"Sales Award 2009" for the Audi Center Essen

LEIPZIG, GERMANY – March 30, 2009: With its innovative and successful marketing and sales concept the Audi Center Essen has won the “Vertriebs-Award 2009” (Sales Award 2009) amongst 200 German dealerships presented by the trade magazines “kfz-betrieb” and “Gebrauchtwagen Praxis”. “This prize shows that Audi not only builds fascinating cars but is equally successful in marketing and sales,” said Michael-Julius Renz, Sales Manager Germany of AUDI AG.

On the opening day of the Auto Mobil International (AMI) trade show in Leipzig, the management team of the Audi Center Essen was jubilant over winning the “Sales Award”, which is considered the industry’s “Oscar”. “This award honors the accomplishment of our employees above all,” Renz declared. In addition to a successful marketing concept and high-quality vehicle displays, personal service support is one of the key success factors in the competition.

The Audi Center Essen focuses on effective employee training and enduring customer relations. Thomas Kipper, Head of the Audi Center Essen, notes that his employees’ competence, commitment and motivation make the difference in his organization. Newsletters and direct mailshots provide information at regular intervals about new products and services offered by the Audi Center Essen. Other important factors rated by the judges of the “Sales Award” are innovative sales and marketing ideas as well as their exemplary implementation. The Audi Center Essen bested the competition with its marketing campaign “Germany’s Widest Choice of Convertibles”. During this campaign, 177 convertibles and roadsters were delivered to customers. Factors that made the Audi Center so successful included methods of direct customer selling and media marketing deliberately targeted at the region and lucrative foreign markets. For instance, the dealership sponsored a “Day of the Automobile” and set up a partnership with a regionally important company. What mattered, however, was not only creativity but also the campaign’s success. In 2008 the Audi Center Essen celebrated the most successful year in the company’s history.

Over 100 new vehicles and more than 200 high-quality used cars are always on display on the 2,500 square meters (nearly 27,000 square feet) of display area at the Audi Center Essen. 100 trained employees ensure flawless operations in sales, customer support and the repair shop.