While it has one of the largest footprints of auto fitment centres in South Africa, Supa Quick says it is moving even closer to its customers with the launch of the first of its Mobile Van project.
In a pilot launch in November, these mobile mini fitment centres started offering customers in the East Rand (primarily around its Bedfordview and Greenstone centres) the ability to call in for tyre repairs, wheel alignment, batteries, brakes and other minor services. “The Covid-19 pandemic has forced us to consider how we deliver to our customers, who might be concerned about their safety,” says Kerry Albertyn. “We have seen more people reluctant to venture out and expose themselves to the virus, so we are offering to come to where they are. “Also, with people around the country bound to their homes for weeks, we have seen cases of people’s cars stranded in their yards due to maintenance issues such as flat tyres, old batteries and brake issues,” says Kerry.
The Mobile Van fitment centre, equipped with a card machine for payment, operates Monday to Friday, between from 08h00 to 16h00, and on Saturdays between 08h00 and 13h00. To date, one van has been deployed, serving between four and five customers a day. However, with growing popularity, this will be expanded across the country. “Apart from the pandemic, our increasing focus on convenience in recent years seeks to offer customers who are physically unable to physical come to the store, be it due to time constraints, breakdowns or other reasons, the ability to be served in a more flexible way,” says Kerry. “In the world of social distancing and the convenience that the digital economy has led consumers to expect, we anticipate that the Mobile Van project will establish a new best-practice approach to servicing customers in our sector.”
