Dealer of the Year at first try

Rosetown Motor Group dealer principal Allan Paterson, holding the Hyundai Sales Dealer of the Year 2021 Trophy, with his winning team at the Te Awamutu dealership. Photo / Dean Taylor

To say the past 12 months has been challenging for the team at Rosetown Motor Group is an understatement – so to be awarded one of the highest franchise honours in their first year with the marque is an almost unbelievable achievement.

During the first wave of the pandemic in 2020 the then Holden dealership faced the unexpected news that General Motors was pulling out of the Australasian market.

Negotiations got under way to join a new team, and that resulted in a three-way franchise operation spearheaded by the successful Hyundai group.

During this time, longstanding shareholder and dealer principal Stu Tervit was working on his retirement strategy. This was completed also during the past 12 months, Stu handing over dealer principal to fellow shareholder Allan Paterson.

Allan says they knew they had done well in sales, and that they had a good team at Rosetown Motor Group, but at Friday night's awards their expectations weren't high.

It was a sign of the times that they didn't even leave town to attend their first Hyundai Motors New Zealand Awards – a group of mainly management assembling in the board room at the Te Awamutu dealership and watching via a YouTube broadcast.

Then, during the announcement of Sales Dealer of the Year by Chris Blair, GM Hyundai Motors New Zealand, a company rep burst into the boardroom and sprayed the gathering with celebratory Champagne.

The words came over the broadcast – 'Please join us in congratulating 2021 Sales Dealer of the Year, Allan Paterson of Rosetown Hyundai.'

In his presentation Chris said winning Sales Dealer of the Year isn't only about selling cars - selling cars is the result of good disciplines that make up a sales department.

"Sales Dealer of the Year measures how good a job you do at managing aged stock, delivery vehicles to head office fleets, and contributing to the success of the network as a whole by actually working with them.

"This year's sales dealer of the year is new to our Hyundai family, and it's safe to say at times has found it tough to get their head around the way we do things, but regardless, month on month this dealership have faced the challenge head on, and surpassed expectations."

He said they embraced that communication is a two-way street, and have always done a great job of keeping their lines of communication open.

"It's this grit that has resulted in achieving sales rates over 170 per cent of target," he said.

"They've single-handedly driven Hyundai growth in their franchise territory by 115 per cent, sitting at 8.7 per cent market share."

Rosetown Hyundai covers a large portion of the Waikato and King Country, from south of Hamilton to north of Taupo.

Allan says while the change wasn't easy for clients and staff, the Hyundai brand is proving to be a success for the dealership.

"We offer a greater range than previously, adding vans to the mix, as well as highly competitive and technologically advanced electric vehicles and hybrids," he says.

"The team is also grateful to our loyal customers, many who have embraced a new marque, plus we have attracted new clients."

He also thanks his staff, who have had to learn and adapt to new product, procedures and processes.

Allan believes the Hyundai brand has put Rosetown Motor Group into a strong position moving forward.