Mercedes-Benz lauds top dealers

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Staff from Mercedes-Benz Botany celebrate a successful night. From left, Steve Mabbett, Jon Aldridge, Petra Morley, Steve Mason, Armstrong’s chief executive Troy Kennedy and Lee Li   

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Joerg Schmidt (left), GM for Mercedes-Benz NZ – Cars, and Trevor Walmsley, dealer principal for Mercedes-Benz Auckland  

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Joerg Schmidt (left) with Jon Aldridge, dealer principal for Mercedes-Benz Botany, which won the Circle of Excellence Award for the second year in a row  

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Joerg Schmidt (left) hands over the AMG Sales Consultant of the Year award to Ben Trethewey, from Mercedes-Benz Auckland  

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Tracey Appleton (left), business development manager for Mercedes-Benz Vans NZ, and Craig Innes, dealer principal for Mercedes-Benz North Shore  

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Frederick Cheng, from Mercedes-Benz North Shore, was named Elite Sales Consultant of the Year  

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Deniz Yolac (left), Mercedes-Benz NZ’s head of customer services, with Jeremy Duffy, from Mercedes-Benz Christchurch, who was crowned Service Manager of the Year  

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Richard Field (left) and Mark Dragovich, both from CablePrice Christchurch, took out the Mercedes-Benz Vans’ Sales Person of the Year and Service Manager of the Year awards respectively  

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Deniz Yolac (left) helps Ben Mundy, from Mercedes-Benz Christchurch, celebrate winning Service Adviser of the Year  

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All Blacks legend Sean Fitzpatrick was the special guest at the prizegiving  

Mercedes-Benz New Zealand has recognised business and individual excellence across its cars, vans and financial services networks after handing out a number of gongs at its Retailer of the Year awards for 2023. 

Mercedes-Benz Auckland and Mercedes-Benz Botany were named as the top two retailers for the marque’s cars division and shared the Circle of Excellence Award.

It was a repeat success for the Botany outfit after it also scooped the main prize at the 2022 awards.

Joerg Schmidt, general manager for Mercedes-Benz NZ – Cars, says the triumphant businesses delivered exceptional results across sales and service measures. 

“Both winners demonstrated real dedication and team spirit, resulting in their exceptional performance outcomes for 2023,” he adds. 

“I would like to sincerely thank the entire Mercedes-Benz network for their ongoing customer focus and enthusiasm – it was a very closely fought race.”

The Circle of Excellence prize was introduced by the brand in 2020 to recognise the top-performing passenger car retailers in the country. 

Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz North Shore scooped the retailer of the year award for the vans section. 

Tracey Appleton, business development manager for Mercedes-Benz Vans, says: “With excellent results across all areas of their business, Mercedes-Benz North Shore aspired to be the best of the best, striving once again to claim the title of the leading retailer in this category.”

The accolades were presented at a dinner event held in Auckland’s Viaduct last week as staff from across the country came together to celebrate a year of achievement. 

All Blacks legend Sean Fitzpatrick was special guest for the evening and shared some personal experiences to begin the proceedings. 

Award winners 2023

Mercedes-Benz Cars

Circle of Excellence, Retailer of the Year
Mercedes-Benz Auckland and  Mercedes-Benz Botany

Retailer of the Year Awards
Sales Manager of the Year – Spencer Pallesen (Mercedes-Benz Hawke’s Bay) 
Elite Sales Consultant of the Year – Frederick Cheng (Mercedes-Benz North Shore) 
Premium Sales Consultant of the Year – Martin Ngan (Mercedes-Benz Wellington) 
AMG Sales Consultant of the Year – Ben Trethewey (Mercedes-Benz Auckland)
Certified Pre-Owned Sales Consultant of the Year – Lee Li (Mercedes-Benz Botany) 

Customer Services
Parts Manager of the Year – Steve Mabbett (Mercedes-Benz Botany) 
Service Manager of the Year – Jeremy Duffy (Mercedes-Benz Christchurch) 
Service Adviser of the Year – Ben Mundy (Mercedes-Benz Christchurch) 

Mercedes-Benz Vans

Retailer of the Year – Mercedes-Benz North Shore
Parts Manager of the Year – Cameron McIntyre (Keith Andrews Hamilton) 
Service Manager of the Year – Mark Dragovich (CablePrice Christchurch) 
Sales Person of the Year – Richard Field (CablePrice Christchurch) 

Financial Services

Business Manager of the Year – Petra Morley (Mercedes-Benz Botany)