CASE Construction Equipment has held for the first time in the Sub-Saharan region, EAGLE DAYS, a three-day event to provide product and commercial training for sales professional throughout the region and to show customers the extraordinary performance of the CASE range in the field.
The event, held at the Johannesburg premises of dealer CSE, from July 19-21, included two days of intensive training attended by salesmen from all parts of South Africa, Mozambique, Uganda, Zambia, Namibia and Zimbabwe. The third day was dedicated to customers, with an impressive show and product demonstration from expert CASE operators that astonished the numerous customers invited to take part to the event.
Over 120 customers had the possibility to see crawler excavators, graders, wheel loaders, backhoe loaders and skid steers at work and to receive advice from Case product specialists on the best machine for each application.
“The response to our EAGLE DAYS event in Johannesburg was outstanding,” said Franco Invernizzi, Senior Business Director CNH Industrial Construction Equipment for Africa and Middle East.
“Our CASE dealers throughout Sub-Saharan Africa really appreciated the work that had been put in by our EMEA Commercial Training team and the staff at CSE, who made all of us feel so welcome”.
Training and Demonstration
The CASE Commercial Training Team provided both in-depth product walk-arounds in the demonstration area and classroom sessions under a marquee erected beside the demo field.
“The EAGLE DAYS is a proven format that is a real energy boost and motivational tool for the CASE salesmen,” said Mr Invernizzi.
“The two days of training on CASE machines are preliminary to the great show of the third day, which enhances the relationship between salesmen and customers. Our Commercial Training Team, made up of ‘experts for the real World’, has delivered this format in Africa in Tunisia, in 2015 and will replicate it in the Middle East during the autumn of 2016”.
An Open Day Dedicated To Customers
After a welcome from CSE and CASE management, South African TV anchorman Derek Watts became the Master of Ceremonies for the Open Day dedicated to customers. This involved two special CASE machine shows in the demo field, a lucky draw and many machinery demonstrations.
The Customer EAGLE DAY was well received by both dealers and customers.
“It was very well organized and a very informative event,” said Thomas van Niekerk, from CASE customer GLC Group. “The key to the success of the event was having the CASE machinery operators from Europe to demonstrate the equipment.”
GLC Group Owner Gerhard Conradie agreed, saying: “It was a delightful experience and gave us a really good feeling towards CASE.”
Among the most popular machines on display were the 885B grader, the 821F wheel loader and the CX210B crawler excavator, though there was something for everyone with a wide range of light equipment available, including the 570T backhoe-loader and SR175 skid steer.
“It was an awesome day and I really enjoyed the display of equipment,” said Ashwin Romalall Avka, Owner of South African firm Avka Plant Hire.
The EAGLE DAYS proved equally popular with CASE dealer personnel, who were able to really get to grips with some of the equipment.
“As always it was a great day from the CASE family,” said Jason Smith, from Zimbabwean dealer Univern Enterprises. “Thank you for including us and we appreciate your support and dedication to the dealers.”
“Dealers and customers had the chance to really understand the benefits and positive attributes of a wide range of CASE equipment, giving us the opportunity to demonstrate the savings that we can make and the productivity benefits that they can experience with our machinery. The success of the event means that this will not be the last Eagle Days for the Sub-Saharan region,” said Mr Invernizzi.
“We were delighted, as the well-attended event proved a great success, said CSE Dealer Divisional Managing Director Brenton Kemp. “In terms of venue I believe CSE was well placed to host such an event and it made sound logistical sense to host it in South Africa.”
The event was well organized and the highly skilled CASE operators enthralled the crowds with their demonstrations and maneuvers in the field. CSE received positive feedback from both dealers and customers alike and as Mark Millar from South African customer Mashova said: “The bar has been set for future such events of this type.”
Refreshments and typical local food was provided under the comfortable CASE-branded marquee.
All of the attending customers and dealers entered their business cards into a surprise draw, with prizes including three EAGLE DAYS-branded car fridges, along with two spare parts vouchers to the value of R 10.000 (Rand) offered by CSE.