TORRANCE, Calif. — The publishers of Auto Dealer Today announced the winners of the 13th annual Dealers’ Choice Awards. First-place Diamond, second-place Platinum and third-place Gold honors are awarded based on a comprehensive online survey open only to dealers and dealership professionals.
Voters must manually enter the company names of their favorite vendors, suppliers, trainers and finance companies and score them on performance, value and whether they would recommend each company to another dealer. This year’s program includes 34 categories.
“Thank you to all the dealers who took the time to complete the survey and honor their industry partners. I know how much the awards mean to these companies,” said David Gesualdo, publisher of Auto Dealer Today and F&I and Showroom. “Congratulations to each of our winners.”
The winners of the 2017 Dealers’ Choice Awards are:
New-Vehicle Lead
Diamond: Autotrader
Platinum: Cars.com
Gold: Dealer.com
Used-Vehicle Lead
Diamond: Cars.com
Platinum: Autotrader
Gold: CarsDirect
Special Finance Lead
Diamond: CarsDirect
Platinum: Auto Credit Express
Digital Marketing
Diamond: ELEAD1ONE
Platinum: eBizAutos
Gold: Digital Air Strike
Website
Diamond: Dealer.com
Platinum: eBizAutos
Gold: VinSolutions
Chat
Diamond: Client~ConneXion
Platinum: ActivEngage
Gold: Contact At Once!
Mobile Media
Diamond: eBizAutos
Platinum: Dealer.com
Gold: Dealer Synergy
Social Media
Diamond: Ally
Platinum: Cartifex (fmr. DealerClickz)
Gold: Naked Lime
Reputation Management
Diamond: CDK Global
Platinum: Dominion Dealer Solutions
Gold: Digital Air Strike
Direct Mail
Diamond: ProMax Unlimited
Platinum: Strategic Marketing
Gold: Credit Mail Experts
Virtual BDC
Diamond: ELEAD1ONE
Platinum: AllCall Multi-Channel BDC
Online Inventory Listing Management
Diamond: eBizAutos
Platinum: Dominion Dealer Solutions
Gold: Auction123
Inventory Management
Diamond: Dealertrack
Platinum: vAuto
Gold: MAX Digital (fmr. FirstLook Systems)
Hiring and Recruitment
Diamond: Automotive Personnel Placement
Platinum: Hireology
Gold: GSFSGroup
Sales Training
Diamond: American Financial & Automotive Services
Platinum: Ziegler SuperSystems
Gold: Joe Verde Group
Internet Training
Diamond: Ally
Platinum: American Financial & Automotive Services
Gold: Dealer Synergy
Compliance Training
Diamond: American Financial & Automotive Services
Platinum: United Development Systems (UDS)
Gold: Compli
F&I Training
Diamond (tie): American Financial & Automotive Services
Diamond (tie): United Development Systems (UDS)
Platinum: Reahard & Associates
Gold: Ally
Special Finance Training
Diamond: DealerStrong
Platinum: NCM Associates
Gold: American Financial & Automotive Services
Fixed Ops Training
Diamond: DealerPRO Service Solutions
Platinum: CDK Global
Gold: The Cardone Group
F&I Products
Diamond: RoadVantage
Platinum: IAS
Gold: National Auto Care
Service Contract
Diamond: CNA National
Platinum: Protective Asset Protection
Gold: AUL
Service Contract Reinsurance
Diamond: CNA National
Platinum: Portfolio
Gold: SouthwestRe
F&I Desking Software
Diamond: ProMax Unlimited
Platinum: Dealertrack
Gold: Reynolds and Reynolds
F&I Technology
Diamond: F&I Express
Platinum: StoneEagle
Gold: MaximTrak
CRM
Diamond: ProMax Unlimited
Platinum: Reynolds and Reynolds
Gold: ELEAD1ONE
DMS
Diamond: Reynolds and Reynolds
Platinum: CDK Global
Gold: Dealertrack
Data Mining
Diamond: Dominion Dealer Solutions
Platinum: ELEAD1ONE
Gold: AutoAlert
Online Auction for Purchasing Inventory
Diamond: Manheim
Platinum: Ally SmartAuction
Gold: ADESA
Traditional Auction
Diamond: Manheim
Platinum: ADESA
Prime Captive Finance Company
Diamond: GM Financial
Platinum: Ford Motor Credit
Gold: Honda Financial Services
Prime Non-Captive Finance Company
Diamond: Ally
Platinum: Capital One
Gold: Wells Fargo
Subprime Finance Company
Diamond: Wells Fargo
Platinum: Capital One
Gold: Regional Acceptance
Biweekly Payments
Diamond: U.S. Equity Advantage
Platinum: SMART Payment Plan
More detail about this year’s awards will appear in a Special Awards Section in the August issue of Auto Dealer Today.
