CarGurus hands out Top Rated Dealer awards

1:04 pm, September 13, 2018

AUTOMOTIVE retail and review platform CarGurus has handed out its Top Rated Dealer awards for 2018.

Now in its second year, the awards recognise dealerships that offer outstanding customer service. This year’s selection was based on more than 11,000 reviews left by car buyers after they contacted a dealer through the CarGurus platform.

An additional 50 per cent more dealerships won awards this year compared with 2017, with nearly a quarter of nominees having received five-star reviews from customers.

The awards are available for both CarGurus’ free and fee-paying dealers, with all those who meet the necessary criteria to win receiving a badge to display in the window of their dealership and a digital version to include on their website. Paying users also receive a plaque.

Neil Smith, operations director at Imperial Car Supermarkets, collected a Top Rated Dealer award on behalf of the group’s Southampton branch. He said: ‘We invest a huge amount of time and effort ensuring consumers that come into the dealership are given a first class customer experience. It’s really pleasing to see that these efforts have been formally recognised by CarGurus.’

Jardine Motors Group won multiple awards across its various sites. Its commercial director, Jason Cranswick, said: ‘The fact that this award comes down to actual customer reviews is validation that our teams go that extra mile for our customers around the country.’

Jonathan O’Donoghue, managing director of Bushey Heath Hyundai in Hertfordshire, commented: ‘Our absolute priority is the customer – we understand you only get one chance to get it right. Get it wrong and you’ll never see them again.

‘Seeing customers leaving positive reviews of their experience with us is extremely satisfying and a constant reminder that we can’t let our standards slip.’

Chris Roach, founding member of the IMDA (Independent Motor Dealers Association) and manager at Auto Trade Associates and Chequers Cars, Lightwater, added: ‘To be a Top Rated Dealer shows that we are doing our jobs correctly, selling excellent quality cars and looking after our customers.’

Commenting on the awards, CarGurus’ vice president of European sales, Wendy Harris, said: ‘To have so many Top Rated Dealers in 2018, based on feedback from thousands of car buyers, shows just what a great job dealerships are doing.

‘Of course, many have long been providing exceptional customer service, so through dealer reviews we are simply providing an easily visible way to showcase this.’

Pictured left to right: Neil Smith, operations director at Imperial Car Supermarkets, and Trevor Yeomans, dealer relations account manager at CarGurus