HGreg.com said two of its dealerships have earned the distinction of best-selling Nissan dealership in the U.S. and Canadian markets.
HGreg.com is part of HGregoire, a network of 17 pre-owned and 13 new car dealerships throughout Canada and the United States.
HGreg Nissan Kendall in Florida, and HGregoire Nissan Chomedey in Quebec have earned the top spot in their respective countries. They earned the spots among more than 1,200 dealerships in the Nissan network in both countries.
The Nissan dealership rankings are based on sales figures on a month-by-month basis. The company said both dealerships have recently seen several additional industry achievements.
HGreg Nissan Kendall was named America’s No. 1 Nissan dealership for the first time in its history. The dealer has been under HGreg.com ownership for slightly more than a year and was already named a J.D. Power 2020 Dealer of Excellence.
HGregoire Nissan Chomedey said in January it was named largest retailer of Nissan vehicles in Quebec. The dealer earned that title for the second consecutive year.
The dealership also earned the Best Priced Dealer Award for its commitment to transparency and fair pricing on autoTRADER.ca.
“I could not be prouder of our team and the community of people we serve,” John Hairabedian, president and chief executive officer of HGreg.com and its parent company HGregoire, said in a news release.
Hairabedian also said, “Earning this title is rewarding, but it’s definitely a side-effect of our mission to redefine the car buying experience through a customer and tech-first approach. We’re celebrating but, more importantly, we’re remaining focused on the customers who choose to visit us online or in person today for their new needs and dreams.”
Digital Air Strike’s Response Logix lead response and consumer-centric marketplace technology now includes new targeting capabilities that it says can bring more consumer engagement during the online shopping process.
Digital Air Strike is a consumer engagement technology company that unveiled the new features this week at the National Automobile Dealers Association’s virtual convention.
The company said that with the Response Logix platform, auto dealerships can more effectively respond to prospects who previously requested vehicle information with an AI-powered dynamic quote. It creates a micro-website for every prospect with additional vehicle details, payment options, and alternate new and pre-owned vehicle options similar to the original vehicle requested.
By triggering customizable follow communications to prospects for up to 180 days, the new Power Smart Follow enhancement follows the consumer. That means car buyers, with one click, can indicate whether they are still interested in a vehicle or would like more information.
Dealers using that technology can reactivate a greater percentage of their pipeline that was previously considered out-of-market. The technology provides a non-threatening method for them to follow up with consumers.
Regarding the lead re-engagement enhancement, Digital Air Strike says dealerships nationwide are using it successfully.
Al Piemonte Buick GMC saw a 23% increase in car buyers re-engaging with the dealership to purchase a vehicle. The enhancement allows dealerships to customize messages to each customer. Dealers receive an alert when a consumer is looking at the quotes and emails.
That allows the dealer to follow up with a personal phone call.
Rob Link, director of internet development/sales manager, Al Piemonte Buick GMC and Al Piemonte Nissan, said he cannot run a profitable dealership without Digital Air Strike’s lead response technology.
“Anytime you can enhance productivity with efficiency you’ll find increased value,” Link said.
Link also said, “Considering this, Response Logix is invaluable and has paid for itself time and time again. I can confidently say it has boosted traffic, increased retention, and most importantly, decreased stress. It’s also the perfect complement to any employee.”
On Tuesday, Digital Air Strike also released its consumer text marketing product, Response Path 2.0.
That product now features advanced targeting capabilities for multimedia messages. Those capabilities include the use of images, videos, and GIFs.
Users of the product can deliver timely messages and updates to customers in targeted groups based on prior preferences and demographics.
Businesses can use multimedia texting for tasks such as communicating COVID safety protocols, making special announcements, and sending valuable updates, such as vehicle manufacturers’ new incentives or the ability to test drive vehicles at home.
The product now offers integration with social media content, such as YouTube walkaround videos, and users can now send them directly to a group of customers all at once. The option is also available to engage via text, email, or video for more information, and that all takes place without needing to call or visit a dealership.
“The new products and enhancements give automotive retailers more ability to combat companies, such as Carvana and Vroom, that directly market the benefit of their pre-owned vehicles as the ability to avoid going to dealerships,” Digital Air Strike said in a news release.
Muller Auto Group in Chicago implemented Response Path’s targeting capabilities and reported increased unit sales attributed directly to just one text message sent to customers.
Muller marketing director Gray Scott said the dealership gets a strong response from its text messages, adding that the process and setup was easy.
“Texting is the fastest way to communicate to our consumers and be guaranteed a view while offering at-home test drive and delivery options,” Scott said.
Jason Barrie, Digital Air Strike's senior vice president of product strategy and market development, said the company develops consumer engagement products that bring a higher ROI for businesses.
“We support a multi-channel delivery strategy through streaming ads, texting and other digital marketing platforms to create a one-to-one communication solution between dealers and their customers,” Barrie said. “We’re here to help businesses drive higher levels of engagement and improve the experience for shoppers and retailers.”
In other news, Digital Air Strike said its continued innovation was a reason the company won a BIG (Business Intelligence Group) Innovation Award for its Virtual Retailing Technology products that the company launched within weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital Air Strike launched the products to allow businesses to better interact and more easily transact online with customers using multiple mediums.
Those mediums include video, AI, social media, SMS messaging and automation.
The company said the products have been a lifeline for businesses during the pandemic. Companies need new methods of engaging and assisting customers in shopping and researching from home, Digital Air Strike said.
Digital Air Strike, as part of its Virtual Retailing program, partnered with GoDaddy and its #OpenWeStand initiative to offer businesses free video technology, free bulk text messaging, and a free budget review.
“When our technology is recognized among some of the most innovative automotive, technology and financial companies in the world, including Polestar, WebPT, and BMO Financial Group, it only reinforces how our solutions fill a needed gap for businesses,” said Digital Air Strike co-founder and chief executive officer, Alexi Venneri. “We are proud to continue to deliver new technology that creates a better experience for our thousands of business clients nationwide and their customers.”
When the showroom at Rice Toyota in Greensboro, N.C. was closed during the pandemic, it used Digital Air Strike’s Virtual Retailing program. At that time, the dealer said it was able to sell 10 cars in record time.
“Digital Air Strike has been a tremendous help and has been the most successful thing I’ve used to keep moving forward during COVID-19,” said Rice Toyota general manager, Andy Slaughter.
Jamie Oldershaw said providing a customer experience that meets shifting shopper expectations — especially in today’s stay-at-home economy — is extremely important to a dealership’s success.
“And we saw overwhelmingly positive consumer reviews on our platform over the past year as dealers transformed into digital-first car sellers,” said Oldershaw, who is general manager of DealerRater, in a news release.
DealerRater, a car dealer review and reputation management platform and company of Cars.com, announced the winners of its annual Dealer of the Year Awards. The awards recognize those top dealers for their dealership experiences according to the more than a million reviews that car shoppers posted last year on DealerRater.
The company said top reviewed dealers showed similar characteristics in several areas. One is that they prioritized digital-first services. Another is that they implemented COVID-19 safety protocols.
Another is that they showed a strong review response rate.
A full list of winners in the United States and Canada is available, but among the winners were Naples Acura in Naples, Fla., Bill Luke Tempe in Tempe, Ariz., and Foreign Cars Italia in Greensboro, N.C.
DealerRater presents its Dealer of the Year Awards annually to the top U.S. and Canadian car dealers with 25 or more reviews based on categories such as customer service, quality of work, friendliness, pricing and overall experience. DealerRater said those are key drivers of repeat and referral business.
Regarding the characteristic of prioritizing digital first services, DealerRater said features such as online and video chat, at-home delivery and virtual walkarounds were significant factors toward positive reviews.
DealerRater said 48% of winning dealers were badged on Cars.com and DealerRater.com for home delivery and virtual Appointment, according to DealerRater Internal Data in January.
DealerRater also said the awards show that car shoppers place value on how dealers adapt to pandemic realities. More positive reviews, at a rate of nearly 30- to-1, went to dealers that implemented COVID-19 health and safety protocols, such as masks, social distancing, and sanitization, according to DealerRater internal data from October.
Regarding the characteristic of digital engagement of employees at dealerships, DealerRater said that was especially important this past year with car shoppers performing most of their research and vehicle purchase online.
Recognized dealers shared a high review response rate. Eighty percent of award-winning dealers responded to customers at double the average response rate, according to January DealerRater Internal Data.
“Dealers that go above and beyond traditionally respond within 24 hours,” DealerRater said.
About 75% of winners provide their staff with employee profile pages on DealerRater. With those pages, according to DealerRater, car shoppers can ask questions and connect with individual salespeople at a dealership before ever stepping on the lot.
Ally says auto dealers “play a vital role in the economic fabric of the country.”
But this year’s TIME Dealer of the Year Award celebrates dealers’ “ingenuity and leadership in the face of incredible challenges,” because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ally Auto Finance president Doug Timmerman said in a news release.
Ally and TIME on Friday nominated 40 auto dealers for the annual TIME Dealer of the Year Award, which they described as “the most prestigious award in the automotive dealer industry.”
The companies recognized the nominees for 2021 based on leadership in navigating their businesses and supporting their local communities during “unprecedented times.”
One of those dealers is Chuck Bierbach of Elko Motor Company in Elko, Nev., whose dealership donated to nonprofit organizations over the last seven years, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Elko; Get Pink Elko County Breast Cancer Awareness; Horizon Hospice in Elko; Elko County 4-H; and local sports activities, rodeos and school programs.
Dealers nominated for the award were chosen from nearly 17,000 franchised dealers across the country.
The dealers, who Ally says have shown “strong business acumen and steadfast commitment to their communities,” will be recognized during NADA Show, which runs online Feb. 9-11.
Ally says auto dealers employ more than 2.4 million Americans with jobs in sales, service and management and contribute billions of dollars to their state and local economies. Auto dealers also support local community groups, charities and hospital boards, Ally said, sourcing “Auto Retailing: State by State, 2020,” from the National Automobile Dealership Association.
Ally also said this year’s award nominees have strengthened their dealership operations over the years while sponsoring local causes such as helping babies exposed to drugs before birth, supporting cancer patients, developing leadership programs for young people to learn about business, and recognizing local school teachers.
“The TIME Dealer of the Year award has been celebrating industry leaders for more than 50 years, but this year is special,” Timmerman said in a news release.
Timmerman added, “This year’s nominees have had to navigate extraordinary circumstances while maintaining their businesses and doing everything they can to support and lift up their local communities. Our country has endured tremendous hardship due to the effects of COVID-19, and this year’s nominees stepped up in ways we’ve never seen before, playing a critical role in bolstering their communities throughout the pandemic. This year’s award celebrates their ingenuity and leadership in the face of incredible challenges.”
Ally will serve its 10th year as the exclusive sponsor and will contribute $1,000 to a 501(c)3 charity of each dealer nominee’s choice.
Award finalists will receive an additional $5,000 for their favorite charities, and the winner will receive an additional $10,000 to give to charity.
Executives from state and metro dealer associations throughout the country nominated the dealers, and each nominee represents their respective association in the national competition.
Ally, in cooperation with NADA, sponsored the TIME awards.
A panel of faculty members from the Tauber Institute for Global Operations at the University of Michigan will select one finalist from each of the four NADA regions and the national Dealer of the Year.
Following is the complete list of the dealers in the running for the award. More information is available about each of the 40 nominees.
TIME Dealer of the Year Nominees
— Christine Alicandro Karnolt, Marty's GMC Buick, Kingston, Mass.
— Daniel Banister, Banister Nissan of Chesapeake, Chesapeake, Va.
— John Barker, Two Rivers Ford, Mt. Juliet, Tenn.
— Larry Battison, Battison Honda, Oklahoma City, Okla.
— Chuck Bierbach, Elko Motor Company, Elko, Nev.
— Mark Boniol, Mark Dodge, Lake Charles, La.
— Sam Burns, Burns Chevrolet Gaffney, Gaffney, S.C.
— Jack Caldwell, Caldwell Toyota, Conway, Ark.
— Scott Cargill, White's Frontier Motors, Gillette, Wyo.
— Jonathan Chariff, South Motors Automotive Group, Palmetto Bay, Fla.
— David Conant, Norm Reeves Honda Superstore, Cerritos, Calif.
— Dominic Conicelli, Conicelli Autoplex, Conshohocken, Pa.
— Timothy Crenwelge, Crenwelge Motors, Kerrville, Texas
— Jamie Darvish, DARCARS Automotive Group, Silver Spring, Md.
— Don Davidson, Sears Imported Autos, Minnetonka, Minn.
— Christina Dawkins, Co's BMW Center, Loveland, Colo.
— Rick DeSilva, Jr., Liberty Subaru, Emerson, N.J.
— Jim Fisher, Jim Fisher Volvo Cars Portland, Portland, Ore.
— Omnia Fowler, Modern Automotive Group, Boone, N.C.
— Kathleen Gaddie, Ryan Family Dealerships, Minot, N.D.
— Steve Gates, Toyota South, Richmond, Ky.
— Chris Hemmersmeier, Jerry Seiner Chrevrolet, Salt Lake City, Utah
— Todd Hill, Tri-State Ford Lincoln, Maryville, Mo.
— Michael Keppel, Acura of Maui, Kahului, Hawaii
— Michael Kopp, North Country Ford, Lancaster, N.H.
— Harry Larson, Larson Motors, Inc., Nebraska City, Neb.
— Marvin McCord, McCord's Vancouver Toyota, Vancouver, Wash.
— Mike Molstead, Mike Molstead Motors, Inc., Charles City, Iowa
— J. Thad Naquin, Tom Naquin Chevrolet Nissan Cadillac, Elkhart, Ind.
— Lane Nichols, Gene's Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Fairbanks, Alaska
— Don Patnoe, Liberty Chrysler Jeep Fiat, Rapid City, S.D.
— Jose Pozos, Wichita Falls Ford, Wichita Falls, Texas
— Patrick Preston, Preston Superstore, Burton, Ohio
— Tim Redding, Sr., Swainsboro Ford Lincoln, Swainsboro, Ga.
— Jim Stanger, Helena Motors, Helena, Mont.
— Mike Sullivan, Lexus Santa Monica, Santa Monica, Calif.
— Juliana Curran Terian, Rallye Motors, Roslyn, N.Y.
— J. R. Toothman, Toothman Ford, Grafton, W. Va.
— Michael Van Veckhoven, New South Ford, Meridian, Miss.
— Jeff Williams, Williams AutoWorld, Lansing, Mich.
With Lithia Motors president and chief executive officer Bryan DeBoer saying the awards “are evidence of the highest level of performance and customer satisfaction,” DealerRater has awarded its 2020 Dealer of the Year award to 28 Lithia Motors stores.
The awards recognize the honorees as the top dealership for their brand in their respective states.
In addition, 45 Lithia stores won the 2020 DealerRater Consumer Satisfaction Award, as well.
That award goes to the top 10% of U.S. new-car dealers, based on their average consumer rating and the total number of written reviews in 2019 about the dealership. The awards protake the following factors into consideration: consumer reviews on customer service, quality of work, friendliness, pricing and overall experience.
“Congratulations to our stores who won these important awards,” DeBoer said.
He continued, “These stores epitomize our core value to earn customers for life by providing modern experiences that are affordable, transparent and convenient.”
For a list of the full DealerRater award winners, visit https://www.dealerrater.com/dealers/awards/winners/doty.
Tim Jackson says the mission of the Colorado Automotive Hall of Fame is to honor innovation, influence and contributions that Colorado dealers have made to the automotive industry and communities throughout Colorado.
“Through the Colorado Automotive Hall of Fame, we honor the industry — past and present — and tell the stories of those who have played significant roles in Colorado since 1970,” said Jackson, who is chief executive officer/president of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association, or CADA, in a news release.
Jackson is talking about CADA’s launch of its Colorado Automotive Hall of Fame, which will take place on April 1 during its annual Preview Gala that officially kicks off the Denver Auto Show.
Fifty dealers comprising the inaugural group will be inducted during a dinner and ceremony that evening. CADA will announce the inaugural group of inductees on March 2.
The TIME Dealer of the Year Award is the genesis of the Hall. That award takes place each year at the National Automotive Dealers Association trade show, and a Colorado TIME Dealer of the Year has been named every year since 1970.
For that event, all 50 states participate, and they annually nominate dealer executives with “exemplary dealerships” and who perform distinguished community service. The Colorado dealers who have been named each year comprise the inaugural group of inductees.
Anthony Brownlee, 2020 chairman of the Hall, describes being inducted into the Colorado Automotive Hall of Fame as “a true mark of excellence.”
“This first group of inductees represents household names from throughout Colorado who are an inspiration to us all,” Brownlee said.
CADA says Americans have been in love with the automobile for decades, noting that for more than 100 years, the single idea has been a central premise of transportation policy, pop culture and national history.
“It animates how we think about designing the world around us, our self-image and how we increasingly view our future,” the association said.
The association continued, “All of this makes for stories that are the most powerful tools in the world. The phenomenon of sports cars, weekend cars and collector cars is real. So, too is the allure of road trips, scenic highways or weekend drives through the country. Cars represent strength, adventure and sex appeal.”
“Access to cars comes through the all-important dealer, embedded in a community as a trustworthy provider of vehicles and service,” Jackson said.
He continued, “For decades, Colorado dealers have served their communities, knowing that cars affect the lives of their customers and families rely on dependable cars.”
DealerRater general manager Jamie Oldershaw describes customer satisfaction as “a key differentiator in today’s competitive retail market.”
“And our Dealer of the Year Award winners continue to raise the bar for best practices in our industry," Oldershaw said in a news release.
He made those comments as DealerRater named the winners of its annual Dealer of the Year Award program.
The program recognizes award recipients at the national and state/province levels for outstanding customer service. The awards are based on consumer reviews of dealership experiences shared on DealerRater.com and DealerRater.ca.
Customer service, quality of work, friendliness, pricing and overall experience are the categories for scoring.
Based on a Bayesian algorithm called PowerScore, DealerRater presents its Dealer of the Year awards annually to the top U.S. and Canadian car dealers.
PowerScore considers the dealership’s average DealerRater star rating and the total number of reviews written about the dealership during the 2019 calendar year.
New- and used-car dealers must have at least 25 new reviews written on DealerRater.com during 2019 to qualify for the DealerRater Dealer of the Year Awards.
They must also average a minimum of four out of a five-star rating.
Award-winning dealers can visit booth 3577C at NADA Show 2020 in Las Vegas in February to receive a free professional photo with the award. DealerRater says those dealers can also take advantage of social media opportunities.
Below are the 2020 U.S. and Canadian DealerRater Dealer of the Year Award recipients within each OEM brand category:
United States
— Acura: Crown Acura, Florida
— Alfa Romeo: Essence Maserati Alfa Romeo, Texas
— Aston Martin: Foreign Cars Charlotte, North Carolina
— Audi: Ray Catena Audi Freehold, New Jersey
— Bentley: Euro Motorcars Bethesda, Maryland
— BMW: Flemington BMW, New Jersey
— Buick: West Point Buick GMC, Texas
— Cadillac: Ed Morse Cadillac Tampa, Florida
— Chevrolet: Nimnicht Chevrolet, Florida
— Chrysler: Stockton Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram, California
— Dodge: Stockton Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram, California
— Ferrari: Boardwalk Ferrari Maserati of Plano, Texas
— FIAT: Tom Ahl Family of Dealerships, Ohio
— Ford: Gosch Ford Temecula, California
— GMC: West Point Buick GMC, Texas
— Honda: Valley Honda, Illinois
— Hyundai: Allen Turner Hyundai, Florida
— INFINITI: INFINITI of Sarasota, Florida
— Jaguar: Jaguar Land Rover St. Petersburg, Florida
— Jeep: Stockton Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram, California
— Kia: Summit Place Kia East, Michigan
— Lamborghini: Lamborghini Dallas, Texas
— Land Rover: Land Rover Princeton, New Jersey
— Leasing company: D&M Leasing – Fort Worth, Texas
— Lexus: Jim Hudson Lexus, South Carolina
— Lincoln: Klaben Ford Lincoln, Ohio
— Maserati: Maserati of the Main Line, Pennsylvania
— Mazda: OC Mazda, California
— Mercedes-Benz: Mercedes-Benz of Princeton, New Jersey
— MINI: MINI of Baltimore County, Maryland
— Mitsubishi: North End Mitsubishi, Massachusetts
— Nissan: Newton Nissan, Tennessee
— Porsche: Jackie Cooper Imports, Oklahoma
— Ram: Stockton Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram, California
— Recreational Vehicles: Dodd RV of the Peninsula, Virginia
— smart: Jackie Cooper Imports, Oklahoma
— Subaru: Subaru of Jacksonville, Florida
— Toyota: Toyota of Naperville, Illinois
— Used Car Dealer: OffLeaseOnly.com The Nation’s Used Car Destination – Miami
— Volkswagen: Dirito Brothers Walnut Creek Volkswagen, California
— Volvo: Smythe Volvo, New Jersey
Canada
— Acura: Silverhill Acura, Alberta
— Audi: Capilano Audi, British Columbia
— BMW: Parkview BMW, Ontario
— Buick: Capital GMC Buick Cadillac, SK
— Cadillac: Capital GMC Buick Cadillac, SK
— Chevrolet: Huron Motor Products, Ontario
— Chrysler: Ontario Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram, Ontario
— Dodge: Grande Prairie Chrysler Jeep Dodge, Alberta
— FIAT: Columbia Chrysler, British Columbia
— Ford: Erinwood Ford, Ontario
— GMC: Capital GMC Buick Cadillac, SK
— Honda: Maple Honda, Ontario
— Hyundai: Comox Valley Hyundai, British Columbia
— INFINITI: 417 INFINITI Nissan, Ontario
— Jeep: Ontario Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram, Ontario
— Kia: Georgetown Kia, Ontario
— Land Rover: Budds’ Imported Cars, Ontario
— Lexus: Lexus of London, Ontario
— Lincoln: Courtesy Ford Lincoln, Ontario
— Mazda: Harris Mazda, British Columbia
— Mercedes-Benz: Mercedes-Benz London, Ontario
— Nissan: Grande Prairie Nissan, Alberta
— Ram: Ontario Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram, Ontario
— Recreational vehicles: Open Road Recreation, SK
— Subaru: Scarboro Subaru, Ontario
— Toyota: ToyotaTown, Ontario
— Used car dealer: Good Fellow's Auto Wholesalers, Ontario
— Volkswagen: Bramgate Volkswagen, Ontario
—Volvo: Volvo of Unionville, Ontario
Liberty Mutual Insurance and Safeco Insurance say they believe in the enduring value of independent agents. That belief is the reason the companies started the Agent for the Future award.
The award recognizes independent insurance agencies that are adapting to meet customers’ changing needs and “driving the independent agent channel forward,” the companies said in a news release.
The companies believe DealerPolicy is doing that. They announced on Monday that DealerPolicy has won a 2019 Agent for the Future Award.
DealerPolicy said its commitment to innovation, growth and advancement was the reason it won the award. DealerPolicy said it has grown the business more than 200% last year alone.
An insurance marketplace for automotive retailers and their customers, DealerPolicy gives car-buying customers the opportunity to purchase insurance by connecting them with licensed insurance agents while at the dealership or after they arrive home with their new car.
Through DealerPolicy’s digital platform, car buyers can view various competing auto insurance quotes in seconds and immediately connect with a licensed agent during the car buying process. DealerPolicy says car buyers save an average of $60 per month.
The company also said that through their savings with the program, many car buyers choose to upgrade their car or purchase warranty products.
To reward DealerPolicy for winning the award, Liberty Mutual and Safeco Insurance are making a $5,000 donation to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
"DealerPolicy is very pleased to be honored with the Agent for the Future Award from Liberty Mutual and Safeco Insurance,” DealerPolicy president Jeff Mongeon said.
He continued, “We are dedicated to best-in-class customer service and we’re making revolutionary technology changes in the insurance space. We’re excited that our focus on growth and change is being recognized.”
Leaders at Larry H. Miller Dealerships are proud of its locations that earned certification in the J.D. Power 2019 Dealer of Excellence program. Larry H. Miller Dealerships’ president Dean Fitzpatrick describes the certification as setting the standard “for the exceptional level of customer service we aim to provide at every one of our dealership locations.”
Fitzpatrick and others at the company are especially proud this year, as 15 of its dealerships were certified in the program, which recognizes U.S. dealerships that provide exceptional customer service.
Larry H. Miller Dealerships notes that with 150 total dealerships on the 2019 list, those 15 dealerships represent 10% of the list.
Also, Fitzpatrick said his company achieved the distinction this year of being the first dealerships to earn the certification in Arizona, Idaho and New Mexico.
“The J.D. Power Dealer of Excellence certification sets the standard for the exceptional level of customer service we aim to provide at every one of our dealership locations,” Fitzpatrick said in a news release. “To have 15 of our dealerships certified shows that our customers agree that we’re meeting and exceeding that goal in many of our dealership locations.”
Larry H. Miller Dealerships said J.D. Power — and subsequently, its Dealer of Excellence program — is known for its “Voice of the Customer” research for nearly 50 years. The program, according to Larry H. Miller Dealerships, helps consumers find retailers “that will go the extra mile.”
Larry H. Miller said the Dealer of Excellence program helps auto buyers who seek a strong dealership to give them confidence in buying a vehicle. The dealership group said only 2% of dealerships nationally qualified in 2019.
Qualifying dealerships must pass a three-step process: First, J.D. Power limits the percentage of eligible dealerships by nameplate based on how each brand performs in the most recent J.D. Power U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index, or SSI, study. That, according to Larry H. Miller, means proportionally more dealerships from top-performing brands can become a J.D. Power Dealer of Excellence.
Second, dealerships must rank among their brands’ top performers in important customer satisfaction areas that match measurements found in the SSI Study.
The third area is that qualifying dealers are required to pass an audit showing they meet or exceed J.D. Power sales best practices.
Those best practices include, but are not limited to: listing vehicle inventory and pricing on the dealership website; negotiating efficiently and transparently; offering a fair trade-in value; and presenting an easy-to-understand menu of finance and insurance products.
The Larry H. Miller dealerships that received the certification include:
— Larry H. Miller Toyota Boulder in Boulder, Colo.
— Larry H. Miller Nissan Highlands Ranch in Highlands Ranch, Colo.
— Larry H. Miller American Toyota Albuquerque in Albuquerque, N.M.
— Larry H. Miller Toyota Albuquerque in Albuquerque, N.M.
— Larry H. Miller Toyota Peoria in Peoria, Ariz.
— Larry H. Miller Ford Mesa in Mesa, Ariz.
— Larry H. Miller Nissan Corona in Corona, Calif.
— Larry H. Miller Toyota Corona in Corona, Calif.
— Larry H. Miller Chevrolet Murray in Murray, Utah
— Larry H. Miller Lexus Murray in Murray, Utah
— Larry H. Miller Lexus Lindon in Lindon, Utah
— Larry H. Miller Toyota Murray in Murray, Utah
— Mercedes-Benz of Draper in Draper, Utah
— Larry H. Miller Subaru Boise in Boise, Idaho
— Larry H. Miller Lexus Spokane in Spokane, Wash.
The full list can be found at https://www.jdpower.com/Cars/Ratings/Dealer-of-Excellence/2019
Eddie Hall III embodies the words, “rising star” as it relates to the automotive industry, said Cox Automotive vice president, talent, learning and culture Keisha Duck.
“He also exemplifies a core value of Cox Automotive and the Cox family — community service,” Duck said in a news release about Hall, who is general manager at The Hall Automotive Group in Royal Oak, Mich. “Eddie dedicates countless hours to volunteering and supporting local high school youth with outreach programs at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.”
Cox Automotive, partnering with the National Association of Minority Automotive Dealers (NAMAD), awarded Hall with its Rising Star Award. Cox and NAMAD chose Hall based on being a NAMAD member in good standing under the age of 40 who has shown a strong commitment and contribution to the automotive industry.
Cox Automotive said the recognition promotes automotive industry diversity, and Hall is a minority representative on the Ford National Dealer Council. He also serves on the Ford Minority Dealer Association board, is secretary of the NAMAD NextGen board, and is a founding member and chairman of the NADA NextGen 20 Group.
The Hall Automotive Group’s dealerships in Michigan include Briarwood Ford, Royal Oak Ford, and what Cox Automotive says are the only two African-American owned Chrysler dealerships in the state: Northland Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and Vicksburg Chrysler.
“It is such an honor to be selected as Cox Automotive/NAMAD Rising Star for 2019,” said Hall. “It is a proud accomplishment to be recognized in such a challenging and competitive industry. Being able to follow in my father’s footsteps and help lead the company is a dream come true.”
After graduation from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, Hall started full time with The Hall Automotive Group in 2010 as an assistant finance manager and worked in finance and sales management before starting in his current position.
In Hall’s honor, Cox Automotive is donating $5,000 to a non-profit of Hall’s choice, and he chose the University of Michigan. Donations to the university go toward ensuring the university community remains large and diverse.
Also on Hall’s behalf, Cox Automotive will donate a disaster response vehicle to the American Red Cross Michigan Region chapter. A long-time partner and member of the Red Cross Disaster Response Program, Cox Automotive has donated 11 disaster response vehicles.
