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Arnold Clark, Europe's largest independent motor dealer,has sensationally won the coveted and most sought after award within the UK motor industry;AM Awards Retailer of the year 2009. This headline award is given to the top achiever from all the nominated categories that include, used car dealer, new cars centre, small and large retail group and it is awarded to the best of the best.
At a glittering awards ceremony at the ICC in Birmingham, in front of Europe's elite motoring personnel, the innovative car dealer scooped the evening's most celebrated and desired award after triumphing in its nominated category of Best Large Retail Group 2009.
The judging panel, of leading UK motoring experts stated, "Arnold Clark is an outstanding business model. It is a market leader in each sector of the motor industry it operates in and has proven to be a consistent performer."
Motoring veteran, Sir Arnold Clark, chairman and chief executive, who founded the company in 1954 with DEMOB money from the RAF commented, "I am delighted that the Arnold Clark Group has been honoured with this award. It is a reflection of the hard work and determination of our employees who ensure that the company ethos of offering genuine value for money and providing high levels of customer satisfaction is upheld. I thank each and every member of staff within the organisation for helping to achieve this."
The latest achievement of winning the headline AM award of Retailer of the Year 2009 is a testament to its success and commitment to its customers and staff. Eddie Hawthorne, managing director of Arnold Clark, comments, "Qualification for the award included a need to show high levels of customer satisfaction, keen awareness of marketing and an appreciation of the role of staff in a successful business. This award is a testament to this. In a tough economic climate, to win these awards is a true reflection of our successful business model, employees and training that we continually invest in."
The Arnold Clark Group, who has just opened its industry leading, multi-million pound flagship store in Stafford, attribute its success to a winning formula of a continued commitment to customers, offering genuine value for money and unrivalled customer service across all its branches and throughout its 20 different franchises.
The secret of the Arnold Clark Group's winning formula really is quite simple. As managing director Eddie Hawthorne states, "It ís the very simple basics - you keep the customer happy, they come back satisfied. It is not any more difficult than that."
Commitment to its 1.6 million customers is a large part of its winning formula and this is displayed through the continued investment in the Group's 145 dealerships that are improved and modernised each year to ensure the buying experience is as pleasurable as possible for the customer.
This is evident in their new Motorstore in Stafford, launched in October 2008, that not only has a cafe, teen zone with gaming area, internet access and chill out zone but more importantly a locator system that has been designed specifically with the customer in mind. The GPS system follows vehicle movement across the 12 acre site, allowing staff to pinpoint the exact location of the a car so customers do not have to walk up and down the miles of endless cars at this massive site.
Investment in staff training plays a vital role within Arnold Clark's success story. The group continually trains its 8,500 strong team, to ensure Sir Arnold's gold customer service standards are achieved at all times. So much so, Arnold Clark built its very own state of the art £10 million training school, with specially designed courses from sales and service to administration and mechanical repairs.
Priding itself on providing the best possible service for customers, the Arnold Clark Group's areas of expertise extend further than just selling value for money vehicles. The company has pioneered an entire motoring package, offering customers a second to none aftersales service providing servicing & repairs, parts & accessories, accident repairs, insurance services, vehicle management and car & van rental.The economic climate is gloomy but, so far, 2009 has been better than expected for Arnold Clark and this award is testimony to this.