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.
