IRVINE, Calif. -

Late last week, Autobytel named its Dealer of the Month for July.

The honoree for this past month is Kenny Jakel, general sales manager of Lee Johnson Kia in Kirkland, Wash.

The award program introduced earlier this year honors  Autobytel dealers who “employ the highest standards in customer service, Internet automotive retail sales and lead management processes,” officials said.

The Autobytel Dealer Awards Program culminates at the NADA Convention & Expo in New Orleans in January, when the Autobytel Dealer of the Year Award will be announced, chosen from this year’s pool of monthly finalists.

Kenny joins Patti Scipione of M’Lady Nissan, Paul LeRose of Pauly Toyota, Tim Morgan of Radley Acura and Steve Roberts of Crown Motors Redding — who were named the Autobytel Dealers of the Month for March, April, May and June, respectively — in that pool of winners, the company shared.

“Kenny and his team represent an 80-year family-owned business rooted in the core principals of service, respect and providing value to their customers,” said Jeffrey Coats, president and chief executive officer of Autobytel.

“What’s made Lee Johnson Kia so successful is that they’ve woven these core principals into their Internet lead management processes too. They understand how to build value in both the in-dealership and online sales experience and it shows — among consumers and across the industry.”

Lee Johnson Kia, part of the Lee Johnson Auto Family that also includes Mazda and Chevrolet, is located in Kirkland, Wash., northeast of Seattle, and services the Bellevue, Bothell, Kirkland, Medina and Redmond areas.

Jakel responded to the honor, noting, “My general thoughts are that in the auto industry, like most businesses, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

“If you don’t make an effort to treat your customers like gold and make the process transparent, it will come back around to bite you in one form or another. Old fashioned tactics like building value in the dealership, the sales experience, and the product will always pay off in the end. We’re absolutely thrilled to receive this accolade, and I want to personally thank Autobytel for the recognition,” he continued

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 finalist selected based on key online automotive best practices, the company said.
 
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.

 

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