ALPHERA Financial Services
ALPHERA Financial Services is excited to sponsor Motor Trader’s Franchised Dealership of the Year Award, supporting and encouraging best practice and excellence among franchised motor dealers.
Alphera provides flexible finance options; we are a specialist motor finance company with a reputation for innovative financing solutions, available through our partner dealers throughout the UK. With our range of financing options, dedicated lead management system, excellent customer service and unique relationships with customers and partners alike, we’re dedicated to delivering the smoothest possible process for the purchase of any vehicle and delivering high quality service.
As a motor finance company we understand cars and the people who buy them. We understand what dealers need to sell. So we make sure we give you just what you want, every time. We also offer you the opportunity to form a relationship that can boost your sales, improve your service and customer retention. All backed by the strength, expertise and reputation of the BMW Group. It’s our aim to be your first choice vehicle finance and insurance provider.
ASE plc
ASE plc have been specialising in the motor industry for over 35 years, priding itself on delivering the highest quality advice and service to the sector, assisting dealers and manufacturers alike.
With significant experience at all levels the business is now widely recognised as the motor industry’s number one professional service provider but also a trusted partner in driving profitability. Currently the business collects in excess of 17,000 composite reports on a monthly basis from across the world, as well as providing professional advisory services to over 320 privately owned UK motor businesses.
ASE has tirelessly worked to raise the standard of accounting and business management information produced, as well as expanding into new sectors such as specialist financial recruitment. To recognise the importance of financial roles in the sector ASE continues to sponsor the prestigious Motor Trade Business Management Award.
AutoProtect
AutoProtect is delighted to sponsor the Motor Trader New Dealership of the Year Award, and to encourage the spirit of enterprise it recognises.
Thriving on fresh ideas and initiatives, AutoProtect helps businesses plan and execute effective strategies for success in today’s tough climate. We enable dealerships to increase profit per deal with a range of exciting and attractive products. We also introduce them to simple, cost-effective systems designed to transform the way they organise business, maximise profit and communicate with customers. Ours is a market-leading IT solution to customer-documentation creation and F&I reporting.
As a major UK provider of F&I products and services, AutoProtect would like to congratulate all the businesses nominated for this year’s award and wish them continued success in the year ahead.
Auto Trader
The Motor Trader Dealer Marketing Award, sponsored by Auto Trader, will acknowledge and reward the best dealer marketing campaign of 2011. With marketing communications and customer touch-points increasingly fragmented across a range of different channels, the award winner will have considered all parts of the marketing mix and demonstrated proven success at anticipating customer needs and delivering marketing initiatives that effectively meet them.
As the UK’s number one automotive website, Autotrader.co.uk now attracts 1.6 million unique users every month who carry out 16 million searches for new and used vehicles. This level of online traffic provides a unique insight into how customer behaviour and demand is changing. In such a dynamic market, dealer focus on matching vehicle supply to local demand has never been more important.
Auto Trader is committed to ensuring that, to support successful marketing initiatives, retail customer intelligence is made available to dealer customers to generate more leads and increase sales.
Black Horse
Black Horse Consumer Finance provides finance to more than 5,000 new and used car dealers throughout the country, as well as motorbike and caravan dealers, and also offers dealers new and used car stock funding options.
As the retail motor industry’s largest provider, we have a responsibility to demonstrate best practice in a number of areas. Our commitment to a greener, more sustainable future is something we take very seriously as a business.
We’ve set targets for ourselves to reduce the amount of paper we use and waste we produce, the amount of business travel which we do and energy consumption, and we also ensure that any third party suppliers we use embody these same values.
We’re delighted to be the sponsor of the Motor Trader Green Dealer of the Year Award for the second year running. This is an excellent opportunity for dealers who have successfully implemented programmes to make their sites more environmentally friendly to be recognised.
Being greener not only makes good sense, it is also good for business.
Car Care Plan
Once again, Car Care Plan is proud to sponsor the Motor Trader Customer Care Award.
With over 35 years’ industry experience, Car Care Plan is the UK’s leading provider of motor warranty and GAP Insurance programmes and Its products increase vehicle saleability and improve customer loyalty. Car Care Plan has built powerful partnerships with more than 25 motor manufacturers around the world and supports some of the UK’s largest dealer groups & thousands of independent vehicle retailers.
Car Care Plan continues to prioritise customer care; through Investment In People, dealer training and an online registration and claims system, it sets new standards in service, quality and support. Car Care Plan’s products include car warranties, GAP insurance, service plans, cosmetic warranty, MoT insurance, tyre insurance, paintwork & upholstery protection, roadside assistance and wholesale floorplan insurance.
Close Motor Finance
Close Motor Finance is delighted to demonstrate its support for the industry and for the Motor Trader Awards by sponsoring the Most Improved Dealership Award category.
This award recognises those franchised and independent dealers to have achieved a clear management driven change built upon both a coherent strategy and measurable success criteria.
As one of the fastest growing UK motor finance companies, we have seen rapid change within our own business over the past few years and consequently this is an award that means something to Close Motor Finance. It is particularly fitting that through this sponsorship we are able to recognise the types of dealerships that have got us to where we are today.
Part of Close Brothers Group plc, Close Motor Finance remains in a position of financial strength with both the commitment and the capacity to support the growth plans of our dealer partners to maintain a mutually beneficial relationship.
Dealerweb
Dealerweb is delighted to sponsor again the Motor Trader Sales Manager of the Year Award reflecting the importance of this key role in a modern motor business.
The company’s enquiry and lead management system used by large national groups to independent retailers throughout the UK, Europe and Australasia and recommended approved or accepted by virtually all manufacturers.
Our keep it easy and make it fast approach means Dealerweb adds value to your business by selling more product, more profitably and with exceptional customer satisfaction. Real time reports identify where you can improve your sales process through targeted training and coaching with a second to none marketing suite that helps you generate more opportunities.
Dealerweb provides a flexible approach, from logging enquiries through to building deals and producing order forms and includes interfaces with websites and other third party systems including your DMS. Dealerweb now also specialises in the development of National Data Hubs for manufacturers. For more information please email info@8technology.com.
eBay Motors
Since 2001, when a dedicated motoring section was launched on the eBay.co.uk site, eBayMotors.co.uk has become a hub of automotive trading, attracting more than three million unique visitors to the site every month. There are over 1.3 million live listings at any time, across vehicles, auto parts and accessories and a vehicle sells every minute on the site; a car every two minutes and a motorcycle or scooter every four minutes, making eBay Motors the UK’s busiest showroom. In September 2008, the three millionth car was sold through the site.
There is the choice of three options for those selling vehicles on eBay Motors: auction format, Buy it Now or Classified advertisement. The Classified format, in particular, offers great opportunities for dealers to maximise exposure on eBayMotors.co.uk. The eBay Motors Pro tool was designed to enable dealers to quickly and easily upload and manage large inventories on the website.
EMaC
EMaC the UK’S leading service plan provider is delighted to have developed this category which makes its debut at this year’s Motor Trader Awards. In challenging market conditions, the role of sales people is important today in selling new and used cars, and increasingly in positively promoting a range of added value services that can enhance the lifetime value of each customer and the dealership bottom line.
Service plans from EMaC represent a natural and straightforward means of enhancing customer lifetime value and increasing both customer retention and absorption levels. Service plans have proved to be an effective platform for sales and aftersales to work closely together for long-term gain.
Success with service plans is far more than simply having them available. EMaC is committed to engaging the whole team, providing high quality customer and back-office support, class-leading technology, with showroom training and marketing help from a national team of experts.
Glass’s
Glass’s is delighted to sponsor the Mobile Website of the Year Award at the 2012 Motor Trader Awards. This all-new category makes its debut at this year’s awards.
The Mobile Website of the Year Award recognises dealers that have excelled in terms of setting industry standards by delivering user-friendly and informative websites to busy customers on the move.
This award resonates particularly closely with Glass’s as we transform the way we deliver insightful and informative data across all modern technologies specifically mobile.
Functionality, ease of use, and quality of content will be key areas assessed by the Motor Trader Awards judges. Entries from franchised and independent sites are welcome.
Global Insurance Management
Global Insurance Management has been supplying quality insurance products to the automotive sector for over thirty years. The product range includes mechanical breakdown insurance, GAP, tyre and MoT insurance and dealer guarantees including insurance backed schemes.
It has a special relationship with AXA Insurance (UK) plc that has taken the company into the manufacturing, insurance, banking and finance markets.
Global is proud to partner with manufacturers such as Harley-Davidson, Jaguar, Land Rover, Suzuki, Audi (Ireland), Renault (Ireland) & Volkswagen (Ireland) and continues to provide products and services to a number of Top 100 Motor Dealers.
The relationship with AXA has helped build operations throughout Europe and the Middle East transforming the company that has always been known and trusted in the UK into a global force to be reckoned with.
HPI
HPI is thrilled to be once again be recognising and rewarding excellence within the motor trade by sponsoring the Motor Trader Outstanding Achievement Award.
We at HPI have been supporting the motor trade for over 70 years, helping to raise standards and protect our clients businesses by providing the HPI Check, the National Mileage Register and mileage investigations. In addition, we are always looking for ways to help our clients to run profitable and strong businesses. Seven years ago we launched HPI Driveaway, the free seven day insurance policy, and now the help we give ranges from keeping your customer data fresh with HPI Database Cleansing to new sources of quality used cars through HPI iCar Trade.
So, if you are looking for ways to speed up your sales, reach new customers or to look after your existing customers, HPI can help you.
Independent Garage Association
The RMI’s Independent Garage Association is delighted to be sponsoring the Independent Garage of the Year Award which makes its debut at the 2012 Motor Trader Awards.
The profile of independent garages is particularly high at a moment in time when consumers want a quality job for the best price.
The sector has seen an increase in its share of the servicing market to over 40 per cent proving that independent garages are regarded favourably across the board and are in tune with consumer demand.
As the largest representative voice for independent garages, the IGA will continually strive to help their members make the most of current opportunities and drive their businesses and the sector forward.
We are looking to highlight the very best independents and to show consumers what a good quality service they can get.
Mondial Assistance UK
As a global provider of bespoke solutions to car manufacturers and dealers, Mondial Assistance UK has one objective – to strengthen customer relationships and ultimately retention. Mondial offers exceptional, cost effective relationship management services and products, which add value to the overall ownership experience. These include warranty services, roadside assistance schemes and service and maintenance programmes, as well as inbound and outbound prospect and customer call management, customer data management and supporting social media strategies.
Mondial Assistance identifies trends and engineers new services to enhance brand awareness. Its Pay-As-You-Go warranty scheme adapts service solutions to reflect changing economies, whilst its GAP and Income Protection market has opened new revenue streams for its clients. The launch of its iPhone app, packaged for its roadside assistance clients, continues to be embraced by manufacturers looking to deliver added value through new technologies. Achieving best practice within the automotive industry is key to Mondial’s success and we are proud to sponsor this year’s Carmaker of the Year Award.
Motors.co.uk
Motors.co.uk is delighted to be sponsoring the Dealer Website of the Year Award at the 2012 Motor Trader Awards.
Motors.co.uk is owned by The Manheim Group and is the UK’s second largest car search response network for motor dealers.
As well as the standalone Motors.co.uk website, we also power car search results for a number of network partner websites including Mail Online, Honest John, Parkers.co.uk and Desperate Seller.
Along with this we achieve high local search traffic via our eleven partnerships with regional newspaper groups such as Trinity Mirror, Northcliffe Media, Archant, Iliffe News & Media, Midland News Association, Baylis Media and Berkshire Media Group, North Wales News, Scottish Provincial Press, Road Record and Johnston Press. In total, these newspaper partnerships have more than 300 local newspapers, with a combined readership of c25m. For more information or to advertise your stock visit media.motors.co.uk or call 0845 265 6000.
The RAC
The RAC has been at the heart of British motoring for 116 years. As the motorist’s champion we are inextricably linked with the driving experience, working to serve the needs of our seven million members.
Launching RAC BuySure and RAC Cars this year has taken us even deeper into the motoring world. We know buying a car is an important and expensive decision, and one which can cause buyers lots of anxiety. We were determined to make this process more straightforward for consumers and we felt working with the cream of the motor dealer fraternity was the best way to give customers the utmost buying confidence.
Both RAC BuySure and RAC Cars give consumers a safer way to buy a used car by offering comfort, peace of mind and the assurance that they are buying from a quality used car dealer. RAC BuySure ensures cars have been prepared to a high minimum standard and helps dealers to find a point of difference in a busy marketplace. RAC Cars brings together more than 60,000 excellent used cars from quality dealers, making it easy for people to choose their next car.
Central to both are cars that offer reliability, economy, value for money and overall motoring enjoyment. This is why we are proud to sponsor the Used Car of the Year Award.
Razsor
Razsor is delighted to be sponsoring the 2012 Motor Trader Digital Initiative of the Year Award, which will reward the business that has gone beyond provision of just a website to truly embracing new digital technologies. In providing more dealer websites than any other company in UK, Razsor has established an unparalleled level of expertise in the digital marketing space. But this space is constantly evolving with new technologies providing platforms for disparate customer groups to demand information from dealers 24/7.
Established and effective online strategies that are central to the overall dealer marketing plan are proven to have a significant impact on generating retail leads and converting leads to sales. In an increasing challenging consumer environment, those dealers with effective online strategies are best placed to take advantage of the opportunities that these new technologies are now bringing.
Remit
Remit is delighted to sponsor the 2012 Motor Trader Training Award . The Remit Group delivers training and support services to the retail motor industry in the UK. As the commercial arm of the RMI we have the unique opportunity to listen to the needs of motor industry employers on a daily basis. Inevitably employer’s requirements for skilled and highly trained employees is never far away from their agenda.
Of course, that should come as no surprise. Those of us in business are all acutely aware that a successful business is one that employs staff who have the skills to deliver a quality service first time, every time, and which develops those staff to ensure they are given the opportunity to learn and practice new skills as the business needs dictate.
Organisations who succeed in any training awards will have embraced these fundamental principles and will have managed to develop and deliver a training solution that makes a positive difference. The knock on effect is the impact on our industry and the benefits that brings to us all.
Specialist Automotive Finance
Specialist Automotive Finance (SAF) is delighted to be sponsoring the Innovation of the Year Award for the second year running. The internet is central to how the retail motor industry reaches out to potential buyers and stays in touch with existing customers. SAF was launched by the Finance and Leasing Association (FLA) in 2007 to improve consumer confidence in car finance by raising the standard of information dealerships provide to car buyers.
At its heart, SAF is a free online Competence Test which enhances dealers’ knowledge of finance products sold in showrooms. SAF Approved extends the SAF-certification to whole dealerships, which are sent SAF promotional materials and have their showrooms’ details added to our online Dealer Directory at www.financingyourcar.org.uk. The best part is all of this is free.
Momentum behind SAF is growing massively and 2012 will again be a big year. So far 13 of the top 20 dealer groups have become SAF Approved – with the rest expected by spring next year. For more information, and to register, visit: www.SpeacialistAutomotiveFinance.org.uk
The Warranty Group
At The Warranty Group, we are fortunate to work closely every day with some of the very best sales teams in the motor industry. They bring impressive levels of expertise, matching vehicles to buyers using techniques ranging from new and innovative to tried and tested.
Operating in economic conditions that remain very difficult, we consistently deliver outstanding results and steady profitability in all kinds of dealerships from the most prestigious to the most mainstream, maximising the opportunities available to them and working effectively to create new ones.
We believe that the general standard of motor industry sales people that we see today is very impressive, while the finest working in our industry are among the most professional and valuable sales specialists that you will find operating in any sector, anywhere. For this reason, The Warranty Group is proud to sponsor the Sales Team of the Year category in this year’s Motor Trader Awards.
TOTAL Lubricants
TOTAL, one of the world’s largest oil and gas companies, is delighted to continue to support Motor Trader in 2012 by sponsoring the Dealer Group of the Year Award.
As one of the leading suppliers in the UK, TOTAL Lubricants is dedicated to supporting continuous improvement within the motor industry and encourage new and improved working practices.
Total has developed a range of high-specification lubricants and value added propositions, tailor-made to the requirements of today’s increasingly technically advanced engines and challenging business environments.
Whilst TOTAL Lubricants is committed to producing the highest quality products and business solutions to help maximise profits, all of Total’s lubricants are approved to the highest quality and performance standards demanded by ACEA and API. World leading Original Equipment Manufacturers also approve them.
Total Lubricants is dedicated to providing high quality business solutions to help drive revenues available to our dealer partners.
WMS Group
The WMS Group are delighted to be sponsoring the prestigious Used Car Retailer of the Year Award – the category that recognises the best-of-the-best in today’s used car industry.
Since 2003 the WMS Group have been supplying award-winning vehicle warranties and other protection products to the trade, and work with almost 4,000 dealerships including many of the largest franchises nationwide. The last two years have seen accelerated growth for the WMS Group, which has been driven largely by many word-of mouth referrals.
They are passionate about helping dealerships to increase their product penetration, customer retention, workshop absorption and ultimately, profitability. Many businesses working with the Group have reported around a 30% uplift in profit margins after a 12 month period, which have been attributed to the WMS Group’s product offerings, exceptional account management, point-of-sale materials and comprehensive sales training.
