We don’t just watch you
In the final instalment of the Volkswagen Knysna story this week, owners Gideon and Francois Knoetze introduce residents to after-sales manager Eddie Sundström, who has been in the motoring industry for more than three decades.
The Knoetzes' belief that paying attention to their employees’ state of mind, as well as their development, is directly translated to the customer, ensuring the customer receives the absolute best service possible. And
Sundström concurs wholeheartedly.
“I have seen many dealerships fail when the management or owners don’t connect with their workforce. At
VW Knysna the case is completely the opposite. The Knoetzes and I are all strong believers in keeping our staff happy and ensuring they are the best in what they do, sending them for development regularly. I have experienced how this can be carried into customer service in a very positive way,” Sundström says.
He adds that he has seen cases where owners and management mistreat their staff, which has had a detrimental effect on businesses.
Sundström knows exactly what he is talking about, being a stalwart in the industry for 36 years. After finishing high school in Fish Hoek in 1979 and spending two years in the navy, he completed a three-and-a-half-year apprenticeship as a motor vehicle technician at Western Province Technical College. He soon became a service adviser and has remained entrenched in the service and customer service side of the industry since. From 1988 to 1994 he was a VW service adviser, then went on to become service manager at Barons City VW from 1995. In July 1995, Barons City became Audi Centre Cape Town and Sundström would stay there through a name and address change until 2011, after which he moved to Audi N1. “Gideon called me in May 2017 when I was recommended for the position and I haven’t looked back since,” he says. The certified Audi International service manager says at the core of his business beliefs is that honesty is the best policy, customer satisfaction through treating your own employees with respect is of utmost importance, and that being hands-on himself is cardinal to VW’s success and the customer’s happiness.
“The motor industry is in my blood and I bring that to work with me every day. At VW Knysna we offer the best customer service – plain and simple. One of our highest priorities is customer service and with our new team we have regularly met VW’s national targets. We are already getting customers to return to us, which proves that building relationships is of utmost importance.”