8:17 am, August 21, 2024
Umesh Samani says that winning big at last year’s Car Dealer Used Car Awards was ‘one of the biggest achievements of my life’, as the 2024 ceremony draws nearer.
The legendary independent dealer scooped our Lifetime Achievement gong in 2023, following in the footsteps of industry heavyweights like Tom Hartley and Robin Luscombe.
Samani says that the awards are a great way to reflect on the achievements of the automotive industry and make memories which last a lifetime.
The Stoke-on-Trent based retailer has been in the industry for 27 years and has won numerous awards over the years – but his Used Car Award win from last year is certainly the most important.
He told Car Dealer: ‘It just left me totally speechless on the day. To be recognised by my peers of what I’ve done to help the industry.
‘Genuinely, it was a very emotional day for me, because with the IMDA, trying to help other fellow dealers to be on the right track, help and support, and to be noticed for that is just incredible.
‘Honestly, I never thought my name would be up there in lights to that degree. I’m just a small dealer based in Stoke-on-Trent, and I’ve been around for 27 years in the business, I just genuinely didn’t believe I could be recognised for doing anything for the industry.’
Samani is best known for running the successful Specialist Cars in Stoke-on-Trent and for founding the IMDA, which has welcomed record numbers in the last year.
A serial winner at the Used Car Awards, at the 2013 awards he scooped two trophies – Dealers’ Dealer of the Year as well as Social Media User of the Year.
At the 2014 and 2015 awards, Specialist Cars was highly commended in the Best Used Car Customer Care category, while 2015 saw Samani highly commended in the Dealers’ Dealer category as well.
He was also highly commended as Dealers’ Dealer in 2017, and as Used Car Dealer Principal at the 2018 awards.
He says that other dealers should now be getting their nominations in for the Used Car Awards as being a winner can boost a business’s credibility with customers.
He added: ‘I think dealers genuinely need to put their name forward and say they are the best of the best and get recognition from it.
‘As for the Lifetime Achievement Award, you think of people like Arnold Clark and the Smyth family from the Swansway Group – they get it.
‘I just never thought my name would be in light with such icons of the industry.’
To be in with a chance of a trophy, our nominations form needs to be completed and the process couldn’t be any more straightforward!
All you need to do is select the category that you’d like to nominate yourself or someone else for on the form and supply the requested details.
You have until Monday, September 30 to get your nominations in, with the gongs then dished out on Monday, November 25 at The Brewery in central London. Don’t miss out!
Car Dealer wants everyone to enjoy themselves at the Used Car Awards and wishes to emphasise that all its events are inclusive. Any kind of offensive behaviour – verbal or physical – will not be tolerated. Anyone deemed to be behaving offensively will be required to leave the venue immediately and the venue’s decision on the matter will be final. No refunds will be given in these circumstances. Those booking tickets assume full responsibility for the behaviour of their attendees. If anyone feels uncomfortable about somebody else’s behaviour, they should report the incident to the venue’s security staff as soon as possible.
Story by Cameron Richards
