Recognition that sets your dealership apart

Today’s automotive retail market is one of the most competitive and dynamic areas within the industry—but also, most importantly, it remains a key area of differentiation.

Dealers nationwide are faced with the daunting challenge of distinguishing their retail operations from local competitors and delivering an exceptional customer experience.

So how do you achieve that goal? How do you separate yourself from others within your local market?

The J.D. Power Dealer of Excellence Program^SM recognizes dealerships nationwide on their outstanding sales experience, distinguishing them as high performers within the retail automotive marketplace.

Certified dealers are held to high objective standards, limiting those who qualify to the top 2%-3% of all dealers nationwide.

Certification is designed to recognize select dealerships on their commitment to customer service and assist dealer managers in differentiating their brand from local competitors. From the customer point of view, Dealer of Excellence is a stamp of approval that provides confidence in the new- and used-vehicle shopping experience.

View the full list of J.D. Power Dealers of Excellence by State >

How does a dealership qualify as a Dealer of Excellence™?

Dealers that are outstanding in their dedication to providing customers with an excellent experience are free to submit their name for consideration assuming they meet at least one of the following requirements:

• They have earned their respective manufacturer’s award for CSI/SSI (Mercedes-Benz “Best of the Best”, GM’s “Dealer of the Year”, Lexus’s “Elite of Lexus”, the Ford “Presidents Award” or “Triple Crown”, and so on)
• They perform in the upper tier of their respective manufacturer’s CSI ranking (see Program Guidelines for specifics as they vary with each OEM).

How many dealers qualify for Dealer of Excellence™?

Among the ≈17,000 franchised new car dealerships in the U.S., 2% to 3% qualify for inclusion. Only one or two dealers of the same make in any PMA/DMA can earn DOE recognition (unless those franchises are owned by the same owner). This tenet is in place to preserve program integrity by avoiding market saturation.

Dealerships are evaluated on a “first come, first served” basis.

What is a dealer required to do after initially qualifying?

After the DOE Ambassador has verified initial qualifications and submitted the corresponding documentation, a DOE inspector will visit your dealership to interview the GM or owner, sales manager, F&I manager and the newest sales team member who has undergone the dealership’s training regimen and fully understands the store’s commitment to providing customer satisfaction excellence. This process takes 1.5 to 2 hours.

How soon will we know how we did?

You will be informed of the results in 2 to 3 business days after inspection completion.

What if we don’t pass?

You may resubmit your DOE application for re-consideration after 6 months.

I’m an independent dealer who provides great customer service. How do I go about qualifying for Dealer of Excellence™?

Due to our qualifying guidelines, Dealer of Excellence™ recognition is only available to new vehicle franchisees.

How long do I get to keep the title of “Dealer of Excellence™”?

The Dealer of Excellence™ license runs year to year. Once your initial year is up, every Dealer of Excellence is re-investigated via an abbreviated version of the initial inspection outlined above. This recertification process is conducted by phone and generally takes a ½-hour to complete. You’re informed of your results immediately at the end of the call. As long as you keep your standing in the community and agree to abide by the licensing rules, your DOE certification can seamlessly continue with no predefined end date in sight.

We just bought an existing Dealer of Excellence™ dealership. Can I simply go through the recertification process at year end?

 Unfortunately, no. A complete change in ownership requires the new dealership to submit a new application and start the certification process from the beginning with two exceptional cases:

1. The dealership is still run by the same GM
2. The purchasing dealer/company already owns an/is an existing DOE-recognized dealership

We were just informed that we earned the J.D. Power Dealer of Excellence™ honor. What happens next?

You’ll receive a media package including the digital version of your J.D. Power DOE honor, allowing you to immediately start leveraging your accolade. The package includes adding the JDP DOE logo and award info on your emails, letterhead, websites, repair orders, customer communications, business cards, social media posts, radio, cable & TV advertisements. Last but not least, you’ll also receive a cut crystal trophy direct from J.D. Power to proudly display your new achievement.

Ready to get started and see if you’ve already been pre-qualified for Dealer of Excellence™? Contact Gregg London, J.D. Power Dealer of Excellence Ambassador at 704.905.8269 or [email protected].