A SWINDON car dealership is celebrating after scoring a hat-trick at a prestigious national awards ceremony.

Waylands Automotive, which operates Waylands Volvo Swindon, has been crowned Dealer Group of the Year for the third consecutive year in the AM awards.

The awards bring together the UK’s best car retailers and repairers to celebrate key business successes and excellence within the automotive retail industry.

The award recognised Waylands’ focus and achievements on digital sales, acknowledging the group’s continued investment in digital capabilities to complement its showrooms and car-purchasing experience.

In 2021, this saw the group increasing its digital sales teams to allow customers to seek support and advice online, outside of the showroom’s hours.

The award also applauded the enhancements Waylands Volvo Swindon has made to its website and virtual sales appointment process, which now offers an easier-to-navigate online experience, improving customer satisfaction and the sales of vehicles.

John O’Hanlon, CEO at Waylands Volvo, said: "We are delighted to have been named Dealer Group of the Year for the third year in a row – a truly fantastic achievement for our teams.  

"This award demonstrates our commitment to our digital capabilities and achievements so far, recognising our strong sales performances online, which do not compromise on our primary goal of customer satisfaction.

"Against a backdrop of ongoing pandemic restrictions and obstacles in supply chain logistics, 2021 remained a challenging year for business, yet despite this, we have continued to provide a premium and tailored service for our customers, both virtually and in person.

"A huge congratulations to the hard work and dedication of everyone who makes up the Waylands team.”

The awards ceremony was held at Westminster Bridge Hotel on May 12 and was hosted by ITV News anchor, Nina Hossain, and comedian, Milton Jones.

Volvo Cars UK claims to have one of the most ambitious electrification plans in the automotive industry.

It says it was it the first manufacturer to offer a plug-in hybrid version of every car it sells and by 2025 it aims for 50 per cent of its global sales to consist of fully electric cars, with the rest hybrids.

By 2030, Volvo plans for every car it sells to be fully electric.