COMPANY PROFILE
2013
CFAO Zambia
Unrivalled customer service
company report
Unrivalled customer service Editorial: Lauren Grey Production: Chris Bolderstone
With the start of another record year in sales and expansion plans on the horizon, IndustrySA speaks with Sue Mennell, Managing Director of CFAO Zambia, the country’s only authorised Nissan dealer, to find out more about its ongoing success…
Established in 2001, CFAO Zambia has steadily positioned itself as the automobile dealer of choice across the country, and is the exclusive distributor for two globally renowned brands: Nissan and UD Trucks. CFAO Zambia serves most of the country from its three branches in Lusaka, Kitwe and Livingstone; selling a broad range of new passenger and commercial vehicles, trucks and FG Wilson generators, as well as offering financing solutions, trade-ins and after-sales services. With a staff complement of over 100 skilled professionals, CFAO Zambia pride themselves on customer satisfaction through a relentless focus on quality and compliance with automakers’ international standards of excellence, providing customers with a responsive and reliable service. Since taking over the position of Managing Director in 2011, Sue Mennell says she has noticed a very slight
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change in the company’s customer base, as the Zambian economy develops and more private buyers opt for their own vehicle. “There’s very small market here with private vehicles, because you have the second hand vehicles that are coming in which are more affordable to the middle class” she explains. “Saying that, now that there is vehicle financing available in Zambia, there are some private individuals using the vehicle finance to buy new vehicles, otherwise it’s normally government or companies.”
NEW MODELS CFAO Zambia is a subsidiary of the largest automobile network in Africa and the French overseas territories, CFAO Automotive. The group’s partnership with Nissan began in 1991, and continued to grow across Africa by marketing a broad range of passenger and utility vehicles in Gabon, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Morocco.
CFAO Zambia
“There’s a lot of expansion happening, it’s a very exciting time for CFAO Zambia”
The group are extremely proud of their partnership with Nissan because of the quality of the vehicle, “There’s lots of competition in Zambia,” explains Sue, “for example Ford and Mitsubishi; you do get people who like their brands and they will stick with their brands, otherwise people look for value for money and we’re very lucky with the Nissan because it’s a good, reliable vehicle with a good engine so people like the vehicle and it’s very well priced.” CFAO Zambia launched their newest Nissan model into Zambia on Tuesday 30th April, the Nissan Patrol Y62 which Sue says is the ‘biggest, most exciting launch this year,’ “There’s huge interest in the new model because it’s going to be a direct competitor to the Land Cruiser; I think the vehicle will do very well because it’s very well priced and it’s a great vehicle” she says. “We’re also about to launch the new Y61 Patrol” Sue explains, “which has got a new engine and again
with revised pricing so it will be very competitive on the market. So things are looking good for the highend SUV models in Zambia.” As well as working with Nissan, CFAO Zambia are also exclusive distributors of UD Trucks and are looking forward to future partnerships with other leading car manufacturers, “We will also be going into selling and looking after Volvo, Renault and Eicher, which is an Indian truck. Those will be coming online in the next year or two for distribution in Zambia.”
EXPANSION PLANS Alongside its product range, Sue also says that the Zambian company will be expanding its premises and continental footprint, “… obviously we’re selling more trucks and we’re getting in with the Volvo Group so we’ll need bigger premises … Then we’re looking at going into some of the other provinces.”
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CFAO Zambia
company report The company’s expansion plans come at a time where businesses worldwide are still feeling the effects of the economic slowdown, but Sue admits that CFAO Zambia barely felt the pinch, “We didn’t really notice it, in fact sales are picking up year on year and we’ve already started again with a record year this year. We’ve also been over achieving on our budget for sales of new vehicles, so you wouldn’t think there’s a world slump at the moment.” Sue also explains that the Zambian economy as a whole is doing very well, “The economy in Zambia is doing very well, especially with the copper and the mining, that’s booming, and there are new mines popping up all over the place.” The Zambian distributor’s expansion is estimated to take around three years to complete and cost the company approximately €4 million, “There’s a lot of expansion happening” explains Sue, “it’s a very exciting time for CFAO Zambia.” The dealership already has modern, spacious facilities equipped with leading-edge technology, enabling it to provide a complete range of beforeand after-sales services such as financing solutions, trade-ins, services for professionals, manufacturer’s warranty, original spare parts, 24/7 breakdown assistance, a comprehensive range of after sales service and tailor made contracts for customers wishing to choose between a number of different service contracts, depending on a vehicle’s age and mileage. Sue explains that the company will be expanding the size of its workshop and introducing new services to cope with the increasing number of vehicles, “we’re doubling the size of our workshop and we’ll be moving our truck work shop to a bigger premises because we’re selling more trucks… we have a body shop at the moment, but we want to build a new, state-of-the-art body shop.
Nissan Patrol
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“We’re also looking at introducing a new express service” she says, “because at the moment we just have the main workshop, so we’re looking at putting in an express service just to cope with the servicing side.” The company are also looking into their own tyre franchise, “we’re looking at going into tyres as well which will fit in nicely with the express service.”
EXPORT DEALER OF THE YEAR CFAO Zambia was recognised for its superb service in 2012, and was named Export Sales Dealer of the Year, a title which Sue says they aim to uphold this year, “We won that award for our UD Trucks; we were named Top Export Sales Dealer and we’re hoping to achieve that again this year if we can.” It is an exciting and prosperous time for CFAO Zambia, but as the company continues to grow, Sue says it will never lose sight of its commitment to unrivalled customer service across the country.
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Nissan Pathfinder
Nissan Navara
www.nissan-zambia.com
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