Dealership dominates awards

Blackwells Mazda has won the marque’s Dealer of the Year award for the third time and the Christchurch company also scooped a number of other gongs at the annual prizegiving.

The Mazda Dealership Awards celebrated business success in 2021 and evaluated all areas of a dealership’s operation, including vehicle and parts sales, service, and customer satisfaction results. 

As well as the top Dealer of the Year, trophies were awarded across seven categories including excellence in sales, service, finance, marketing and community contribution. 

David Hodge, Mazda New Zealand managing director, says it has been a challenging couple of years for the automotive sector but its dealerships across the country have risen to the challenge. 

“It has been a long wait to be able to gather and celebrate our dealers hard work over the last year and we are thrilled to honour those who have exceeded expectations,” he adds.

“It is the third time Blackwells Mazda have won the Dealer of the Year award which is further evidence of their strong commitment to achieving success across all areas of their business.

“The Blackwells team not only achieved outstanding sales results but continued to provide top notch customer service.”  

Seth Ovens, Blackwells Mazda dealer principal, describes winning the Dealer of the Year award as a “huge privilege and not something we take lightly”. 

“The team have worked incredibly hard this year and it is amazing to see that hard work paying off,” he explains.

Blackwells Mazda also won awards for excellence in new vehicle sales, excellence in aftersales – service and excellence in marketing. 

Award winners

Dealer of the Year: Blackwells Mazda, Christchurch

Excellence in New Vehicle Sales: Blackwells Mazda, Christchurch

Excellence in Aftersales – Service: Blackwells Mazda, Christchurch

Excellence in Aftersales – Parts: Nicholson Mazda, Whakatane

Excellence in Mazda Finance: John Andrew Mazda, Auckland

Excellence in Lead Management: John Andrew Mazda, Auckland

Excellence in Marketing: Blackwells Mazda, Christchurch

Mazda Foundation Community Excellence: Fagan Mazda, Masterton

• Pictured above are the winning Blackwells Mazda team of Wayne McLellan, left, parts manager, Jeff Bunz, service manager, Seth Ovens, dealer principal, Kitty Hong, marketing manager, and George Wallis, sales manager.