11:00 pm, September 26, 2019
THE wait is finally over, the trophies have been handed out – and we can now say who won what at our extra-special Car Dealer Power ceremony this evening.
We held the first Car Dealer Power in 2010, meaning tonight’s event was the 10th such awards occasion – the incredible culmination of our all-embracing survey that lets dealers speak freely about the suppliers and manufacturers they use.
Hundreds take part in the survey, which is done anonymously, and they certainly don’t pull any punches. Their comments are then fed back to the companies with whom they do business, giving dealers real power to influence how those firms operate.
The glittering ceremony was held at the landmark Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, and before things got under way James Baggott, chief executive of Baize Group, parent company of Car Dealer Magazine publisher Blackball Media, said: ‘I can hardly believe this is the 10th Car Dealer Power, but the fact that this magnificent event has gone from strength to strength speaks volumes.
‘I’m absolutely delighted at how dealers have picked up the baton and really run with it.
’As we all know, the motor industry is going through an incredibly tough time, so it’s really important that they have the opportunity to speak out freely about the companies they deal with.
’The manufacturers and suppliers that made it through to tonight’s event truly deserve to have the spotlight shone on them, because they’re the ones that have helped dealers not only navigate the choppy automotive waters but also make more money.
‘It also never ceases to amaze me how innovative these companies are, with their ideas for products and services helping the automotive sector to evolve and thrive. Long may this continue – and congratulations to everyone!’
Full coverage of the event with pictures will appear in issue 140 of Car Dealer Magazine, to be published in mid-October. In the meantime, here is the list of the winners and who was highly commended.
Cleaning Product of the Year – Winner: Autoglym. Highly commended: Autosmart; CarPlan
Recruitment Agency of the Year – Winner: Perfect Placement. Highly commended: Gibson Automotive Recruitment; Progress Recruitment Solutions
Trade-to-Trade Remarketer of the Year – Winner: Dealer Auction. Highly commended: Cartotrade.com; Sytner Web
Used Car Valuations Provider of the Year – Winner: Auto Trader. Highly commended: Cap HPI; Glass’s
Consumer Lead Generation Site of the Year – Winner: Codeweavers. Highly commended: Auto Trader; GForces & Gubagoo
Dealer Management System of the Year – Winner: Click Dealer. Highly commended: Dealerweb; Dragon2000
Website Provider for Independent Dealers – Winner: 67 Degrees. Highly commended: Car Dealer 5; Click Dealer
Website Provider for Franchised Dealers – Winner: GForces. Highly commended: Autoweb Design; Click Dealer
Provenance Check Provider of the Year – Winner: Cap HPI. Highly commended: Experian; MotorCheck
Warranty Provider of the Year – Winner: The WMS Group. Highly commended: Autoguard Warranties; AutoProtect
Paint Protection Provider of the Year – Winner: GardX. Highly commended: Diamondbrite; Supagard
Auction House of the Year – Winner: Manheim. Highly commended: Aston Barclay; BCA
Trade Insurance Provider of the Year – Winner: Unicom. Highly commended: Aston Lark; Plan Insurance Brokers
Online Advertiser for New Cars – Winner: What Car?. Highly commended: Auto Trader; Carwow
Online Advertiser for Used Cars – Winner: eBay. Highly commended: Auto Trader; Motors.co.uk
Finance Provider of the Year (Sub-Prime) – Winner: Blue Motor Finance. Highly commended: Evolution Motor Finance; First Response Finance
Finance Provider of the Year (Prime) – Winner: Close Brothers Motor Finance. Highly commended: Black Horse; Blue Motor Finance
Video Provider of the Year – Winner: CitNOW. Highly commended: AutosOnShow; GardX
Motor Factor of the Year – Winner: Motor Parts Direct. Highly commended: Dingbro; Euro Car Parts
Extra Mile Award – GForces
Product Innovation of the Year – Winner: Lawgistics for HR Manager
Car of the Year – Winner: Suzuki Jimny
Manufacturer of the Year – Winner: Mazda
MORE: You could be a winner at the party of the year – the Car Dealer Used Car Awards!
