L-R Prestige Hino Dealer Principal Angelo Valerio and West Orange Motors Dealer Principal Aaron Daniel celebrate their Dealer of the Year awards.
Hino Australia handed out its annual accolades at its Dealer of the Year Awards in Sydney on Saturday 8th February.
In front of 300 guests including global Hino Motors, Ltd. Chairman Mr Yasuhiko Ichihashi, Victoria’s Prestige Hino (Dandenong) was crowned the Metropolitan Dealer of the Year for the fifth consecutive year while West Orange Motors won the Regional title for the second time in three years.
Dealer Principal for Prestige Hino, Angelo Valerio was effusive in his praise of his team:
“Someone once said to me if you win one Dealer of the Year, it could be a fluke; to win two in a row you’ve done something right; and to win three in a row it’s no fluke and you’re definitely doing everything right.”
“So what does it mean when Prestige Hino wins its fifth consecutive Hino Dealer of the Year?
“What it means to me is we have achieved a critical mass of employees who have passionately embraced our vision for Prestige Hino to be the trucking partner of choice for Australian enterprise.
“I have always maintained that one individual doesn't win awards, it’s an entire dealership team effort - what’s most exciting is that the team now does it effortlessly.”
Dealer Principal at West Orange Motors, Aaron Daniel, was overwhelmed with gratitude:
“We are so happy to win this award at a time when regional areas are facing a crippling drought and tough economic conditions.
“We would like to recognise our dedicated, hard-working staff and our customers for their continued loyalty,” he concluded.
Steve Lotter, Hino Motor Sales Australia Chairman and CEO, congratulated the winners on their achievements:
“Customer experience is extremely important to Hino and a cornerstone of our success in recent years so it’s fitting that our annual awards duly recognise outstanding achievement in this field in both the Sales and Service sectors.”
Adding to its accolades, Prestige Hino won the Customer Experience – Sales category (Metropolitan) award and its National Fleet Sales Manager, Danny Timewell again won Salesperson of the Year, repeating his success from last year.
Pacific Hino (Cairns) won the regional equivalent for the Customer Experience – Sales category.
In the Customer Experience – Service category, Sydney’s Adtrans Hino won the Metropolitan honour for the second consecutive year and Jacob Hino of Wodonga was successful in the Regional category.
The Sales Excellence Metropolitan award went the way of WA Hino Sales & Service of Perth, which also won the Hino Financial Services award.
Till Hino of Geelong, Victoria was awarded the Sales Excellence Regional Award.
In the Parts Excellence category, the Metropolitan award was claimed by Sci-Fleet Hino of Brisbane, Queensland, while the regional Excellence award was added to the trophy cabinet at West Orange Motors.
The Service Excellence award for Metropolitan was won by CMI Hino Adelaide, which was also recognised on the night for its 50 year partnership with Hino Australia.
Wagga Trucks was successful in winning the regional Service Excellence award.
Mr Lotter attributed Hino Australia’s strong results of 2019 to a strong customer focus at dealerships nationwide and at Hino Motor Sales Australia, aided by the addition of the new 500 Series Standard Cab.
“In a particularly tough market, Hino defied market trends to be the only Japanese manufacturer to increase its market share, finishing at 17.5% which equated to total of 5,547 trucks and buses – similarly, we continued to break records in both the parts and service divisions of the business,” he said.
“I congratulate all those who were recognised tonight for their efforts in 2019, and we look forward to the strong results continuing in 2020,” he concluded.
Held at the Hilton Sydney, the evening was hosted by Supercars legend and Hino Ambassador Neil Crompton and attended by over 300 guests including Hino Australia President and COO Sam (Takashi) Suda and Mr Lotter.
2019 Hino Dealer of the Year Results
Metropolitan Dealer of the Year:
Prestige Hino, Dandenong, VIC
Regional Dealer of the Year:
West Orange Motors, Orange, NSW
Hino Financial Services Award:
WA Hino Sales & Service, Perth, WA
Customer Experience – Sales:
Regional - Pacific Hino, Cairns, QLD
Metropolitan Class - Prestige Hino, Dandenong, VIC
Customer Experience – Service:
Regional Class - Jacob Hino, Wodonga, NSW
Metropolitan Class - Adtrans Hino, Sydney, NSW
Salesperson of the Year:
Danny Timewell, Prestige Hino, Dandenong, VIC
Sales Excellence (Metro):
GOLD – WA Hino Sales & Service, Perth, WA
SILVER – Prestige Hino, Dandenong, VIC
BRONZE – Adtrans Hino, Sydney, NSW
Sales Excellence (Regional):
GOLD – Till Hino, Geelong, VIC
SILVER – Newcastle Hino, NSW
BRONZE – Illawarra Hino, NSW
Parts Excellence (Metro):
GOLD – Sci-Fleet Hino Brisbane, QLD
SILVER – Prestige Hino, Dandenong, VIC
BRONZE – CMI Hino Melbourne, VIC
Parts Excellence (Regional):
GOLD – West Orange Motors, Orange, NSW
SILVER – Vanderfield Hino, Toowoomba, QLD
BRONZE – Sci-Fleet Hino Nerang, Gold Coast, QLD
Service Excellence (Metro):
GOLD – CMI Hino Adelaide, SA
SILVER – Prestige Hino, Dandenong, VVIC
BRONZE – City Hino, Arndell Park, Sydney, NSW
Service Excellence (Regional):
GOLD – Wagga Trucks, Wagga Wagga, NSW
SILVER – West Orange Motors, Orange, NSW
BRONZE – Illawarra Hino, NSW