The nation’s number-two brand, Mazda, again highlighted 14 dealers on an equal basis that excelled in its 25th annual Master Dealer Excellence Awards program, with Wippells Autos from Toowoomba in Queensland still standing tall as the only Mazda dealership to have reached this level every year since the scheme was initiated in 1994.

Paradise Motors in Adelaide made it 23 out of 25, while Ringwood Mazda (21) and Werribee Mazda (20) in Melbourne are the only other dealers to have achieved the coveted ‘Master Dealer’ status more than 20 times.

Ties that bind: Mazda Australia’s Master Dealer Excellence Award winners for 2018.

Two first-time winners were welcomed into the fold: South Morang Mazda, a new dealership also in Melbourne, and Wide Bay Mazda, which operates at Hervey Bay and Maryborough in Queensland.

The other standout Mazda dealers in 2018 were Hornsby Mazda (NSW), Mareeba Mazda (Qld), Port Lincoln Mazda (HV Motors, SA), Mawson Lakes Mazda (SA), Graeme Powell Mazda (Vic), Mount Gravatt Motors/South City Mazda (Qld), Penrith Mazda Centre (NSW) and Ballarat Mazda (Vic).

Mazda’s program is divided into groups based on sales volume and business targets across its national network, with the award based on key performance index (KPI) data across various aspects including facilities, business processes, people development, sales results, financial management and customer satisfaction.

Announcing the winners at a presentation ceremony in Adelaide, Mazda Australia sales director Jarrod Gieschen said: “A highly motivated and passionate group of dealers is absolutely integral to the success of Mazda Australia, and the Mazda Master Dealer program gives us an opportunity to celebrate their efforts.

“The program helps to advance the benchmark for service each year, encouraging evolution and improvement on best practice, honouring Mazda’s customer-centric focus at every touchpoint.”

Queensland was also in the spotlight at Kia Motors Australia’s 2018 Dealer of the Year awards, with Motorama Kia (Moorooka) in Brisbane taking out the South Korean brand’s National DOTY title and Northern Regional DOTY award.

Dealer principal Simon Guthrie and Motorama Group managing director Mark Woelders were on hand to accept the awards, while Motorama’s Browns Plains dealer principal Carl Martin also received a separate ‘World Platinum’ award.

Ferrari Sydney dealer principal Simon McCarroll (holding trophy) and general manager Angelo Ruberto (second from left) with Ferrari Far and Middle East Hub Dieter Knechtel (left), Ferrari’s global senior vice-president of commercial and marketing Enrico Galliera (second from right) and Ferrari Australasia CEO Herbert Appleroth

The other regional Kia DOTY award winners were Great Western Kia in Kingswood, NSW (Eastern), Wayne Phillis Kia in Reynella, SA (Central), Echuca Kia in Victoria (Southern) and Midland Kia in WA (Western).

Ferrari Australasia has also celebrated the achievements of its small, exclusive network in Australia and New Zealand, with Ferrari Sydney – part of the McCarroll’s Automotive Group and led by dealer principal Simon McCarroll and general manager Angelo Ruberto – named 2018 Dealer of the Year.

The Sydney dealership’s Mario Guerrera also won the 2018 Sales Manager of the Year award, while Barbagallo Ferrari in Perth had the two other major category winners with Emanuele Pavone crowned Aftersales Manager of the Year and Adeline Tay named 2018 Sales Manager of the Year.

In accepting the top award, Mr McCarroll said: “It’s an honour to be recognised as the 2018 Dealer of the Year for Ferrari amongst our peers. We appreciate how hard each of the individual teams work to maintain the brands cherished reputation in our local market.”

Sydney Ferrari’s last won the DOTY title in 2016, while last year’s winner was Continental Cars in Auckland.

Among those present at the Italian supercar marque’s awards presentation ceremony in Sydney was Ferrari’s global senior vice-president of commercial and marketing Enrico Galliera, head of Ferrari Far and Middle East Hub Dieter Knechtel and Ferrari Australasia CEO Herbert Appleroth.

“We’re proud to recognise our extended Ferrari family who share our passion for excellence in customer service and the preservation of the Ferrari brand,” Mr Appleroth said.

Ferrari says the DOTY award selection criteria is based on “the highest achievement in areas of sales, proactive customer engagement through localised marketing initiatives and quality of aftersales retention”.

By Terry Martin

Motorama Kia (Moorooka) dealer principal Simon Guthrie with Kia Motors Australia CEO Joonsu Cho (second from right), Kia Motors Asia-Pacific president and CEO Ted Lee (right) and KMAu chief operating officer Damien Meredith