Murray Bridge still Hyundai’s top dealer

MURRAY Bridge Hyundai in regional South Australia has again upstaged its metropolitan counterparts by taking out its second successive national Dealer of the Year award for the South Korean brand.

Hyundai Motor Company Australia (HMCA) announced in a bulletin to its dealer network recently that Murray Bridge, which is part of the multi-franchise Duttons Automotive group led by managing director Jack Dowling, had again “asserted their dominance in claiming this prestigious award” for the 2019 calendar year.

The dealership, which is continuing to operate during the current COVID-19 restrictions, took to social media to say that the team is “very proud and grateful to be acknowledged for our efforts” and to thank “all of our customers for your support in helping us achieve this prestigious award”.

Regional presentation ceremonies were cancelled due to the coronavirus epidemic, but awards were delivered to Murray Bridge and 11 other dealerships recognised under the annual Platinum Award program.

These were Paul Wakeling Hyundai (Campbelltown) and Castle Hill Hyundai in New South Wales, John Hughes Hyundai (Victoria Park) in Western Australia and no fewer than eight dealerships in Victoria: South Morang Hyundai, Essendon Hyundai, Werribee Hyundai, Ferntree Gully Hyundai, Dandenong Hyundai, Cranbourne Hyundai, Berwick Hyundai and Harrison Hyundai (Melton).

The 2019 awards mark the seventh year the Platinum retail incentive program has been running at HMCA, which according to the car-maker “encompasses performance metrics in every area of dealer operations, from sales to stock control and from parts and service to accounting”.

The company says that reaching Platinum Dealer status “requires operational excellence across the business spectrum, and flags the dealers who have risen above all others” in a particular year.

The dealer bulletin announcing the results was signed jointly by HMCA chief executive Jun Heo and chief operating officer John Kett, who said the latest group of top-performing dealerships had all achieved “extraordinary levels of commitment in providing the ultimate in customer satisfaction, attainment of important KPIs and reporting key performance criteria”.

“Being recognised as a Hyundai Platinum Dealership is one that is revered by the Hyundai network, highly regarded by their peers, and guarantees customers an assuredness and confidence in an organisation that is proud of the Hyundai heritage and focused on outstanding behaviours,” they said.

“It is with great pride that we recognise these performing dealerships and thank them for their ongoing commitment to the Hyundai brand and our mutual customers.”

Earlier this year, Duttons was also named as Volkswagen Group Australia’s 2019 National Dealer of the Year – and 2019 Rural DOTY – which similarly made it back-to-back national titles for “our small but dedicated group” which operates out of Adelaide Hills for the VW brand.