, winning the Toyota Cape Dealer Rally from
team mates Leeroy Poulter and Elvéne Coetzee,
who were also piloting a Toyota Yaris S2000.”
Odendal is intimately involved in the planning
of the Cape Rally, working closely with the
Western Province Rally Commission. Last year
he was instrumental in securing the participa-
tion of the Meerendal Wine Estate – an IMPE-
RIAL Toyota CapeGate client – for the final stage
and as host for the podium ceremony.
The dealership has also become a landmark on
the Cape Rally route with a special night stage
held within the facility’s precincts that every
year draws up to 10 000 spectators.
“It’s a team effort,” said Charl. “Everyone at the
dealership gets involved. We see our participa-
tion as an extension of our business. It’s exciting
– and it definitely helps to us to strengthen our
relationships with our customers.
“I’ve been involved in rallying ever since I took
up my job here as dealer principal,” he said. “I
love it. I’m passionate about the sport.”
He is just as passionate about his job, and is
looking forward to achieving even more this
year, building even better customer relations,
and moving to the new premises in the not too
distant future.
“We have a wonderful team of people here
who are all passionate about Toyota, and
inspired by IMPERIAL Auto. We are working
hard to achieve even more in 2015!” Odendal
said.
Key members of IMPERIAL Toyota CapeGate’s award-winning team proudly display their trophies
Laying foundations… construction work has started on new
premises for IMPERIAL Toyota CapeGate
Giniel de Villiers (left) and Charl Odendal in the showroom at
IMPERIAL Toyota CapeGate
Capped and gowned… Charl Odendal with Toyota executives following his
graduation from the company’s Executive Management Programme Course
Charl Odendal (left) joins Giniel de
Villiers on the podium to celebrate
the motorsport star’s maiden victory
in the South African National Rally
Championships