Regional Toyota dealerships take top national honour - again

    The team at South Canterbury Toyota celebrate the dealership’s fifth President’s Trophy win, a national record for Toyota stores in New Zealand. Supplied

Consistency might not sound glamorous, but for South Canterbury and Ashburton Toyota it’s proving to be a winning formula.

The dealerships have just taken out Toyota New Zealand’s prestigious President’s Trophy for the second year running - and for a record fifth time overall.

For CEO Mark Patterson, the achievement reflects years of steady work behind the scenes.

“Consistency and loyalty from both our customers and our team,” he said.

“That’s what it really comes down to.”

The President’s Trophy is one of Toyota New Zealand’s highest honours, recognising performance across customer satisfaction, sales, service, facilities and long-term customer relationships.

Measured across eight different criteria, the award includes factors such as Net Promoter Score, customer retention, community involvement, data accuracy and how dealerships resolve customer issues.

While the metrics may be complex, Patterson believes the foundations are straightforward.

“We don’t settle for anything less than good service,” he said.

“And when something does go wrong -  which can happen in any business -we make sure we put things right quickly and aim for the best outcome for the customer.”

For rural dealerships, he says the relationship with customers often goes deeper than a simple transaction.

“We’re fortunate to have long-serving staff, particularly within our management team, and that helps us train younger staff and pass on the understanding that rural communities expect something a little different.”

That difference often comes down to personal service.

 “We try to remember customers’ names where possible and anticipate what they might need,” Patterson said.

“We also understand that for many of our customers it can be a couple of hours’ drive just to get their vehicle serviced, so it’s important we get the job done properly the first time.”

Compared with large metropolitan dealerships, where volume can drive the pace of business, Patterson says regional branches operate differently.

“For us it’s about shaking someone’s hand, looking them in the eye and knowing we’ve done a good job.”

Convenience is another key part of the service model, particularly for customers juggling farm work or busy rural businesses.

South Canterbury and Ashburton Toyota both offer pick-up and delivery options for servicing, helping minimise disruption.

“Servicing isn’t something people wake up excited to do in the morning,” Patterson said.

“Buying a new car is exciting, but servicing isn’t. So, our job is to make that process as easy and stress-free as possible.”

    South Canterbury Toyota and Ashburton Toyota CEO Mark Patterson (centre) accepts the President’s Trophy alongside Toyota New Zealand CEO Tatsuya Ishikawa (left) and Toyota East Asia & Oceania Division general manager Shimizu Takuji at the Toyota & Lexus Business Excellence Awards. Supplied.

While the dealerships are focused on customer relationships today, Patterson says the wider automotive industry is entering a period of significant change.

“I think this will be the biggest shake-up the industry has seen since the wheel,” he said.

Electrification, hybrid technology and changing consumer expectations are already reshaping the market.

Hybrid vehicles provide one example of how quickly attitudes can change.

“Back in 2010 the Prius was really the only hybrid option and people were unsure about the technology,” Patterson said.

“Fast forward to today and the RAV4 was the number one selling vehicle in New Zealand last year, and every one of those sold was a hybrid.”

As electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles become more common, Patterson says electricity providers are also beginning to adapt.

“Power companies are starting to come on board as well,” he said.

“Some offer free weekend or overnight charging plans, which means if people charge their vehicles at the right time, it can cost very little - sometimes nothing.”

For many drivers, plug-in hybrids may provide a practical stepping stone.

“They allow people to drive short distances on battery power during the week but still have the option to fill up and travel longer distances when they need to.”

Even as technology moves quickly, Patterson believes one thing will remain constant.

“Technology is moving fast, but there will always be a place for dealerships and people behind the counter,” he said.

“At the end of the day, it still comes down to trust and relationships.”