Australia’s best Volvo retailers: Always going the extra mile

In a car market as competitive as Australia, the best product must be matched by the best experience. Which is why retailers and dealerships willing to go the extra mile are critical – because customers have more choice than ever.

“The Australian [car] market is one of the most open and competitive in the world”, according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries. It is no understatement.

The US for example, has a population of 342 million, and around 40 active car brands. Australia has a population of 27.7 million – with more than 70 car brands competing for their custom amid an influx of new entrants.

Expectations are rightly high. Outside of property, buying a car is one of the biggest financial decisions most people will make. It’s complex, there is a huge amount of choice – and tonnes of information to digest. Which is why Australians on average now spend almost three months researching before they buy a vehicle.

Investing all that time and effort to end up with a disappointing retail experience is desperately frustrating – both for the buyer, who may not give the brand a second chance, and the brand itself, given the missed opportunity to build a relationship for life, after all those marketing dollars spent.

Best experience wins

Car brands that provide the best experience therefore stand a far better chance of success, even as competition intensifies. Which is why Volvo Cars places such emphasis on experience excellence – and recognises the retailers that consistently deliver outstanding customer experience in the annual Pinnacle Awards of Excellence.

Each retailer is assessed across a range of customer experience criteria, as are individual staff across key business areas, like service, sales, technical and parts.

The robust scoring system runs well into five figures, with retailers often notching up more than 20,000 points – and it can be as few as ten points that separates the winners from the runners up.

Once the scores are tallied, Volvo Cars invites the winners and runners up to an awards evening in recognition of their efforts and commitment to excellence.

Managing director Stephen Connor underlined the emphasis Volvo Car Australia places on customer service, suggesting it will ultimately decide which car brands survive in an increasingly cutthroat market.

“We are a brand that needs to provide an experience to remain relevant within this aggressive marketplace and therefore need to create exceptional experiences to set the benchmark for our brand,” said Connor.

Plus, he said it creates a flywheel effect – for the brand, the retailers and the customers: “Creating an excellent culture means the best staff thrive and get even better at what they do.”

The retail network “lives and breathes Volvo Cars,” added Connor. “They are entrepreneurs who represent the company every day in their communities – and know their customers as well as the Volvo cars they sell and service.”

Retailers that go the extra mile deliver “the best possible experience for every one of our customers, and that means they keep coming back to Volvo Cars, and hopefully, tell their friends too”, said Connor.

“Congratulations to all our Pinnacle winners. Their efforts continue to drive Volvo Cars in Australia.”

The winners

Volvo Cars South Yarra took out the Major Metro Retailer of the Year award for the second year running. “The team at Volvo Cars South Yarra is dedicated to providing an outstanding level of customer service each and every day,” said principal Sue Alford. “I want to thank our staff and customers who make this award possible.”

Volvo Cars Penrith also won Metro Retailer of the Year for the second year on the spin. Accepting the award, principal John Dunn was equally quick to acknowledge the efforts of his staff.

“Our team is a family, and we treat our customers with that thought in mind,” said Dunn. “The entire team at Volvo Cars Penrith carry out their duties with one goal – provide an exceptional Volvo Cars experience. Each and every team member is a significant contributor to our collective success.”

The Rural award was taken out by Volvo Cars Southern Highlands. “I am very proud of our team that hold the desire to provide an outstanding level of service on every occasion,” said principal Brian Higgins. “Winning this award is the culmination of their collective efforts.”

Runner-up awards were presented to Volvo Cars Five Dock (Major Metro); Volvo Cars Mosman (Metro) and Volvo Cars Townsville (Rural).

Experience excellence: Find your local Volvo Cars retailer here