Mitsubishi dealers are growing in numbers
Mitsubishi Motors South Africa (MMSA) has had a busy few years albeit somewhat under the radar. In addition to a few new vehicle launches, they are now expanding their local footprint by opening more Mitsubishi dealerships. This comes on the back of a highly successful 2021 with noticeable growth in sales. They saw an increase of 47.5% compared to the same period in 2019 and 71.5% more than in 2020. “Last year will be remembered as one of recovery and consolidation for the local automotive industry,” said Mitsubishi Motors South Africa (MMSA).
New Mitsubishi Dealerships Mean Increased Market Share
The addition of 6 new Mitsubishi dealerships is indicative of MMSA bucking the trend and increasing its overall market share as a result. That takes the total number of Mitsubishi dealerships to 101 with 48 sales dealers and 53 aftersales dealers across the country.
According to Nic Campbell, the general manager at MMSA, “With the introduction of the Xpander, Mitsubishi is now competing in a completely different price range and segment than before. As such, our sales volumes have been positively impacted. It also speaks to MMSA’s customer-first focus of bringing out the right product for the market at the right time, with a competitive value proposition.”
The new Mitsubishi dealerships are a continuation of the brand’s approach to the strategic placement of such facilities to capitalise further on the ever-growing popularity of the Mitsubishi brand. Steven Terblans, the general aftersales manager added:“It goes hand in hand with our targeted new model strategy and aims to continue bringing new customers into the Mitsubishi fold. A brand is only as strong as its dealer network, and Mitsubishi is fortunate enough to currently find itself on a very firm footing indeed.”
Flaunting A New Corporate Identity
The new Mitsubishi dealerships all showcase the automaker’s refreshed corporate identity, which they introduced in South Africa in April 2021. Jeff Allison, Marketing Manager at MMSA said: “These facilities communicate our vision, purpose, values, cultures and behaviour by using images, styles, colours and themes that represent the brand. We wanted to create spaces that are attractive and inviting, allowing customers to interact with our products in environments that appeal to the senses.”
Mitsubishi Dealerships Providing Exceptional Customer Service
The results of the latest National Automobile Dealers’ Association dealer satisfaction index survey clearly reflect the commitment of MMSA’s dealer network. Their dealerships not only achieved gold status but they were also recognised as the most improved overall brand in 2021 (+10.6%).
According to the data, Mitsubishi’s customer service index results improved from 91.5% in 2017. Between then and the end of 2021, it jumped to 95.42%, which is well above the preset target of 93.5%. A big contributor to this incredible performance is the introduction of Mitsubishi’s ‘fix right first-time’ strategy. It seems to be one of the most crucial factors in their overall service experience.
Terblans continued by saying: “We want to ensure that the customer experience is aligned with the expectations of our loyal customer base. Expectations change and evolve, and so do we, and for this reason, we are continuously improving and embracing change. Our aim is to create lifetime customer loyalty and the only way to boost our retention rate is to provide excellent service.”
Over and above the new Mitsubishi dealerships creating some excitement around the brand, more is to come in 2022. It looks like MMSA has plans to expand or upgrade most of its existing model ranges. Among the headlines is the introduction of the all-new Mitsubishi Outlander in the second half of 2022. For more up to date news from the motoring world, please read our blog or visit the website to see the latest and greatest vehicles at Group1 Mitsubishi dealerships.
