Celebrating the best in the business in 2019
AMBASSADORSHIP
For extraordinary service to the community and the industry
Jamie Massie
Georgian Chevrolet Buick GMC, Barrie, Ontario
Brands represented: Chevrolet, Buick, GMC
Years in business: 38
Number of employees: 150
Keys to success: The most important factor in the success of Georgian Chevrolet has been the ability to find great people — people who live their lives demonstrating a strong moral and ethical compass — and inspire them to be exceptional leaders. My advice to young people entering this business is to go out and make a difference.
Judges’ comments: With the Borden Legacy project he accomplished an outstanding tribute to past Canadian Forces members. Like many dealers, Jamie is active in sports sponsorship, but his involvement here is also unusual. As a team owner he worked to construct a new arena, and also creatively paired hockey players with police officers to jointly create education for young people. Finally, Jamie Massie was instrumental in the creation of the Canadian Automotive Institute at Georgian College. Across very diverse areas, Jamie Massie has shown truly exceptional ambassadorship.
Sponsor comments: Jamie has been the driving force behind many community and industry initiatives. Auto dealers are really busy people; yet I am always impressed by how so many of them find the time to be hands-on in giving back. Jamie takes this to a whole new level, as the initiatives he has spearheaded have been both substantial and plentiful. It’s no surprise Jamie received a lifetime achievement award from the City of Barrie for his contributions. Whether it’s for his community or his industry, Jamie is unsurpassed in leading the way.
(Sean O’Brien, iA Dealer Services)
BUSINESS INNOVATION
For initiatives that significantly enhance performance or broaden the scope of business for new car and truck dealers
Aziz Ahamed
Destination Auto Group, (inclusive of Destination Toyota Burnaby, Destination Honda Burnaby, Destination Kingsway Honda, Destination Vancouver Mazda, Destination Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram North Shore), Burnaby, Vancouver and North Vancouver, British Columbia
Brands represented: Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram
Years in business: 30+ years
Number of employees: 460
Keys to success: I attribute our success to a focus on people. We strive to create a dealership experience that is centered around our associates and guests. For our associates, this means creating a “can-do” culture that is supported by pillars of training and development, communication and recognition.
Judges’ comments: Leading-edge professional human resource management is one of the hallmarks of Aziz Ahamed’s operation. The organization has very professional finance and HR functions, with some of the interesting innovations including the “Under the Hood” initiative, the Predictive Index (for talent acquisition, on-boarding, and on-going coaching), and the employee-led 80s Tracker. Other innovations, such as the internal training program called Sales Foundations, followed by a Foundation Review, as well as excellent employee retention initiatives, contribute to success.
Sponsor comments: Aziz completely changed the structure of his organization in 2016, and set about building a unique culture for his dealer group. From building the first mixed-use residential condo/auto dealership in Canada, to in-sourcing all content for the in-house training department, the list of innovations is long and diverse, and covers all areas of the business. Aziz and his team are constantly introducing new business methods that have a significant, positive impact.
(Alnoor Jiwani, iA Dealer Services)
RETAIL OPERATIONS
For outstanding achievement within an individual dealership
Charles Saillant
Ste-Foy Toyota , (member of Groupe Saillant), Quebec City, Quebec
Brands represented: Toyota
Years in business: 16 years
Number of employees: 140 employees
Keys to success: I would say, without hesitation, that our strength is the strength of our team. Do not be afraid to delegate, that is the best way to grow your team. They will make mistakes, but they will learn from them. Recent technological breakthroughs enable us to get real-time KPIs, which helps to manage results. But it’s most important to focus on the human capital.
Judge’s comments: There are many exceptional aspects of Charles Saillant’s dealer operations. He simultaneously excelled in both sales and customer service, which can be difficult to optimize. He has consistently outperformed his manufacturer’s national index, and the index for Quebec, for both sales and customer satisfaction. In a very competitive market he consistently exceeds market share objectives and tops, or is near the top, of most Net Promoter Score lists.
Sponsor comments: In every area of dealership operations, Ste-Foy Toyota is a top performer. They have been exceeding brand objectives for many years in sales, service and customer satisfaction. Their revenue growth has been impressive yet they still maintain a Google rating of 4.6 on nearly 1,000 reviews. It’s very difficult to build a volume-oriented business without losing a step in customer satisfaction, but Charles and his team seem to have found the right formula, and have been showing how it’s done for over a decade.
(Sean O’Brien — iA Dealer Services)
