The Sales Team of the Year Award at the Commercial Motor Awards 2017 recognises a sales team from a franchised or independent dealership that is delivering results and goes above and beyond the call of duty to provide customers with the right solutions.
Our team of independent judges looked for evidence of high sales levels; bespoke customer engagement; innovative sales programmes and genuine teamwork. Last year the winner was Thomas Hardie Used Trucks - with the judges singling out its innovative use of social media.
Dennison Commercials is Northern Ireland’s Volvo Trucks dealer, with four depots in Ballyclare, Coleraine, Dungannon and Newry. Customers are the forefront of the business and over the years, the market share in Northern Ireland for Volvo Trucks has increased to more than 30%. The company describes itself as a one-stop-shop for customers and services include new and used commercial vehicle sales and commercial truck rentals. It also has with four fully-equipped workshops, a specialist body shop, parts counters at every depot and specialist staff dedicated to giving customers the best service possible. Judges described Dennison Commercials as a well established and hardworking company with a strong brand. They also praised the firm for engaging in a range of networking events and focusing on the development of social media platforms to encourage further sales.
HRVS Group employs 224 people across eight branches in Burton-on-Trent, Crewe, Leicester, Ripley, Scunthorpe, Sheffield, Sleaford and Stoke-on-Trent. Its dedicated sales team consists of 11 people each with their own specialism: MAN new or used, Isuzu Trucks, Isuzu Pick-up, Kässbohrer trailers, Caterpillar Plant and LDV vans. Sales has been a growth area for HRVS Group over the last five years and now accounts for 54% of its total business. In the past 12 months alone, HRVS Group has increased its used truck sales by 103% and it rewards all employees for sales leads and pays commissions of £100 to service and parts staff for passing on leads to the dedicated sales department. Judges remarked that everyone at HRVS is involved with, and incentivised to be, totally engaged in delivering excellence to the client base.
In 2016 Mercedes-Benz dealer Rygor’s truck order intake was the highest it has ever achieved. Over the past 12 months, Rygor has introduced new processes, made extra appointments and opened a branch in Gloucester. This year, it has focused more on its customer service index (CSI), recording a 100% satisfaction score in a truck purchase and handover process survey. The firm has also improved its general customer satisfaction rating to 92% this year - up from 81% in 2015 - well above the Mercedes-Benz average of 88%. Judges praised Rygor’s investment in new premises and the development of its people. They said its submission was very impressive, supported by excellent sales performance statistics, with a clear focus on the contribution its staff make to the overall success of the company.
After winning the inaugural CM Sales Team of the Year last year, Thomas Hardie’s used truck business has continued to evolve and grow. The firm recruited a new dedicated used truck salesmen at the start of the year to help develop tailored maintenance packages for customers. It has also invested in the only dedicated used truck demonstrator in the Volvo network to support him. In 2017, in a new development, it attended several local trade shows and transport festivals that it supported with trucks on display for sale. The firm has also started regular sales forums to promote fresh thinking. Judges said Thomas Hardie’s submission showed clear evidence of a business and team that has not sat back following their success last year. They also liked the company’s focus on staff development.
