LG Electronics, in a vote of confidence in the South African economy, yesterday launched its first-ever Premium Service Centre in Johannesburg.
The multimillion-rand centre will ensure that LG provides quality after-sales and repair services, giving customers a quick and convenient option to have their appliances fixed directly with LG.
LG has been one of the foreign direct investors supporting President Cyril Ramaphosa’s ambitious R1.2 trillion investment drive by providing a much-needed boost for the country’s declining manufacturing sector which has been pummelled by power outages.
This comes more than a year after the Korean electronics group lost millions of rand when its R21 million factory and distribution centre was looted and set alight during the July 2021 social unrest.
The LG factory was fairly new, having been launched in January 2020 with a staff complement of 112 employees when it was opened as a hub for the manufacturing and distribution of electronics.
LG South Africa president Jinkook Kang said yesterday that with the launch of the service centre they hoped to extend products’ lifespans where possible, in the event of a breakage or malfunction.
Kang said quality service for them did not begin and end at the point of purchase.
“We are very excited about the addition of this new facility to our service network across the country. We hope that LG customers in Gauteng will take advantage of this professional and best-in-class service solution,” Kang said.
“At LG we stand behind our brand promise – Life’s Good. And we endeavour to deliver on that brand promise at each touch point with our customers – from a retail to a repair experience. The launch of this new Premium Service Centre cements our commitment to that promise.
“LG takes its presence in South Africa seriously, and we are always striving to make a difference and improve people’s lives.”
The launch of the service centre comes a few months after LG stepped up to assist thousands of its KwaZulu-Natal customers who were affected by the flooding disaster by offering residents free repairs on their damaged LG home appliances.
LG is not alone in its vote of confidence in South Africa.
Samsung’s Global CEO, Jong-Hee Han, was in South Africa at the end of last week to assess the company’s South Africa and Africa business operations.
Samsung said in a statement yesterday that although this was Han’s fifth visit to the country, it was the first one since he became Samsung’s global CEO.
During Han’s visit, he met with the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition (Dtic), Ebrahim Patel, as well as the Minister of International Relations and Co-operation, Dr Naledi Pandor, to discuss Samsung’s long-standing partnership and collaboration with the South African government as well as possible future opportunities for growth and further investment.
Samsung said it planned to build on its R280m Equity Equivalent Investment Programme, launched in May 2019 in partnership with the Dtic and sector support from the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies.
“The programme is expected to have a measurable impact on job creation with a projected contribution of over a billion rand to the South African economy at large. Samsung’s 10-year plan aims to address key developmental aspects linked to the National Development Plan and the overall transformation of the economy,” Samsung said.
BUSINESS REPORT