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BRIDGESTONE SELECT HENDRA CLAIMS TOP PRIZE

Inaugural Drive program recognises Bridgestone Select and Bridgestone Service Centres

Bridgestone has named its top performing stores throughout Australia for 2020, with Queensland’s Bridgestone Select Hendra, owned by Caleb Sos, claiming the title of ‘National Franchise of the Year’ in the inaugural year of the Drive program. The Drive program was launched in January 2020 as the recognition program of Bridgestone Select and Bridgestone Service Centres, seeing the network benchmarked against customer satisfaction and business performance. Drive is made up of four categories: Franchise of the Year for Bridgestone Select stores, Store of the Year for Bridgestone Service Centres, and Truck Store of the Year for the best performing store from Bridgestone’s commercial vehicle network, with a regional and overall national winner for each. A dedicated national New Store of the Year title was also awarded amongst 30 Bridgestone Select locations in their first three years of trading. “Going above and beyond with customer service is what sets us apart from our competitors, and the Drive award tells our customers that we’re here and you can rely on us to serve you well, and reminds our team that all the work has been worthwhile,” Winner of National Franchise of the Year, Caleb Sos, said. According to Bridgestone Australia and New Zealand Managing Director, Stephen Roche, 2020 was the ideal test of the Drive program’s criteria. “The Drive program was designed to identify and celebrate the exceptional stores in our network, evaluated by the judges that matter most to our stores and Bridgestone – the customers who trust us with their vehicles,” Stephen said. “In a year where trust and customer service were more critical than ever before, the entire network has demonstrated a commitment to serving the needs of their customers and we’re delighted to recognise our network’s best and name our top performing stores.” Other winners included: • Bridgestone Service Centre Wedgefield –

National Store of the Year • Bridgestone Service Centre Geraldton –

National Truck Store of the Year • Bridgestone Select Welshpool (Orrong Road) – New Store of the Year and WA Region

Franchise of the Year • Bridgestone Service Centre Murwillumbah –

QLD Store of the Year • Bridgestone Service Centre North Lakes –

QLD Truck Store of the Year • Bridgestone Select Coffs Harbour –

NSW/ACT Franchise of the Year • Bridgestone Service Centre Cessnock –

NSW/ACT Store of the Year • Bridgestone Service Centre Parkes –

NSW/ACT Truck Store of the Year • Bridgestone Select Mornington –

VIC/TAS Franchise of the Year • Bridgestone Service Centre Ballarat –

VIC/TAS Store of the Year • Bridgestone Service Centre Horsham –

VIC/TAS Truck Store of the Year • Bridgestone Select West Lakes –

SA/NT Franchise of the Year • Bridgestone Service Centre Winnellie –

SA/NT Store of the Year • Bridgestone Service Centre Clare –

SA/NT Truck Store of the Year

For more from Bridgestone, visit www.bridgestone.com.au

2021 CLICK & FIT PROGRAM LAUNCHED

By Fulcrum Suspensions

Following the overwhelming success of its trial in March last year, Fulcrum Suspensions has just launched its 2021 Click & Fit Program which promises to be a hit both with customers and its dealer network. Announced at the recent National 4x4 Outdoors Show in Brisbane, the initiative allows customers on the Fulcrum Suspensions website (www.fulcrumsuspensions.com.au) to select components that fit their vehicle and instead of just having the parts delivered to their home or closest dealer, they can now arrange for the parts to be installed by a qualified suspension specialist in their local area. “Since we trialled Click & Fit last year, we’ve had more and more customers asking us whether we could assist with fitment of their Fulcrum products and it was a logical decision to make Click & Fit an ongoing program for the business,” Fulcrum Suspension Chief Executive Officer, Nicolas Scudamore-Smith, said. “Consumer demand is already heading in this direction across the whole industry, and we believe it is great news for our dealers as well, specifically the fact that we are sending them a brand-new consumer to their workshop who will potentially become a customer for life.” To launch the initiative, Fulcrum and its dealer network offered 50 percent off the installation price for any lift kit purchased up until March 31, which represented a significant saving for customers. Further to the retail offer, a National marketing campaign has been launched across digital, social media and radio, as well as leveraging the hugely successful partnership between Fulcrum Suspensions and the team at 4WD24/7. The surge in online demand for Fulcrum products has also created a number of new roles within the business, with a team of Click & Fit Concierges recently recruited. The role of the Click & Fit Concierge is to liaise with the dealer network and confirm an agreed time for the fitment to take place, ensuring that the customer and workshop is kept up-to-date at all times. “We genuinely feel this is a game changer for the industry and have the full support of our dealer network for what is a very exciting time ahead,” Nicholas said.

For more information regarding Click & Fit, visit www.fulcrumsuspensions.com.au