TORRANCE, Calif. — Auto Dealer Monthly magazine, sister publication to Bobit Business Media's F&I and Showroom magazine, has announced the winners of this year’s Dealers’ Choice Awards. The annual program recognizes the industry’s best product and service providers as selected by dealers and dealership personnel.

In May, voters weighed in to recognize their favorite partners in 27 categories. Providers were scored on the product or service itself, customer support and service, value, and whether they would recommend the company to another dealer. To qualify for a first-place “Diamond,” second-place “Platinum” or third-place “Gold” award, a company must be among those that scored above the group average score in each category. Some categories include only one or two winners; two categories, Reputation Management and Social Media Management, failed to name any winners.

“Each year, the high standards of dealers are reflected in the results of the Dealers’ Choice Awards voting, and this year is no exception,” said David Gesualdo, publisher of Auto Dealer Monthly and F&I and Showroom. “The winners have set a high standard for themselves and for the industry as a whole.”

The winners of the 2014 Dealers’ Choice Awards are listed below. For complete coverage of this year’s program, look for a special section in the August issue of Auto Dealer Monthly.

New-Vehicle Internet Lead Provider

Diamond: AutoTrader.com

Platinum: Dealer.com

Gold: Cars.com 

Used-Vehicle Internet Lead Provider

Diamond: AutoTrader.com

Platinum: eBay Motors

Gold: Cars.com

Special Finance Lead

Diamond: DealerLink

Platinum: CarsDirect

Gold: Auto Credit Express

Website Provider                     

Diamond: Dealer.com

Platinum: eBizAutos

Gold: Dealer e-Process

Chat Provider           

Diamond: ActivEngage

Platinum: Contact At Once!

Gold: Client~ConneXion

Online Inventory Listing Management

Diamond: eBizAutos

Platinum: Auction123

Gold: Dominion Dealer Specialties

CRM Provider

Diamond: ELEAD1ONE

Platinum: DealerSocket

Gold: ProMax Unlimited

Digital Marketing

Diamond: eBizAutos

Platinum: ELEAD1ONE

Gold: Dealer.com

Mobile Media

Diamond: Dealer.com

Platinum: eBizAutos

Direct Mail

Diamond: ProMax Unlimited

Platinum: Strategic Marketing

Sales Training

Diamond: Ziegler SuperSystems

Platinum: Joe Verde Group

Gold: The Cardone Group

Internet Training

Diamond: Kain Automotive

Platinum: Dealer.com

Gold: Dealer Synergy

F&I Training

Diamond: United Development Systems (UDS)

Platinum: Reahard & Associates

Gold: American Financial and Automotive Services (AFAS)

F&I Products

Diamond: IAS

Platinum: ECP

Gold: Safe-Guard Products International

F&I Desking Software

Diamond: ProMax Unlimited

Platinum: Dealertrack

Gold: Reynolds and Reynolds

Service Contract Provider

Diamond: CNA National

Platinum: Protective Asset Protection

Gold: AUL

Service Contract Reinsurance

Diamond: Portfolio

Platinum: CNA National

Gold: GSFSGroup

Biweekly Payment Provider

Diamond: SMART Payment Plan

Platinum: US Equity Advantage

Gold: Economic Advantages Corp. (EAC)

Prime Captive Finance Company

Diamond: Ally Auto

Platinum: Toyota Financial Services

Gold: Ford Motor Credit

Prime Non-Captive Finance Company

Diamond: Wells Fargo

Platinum: Chase

Gold: Capital One Auto Finance

Subprime Finance Company

Diamond: Regional Acceptance

Platinum: Wells Fargo

Gold: Capital One Auto Finance

Online Auction for Purchasing Inventory

Diamond: SmartAuction

Platinum: Manheim

Gold: ADESA

Traditional Auction

Diamond: Manheim

Platinum: ADESA

Inventory Management

Diamond: vAuto

Platinum: FirstLook

Gold: Dealertrack

DMS Provider

Diamond: Dealertrack

Platinum: Auto/Mate

Gold: Reynolds and Reynolds