Sparshatts is Mercedes Dealer of the Year again
Page 41
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Sparshatts of Kent won Dealer of the Year at the annual Mercedes-Benz CV awards, with prizes for Orwell Truck & Van and Ciceley Commercials
By Kevin Swallow
SPARSHATTS OF KENT claimed its second Dealer of the Year award at the annual Mercedes-Benz CV awards, held in Germany, 26 years after winning its first.
It saw off 20 other dealers to claim the title, which is judged by comparing vehicle, labour and parts sales performances, and customer service index ratings based on customer feedback.
Co-founder and chairman David Jones says a lot of time has passed since it last won the award in 1986, which makes this achievement all the sweeter.
“We had a great 2011 but in the face of such tough competition it was still a wonderful surprise to win Dealer of the Year,” he says. “Our success owes everything to the hard work and enthusiasm of every one of our employees, each of whom has played a part in bringing the trophy back to Kent.
“It’s a fantastic achievement and underlines the unstinting commitment to customer service that runs through this company at every level.” Mercedes-Benz truck sales and marketing director Sam Whittaker says Sparshatts’ achievement is testament to its long-term commitment to the brand. “It is this relentless zeal for customer satisfaction that ensures the company is always looking at new and innovative ways to improve its service.” Cumbria and Lancashire dealer Ciceley Commercials, which won Motor Transport’s Dealer of the Year in 2010, picked up two awards in Germany. Mike Lewis lifted the Dealer Principal Best Practice Practitioner of the Year trophy, while marketing manager Lorraine Allcroft was CV Marketeer of the Year.
To claim two of just seven categories was a fantastic achievement. “The trophy may have my name on it but this success is testament to the hard work and dedication of our whole team. Everyone at Ciceley is dedicated to delivering the highest levels of service to our customers, and helping them to operate their vehicles as efficiently and effectively as possible,” Lewis says.
“That commitment is clearly reflected in our Dealer of the Year successes.” Allcroft, who joined Ciceley in December 2010, says: “Just to be nominated for this award in my first year with the company was great, but to win was completely unexpected.” Orwell Truck & Van, which covers East Anglia, won the Aftersales Dealer of the Year and Mercedes-Benz Financial Services won Best Performing Dealer of the Year.
Orwell was nominated for five awards. David Grant, MD, says winning two of them was a fantastic achievement. Last year it spent more than £1m revamping its Ipswich site, adding an authorised testing facility, and registered 1,279 new vehicles sales in 2011 with more than 70% supplied with a Mercedes-Benz finance contract.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
Sparshatts became a Mercedes-Benz dealer in 1975 with just nine employees. Today it has sites in Ashford, Dartford, Sittingbourne and Tunbridge Wells and employs 172 people. In 2011 it sold 729 new and used vehicles and generated a turnover of £60.3m.
Ciceley Commercials’ head office is in Blackburn, and it has dealerships in Bolton, Carlisle, Dumfries and Preston. Last year the company refurbished its Carlisle site and opened ATF bays in Blackburn and Bolton. It employs 180 people.
Orwell Truck & Van has sites in Colchester, Ipswich, Newmarket and Norwich. It employs more than 190 people.