Autobytel honors exceptional dealers from a competitive field of thousands

Rese Ballou, Business Development Manager of Hendrick Toyota Scion, Named Autobytel Dealer of the Month; Dealer of the Year Awards Slated for January 2014

IRVINE, CA--September 20, 2013Autobytel Inc. , the company dedicated to helping automotive consumers and dealers connect online, has named Rese Ballou, Business Development Manager of Hendrick Toyota Scion in North Charleston, South Carolina, the Autobytel Dealer of the Month for August 2013.

“It’s thrilling to be named an Autobytel Dealer of the Month”

The company’s Dealer Awards Program honors exceptional Autobytel dealers who employ the highest standards in customer service and Internet automotive retail sales and lead management processes. The Autobytel Dealer of the Year Award is slated to be announced at the NADA Convention & Expo in New Orleans in January 2014, with the crowning dealer chosen from this year’s pool of monthly winners.

Rese joins Patti Scipione of M’Lady Nissan, Paul LeRose of Pauly Toyota, Tim Morgan of Radley Acura, Steve Roberts of Crown Motors Redding and Kenny Jakel of Lee Johnson Kia—who were named the Autobytel Dealers of the Month for March, April, May, June and July 2013—in that pool of winners.

“Rese and her team are dynamos, setting month over month records at Hendrick Toyota Scion,” said Jeffrey Coats, President and CEO of Autobytel Inc. “They understand the importance of the personal touch and the fundamentals of relationship building when it comes to managing Internet customers. Their low-pressure sales environment focuses on the appointment and not the car, and that approach has been very successful. There’s a reason Hendrick Toyota Scion is the number one Toyota dealership in the state and an Autobytel Dealer of the Month.”

Each month, Autobytel’s sales and dealer operations teams evaluate prospective candidates from a competitive field of thousands of automotive retailers in the Autobytel network, with a monthly winner selected based on key online automotive best practices.

Criteria evaluated for the Autobytel Dealer Awards Program include conversion rates, lead management processes, customer service principles, customer and brand retention analytics and Internet department practices, among others.

“It’s thrilling to be named an Autobytel Dealer of the Month,” said Ballou. “I’m very, very proud of my team and our dealership. There are six women in my department and we’ve created a great support system here. The best advice I can give to other dealers is to steer away from the high pressure sales environment. Treat each customer like a person, not a number, and focus on building the relationship.”

Hendrick Toyota Scion is located in North Charleston, South Carolina, servicing customers in the greater Charleston area, including the surrounding communities of Summerville, Moncks Corner, and Goose Creek. The dealership also services Charleston Naval Weapons Station military personnel and nearby Boeing employees. It’s the largest Toyota dealership in the state.

Named # 1 Dealers’ Choice Awards in 2012 by Auto Dealer Monthly, and a finalist of the 2013 DrivingSales Most Valuable Insight Award this April, Autobytel consistently ranks as a top quality Internet lead provider, with the company’s internally-generated leads converting at approximately three times the rate of the estimated industry average.

For more information about the Autobytel Dealer Awards Program, or to learn more about the winners as they’re announced, visit the “Dealer Corner” at dealer.autobytel.com. Visit Autobytel to learn about the company's leading automotive information, products and services; watch exclusive new car videos, test drives and car reviews at Autobytel’s YouTube page; or join the conversation on the Autobytel Facebook Fan Page.