Toyota names best ‘guest-oriented’ dealers

TOYOTA Australia has highlighted customer service improvements across its retail network over the past 12 months, with 88 dealerships from 209 outlets nationwide receiving a ‘5-Star Guest Experience Dealership Award’ for their performance in 2014.

This marks an increase of 33 dealers achieving 5-Star status last year compared to 2013, while Toyota says that almost half of the latest winners qualified for the first time.

As in previous years, Toyota customers were independently surveyed throughout the year to determine their level of satisfaction with the sales process as well as their experience with the vehicle service department.

The survey results from more than 110,000 responses were then averaged over a 12-month period to determine whether the dealership qualifies for the 5-star award.

Victoria was the standout region with 27 dealers reaching the mark (up 12 from last year), followed by 19 in both New South Wales (up 13) and Queensland (up four), 11 in South Australia (up three) and two in Tasmania (up one).

Western Australia and the ACT held firm with nine and one dealer eligible for the award respectively.

The 5-Star awards reinforce Toyota’s high ranking in JD Power’s independent annual Australian Customer Service Index (CSI) study, which measures new-vehicle buyer satisfaction with the aftersales service process.

The market-leading brand in terms of vehicle sales was third last year in the CSI survey, behind Mazda and Subaru, and has placed in the top three every year since the study was first conducted in 2010. It was equal winner with Honda in 2012.

Toyota Australia executive director of sales and marketing Tony Cramb said dealer staff were expected to essentially treat customers as guests of the dealership and to continually strive to improve their level of service and support.

“This award program demonstrates our commitment to raising the already high standard of service across the Toyota dealer network,” he said.

The Victorian dealers to achieve 5-Star status last year were: Berwick Toyota, Castlemaine Toyota, Colac Toyota, Patterson Cheney Toyota, Le Mans Toyota, Echuca Toyota, Brighton Toyota, Bendigo Toyota, Frankston Toyota, Blood Toyota, Waverley Toyota, Cannon Toyota, Kyneton Toyota, Yarra Valley Toyota, Melton Toyota, Mornington Toyota, Chadstone Toyota, Seymour Toyota, Shepparton Toyota, Stawell Toyota, Swan Hill Toyota, Le Mans Toyota, Schilling B and Sons, Warragul Toyota, Warrnambool Toyota, Peter Davey Toyota and Jacob Toyota.

The NSW dealers at this level were: Ballina Toyota, Cottrell Toyota, Clintons Toyota, Cessnock Toyota, Dubbo City Toyota, Maitland Toyota, Jeffery Toyota, Brian Hilton Toyota, Kempsey Toyota, Phil Gilbert Toyota, Hayes Toyota, Nyngan Toyota, Warren Plowright Toyota, Gowings Toyota, Tamworth City Toyota, Phil McCarroll Toyota, Sydney City Toyota, Ron Stubberfield Toyota and Watson Toyota.

Queensland’s top-performing dealers for customer service in 2014 were: Huebner Toyota, Torque Toyota, Bundaberg Toyota, Mike Carney Toyota, John O’Brien Toyota, Bill Robertson Toyota, John Madill Toyota, Sci-Fleet Toyota, Ken Mills Toyota Kingaroy, Mackay Toyota, Martin Jonkers Motors, Downtown Toyota, Bell and Moir Toyota, Ken Mills Toyota, Wide Bay Toyota, Hinterland Toyota, Ian Weigh Toyota, Oldmac Toyota and Southside Toyota.

In South Australia the 5-Star dealers were: CMI Toyota, Big River Toyota, Jarvis Toyota, Cornes Toyota, Northpoint Toyota, Adelaide Hills Toyota, Noel Barr Toyota, Peter Kittle Toyota (Para Hills West and Port Lincoln), Barossa Valley Toyota and Errol Matschoss Motors.

In WA the standout dealers were: Bunbury Toyota, Geraldton Toyota, Mandurah Toyota, Manjimup Toyota, Midland Toyota, Northam Toyota, City Toyota, Toyotaways and New Town Toyota.

In Tasmania, the most customer-focused dealers last year, according to the in-house program, were Gowans Toyota in Devonport and Co-Op Toyota in Hobart, while Canberra Toyota in the ACT again reached the 5-Star level.