TORRANCE, Calif. — The publishers of Auto Dealer Today have announced the winners of the 2019 Dealers’ Choice Awards. Now in its 15th year, the program was designed to recognize the industry’s best vendors, suppliers, and finance partners by asking dealers and dealership personnel to complete a 35-category online survey.

Invitations to vote and a shareable link were sent to readers of ADT and F&I and Showroom; completed surveys were spot-checked for veracity. Voting was open throughout the month of May. Each voter was asked to manually enter their provider’s company name in at least five categories, then score that provider on quality, value, customer service, and whether they would recommend them to another dealer.

The top three companies that exceeded each category’s average score were awarded first-place Diamond, second-place Platinum, and third-place Gold honors. Two categories failed to register a Gold winner, giving this year’s program a total of 103 awards for 71 winning companies, including one new category: Service Retention.

“As in years past, we see a mix of returning champions, several new players, and companies that won awards in the past but were supplanted this year,” said David Gesualdo, group publisher and editorial director of Bobit Business Media’s Dealer Group. “Whatever the results, we appreciate our readers for voting, and we know our winners appreciate it as well.”

The winners of the 2019 Dealers’ Choice Awards are:

New-Vehicle Leads

• Diamond: Cars.com

• Platinum: Autotrader

• Gold: Dealer.com

Used-Vehicle Leads

• Diamond: Cars.com

• Platinum: Autotrader

• Gold: CarsDirect

Special Finance Leads

• Diamond: CarsDirect

• Platinum: Auto Credit Express

Digital Marketing

• Diamond: Dealer.com

• Platinum: ELEAD1ONE

• Gold: Digital Air Strike

Digital Sales and F&I

• Diamond: AutoFi

• Platinum: Darwin Automotive

• Gold: Axiom

Website

• Diamond: Dealer eProcess

• Platinum: Dealer.com

• Gold: eBizAutos

Mobile Media

• Diamond: eBizAutos

• Platinum: Dealer.com

• Gold: Dealer Synergy

Social Media Management

• Diamond: Naked Lime

• Platinum: Digital Air Strike

• Gold: Ally

Reputation Management

• Diamond: Dominion Dealer Solutions

• Platinum: DMEautomotive

• Gold: Digital Air Strike

Direct Mail

• Diamond: Strategic Marketing

• Platinum: Action Integrated Marketing

• Gold: ProMax

Virtual BDC

• Diamond: ELEAD1ONE

• Platinum: AllCall Multi-Channel BDC

• Gold: Dealer’s Greatest Assets

Inventory Management

• Diamond: MAX Digital

• Platinum: vAuto

• Gold: DealerSocket

Hiring and Recruitment

• Diamond: GSFSGroup

• Platinum: AutoCareersOnline

• Gold: AutoPeople

Sales Training

• Diamond: Cardone Group

• Platinum: American Financial & Automotive Services

• Gold: Joe Verde Group

F&I Training

• Diamond: United Development Systems (UDS)

• Platinum: American Financial & Automotive Services

• Gold: GSFSGroup

F&I Product Training

• Diamond: American Financial & Automotive Services

• Platinum: RoadVantage

• Gold: National Automotive Experts/NWAN

Special Finance Training

• Diamond: American Financial & Automotive Services

• Platinum: NCM Associates

• Gold: DealerStrong

Compliance Training

• Diamond: American Financial & Automotive Services

• Platinum: ACE/Mosaic Compliance Services

• Gold: United Development Systems (UDS)

Service Training

• Diamond: DealerPRO Service Solutions

• Platinum: Cardone Group

• Gold: American Financial & Automotive Services

Service Retention (New for 2019)

• Diamond: SAVY by EasyCare

• Platinum: Maximus Auto Group

• Gold: Helion Technologies

F&I Products

• Diamond: RoadVantage

• Platinum: National Auto Care

• Gold: IAS

Service Contract

• Diamond: CNA National

• Platinum: AUL

• Gold: GSFSGroup

Service Contract Reinsurance

• Diamond: Portfolio

• Platinum: CNA National

• Gold: SouthwestRe

F&I Desking Software

• Diamond: Reynolds and Reynolds

• Platinum: Dealertrack

• Gold: CDK Global

F&I Technology

• Diamond: StoneEagle F&I

• Platinum: MaximTrak

• Gold: The Impact Group

CRM

• Diamond: Reynolds and Reynolds

• Platinum: ELEAD1ONE

• Gold: ProMax

DMS

• Diamond: Reynolds and Reynolds

• Platinum: Dealertrack

• Gold: RouteOne

Data Mining

• Diamond: Dominion Dealer Solutions

• Platinum: ELEAD1ONE

• Gold: AutoAlert

Online Auction

• Diamond: Ally SmartAuction

• Platinum: Manheim

• Gold: eBay Motors

Traditional Auction

• Diamond: Manheim

• Platinum: ADESA

• Gold: America’s Auto Auction

Prime Captive Finance Company

• Diamond: GM Financial

• Platinum: Ford Credit

• Gold: TD Auto Finance

Prime Non-Captive Finance Company

• Diamond: Ally

• Platinum: Wells Fargo

• Gold: Capital One

Subprime Finance Company

• Diamond: Capital One

• Platinum: Wells Fargo

• Gold: Credit Acceptance

Biweekly Payments

• Diamond: US Equity Advantage

• Platinum: SMART Payment Plan

F&I Financing

• Diamond: Universal Lenders

• Platinum: Line\5

• Gold: PayLink

Winning companies will be honored in a special ceremony at Industry Summit, scheduled for Nov. 4–6, 2019, in New Orleans. Look for more detailed coverage of this year’s program in the Q4 print edition of ADT.