By Felix Tjozongoro
WINDHOEK – What started as a very small Toyota dealership in Namibia has now exploded into a formidable growing dealership grouping in Namibia. Indongo Toyota, with its three dealerships in Windhoek, Walvis Bay and Okahandja, has blasted the monthly sales record for a single dealership in Southern Africa at its Indongo Toyota Windhoek dealership, by achieving unit sales of 406 new vehicles during November 2014 – a record which was previously established by Durban South Toyota in February 2011.
What is also most significant is that Indongo Toyota Windhoek has during 2014 been the top monthly new vehicle sales Toyota dealership during April, September, October and November in the Southern Africa region. It is unprecedented that a Namibian dealership plays in the same league as well established South African dealerships. Indongo Toyota Windhoek is hopeful to achieve during 2014 the status as top new vehicle sales dealership for the year in Southern Africa.
Indongo Toyota is owned by the legendary successful Namibian businessman and Founder of the Frans Indongo Group, Dr Frans Indongo. During 2011 Dr Frans Indongo was awarded the Life Time Achievement Award for Southern Africa during Ernst & Young’s World Entrepreneurs event. This was the first time that a non-South African received this prestigious award which previously was awarded to icons like Dr Anton Rupert and Raymond Ackerman.
During 2010 the Frans Indongo Group decided to refocus on its Toyota dealership business, and new Dealer Principal, Miranda Viljoen, was appointed at Indongo Toyota Walvis Bay, where the latest standard of new retail facilities was introduced. These changes resulted in a significant turnaround of the business. This success was the driving force to acquire a stake in Ritter’s Toyota in Windhoek and Hino Okahandja during October 2012 – and Ritter’s trading name was changed to Indongo Toyota Windhoek.
During 2013 a strategic decision was taken to appoint a New Business Development Manager, Derick Bester, to grow the business, especially on the tender and fleet side. In the same year the Frans Indongo Group gained full control of Indongo Toyota Windhoek which was once Ritter’s Toyota. Thereafter Hans-Joachim Steinkopf, a Namibian with many years experience in the South African motor industry, was appointed as Dealer Principal and further structural changes were implemented. Part of this was that Indongo Toyota Okahandja, over and above being a Hino dealership, became a fully-fledged Toyota dealership as well, with newly appointed Dealer Principal Christo Smith. Since then the performance improvement of this Toyota dealership grouping just rocketed. The Indongo Toyota brand, supported by the correct strategic and management focus is a winning combination.
Indongo Toyota and the Frans Indongo Group are delighted to have set this monthly new vehicle sales record for a Toyota dealership in Southern Africa. It seems as if this very inspired dealership grouping is setting its sights on even higher goals than just monthly sales targets.