O’Connors wins big at dealer awards

For the fourth year in a row, O’Connors has taken out the Dealer of the Year award (three branches or more) at Case IH’s annual dealer conference in Hobart.

the O'Connors team receiving their Case IH Dealer Award

Pete McCann (General Manager Case IH Australia/New Zealand), Tom Sheriden (O’Connors), Rowan Bennett (O’Connors), Lisa Day (O’Connors), O’Connors’ Chief Executive Officer Gareth Webb, Michael McGough (O’Connors), Daniel Speed (O’Connors), David Hair (O’Connors)

Fellow Case IH dealer TTMI also made the winners list, taking home the award for one or two branches (Trafalgar in Victoria and Longford in Tasmania), their first Dealer of the Year award.

Case IH ANZ general manager Pete McCann praised the two winner’s level of commitment and results.

“To win this title four years in a row says a great deal about this business and the team they’ve assembled across all their dealership locations,” McCann says. “To win this award a dealership has to prove its excellence across a whole range of criteria, and consistently and rigorously maintain those standards, and that’s something O’Connors has not only done but done very well.

“To TTMI, congratulations on the first Dealer of the Year Award for one or two branches, and I’m sure it won’t be the last time we see them with the winners’ trophy.

“They have undergone significant changes in the past few years, all of them positive steps forward for the business, its staff and customers, so it’s great to see all of that now paying off,” he adds.

“Both dealers are a credit to our Case IH network here in Australia, putting customer service, knowledge and understanding at the heart of everything they do and creating a workplace culture where excellence and effort is the norm, not the exception.”

The Dealer of the Year results are based on a number of different criteria, including finance and business management, performance in sales and marketing, and parts and servicing, Advanced Farming Systems (AFS) Certification and total market share.

Accepting the award, O’Connors’ CEO Gareth Webb credited their award to everyone within the business.

“Last year was a massive year for us, taking on an additional four outlets and to make it happen we needed so much from our executive team and they delivered and we can’t thank them enough.

“Our dealership staff really stepped up and taking home this award again proves all that work, commitment and long hours was worth it and we couldn’t be more thrilled,” Webb says.

In a tough year for tractor sales across the country, Webb also thanked customers and their support.

“We thank our customers, too, through what was another tough year for much of our region, and we pay tribute to their resilience and ongoing support.”

Brandon Stannett (Managing Director Agriculture Australia/New Zealand – CNH Industrial), Andrew Snape (Group Sales Manager TTMI), Jason Henry (TTMI dealer principal) and Pete McCann (General Manager Case IH Australia/New Zealand) at the presentation of the Case IH Dealer of the Year Awards in Hobart last night.

While TTMI later took home two more awards, Dealer of the Year – Parts and Dealer of the Year – Most Improved.

“This award reflects back on our staff and wouldn’t have happened without their tremendous commitment and hard work. We love what we do and we love to sell tractors and to receive Dealer of the Year is a real honour,” TTMI dealer principal Jason Henry says.

“To collect one award is amazing but to be presented with three is something we couldn’t have dreamed of – we’re thrilled, and I’d like to thank everyone at Case IH for their support and advice, which has also helped make this possible.”