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VICTORIAN dealerships have again dominated GM Holden’s ‘Grand Masters’ retail incentive program, with 12 out of the 32 dealers to receive an award for their performance in 2015 coming from the southern state.

Queensland was next best with nine dealerships receiving a Grand Master award, leaving four each in New South Wales and South Australia and three in Western Australia.

Unlike other annual ‘dealer of the year’ programs, recognition as a Holden Grand Master dealer is handed out to 32 retailers – divided into groups based on sales volume – across Holden’s national network of more than 230 outlets.

Thumbs up: Holden managing director Mark Bernhard and GM international operations president Stefan Jacoby present dealers with Grand Master award in Barcelona.

Thumbs up: Mildura Holden general manager Paul Shelly (front centre) with staff members, who were recognised for “going above and beyond in their commitment to customers”.

Six dealerships also received the coveted ‘Chairman’s Award’ for topping their respective group, with three from Victoria – Brighton Holden, Mildura Holden and Bruce Hocking Motors (Rochester) – two from Queensland – Bartons Bayside Holden (Wynnum) and Gatton Auto – and one from South Australia: OGR Holden in Mount Gambier.

The winners were announced at an international awards ceremony held this week in Barcelona, where General Motors dealers from various countries came together to celebrate “the best of the best”.

Brighton Holden

Brighton Holden

To reach Grand Master status, Holden says its dealers must demonstrate “continued exceptional customer service in addition to sound business objectives including sales excellence, aftersales delivery, training and other quality measures across all areas of the business”.

In presenting the awards, Holden chairman and managing director Mark Bernhard said the winning dealers “delivered exceptional results in all areas of the business and demonstrated an outstanding ongoing commitment to serving our customers”.

Bruce Hocking Holden

Bruce Hocking Holden

“The 2015 Grand Masters-winning dealers have worked incredibly hard over the last year to deliver our exciting range of new products and services, and should be very proud of their achievement,” he said.

The other Victorian Grand Masters winners were: Smiths of Geelong, Colin Watson Holden (Traralgon), Patterson Cheney Holden (Vermont), Booran Holden (Dandenong), Alan Mance Holden (Footscray), Poyser Holden (Bendigo), Mantello Holden (Fawkner) and the Holden dealers in Cranbourne and Wangaratta.

Mildura Holden

Mildura Holden

The Queensland winners also included Motorama Holden (Springwood), Zupps Holden (Mount Gravatt), Ireland Holden (Cairns), Lawrence’s Holden (Rockhampton), Bartons Capalaba Holden, Sunco Holden (Maroochydore) and John Dundas Holden (Kingaroy).

South Australia’s other award-winning dealers were Metro Holden (Thebarton), City Holden (Adelaide) and Steinborner Holden (Gawler), while the NSW winners were Paul Wakeling Holden (Campbelltown), Kelly Holden (Cardiff), Peninsula Holden (Bankstown) and Muswellbrook Holden.

The three winning dealerships from the west were Bunbury Holden, Rockingham Holden and Clarkson Holden.

By Terry Martin

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