DEALER OF THE YEAR AWARDS REVEAL EXCEPTIONAL NEW CATEGORIES

Honours to reflect endeavours of past 18 months

Service Dealer are today delighted to launch our Dealer Of The Year Awards for 2021, which will be presented at the gala dinner on the evening of 25th November following the Conference - and this year there's some very special categories which any dealership can enter.

Service Dealer owner Duncan Murray-Clarke explained, "In light of the past 18 months our award categories have been modified to reflect the hard work of dealerships and their employees during this time - both within their businesses but also in their communities."

You can watch Duncan explain the nomination process for this year, here.

The process is slightly different this year and only available online, so please also read the guidance on our website on how to nominate yourself or a business / person for an award before you start.

 

The Dealer Of The Year Awards categories for 2021 are:

Most Creative Communications of 2020/21

Have you communicated effectively, through social media or by other means or do you know a dealership that has?

Have you had regular communications with your customers, with great engagement or perhaps you have used your social media to share positive and encouraging messages during the pandemic?

Have you started to use video content to promote your business? Have you used the Service Dealer Toolkit to charge up your e-comms? Have you or do you know a dealership that created a brilliant and effective marketing campaign this year?

Answer yes to any of the above? We want to hear about it! The past two years have seen some huge changes in the way we market our businesses and we would love to hear about the creative ways dealerships have been sharing their messages with their customers.

 

Best New Initiative in 2020/21

Did you have a great new idea in 2020/21 that came to fruition and was a success or do you know a dealership that did?

Have you, or do you know a dealership that has done some renovation work, changed a showroom, or diversified into new markets over the 2020/21 period?

Have you/they focused on new, innovative technology and had some great success in the process?

Whether you did or you know a dealership that implemented something new - we want to hear about it!

 

Star of the Dealership

This award celebrates those unsung heroes, working hard to make a difference in a dealership, supporting you and your customers.

Is there someone who you can always rely on, perhaps it’s a team member who has been with you since the beginning, or maybe it’s a new addition who you can’t imagine being without.

If you have someone in your dealership who goes beyond the call of their usual duties, maybe they did something special for a customer or perhaps they kept spirits up when things were tough during the height of the pandemic – we want to celebrate them!

 

Apprentice of the Year

This award recognises those apprentices who stand out from the crowd, have applied themselves and have worked really hard.

Apprentices are the future of our industry. And, what better way to celebrate their value than recognising them for their hard work and efforts, especially in such unprecedented times.

Is there an apprentice that you would like to nominate for this award? Have they worked hard and taken on feedback? Are they a rising star in your dealership and do they have a promising career ahead of them? We would love to hear about them!

All nominees in this category will receive a certificate to recognise their nomination.

 

Extra-mile Award 20/21

In a period where kindness towards others has been key, are you or do you know a dealership that has gone above & beyond?

Have you done something great for your community?

Have you provided a service that goes beyond what is expected of a dealership?

Maybe you or a dealership you know went above and beyond to help customers or the local community during the peak of the pandemic? Perhaps you supported your local community and the fight against Covid-19? 

Or possibly you did something special that wasn’t related to Covid, but has made a difference to a customer or your community.

We would love to hear about the lengths our dealerships have gone to support their wider communities.

 

Leadership Award

We want to recognise those businesses/people who have led from the front during these difficult times, supporting the wider industry as well as their businesses and colleagues.

We have seen businesses grow, adapt, support one another and their communities and flourish in the past 18 months. This award celebrates those who had to take bold or difficult decisions to adapt their businesses, taking into account diversification/stock issues but those that also kept their staff motivated and engaged. It also recognises those businesses and people who have been thought leaders, supporting the wider industry.

We are looking for those people/businesses that stand out, showing all the qualities we strive for in leading a business – good ideas, being adaptable, thinking of others (customers and employees) whilst maintaining a strong business head.

 

PANEL AWARDS – (not up for nomination)

Dealer of the Year

Celebrating those dealers that have strived for success in 2020/21 and done brilliant things, despite the challenges. 

Our panel of judges are looking for those dealerships that have worked hard to keep going throughout 2020/21 and have done great things this year, despite everything that has happened.

Previous winners have been innovative, they’ve thought differently and tried something new. But above all else customer service has remained at the heart of their business.

 

Lifetime Contribution

Our esteemed panel will discuss the person they feel deserves this award and you’ll find out who wins on the night!

This award celebrates someone who has dedicated their careers to our industry, someone well respected and highly thought of.