The Rola Volvo franchise in Helderberg has implemented its global parent company’s practice of assigning every Volvo owner his or her own Personal Service Technician (PST).
The PST programme combines the roles of service advisor and technician, giving all customers a single name and number to contact with regard to their vehicles’ services.
Says Rola Volvo brand manager, Ryan Chapman: “The cornerstone of this human-centric approach is customers’ very own Personal Service Technician, who’ll take care of everything to do with their car – from booking appointments to carrying out the service.
“And, as customers will deal with the same technician each time, they get to know the technician as well as they know their car. So, no misunderstandings.”
In Somerset West, the PST service has been combined with Volvo’s quick turnaround services. This means a customer can book his/her car, enjoy a coffee and free Wi-Fi and have it returned and ready in as little as an hour.
Two of the secrets behind this service is the way that service personnel work in teams, with different members responsible for different parts of the vehicle service. Rola Volvo also staggers service bookings to allow for PSTs to carry out each client’s welcome and final vehicle delivery, while giving clients an opportunity to fit their service into their busy schedule.
Chapman says before COVID-19, clients were invited to walk around in the workshop as part of the commitment to transparency, open communication and building lasting relationships with your PST.
“The technicians needed a bit of training in the beginning and have to be accredited each year, so it takes a lot of effort from our side. Rola Volvo has been doing it for around five years and the system works really well.”
Rola Volvo was crowned Dealer of the Year in 2018 and has been in the top three recently for both sales and – more importantly – after-sales.
South Africa’s new vehicle market recorded aggregate domestic sales of 61 645 units in September 2026, an increase of 12.7% compared with the 54 706 units sold during September 2025.
SA Auto Week 2026 is scheduled to take place in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal, from 13 to 16 October, with the event marking five years of SA Auto Week.
South Africa’s domestic new-vehicle market strengthened in September, recording 61 645 sales, its highest monthly total of 2026. Sales increased by 3 747 vehicles, or 6.5%, from August’s originally reported total and were 12.7% higher than in September 2025.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Cars are the ultimate symbol of freedom, independence and individualism. They offer the freedom to ‘go anywhere,’ whenever it suits and with whom one chooses.
Sarah Redshaw
You just must drive the new Mazda CX-5 to understand why this could be a game changer for the iconic legacy brand that was once one of the top-selling brands in South Africa.
The opening of GWM Hyde Park marks a return to familiar territory for dealership owner Bradley Scorer, whose career in the South African motor industry began in the same area decades ago.
Mitsubishi Motors Bedfordview has been awarded the prestigious Overall Dealer of the Year title in the brand’s annual dealer evaluation and awards program, recognising its outstanding performance and commitment to excellence across all areas of the business.
