WINDHOEK – Second-hand vehicle dealer, Wheels-4-All, sold its first vehicle within the first week of operation in February 2014. The vehicle was a Mercedes Benz.
Today the dealership, along Hosea Kutako, is celebrating its first anniversary, and says it has grown into one of the popular Namibian household names among second-hand vehicle dealers.
This is because of their promise to not just sell a vehicle, but also create a relationship with the buyer. “From the day my customer buys a car from us, he or she will still remain our customer, because I will remain your agent and dealership till you want to buy another car,” said Ernest Thatcher, one of the co-owners of the dealership.
New vehicle dealers operate differently from used-vehicle dealerships, as they are able to provide the after-sales service such as spare parts and service.
Although a second-hand vehicle dealership, Wheels-4-All adopted the same approach, giving its customers the service and treatment given to dealers who sell brand new vehicles. It is very much challenging as they are selling different brands of vehicles unlike a new vehicle dealer that sells only one brand. However, this new kid on the block is not frightened by the mixed brand of vehicles they supply, as they have teamed up with various service providers to provide that needed service from its clients.
Thatcher explains that they have teamed up with a workshop, panel beaters and a valet service provider to give the necessary after-sales service for their customers’ vehicles. From the minute a customer drives their vehicle out of the showroom, Wheels-4-All remains a partner, whether they need to book it in a workshop, get it to a panel beater, or have the car cleaned inside and out.
In a competitive industry, Wheels-4-All put together a killer concoction that no other used-vehicle dealer supplies. “We incorporated European standards from day one. Our initial input is far more extensive than the current market norm. All our vehicles undergo a 100-point inspection, copies of which are available to the clients. We give a six-month battery guarantee and our own one-month or 3 000-km delivery guarantee. Furthermore, we have a minimum 40 percent tyre tread guarantee on all vehicles and also offer the additional two-year Motorite warranty on all units sold. All vehicles out of factory warranty also have a 5 000 km service guarantee, meaning that all such vehicles would have been serviced at least in the last 5 000 km. If not, we have these vehicles serviced before delivery. Lastly, we cater for exceptional after-sales support. Our clients can call us for service bookings, roadside assistance and accident support. We really support a ‘one-call’ option for all our clients,” explained Thatcher.
Teething problems were a learning curve for the team at Wheels-4-All, as they have shrugged off the import vehicle sales. Their main focus now, as a lesson learned, is to stop the sale of imported vehicles and rather focus on good quality local vehicles. “We started the year with a few imported models, but after six months we decided to do away with imports in total. We now sell only local models, of which most of them still carry a factory warranty and service plans. This way we further guarantee our customers only the best options available,” said Thatcher.
Another challenge is the availability of stock and good quality cars at a good price. This is very difficult to get hold of. However, having been in the motor industry for more than 18 years have equipped the team at Wheels-4-All to know how to manoeuvre through such stormy waters. Some strong relations have been setup with reliable suppliers that are able to provide good quality products to them. This includes trade-ins from time to time and direct buys from the general public.
Future expansion plans for Wheels-4-All include upgrades and changes to the business. Among those are development plans for a fully equipped workshop, car wash and parts supply. This workshop will cater for pre-delivery inspections and services, as well as after-sales service and support to their clients and general public. They also want to upgrade their showroom, which will be much more modern and cater for more vehicle on the floor at all times.
“We are very fortunate to be on Hosea Kutako Drive, as it has developed into a automotive venue in the past few years. We are up the street from many other dealerships and are right in the face of the passing public,” said Thatcher.