Village Renault returns to take top DOTY award

VILLAGE Renault in Northlakes, Queensland, has been named as Renault’s top performing dealership in the French brand’s annual Dealer of the Year Awards, which this year were announced online via the Zoom conference calling platform.

The Queensland-based dealership just edged out Melville Renault in Perth for top honours in the Group 1 category, thereby earning them the overall gong of 2020 Dealer of the Year.

The win was Village Renault’s second at the awards after it was crowned New Dealer of the Year back in 2016.

Dealer principal Shane Olsen could not have been happier with the win and said it was validation for all his team’s hard work.

“It is certainly a fantastic feeling … I could not be more proud of the effort put in by our sales, service and parts departments, their commitment to providing our customers with the ultimate Renault experience, is second to none, literally!” he said.

“Since taking on the Renault franchise our goal was and still is, to be the best of the best.

“Having won New Dealer of the Year and two consecutive years as Dealer of the Year finalists, it’s an amazing achievement for our Village Renault team to finally win the top prize and bring the crown back to Queensland!”

Mr Olsen went on to explain that “having the right people in the right positions is key in any success story” and that the key to attracting the right people came down to “having an attractive culture”.

“Our culture is very family and community orientated, which is easily identified in our involvement in the local community,” he said.

Previous Customer Service Excellence trophy winner Rex Gorell Prestige in Geelong took top honours in the Group 2 category ahead of Sydney’s Col Crawford Renault while John Davis Renault from Orange won the Group 3 award ahead of Bendigo Renault.

Sale Renault in NSW was crowned Rural Dealer of the Year narrowly edging out Albany City Renault in WA.

Renault Australia managing director Anouk Poelmann praised the high standards set by all of the 2020 dealer of the year winners.

“The 2020 result reflects the dedication of all members of our network and it gives me great

pleasure to recognise the high standards achieved by our award winners,” she said.

“I think it is particularly important to pause and reflect the outstanding work of all our dealers and to celebrate our ongoing relationship as we cement the future for the Renault brand here in Australia,” she said.

This year the move was taken to announce the winners online via Zoom in adherence with the strict social distancing measures being enforced around the country in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Renault has 56 dealerships around the country with the dealer of the year awards designed to recognise sales and service excellence as well as sales and aftersales performance

and customer satisfaction across the board.

So far this year ending April, Renault has chalked up 1467 sales nationally, down 40.9 per cent on the same period last year when it managed 2481 sales.