Press Release : March 2013

Crown Automotive Group Partners with Northeast High School Automotive Academy

Crown Automotive Group has partnered with Northeast High School’s Automotive Academy to offer students a unique, in-depth and real-world look at dealership service departments in action. Students will have the opportunity to observe and learn from seasoned automotive professionals on-site at the Crown Collision Center and Crown Honda on March 11, 12, 14 and 15.

ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA Crown Automotive Group has partnered with Northeast High School’s Automotive Academy to offer students a unique, in-depth and real-world look at dealership service departments in action. Students will have the opportunity to observe and learn from seasoned automotive professionals on-site at the Crown Collision Center and Crown Honda on March 11, 12, 14 and 15. Members of the media are welcome to attend these interactive learning experiences.

All sessions will take place between 12:15 PM to 1:30 PM. Crown Collision Center service director Mike Elliot will host students on Monday, March 11 and Tuesday, March 12 at the collision center located at 5237 34th Street North in St. Petersburg, behind Crown Hyundai. On Thursday, March 14 and Friday, March 15, John Schnepp, service director for Crown's Pinellas County operations, will host students at the Crown Honda service department located at 7671 U.S. Highway 19 North in Pinellas Park.

Schedule of Events:

Crown Collision Center
Monday, March 11 and Tuesday, March 12
12:15 PM to 1:30 PM

Crown Honda
Thursday, March 14 and Friday, March 15
12:15 PM to 1:30 PM

"We are excited that Crown Automotive Group is helping us offer our students this hands-on experience at working service centers," stated Kevin Hendrick, principal of Northeast High School. "In addition to classroom learning, real-world professional experiences make students better prepared for the job market and success; it's an incredibly valuable learning opportunity. Our instructors and our students are all looking forward to the sessions with Crown."

Schnepp also commented, “This is an excellent opportunity to highlight some of the available career paths for graduating high school students looking to enter the automotive service industry. We look forward to offering these students the chance to experience an up-close and personal interaction with fully operational dealership service and collision centers. The industry can offer young people a bright future, with numerous opportunities for career development. Crown Automotive Group is honored to be hosting these sessions and we look forward to an ongoing partnership with Northeast High School as students continue join the Automotive Academy.”

Northeast High School boasts one of the most vibrant automotive technical and auto collision programs in the Pinellas County school system. The program is currently a “Center of Excellence” for these programs, a designation requiring stringent standards for both facility and performance. Further, the Automotive Academy has received certification by The National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) and TheNational Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE).

After completing the ninth-grade orientation courses, students continue their study in a career cluster of their choice. Required courses such as English, math and science are taught using an integrated approach that weaves automotive themes throughout the curriculum. Advanced education includes cooperative experiences such as on–the-job training.

Assistant principal Greg Zornes stated, “Northeast High School is very excited to enter into a partnership with Crown. Our automotive students are interested in pursuing a career in the automotive industry, and there is no better way to get their feet wet than to spend time with professionals on-site, and learn firsthand the industry expectations of prospective employees. We are very grateful to Crown for this opportunity.”

Crown Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Chattanooga Awarded as a 2013 DealerRater Dealer of the Year

DealerRater Honors Crown Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Chattanooga for Outstanding Customer Satisfaction Based on Customers’ Online Reviews Posted on DealerRater Web Site.

Chattanooga, TN DealerRater, the world’s premier automotive dealer review web site, recently announced the winners of the 2013 Dealer of the Year Award Program. Through this award program, 38 manufacturer categories were represented honoring top U.S. and Canadian dealers. Included in this year’s winners was Crown Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Chattanooga in the state of Tennessee.

Crown Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Chattanooga has demonstrated consistently high PowerScore™ ratings for customer satisfaction, placing them in the top of their class. The PowerScore is determined using an algorithm that factors the dealership’s average DealerRater consumer rating and the total number of reviews written about a dealership during the previous calendar year.

According to recent studies, 84% of Americans say online evaluations have an influence on their decision to purchase a product/service, and 73% of car shoppers now consult online dealership reviews. With the growth of Internet use in the car shopping process over the past decade, reputation management has become a vital part of any dealership’s marketing process.

“We congratulate Crown Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Chattanooga for achieving the top award for customer satisfaction amongst Chrysler dealers across the U.S. and look forward to their continued success through unparalleled customer service,” said Chip Grueter, president of DealerRater. “It was a tight competition among many outstanding dealers throughout the nation and Crown Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Chattanooga should be proud of this accomplishment.”

The management team of Crown Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Chattanooga also commented, "It is a great honor to receive the DealerRater Dealer of the Year Award. We would like to send a huge thank you out to our customers who took the time to rate us. Our customers are the reason we're in business and we're pleased to know we're serving them well.”

Jim Myers president and COO of Crown Automotive Group also commented, “We want to especially recognize our Crown Chattanooga dealership team members who work so diligently to make our shoppers happy every day; we are very proud of each and every one of them.”

About DealerRater:

DealerRater was founded in 2002 as the first car dealer review website worldwide. DealerRater is the world’s #1 online resource for anyone seeking trusted third-party information on automobile dealerships. DealerRater features nearly 40,000 U.S. and Canadian car dealers, nearly 950,000 consumer reviews and over 1 million cars for sale. DealerRater attracts more than 9.5 million consumers every year who visit the site to search for car dealerships, read reviews, write their own descriptive reviews, and find car deals – all for free.

In addition, DealerRater offers qualified car dealers a Certified Dealer Program as a reputation management tool to help them grow their online presence and achieve higher SEO rankings across the Web. Today, morethan 4,600 dealers are members of the award-winning DealerRater® Certified Dealer Program. DealerRater is proud to have earned the #137 position on the 2012 Inc. 500 list, an exclusive ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States. DealerRater was also recently awarded a Technology Leadership Award from Dealer Marketing Magazine and a “Top Rated” Reputation Management award in the fourth annual DrivingSales Dealer Satisfaction Awards. For more information, visit www.DealerRater.com or call 800-266-9455.

Crown Jaguar Honored with Top Award

Jaguar North America recently announced the recipients of the 2012/13 Pride of Jaguar Retailer Excellence award. Crown Jaguar is among the select group of Jaguar dealers to achieve this honorable award.

ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA Jaguar North America recently announced the recipients of the 2012/13 Pride of Jaguar Retailer Excellence award. Crown Jaguar is among the select group of Jaguar dealers to achieve this honorable award.

This is the ninth time Crown Jaguar has been honored with the Pride of Jaguar award. It also marks the sixth consecutive year that Crown Jaguar has earned this award.

“Crown Jaguar is honored to receive this prestigious award,” says Larry Casto, general manager. “It shows our continued dedication to providing an exceptional experience to our customers.”

Pride of Jaguar winners are dealers who have demonstrated a commitment to excellence and the Jaguar brand. Sixteen Jaguar dealers were selected based upon being top performers in three core business categories: customer advocacy, sales and business excellence.

“The Pride of Jaguar award annually honors those select dealers who exceeded expectations in customer satisfaction, sales performance and overall business excellence. These dealers are key elements in Jaguar's continued success," says Andy Goss, president, Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC. Jaguar has a network of 164 dealers across the U.S.

A trophy will be presented to the dealership during a celebration later this spring.

For more information on Crown Jaguar visit: http://www.crownjaguar.com/

Edmunds.com Recognizes Capital Volkswagen with 2013 Five Star Premier Dealer Award

Capital Volkswagen has been honored with the inaugural Five Star Premier Dealer Award from Edmunds.com, the premier resource for car shopping and automotive information. The award, presented last month at the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Convention and Expo in Orlando, Florida, recognizes car dealers who earned the highest marks for customer satisfaction in Edmunds.com’s Dealer Ratings and Reviews.

Tallahassee, FL Capital Volkswagen has been honored with the inaugural Five Star Premier Dealer Award from Edmunds.com, the premier resource for car shopping and automotive information. The award, presented last month at the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Convention and Expo in Orlando, Florida, recognizes car dealers who earned the highest marks for customer satisfaction in Edmunds.com’s Dealer Ratings and Reviews.

“Edmunds.com believes that customer service should be the number one priority for any dealership that wants to be successful,” says Edmunds.com President Seth Berkowitz. “Capital Volkswagen presents a model for customer satisfaction, and we congratulate its entire staff for creating an exceptional car buying experience.”

Capital Volkswagen is one of only two Tallahassee area dealers to win Edmunds.com’s 2013 Five Star Premier Dealer Award. A total of 95 dealerships from 33 U.S. metropolitan markets were recognized with the award. The Los Angeles market is home to the most award winners with 15, followed by the Boston and New York City markets with 10 apiece.

“We share Edmunds.com’s belief that customer satisfaction should be the number one priority for all dealerships. Our daily goal is to make sure that every customer contact ends with a satisfied and happy customer,” said Capital Volkswagen general manager Crawford Atkins. “We are very proud to be recognized for our efforts towards customer satisfaction and look forward to upholding such a high standard.”

Only participants in Edmunds.com’s Premier Dealer program were considered for the 2013 Five Star Premier Dealer Awards. To be eligible for the award, the dealership must have earned an average customer review rating of five stars on Edmunds.com – with a minimum of 20 reviews during the previous two years – as of January 17, 2013.

The full list of Edmunds.com’s 2013 Five Star Premier Dealer Award winners can be found at http://edmu.in/TURykC.

Tallahassee area car shoppers can see all the inventory and deals available now at Capital Volkswagen.

About Edmunds.com, Inc.:

At Edmunds.com, we’re committed to helping people find the car that meets their every need. Almost 18 million visitors use our research, shopping and buying tools every month to make an easy and informed decision on their next new or used car. Whether you’re at the dealership or on the go, we’re always by your side with our five-star Edmunds.com iPhone and iPad apps and our Edmunds.com Android App. Our comprehensive car reviews, shopping tips, photos, videos and feature stories offer a friendly and authentic approach to the automotive world. We’re based in Santa Monica, Calif., but you can connect with us from anywhere by following @Edmunds on Twitter or by becoming a fan of Edmunds.com on Facebook.

Edmunds.com Recognizes Crown Eurocars of Dublin with 2013 Five Star Premier Dealer Award

Crown Eurocars of Dublin has been honored with the inaugural Five Star Premier Dealer Award from Edmunds.com, the premier resource for car shopping and automotive information. The award, presented last month at the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Convention and Expo in Orlando, Florida, recognizes car dealers who earned the highest marks for customer satisfaction in Edmunds.com’s Dealer Ratings and Reviews.

Dublin, OH Crown Eurocars of Dublin has been honored with the inaugural Five Star Premier Dealer Award from Edmunds.com, the premier resource for car shopping and automotive information. The award, presented last month at the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Convention and Expo in Orlando, Florida, recognizes car dealers who earned the highest marks for customer satisfaction in Edmunds.com’s Dealer Ratings and Reviews.

“Edmunds.com believes that customer service should be the number one priority for any dealership that wants to be successful,” says Edmunds.com President Seth Berkowitz. “Crown Eurocars of Dublin presents a model for customer satisfaction, and we congratulate its entire staff for creating an exceptional car buying experience.”

Crown Eurocars of Dublin is the only Columbus area dealer to win Edmunds.com’s 2013 Five Star Premier Dealer Award. A total of 95 dealerships from 33 U.S. metropolitan markets were recognized with the award. The Los Angeles market is home to the most award winners with 15, followed by the Boston and New York City markets with 10 apiece.

“We couldn’t be happier to have achieved the Edmunds.com Five Star Award in the inaugural year,” said Crown Eurocars president and general manager Marc Wigler. “This award represents the top performers within one half of one percentile of all dealers.”

The full list of Edmunds.com’s 2013 Five Star Premier Dealer Award winners can be found at http://edmu.in/TURykC.

Columbus area car shoppers can see all the inventory and deals available now at Crown Eurocars of Dublin.

About Edmunds.com, Inc.:

Edmunds.com Recognizes Crown Hyundai with 2013 Five Star Premier Dealer Award

Crown Hyundai has been honored with the inaugural Five Star Premier Dealer Award from Edmunds.com, the premier resource for car shopping and automotive information. The award, presented last month at the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Convention and Expo in Orlando, Florida, recognizes car dealers who earned the highest marks for customer satisfaction in Edmunds.com’s Dealer Ratings and Reviews.

ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA Crown Hyundai has been honored with the inaugural Five Star Premier Dealer Award from Edmunds.com, the premier resource for car shopping and automotive information. The award, presented last month at the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Convention and Expo in Orlando, Florida, recognizes car dealers who earned the highest marks for customer satisfaction in Edmunds.com’s Dealer Ratings and Reviews.

“Edmunds.com believes that customer service should be the number one priority for any dealership that wants to be successful,” says Edmunds.com President Seth Berkowitz. “Crown Hyundai presents a model for customer satisfaction, and we congratulate its entire staff for creating an exceptional car buying experience.”

Crown Hyundai is one of only three Tampa-St. Petersburg area dealers to win Edmunds.com’s 2013 Five Star Premier Dealer Award. A total of 95 dealerships from 33 U.S. metropolitan markets were recognized with the award. The Los Angeles market is home to the most award winners with 15, followed by the Boston and New York City markets with 10 apiece.

“I am very proud of our team in both sales and service,” said Crown Hyundai general manager G.R. Tarr. “The goal of exceeding our customers’ positive expectations is part of the culture that we embrace every day.”

The full list of Edmunds.com’s 2013 Five Star Premier Dealer Award winners can be found at http://edmu.in/TURykC.

Tampa Bay area car shoppers can see all the inventory and deals available now at Crown Hyundai.