The UK’s most digitally-progressive car retailers gathered at the Banking Hall in London today for the Auto Trader Click Awards, an awards ceremony which also celebrated a decade of commending UK automotive retailers for digital excellence.
Auto Trader Click Award winners were described as ‘true industry leaders’ and ‘peer-inspiring’ by Auto Trader’s Group Sales Director, Le Etta Pearce, who presented the awards alongside BBC Breakfast Business Reporter, Steph McGovern and fellow Group Sales Director, Darren Moon.
The Auto Trader Click Awards proved to be as popular as ever for entries in its tenth year – receiving a record number of self-nomination submissions – and highlighting how digital strategies have become increasingly important for successful car retailers in a highly competitive marketplace.
The 2017 awards featured two brand new self-nomination categories; Business Transformation of the Year and Digital Innovator of the Year, which were judged by a prestigious panel of digital experts representing companies such as; Google, LinkedIn, Vodafone, ZPG and advertising giant HAVAS. Other category winners were decided by the opinions of 10,000 car buyers and from in-depth analysis of 160 million data-points across the Auto Trader marketplace.
Winners of the 2017 Auto Trader Click Awards
| CATEGORY | WINNER |
| Business Transformation of the Year (Independents) | David Spear Commercial Vehicles |
| Business Transformation of the Year (Franchise & Supermarkets) | Avalon Motor Company |
| Digital Innovator of the Year (Independents) | AZ Autos |
| Digital Innovator of the Year (Franchise and Supermarkets) | Renault Retail Group |
| Data Driven Retailer of the Year (Independents) | Simon James Cars Ltd. |
| Data Driven Retailer of the Year (Franchise & Supermarkets) | Imperial Car Supermarket |
| Best Performing Retailer on Auto Trader (Independents) | The Premium Car Collection |
| Best Performing Retailer on Auto Trader (Franchise & Supermarkets) | Geoff Cox Subaru |
| Best Digital Customer Experience (Independents) | Independent Cars |
| Best Digital Customer Experience (Franchise & Supermarkets) | JCT600 |
| Digital Retailer of the Year (Independents) | Crompton Way Motors |
| Digital Retailer of the Year (Supermarkets) | Imperial Car Supermarket |
| Digital Retailer of the Year (Franchise) | HR Owen |
Auto Trader Sales Director, Le Etta Pearce, said, “The Auto Trader Click Award winners should feel immensely proud. Not only has this tenth year seen a record number of entries – but the bar has once again been raised on quality – and the winners have proven that digital strategies and a data-driven approach are key to adapting business, improving online experiences for buyers and above all succeeding in today’s increasingly competitive marketplace.â€
Catherine Walker, Vodafone Group Enterprise Head of Digital & Marketing Operations, who was a judge for this year’s Auto Trader Click Awards, said, “This year’s submissions have been a joy to read, and we’ve seen some great examples of digital innovation, particularly from the smaller entrants with tighter budgets and resources. From this year’s winners, we’ve seen some fascinating ideas and smart thinking – showing inspiring signs of versatility and nimbleness – which certainly bodes well for the future of automotive retailing.â€
