AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -

Of the 2,600 Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and FIAT dealerships in the U.S., Fiat Chrysler Automobiles announced that 387 earned certification as 2017 Customer First Award for Excellence winners for providing exceptional sales and service experience.

FCA said it created the award with its dealer partners and J.D. Power to improve sales and service experience, employee training and facility conditions at its U.S. dealerships.

"We now have triple the amount of winning dealerships that may proudly market themselves as Customer First Award for Excellence achievers,” Al Gardner, head of Dealer Network Development at FCA, North America said in a news release.

“Consumers will know that they are in a Customer First dealership from the logos, but more importantly, they will experience the evolution of these elite stores."

Each year all 2,600 dealerships are eligible to earn the award.

To be considered for the award dealerships must demonstrate stringent goals in five core "pillars" that have been outlined:

  1. Facility Certification – Facility provides a clean, comfortable environment for customers

  2. Performance Measures – Dealership has achieved highest levels of customer-oriented sales and service goals

  3. Training Certification – Employees have received the highest level of required FCA-certified training      

  4. Employee Surveys – Completed to promote the voice of your employees and a customer-driven culture

  5. Process Validation – Certified sales and service processes that support excellence in customer handling

The Customer First Award for Excellence initiative was first introduced to dealerships in October 2015.

Dealerships’ staff attended cross-country workshops where they learned about the award’s requirements.

An inaugural group of 124 dealerships earned their certification in 2016

FCA US said the winning 387 dealerships represent 24 percent of its current retail sales volume in the country.