Nine delegates from Suzuki’s dealer network have been awarded a certificate of management in the Suzuki GB aftersales management development programme (AMDP), with Paul Castle from James & Jenkins, Cardiff, named as delegate of the year.

The Institute of the Motor Industry accredited training programme is designed to develop aftersales managers and supervisors within the Suzuki GB dealerships and combines workplace and classroom-based training over 12 months with all course content relating to work issues.

All participants are judged on their competency in a number of key areas including leadership; personal drive and resilience; decision making; organisational skills; and customer and commercial focus.

“We launched AMDP in 2004 and we are now on the fourth intake,” said Denis Houston, general manager aftersales at Suzuki GB.

“Comprehensive and consistent training is a key element of our dealership operations and it helps us to develop professional management teams to the benefit of improved business performance, increased staff retention and, above all, enhanced customer service.

“It is one of the reasons why a number of key surveys over the past five years have consistently confirmed that Suzuki dealers provide the very highest levels of customer satisfaction in the industry.”

The nine delegates are:

Paul Castle (James & Jenkins, Cardiff)
Paul Marshall (Seward Cars, Havant)
Andy Wilmont (Maxmatt Brighton Suzuki)
Graham Nicholls (Epsom Suzuki)
Mark Walker-Thorpe (Colin Appleyard Cars, Huddersfield)
Tony Graffin (John Wilkins Cars, Cheltenham)
Robbie Gibson (Verve Kilmarnock)
Nicola Bolton (John Banks Ltd, Ipswich)
Graham Care (Walldonway, Maidstone)