Mitsubishi Motors NZ (MMNZ) has announced its seven top-performing ‘Diamond Dealers’ for 2018 – with a well-earned celebration in Las Vegas for all winners and dealer principals across its 34-strong sales network.
MMNZ’s entire dealer network stepped up to a new level in 2017, smashing its ambitious target of 10,000 sales in a year to register 11,651 new vehicles. To celebrate, the company’s annual 2018 Diamond Dealer Awards were held in Las Vegas, where the network’s seven standout performers were presented with the hotly contested accolade of ‘Diamond Dealer’.
This year’s winners were: Aaron Chatfield (Bay City Mitsubishi), Sharron Windust (Pacific Motor Group), Andrew Simms and Matthew Wales (Andrew Simms Mitsubishi), Darrell Russell (Piako Mitsubishi Morrinsville), Simon Lucas (Simon Lucas Mitsubishi) and, for the first time, Paul Lowe (Magnus Lennie Mitsubishi). Brent Delaney (Delaney Mitsubishi) is, for the second time, this year’s Parts and Service Diamond Dealer.
“The Diamond Dealer programme is designed to reward excellence, and to drive the business change needed to achieve our lofty goals,” said MMNZ chief operating officer Daniel Cook. “Tonight’s winners are leading the way by demonstrating excellence in every aspect of their business and epitomising the passion, dedication and customer focus that underpins our national network.
“As a network, we’ve stepped up. It’s fitting that we recognise this next-level achievement by taking those who made it possible to a next-level event in Las Vegas. It was a challenge and a promise laid down in 2009: reach 10,000 sales in a year and we’ll mark the achievement with a trip to Vegas. Collectively, we smashed that target. This celebration is well-deserved.”
MMNZ achieved its result of 11,651 sales in its eighth consecutive year of growth, finishing the year with a 7.5% market share.
“Collectively we need to continue to build on this success. Our next goal is to achieve 10% market share and I am confident that we can reach this ambitious target by providing excellence at every stage of the buying and servicing process.”
New and familiar winners
This year’s Diamond Dealer podium welcomed Magnus Lennie Mitsubishi for the first time.
“It’s great to see a new face on the Diamond Dealer stage, especially given that Paul Lowe and his team have been pushing hard for this. Paul received the Managing Director award last year, so it’s fantastic to see him take this the well-deserved accolade,” said Mr Cook.
The Magnus Lennie dealership, located in Opotiki in Bay of Plenty, demonstrates the potential of rural dealerships, added Mr Cook.
“It’s clear that being based in a town of less than 10,000 needn’t restrict business – Piako Mitsubishi dealer Darrell Russell, based in Morrinsville, is now on a run of eight consecutive wins out of a total of nine.
“It’s fantastic to see dealers like Paul and Darrell driving sales growth outside the major centres such as Auckland, where Andrew Simms Mitsubishi and Simon Lucas Mitsubishi have excelled this year.
“Further up the road in Tauranga, Bay City Mitsubishi is quickly becoming an unstoppable force. We’ve previously referred to Aaron Chatfield as a rising star, but his fifth win in a row cements his status as one of our leading lights.
“Sharron Windust’s excellent leadership at Pacific Motor Group sees her head back to Whangarei with a Diamond Dealer trophy and an award for Parts Excellence. She is forming a winning habit, with this year’s performance adding to last year’s awards for Top New Vehicle Sales, Top Market Share and Finance Dealer of the Year.
“Finally, our extensive Parts and Service network is a vital component of our business. Our commitment to ensuring that we provide the best aftersales care in the country is upheld by Brent and Rachel Delaney at Delaney Mitsubishi, who are the deserving winners of the Parts and Service Diamond Dealer Award for the second consecutive year.”
All dealer principals and their partners were flown to Las Vegas for the awards ceremony at the Venetian Hotel on 10 May (NZ time).
The full list of winners is:
Diamond Dealers
Aaron Chatfield – Bay City Mitsubishi
Sharron Windust – Pacific Motor Group
Darrell Russell – Piako Mitsubishi Morrinsville
Paul Lowe – Magnus Lennie Mitsubishi
Andrew Simms & Matthew Wales – Andrew Simms Mitsubishi
Brent Delaney – Delaney Mitsubishi
Simon Lucas – Simon Lucas Mitsubishi
Excellence in Customer Service
Group 1 Stephen Duff Mitsubishi
Group 2 Mexted Mitsubishi
Group 3 Saunders Mitsubishi
Overall Parts Excellence
Pacific Motor Group
Overall Service Excellence
Auckland Motors Mitsubishi
Top New Vehicle Sales
Group 1 Andrew Simms Mitsubishi - New Market
Group 2 McVerry Crawford Mitsubishi
Group 3 Piako Mitsubishi Morrinsville
Top Market Share
Group 1 Bay City Mitsubishi
Group 2 Piako Mitsubishi Rotorua
Group 3 Archibald Mitsubishi
Managing Directors Award
Wairarapa Mitsubishi
Finance Dealer of the Year
Piako Mitsubishi Rotorua