Isuzu has announced its annual National Dealer of the Year Award winners for 2021, as the perennial market leader celebrates its 33rd successive year at the top of the Australian truck sales charts and its 50 years selling trucks here.
South West Isuzu in Western Australia was named as the brand’s National Dealer of the Year for 2021, completing a trifecta in the award after it was named the joint winner in 2020 and also winning the title outright in 2019.
Isuzu says that in acknowledging the efforts of its dealerships across the country in their endeavours, it recognises excellence in customer support and performance across all facets of the business including sales, service and parts.
It also emphasised that achieving its top gong is not easy, with intense competition among Isuzu’s 70 strong dealer network nationwide.
Isuzu says that following the trying and difficult year of challenges that COVID-19 imposed the Dealer of the Year Award had special significance, particularly as the brand celebrates its 50th year selling trucks in Australia.
Isuzu says that the South West has showed an exceptional performance record having achieved pole position for three years running as well as managing to take out the service Dealer of the Year Award for the third year in a row, adding another notch to its long history as a top Isuzu dealership.
Isuzu director and COO, Andrew Harbison, congratulated South West Isuzu on its outstanding effort.
“It’s an honour to present our National Dealer of the Year Award to South West Isuzu again this year,” said Andrew Harbison
“To be recognised as a high performing Isuzu Trucks dealership, but also as Dealer of the Year and our Service Dealer of the Year for three consecutive years is an achievement like no other.
“Our congratulations on a fantastic result, particularly during what was not an easy operating climate in Western Australia last year.”
Accepting the award with smiles all round, South West Isuzu Dealer Principal, Darren Sprigg, was wrapped with his team’s achievement.
“I’m very happy to receive this award on behalf of South West Isuzu. It’s a great honour, particularly for the team here who deserve all the accolades on winning the award again.
“It’s always a close result between dealers competing in this program, so our congratulations also to Ballarat, Peel Valley and Gippsland Truck Centre on their Sales and Parts achievements—I hope everyone enjoys and appreciates this award as we do here at South West Isuzu.
“Although it was challenging doing business in many respects, and stock was always an issue during 2021, we had contingencies in place and were able to deliver well for our customers throughout the year,” Sprigg said.
“Despite the challenges, the market seems to be going from strength to strength for us here in Western Australia and for Isuzu nationally—it does feel good to be in the position of leading in Australia’s competitive truck segment.
“I always say you need a bit of luck in life and to win something like this, I suppose we have been lucky three times now,” he added.
“We are lucky with all the talented, reliable people we have working together, lucky to have our customers, and lucky to have a great field team from Isuzu here in Western Australia.”
For the 2021 Sales Dealer of the Year, Ballarat Isuzu (VIC) took home the award.
No stranger to Isuzu’s Dealer of the Year program, the regional Victorian dealership has received a variety of prestigious awards from five of the past six years, including Dealer of the Year and Parts Dealer of the Year in 2020.
Joint winners Peel Valley Isuzu in Tamworth, NSW, and Gippsland Truck Centre in Victoria shared the crown of Parts Dealer of the Year for 2021—a considerable achievement given local and international supply chain challenges.
“To our Sales Dealer of the Year, Ballarat Isuzu, a warm thank you and well done on navigating what was an interesting year for truck sales in Australia,” Mr Harbison said.
Adding his congratulations for the 2021 Dealer of the Year Award winners was Isuzu head of network development, Ben Lasry,
“To be ‘number one’ amongst the many other worthy Australian truck brands is a privilege we all work hard for here at Isuzu Trucks,” said Lasry.
“Our annual Dealer of the Year Award provides us the opportunity to give back to our hard-working dealer network, who continue to support the brand with excellence in customer support, Sales, Parts and Service.
“South West Isuzu, take a bow for an incredible effort!
“My heartfelt congratulations to you and to all our winning dealerships, Ballarat Isuzu, Peel Valley Isuzu and Gippsland Truck Centre for taking home this year’s awards.”
