IRVINE, Calif. -

Autobytel revealed Wednesday it has chosen its Dealer of the Month for September, recognizing a store that opened its doors over a century ago in 1908.

The company has given the honor to Tony Thorstad, Internet sales director of Smart Motors Toyota in Madison, Wisc.

Thorstad joins Patti Scipione of M’Lady Nissan, Paul LeRose of Pauly Toyota, Tim Morgan of Radley Acura, Steve Roberts of Crown Motors Redding, Kenny Jakel of Lee Johnson Kia, and Rese Ballou of Hendrick Toyota Scion — who were named the Autobytel Dealers of the Month for March, April, May, June, July and August, respectively.

Commenting on the latest addition, Jeff Coats, president and chief executive officer of Autobytel, said, “Tony and the Smart Motors Toyota team truly understand the needs of today’s car buyers and how to meet those needs to guide people to the perfect car,

“They approach the sales process from a consumer point of view versus a dealer point of view which is a key reason they’ve enhanced and grown their business since 1908 to become the largest Toyota dealer in the state of Wisconsin. Smart Motors Toyota is a legacy in this industry yet it continues to innovate as a leader in online automotive retail sales. We’re pleased to honor them as an Autobytel Dealer of the Month,” he continued.  

The family owned-and-operated store employs a whopping 260 people and recently completed a new showroom. The store is also in the is in the process of adding another 50,000 square feet to its dealership “to accommodate the growth of its customer base and to better serve area car buyers,” Autobytel said.

It is also active in the service and repair side of the business, as they process an average of over 6,000 repair orders each month.

And Thorstad highlighted the company’s marketing efforts, as well, saying, “We understand what it takes to be successful online and we know that an effective sales process does something ‘for’ the customer, not ‘to’ the customer

“It’s really about asking the right questions to guide people to the right car. I think it’s wonderful to be recognized for a job well done and I commend my teammates for getting us where we are today. We’ve maximized our online advertising and marketing dollars with the development of our Internet BDC, in choosing partners like Autobytel, and through social media, photography, quality vehicle content and owner loyalty programs.”

The company’s Dealer Awards Program honors exceptional Autobytel dealers who employ the highest standards in customer service and Internet automotive retail sales and lead management processes.

Each month, Autobytel’s sales and dealer operations teams evaluate prospective candidates from a competitive field of thousands of automotive retailers in the Autobytel network with a monthly winner selected based on key online automotive best practices.

Criteria evaluated for the Autobytel Dealer Awards Program include conversion rates, lead management processes, customer service principles, customer and brand retention analytics and Internet department practices, among others.

The Autobytel Dealer of the Year Award is slated to be announced at the NADA Convention & Expo in New Orleans in January 2014, with the crowning dealer chosen from this year’s pool of monthly winners.

 

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