Congratulations to all the winners!
Overall
Gold: Toyota SA
Silver: Volkwagen of SA
Bronze: Ford Motor Co. of SA
Leasing
Gold: Volkswagen of SA
Silver: Toyota SA
Bronze: Delta Motor Corp.
Rental
Gold: Toyota SA
Silver: DaimlerChrysler SA
Bronze: Nissan SA
Sincere thanks to all the sponsors who made the Awards evening, held on Friday 18th October 2002, possible:
Audi South Africa – BMW SA – Delta Motor Corp. – Fiat Auto SA – Ford Motor Co. of SA – Nissan SA – Renault SA – Toyota SA – Trentyre – Volkswagen SA
Associated Motor Holdings * Avis Rent A Car * Avis Fleet Services * Avis Van Rental * Bankfin Fleet Management * Barloworld Motor * Barloworld Leasing * Budget Rent A Car * Contract Lease Management * debis Fleet Management * Europcar SA * Fleet Support Services * Hertz Rent A Car * Hi-Q Automotive * Imperial Fleet Services * Imperial Car Rental * LeasePlan Fleet Management * McCarthy Fleet Services * National Car Rental * Nedbank Vehicle Finance * Protea Hotels * Stannic * Supa Quick * SuperFleet * Tempest Car Hire * Tiger Wheel & Tyre * Toyota Trucks SA * Tracker Network * U Drive Rent A Car * Vuka Fleet Management
Toyota South Africa
Toyota SA’s winning team.
Toyota SA’s Christa Rheeder and Marius Burger display the trophies while colleague John Gillham (back left) and SAVRALA president, John Broadway, look on. SAVRALA leasing section chairman, Clive Else and association vice president, Sherl Preston complete the line up.
Toyota takes top honours
Toyota South Africa is this year’s Southern African Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association’s (SAVRALA) Manufacturer of the Year scooping gold in both the overall and rental award categories. Toyota SA last won the overall title in 1999.
“Competition for top honours is tough and the judges, amongst the most discerning and critical audiences in the motor industry,” said Marius Burger, Toyota SA’s director of sales and marketing. “The members of SAVRALA are an exceptionally important element of the industry and serving this customer base forces us to raise our game in all aspects of vehicle ownership. In this market, overall satisfaction is the main point of difference and, over the years, this has been a Toyota strong point.”
Having taken top honours in all three categories in 2001, this year VWSA laid claim to silver in the overall category while Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa came in third. In the rental section, DaimlerChrysler South Africa came second to Toyota SA with Nissan South Africa following in third place. VWSA, Toyota SA and Delta Motor Corporation were awarded first, second and third places respectively in the leasing sector.
SAVRALA’s annual honours are awarded for service and support excellence afforded by the motor manufacturers and importers to the vehicle rental, leasing and fleet management industries during the previous 12 months. SAVRALA represents over 90% of the companies operating in these sectors.
Addressing some 450 guests at the Manufacturer of the Year awards banquet held in Sandton on Friday night, SAVRALA president, John Broadway said: “The 2002 survey to rate South Africa’s top manufacturer was highly contested. This year’s results were particularly close and it was very pleasing to note how fiercely the motor manufacturers and importers are competing for the rental and leasing business.
“In April this year, the first part of a two-tier survey was distributed to SAVRALA members by eMIRG, an independent market research group responsible for conducting the survey and evaluating the results,” continued Broadway. “To monitor and gauge changing opinions, the identical set of questions was put to the same leasing and car rental respondents during August.”
In the rental survey, manufacturers were rated across critical performance categories including communication, maintenance, value, reliability and support back-up while in the leasing questionnaire, the focus was on the financial, technical and communication/marketing elements of the working partnership.
“We have used this two-part survey analysis in previous years and know that it provides a very accurate reflection of SAVRALA members’ impressions of the manufacturers’ overall performance,” explained eMIRG managing director, Paul De Vantier. “This year, we have had an excellent response from both leasing and rental members and the results are truly representative and comprehensive.”
“This annual survey culminates in this awards evening which provides a platform for SAVRALA’s fleet management and rental members to show their appreciation for the co-operation and support we enjoy from the motor manufacturers and importers,” said Broadway.
A highlight of the evening was the donation made to Gauteng’s Hamlet Foundation by Broadway. Handing a cheque for R25 000 to the Hamlet’s president Dr Nthato Motlana and CEO Lollie Timm, he said: “It is through the generosity of our members and this evening’s sponsors that this donation is possible.”
Overall Silver
Volkswagen of South Africa
Overall Bronze
Ford Motor Company of South Africa
Rental Gold
Toyota South Africa
Rental Silver
DaimlerChrysler South Africa
Rental Bronze
Nissan South Africa
Leasing Gold
Volkswagen of South Africa
Leasing Silver
Toyota South Africa
Leasing Bronze
Delta Motor Corporation