Supreme service reaps reward

Staff at three Ford dealerships have received the highest possible accolade from the company for their focus on customer service.

The teams at Bridgwater Ford, Taunton Ford, and Yeovil Ford have jointly gained the Chairman’s Award, given by Ford of Europe boss Louis Booth to recognise their outstanding efforts at keeping customers happy. Only a small number of the company’s thousands of dealerships across the Continent receive it each year.

Part of all-Ford seven outlet Foray Motor Group, one of the brand’s top 10 dealerships in the UK, the Somerset staff have won the award more than once before, as have other parts of Foray which recently expanded into Dorset by taking over outlets at Dorchester and Poole. It is based in Salisbury, where it has another dealership. Its seventh is at Andover.

Dealer principal Chris Yoxon, managing director of Foray, said the award from Mr Booth came as a result of staff scoring highly across all the dealerships’ activities rather than in just one area.

“Virtually everyone involved in a car dealership has public contact so it’s a mark of the high standards of all the people we employ that we have received this award,” he added.

“No one person stands out in this so every individual in the 103 staff working for us in Somerset is getting the same recognition. We may be a large chain, but we retain the essential attitude of a small, friendly family business.

“The motor industry frequently suffers a bad press but the Chairman’s Award clearly demonstrates that we are better than many of the rest. This is a time when all car dealers are competing against one another in a very tough market but Foray customers in Bridgwater, Taunton, and Yeovil can be assured we will always look after them as our first priority. Ultimately, they are what drives our business.

“Ford now has a broad selection of models appealing to a wide range of motorists, with the new Fiesta just arriving to put us back at the pinnacle of the all-important supermini market.

“We will be holding launch events for the car very shortly – double celebrations in view of this vital new model and our award. We’d like to invite everyone to join the party!”