Celebrating excellence

Audi Australia recognises outstanding performance with the 2017 Dealer of the Year awards.

A celebration certainly, but a chance to recognise the commitment to excellence by the many people who make up the Audi National Dealer Network and a standard that sets Audi apart.

Andrea Francolini and www.scottehler.com

18 March, 2018


Audi Australia has celebrated the most outstanding performances across the brand’s national dealer network at the annual Audi Dealer of the Year awards. Held at a glittering event at Australia’s Technology Park in Sydney, the Audi ‘family’ came together for the annual celebration of excellence, recognising the efforts of outstanding individuals and teams from across the network and to celebrate another year of high performance.

Although it’s certainly an evening for everyone to come together and celebrate, the competition across all the categories is fierce, and has been since the awards were first held in 2007. That friendly, but very real rivalry translates to ‘above and beyond’ performance across the network all year round – from first contact with a dealership, through the very life of each car and each customer’s Audi journey.

The highlight of the 2017 awards was the presentation of the best performing dealerships from Rural, Metropolitan and Major Metropolitan categories recognised, but performances from the Audi Quattro Cup categories were also singled out and recognised. These individual performances covered the entire spectrum of the Audi business, from Foreperson to Parts and Service Manager, Sales Manager and Audi Approved: plus Manager. Indeed, these awards saw all of the specialist roles within dealerships recognised, including the inaugural Accountant of the Year presented, as well as paying tribute to those dealerships that have forged 10 year relationships with the brand, and one dealership – a 20 year milestone with Audi.

"That friendly, but very real rivalry translates to ‘above and beyond’ performance across the network all year round."

"It is the effort of each individual in the dealer network, striving to be the best that makes all the difference to our customers."

With Audi Ambassador Sandra Sully comfortably in charge of the emcee duties and fellow ambassador, Darren Palmer also in attendance, the heritage-listed site in Sydney’s heart became the focus of attention in what is literally a ‘best of the best’ competition for the Audi brand  .

Of course it was a year of challenges for the premium vehicle industry, which only made the performances of the night’s winners all the more significant – as Audi Australia Managing Director, Paul Sansom, articulated on the evening.

“Tonight we are here to celebrate and recognise you – our terrific network of business partners,” Mr Sansom said in his opening address.

“Given the intense competition to become Dealer of the Year we witnessed throughout 2017, there’s no doubt you are all fighting hard to represent Audi in the best-possible way, across all areas of the business every day, every week and every month,” he said.

“It is the effort of each individual in the dealer network, striving to be the best that makes all the difference to our customers, and their knowledge that they are dealing with the best,” Mr Sansom said. “We have exciting and groundbreaking product, with a tremendous number of new models on the way that really are at the forefront of innovation, but that human side across every facet of the business is vital to us becoming the best and building on our customer loyalty long into the future,” he said.

In addition to recognising the efforts of individuals within the network, the evening was an opportunity to congratulate dealers who have built long term partnerships with the Audi brand. Audi Centre Sydney, Audi Alto Artarmon, Audi Alto Pennant Hills and Audi Centre Parramatta were each recognised for their 10 year partnership with Audi, having built their respective business as the brand has also built its presence and reputation in Australia. 

For Audi Centre Gold Coast, that association with the Audi brand now spans an extraordinary two decades, a milestone Brett Frizelle likened more to ‘being part of a family than a business association’ on accepting the award.

As always though, it was the coveted Dealer of the Year awards that were the most keenly anticipated on the evening. Presented for excellence in three distinct dealership classes – Rural, Metropolitan and Major Metropolitan – Paul Sansom paid tribute to the hard work and dedication of all those that went towards the hard fought final result.

"The evening was an opportunity to congratulate dealers who have built long term partnerships with the Audi brand."

"The Audi Dealer of the Year award recognises the very best of the best – and it is certainly an honour to win this award with such strong internal competition."

“The Audi Dealer of the Year award recognises the very best of the best – and it is certainly an honour to win this award with such strong internal competition,” he said.

In third place for 2017, Audi Centre Shepparton claimed the Rural prize, while Audi Centre Wollongong and and Audi Alto Pennant Hills took Metropolitan and Major Metropolitan respectively. In second place, Audi Centre Townsville, Audi Centre Springwood and Audi Centre Sydney were successful.

Taking the coveted top honours, George Severino and Anthony Altomonte accepted the trophy for Dealer of the Year, Rural, for Audi Central Coast. Ian and Nick Pagent accepted the trophy for first place in the Metropolitan category for Audi Centre Indooroopilly, with Nick Pagent back on stage only moments later with Dwyer Ogle to also accept the Major Metropolitan award, with Audi Sutherland honoured as the best in category.

The evening also marked the first anniversary of the Audi Foundation, a philanthropic organisation established by Audi Australia and the national dealer network to assist those in need in the communities in which the brand operates. To date, the Audi Foundation has directly helped more than half a million people across the country through its ongoing partnerships with such organisations as ReachOut, The Smith Family, Humpty Dumpty and Camp Quality to name but a few. The efforts of all those associated with the Audi Foundation have helped achieve this tremendous result in an extremely short space of time, and it is testament to just what the partnership between Audi Australia and the dealer network are able to achieve.

With the official part of the evening out of the way it was time to kick back and relax and celebrate a year of hard work. Before the applause for the last award had even died away, the back of the presentation stage slid away to reveal the stunning after party venue. But before the band, Furnace and the Fundamentals could get into full swing, there were still some matters of house to take care of. 

"To date, the Audi Foundation has directly helped more than half a million people across the country through its ongoing partnerships."

"It was quite a night for all concerned – recognition of the dedication and commitment from everyone involved with the Audi brand."

A special auction captured everyone’s attention, with funds raised going to the Audi Foundation. The prize, an intimate dinner, prepared by one of the Audi ambassador master chefs in the successful bidder’s own home, for themselves and 10 guests. With the choice of Guillaume Brahimi, Kylie Kwong and Andrew McConnell to choose from, bidding was understandably fierce, but in the end it was Rebecca Frizelle who clinched the prize, capping what was quite a night for Audi Centre Gold Coast.

Indeed it was quite a night for all concerned – recognition of the dedication and commitment from everyone involved with the Audi brand. There was no doubting the pride of the winners across each of the categories, or the sense of spirited competition that has seen these awards grow and recognise the pride that is evident to Audi customers when they interact with the brand.

Congratulations to all of those whose work is instrumental in making the Audi brand what it is in Australia.