As part of his visit, Kato-san awarded Mitsubishi Motors Australia’s 2022 Distinguished Dealer Awards.
Australian Motors Mitsubishi, based at Morphett Vale in Adelaide, has emerged as one of the standout dealerships for the Japanese brand in Australia. This was the third straight year the dealership has won the “Distinguished Dealer” award and fifth time in total.
Dealer principal, of Australian Motors Mitsubishi, Dylan Nunn, said of the award: “We are incredibly humbled to accept this award. As a proud Mitsubishi Dealer, we are always continuing to strive for excellence and this is great recognition for our team.”
Motorama Mitsubishi, based in Brisbane suburb Moorooka, has now taken back-to-back awards, this year being the fifth time in total.
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation President and CEO, Takao Kato, hosts Australian dealers at National Dealer Conference. With Shaun Westcott, President and CEO, Mitsubishi Motors Australia
Dealer principal of Motorama Mitsubishi, Joel Mullins, said: “It was amazing for Motorama Mitsubishi to win Distinguished Dealer this year with so many challenges, we had staff shortages, lockdowns, more COVID, vehicle delays, shipping dramas and to top it off floods. All of our dealership staff are so very proud to be a Distinguished Dealer through all of this adversity”.
Wanneroo Mitsubishi in Perth, under the guidance of dealer principal Glenn Miller, chalked up its sixth Distinguished Dealer award.
Two provincial Mitsubishi dealerships, both from Victoria which faced some of the country’s strictest lockdowns of the pandemic, received the coveted accolade for 2022: Werribee Mitsubishi under dealer principal Brad Hopkins and Ballarat Mitsubishi, under dealer principal Peter King, which achieved its third award.
Werribee Mitsubishi’s Brad Hopkins told GoAuto: “We are so honoured to win the Mitsubishi Motors Distinguished Dealer Award for a fourth time. A special thank you to our customers and especially our team of amazing people who have all contributed to help us win this year.”
Dealer principal Frank De Maria and his team at De Maria Mitsubishi from Cobram in Victoria won back-to-back Distinguished Dealer awards.
Wide Bay Mitsubishi, serving the Maryborough/Hervey Bay area of Queensland with Jason Wiegmink at the helm, was particularly acknowledged for exceptional customer service.
“In terms of a team’s self-belief and an increased determination to strive for excellence, there is nothing quite so powerful as being recognised by one’s peers for a job well done,” dealer principal Jason Wiegmink told GoAuto.
Alongside Mitsubishi Motors Australia CEO Shaun Westcott, Kato-san was also on-hand to personally congratulate MMAL’s highest performing dealers as part of the prestigious event.
“Recipients of this award have demonstrated an engagement and willingness to work with us through challenging business conditions,” said Westcott.
“They embody exactly what it means to be part of the Mitsubishi Motors network.”
Established in 1981, MMAL’s Distinguished Dealer Award is the highest accolade available to a Mitsubishi dealer, celebrating success across sales, after-sales and customer experience.
Kato-san was impressed by his first visit to MMAL’s new Adelaide head office, in particular noting MMAL’s investment in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, solar power generation and upcoming installation of bi-directional charging equipment as part of an overall green energy ecosystem.
He congratulated MMAL’s dealer network and staff for their combined efforts over the last two years, citing their resilience throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and the supply-constrained market, to attain sales growth and achieve third place in Australian sales over the 2021 Japanese Financial Year (which ended 31 March 2022).
“Australia is a core part of the global Mitsubishi Motors family. Your ability to perform throughout challenging conditions greatly contributed to our company’s success last year. I know it was not easy, so thank you for your hard work and dedication,” he said.
Looking forward, Kato-san added: “We are investing heavily to secure a robust product line-up for the long term future with core markets like Australia front of mind.
“Global market conditions remain volatile and will continue to present challenges, and opportunities, for Mitsubishi Motors in the coming year.
“I am confident that with focus and commitment, we will be able to overcome these together to achieve our objectives,” he said.
Joel Mullins and the Motorama Mitsubishi team
Kato-san also outlined Mitsubishi Motors’ future brand direction, “developing environmentally- friendly vehicles that embody the unique ‘Mitsubishi Motors-ness’, combining safety, security and comfort”.
He also reconfirmed the brand’s investment in resurrecting Ralliart as a key driver of brand emotion in future.
MMAL CEO Shaun Westcott said he was proud to showcase the new head office and give Kato-san the opportunity to understand the Australian market first-hand.
“Mr. Kato’s visit has been invigorating for both our dealer network and our staff,” he said.
“MMAL has strong ambitions to sustainably grow in Australia, by using our unique sense of adventure and combining it with a truly environmental focus.
“We have been delighted at how well received our strategies have been received by Mr. Kato, and to hear his insights into the future of Mitsubishi Motors and the impact the Australian business can make,” he said.
Distinguished Dealer Award Winners
- Australian Motors Mitsubishi, Morphett Vale – Dylan Nunn
- Motorama Mitsubishi, Moorooka – Joel Mullins
- Wanneroo Mitsubishi – Glenn Miller
- Werribee Mitsubishi – Brad Hopkins
- Ballarat Mitsubishi – Peter King
- Wide Bay Mitsubishi – Jason Wiegmink
- De Maria Mitsubishi – Frank De Maria
By Peter Barnwell
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