IRVINE, Calif. -

A team member from an award-winning dealership in Virginia is the latest Dealer of the Month, as declared this week by Autobytel.

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, officials said.

Named the Autobytel Dealer of the Month for October is Tanner Hulette, general manager of Mechanicsville Toyota in Mechanicsville, Va.

“The key to Mechanicsville Toyota’s success is the way the entire dealership operates as an Internet department,” said Jeff Coats, president and chief executive officer of Autobytel. “This innovative approach enables each member of the dealership to be a customer touch point, from the initial contact to the sale, from F&I to service, all the way through to post-sale communication.

“Tanner and his team have been banner members of the Autobytel family for nearly 14 years, are consistent Toyota President’s Award winners, and deserve to be named an Autobytel Dealer of the Month for excellence in Internet retail sales,” he said.  

Each month, Autobytel’s sales and dealer operations teams evaluate prospective candidates from a field of thousands of auto retailers within the company’s network. A monthly winner based on key online automotive best practices, with criteria including conversion rates, lead management processes, customer service principles, customer and brand retention analytics and Internet department practices.

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

Tanner now joins the Autobytel Dealers of the Month for March through September 2013, in that pool of winners. They are 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; Rese Ballou of Hendrick Toyota Scion; and Tony Thorstad of Smart Motors Toyota.

“An Internet lead is a hand raiser,” Hulette said, “and you want to respond to them in a way that reinforces how you’re the most qualified to help them find the perfect car.

“At Mechanicsville Toyota, we give our customers clear and concise answers and provide them with the full spectrum of services when it comes to their automotive needs, from a staff of qualified team members who understand how to meet those needs.”

Mechanicsville Toyota is part of the Page Auto Group of Richmond, Va., which represents brands such as Toyota, Audi, Honda, Volkswagen, Hyundai and Scion.

Under the direction of Hulette and dealer principal Larry Page, the store has won the Toyota President’s Award for the past four years, the highest honor a dealership can receive from Toyota and awarded to dealerships for excellence in Sales, Service, Parts and Customer Satisfaction.

Autobytel was named to a Power 250 Company by Auto Remarketing earlier this year.

Continue the conversation with Auto Remarketing on both LinkedIn and Twitter.