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April 2006 |
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Three wise men.
Cameron Robertson - DP Magnis Trucks
Samrand
Hiroshi Yokofujita - Chief Executive of Nissan Diesel South Africa
Clive Penning - Operations Director of Magnis Trucks |
Travel north on the Ben Schoeman Highway between Johannesburg and Pretoria and you'll pass a gym that looks out over the concrete roadway. Inside are scores of people working out, keeping their bodies in tip-top working condition. A little further down the drag, you'll see a different kind of 'fitness centre', one specialising in keeping trucks operating at peak performance. Paul Collings attended the roof wetting of Nissan Diesel's largest dealership in the world, the new Magnis Trucks facility at Samrand, just north of the Midrand CBD.
As part of the Imperial Group of companies, Magnis Trucks (a Nissan Diesel franchise) is an integral part of one of the country's leading transport operations, selling and servicing Nissan commercial vehicles of all sizes. "Our team understands that a company's truck is in essence a business, and needs to deliver optimum performance at all times," says Magnis Trucks Samrand's dealer principal, Cameron Robertson. "Based on this philosophy, our business is geared around convenient service scheduling and preventative maintenance planning."
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Grand reception
- The offices at the Samrand facility project a slick but relaxed business ethos. |
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Nissan Diesel has gone to great lengths to make staff and customers comfortable with stylish amenities.
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Trimming downtime
"We understand that keeping vehicle uptime as high as possible is essential to a transport operation's competitiveness," says Clive Penning, operations director, Magnis Trucks. "The new facility has been designed and equipped with this in mind. We've installed the latest in modern equipment and employed professionally trained staff to add additional value and to support the company's commitment to provide the lowest life cycle cost solutions to our customers."
The dealership boasts nine service bays, a wash bay, a genuine parts department and a special tool facility. "We've installed a brake roller and brake testing equipment and also offer roadworthy testing and in-house transport consultancy services," says Penning, "as well as replacement vehicles, an after-hours breakdown service and an express service and maintenance bay. We also service vehicles after-hours by appointment."
Zero sweat while the wheels spin
The expansive dealership is easy on the eye, with a focus on making customers feel at ease. The sales and consulting offices are modern and comfortable while a dedicated driver canteen, which overlooks the service bays, provides refreshments and reading material for drivers while their trucks are being serviced. "
The Magnis Trucks mission statement is displayed in large print on the wall in the workshop to remind both staff and clients of the company's commitment, says Penning: "ensuring our clients receive exclusive technical support and continued parts supply - on time and at a competitive price."
Investing in growth
While South Africa's commercial transport sector continues to grow, it also gets more competitive. With more than 30 OEMs selling medium to heavy vehicles in South Africa at present, a customer-centric approach with exceptional after-sales service and support is key to gaining and retaining customers. "Nissan Diesel wants to add value to our customers' business in a very tangible way," says Frans Cloete, executive vice president of operations at Nissan Diesel South Africa. "This new dealership cost R18 million and is testimony to our commitment to our clients. We are continuing to invest in our production plant in Rosslyn, appoint and train new strategic staff, as well as develop our dealer network to the tune of R120 million in 2006 to meet growing demand."
With skilled, committed staff and serious capital investment making the business of owning a Nissan Diesel that much smoother, the old iron-pumping credo "no pain-no gain" fairly flies straight out the window.
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