Sutton Ford & Lincoln dealerships earn prestigious President’s Awards
Matteson group occupies rarified air winning both
Nathaniel ( Nate) Sutton proudly stood in front of dozens of his employees who had packed the showroom floor at Sutton Ford in Matteson. While there was anticipation in the air, it abruptly snapped into huge applause when he held up two large plaques – the President’s Awards for both Ford and Lincoln – an accomplishment representing the top 1 percent of dealerships in the country.
“I am so proud of the team. They are the ones working with the customers each day,” Sutton says. “Everyone’s attitude has been focused on our customers’ experience before – and after – the transaction. It’s requires a real attention to detail and I’m really proud of them.”
The celebration was historical in many ways for the dealership. It had been 19 years since it last managed to combine sales volume numbers with service satisfaction numbers to win the coveted award. Created in 1998, it recognizes dealers for excellence in providing outstanding customer service and satisfaction. Eligibility is determined via customer survey responses regarding their sales and service satisfaction. The award salutes those topperforming Ford and Lincoln dealerships that embrace these philosophies.
With a sea of blue polos featuring Sutton’s trademark PRUIT acronym emblazoned on the chest of everyone in the crowd, Sutton accepted the awards from corporate Ford and Lincoln regional managers and praised the commitment his team has managed to build and sustain.
Sutton launched a new Core Values initiative called PRUIT ( Personal Growth, Respect, Urgency, Integrity, Teamwork) four years ago with the intent of capturing the levels of satisfaction and excellence that the President’s Awards recognize.
According to Dawn Valeski, Great Lakes regional manager for Lincoln, there were more than 60 Lincoln dealerships competing for the award and it is incredibly rare to see Sutton win for the two brands Ford and Lincoln. “This is very rare,” she says of the only group in her region to win a dual President’s Award.
Sutton Ford took the President’s Award among more than 260 regional dealerships, says Ivan Boykin, regional manager for Ford. “This is rarified air here at Sutton. These President’s Awards represent the ultimate team sport and it takes everyone, from the cashiers and technicians to the sales team and receptionists to achieve such a high degree of satisfaction and success.”