Mercedes-Benz of Hoffman Estates Honored with Mercedes-Benz Best of the Best Silver Laurel Award

 

Mercedes-Benz of Hoffman Estates Honored with 

2021 Mercedes-Benz Best of the Best Silver Laurel Award

Mercedes-Benz of Hoffman Estates has been chosen as a 2021 Best of the Best Silver Laurel Award Winning Dealer by Mercedes-Benz USA. The coveted award is given yearly to a select group of top performing Mercedes-Benz dealers that fall within the leading 15% nationally.

KALAMAZOO, MICH (April 4, 2022) - Zeigler Auto Group is proud to announce that Mercedes-Benz of Hoffman Estates has been selected as a 2021 Best of the Best Silver Laurel Award-winning Dealer by Mercedes-Benz USA. Presented to the top 15% of dealers in the Mercedes-Benz retail network, the Best of the Best Dealer Recognition Award acknowledges leadership at its finest.

"Earning this award is deeply meaningful to us because it comes with the recognition that we were able to land within the top 15% of all Mercedes-Benz dealers in the nation during a very tough time in the economy. This speaks volumes to our team's dedication to being among the Best of the Best in all areas-from innovation to customer service," said Aaron J. Zeigler, president and owner of Zeigler Auto Group.

The coveted award is distributed annually and celebrates the managerial and entrepreneurial know-how that makes across-the-board excellence possible. In order to qualify for the illustrious award, not only must dealers be in the top 15% of dealers in the Mercedes-Benz retail network, they must also display superior management and customer service that serves as a benchmark and inspires the Mercedes-Benz retail network as a whole to make changes and improvements. 

Key metrics include: Leadership and Management, New Vehicle Sales, CPO Sales, Customer Satisfaction; and Service and Parts Operation. Recipients of the Best of the Best Award lead by example, and set the bar for dealers and managers companywide.

"It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. This award is about team effort and doing what we do every day, which is our best for everyone that walks through our doors," Mike Connolly, GM of Mercedes-Benz Hoffman Estates.

Earning the award for Mercedes-Benz of Hoffman Estates after a tough few years due to the pandemic made the win even more meaningful. Bill O'Hara, VP of Mercedes-Benz Hoffman Estates, says the dealer's success, and the group's success was all thanks to the clear vision that Aaron Zeigler had during these tough times. In March of 2020, when the lock-downs were happening, everyone was in unfamiliar territory.

However, instead of going on the defensive like so many other dealerships did by cutting across the board, Aaron did the opposite, he worked on getting as many employees back as possible and told us to aggressively go after buying up as many used cars as we could get. 

The strategy worked. The Zeigler team felt energized and the volume of sales went up, as others played it safe, we continued to progress during the toughest time. In fact, by the end of 2020, Zeigler had one of the best years in company history. 

Even when supply chain issues and chip issues made acquiring new inventory a continual problem, Zeigler never wavered on its strategy to continue to purchase as many used cars as possible. In the end this foresight and aggressive strategy positioned not only Mercedes-Benz of Hoffman Estates, but the entire dealer group, into a record breaking year, closing 2021 with its best year to date. 

This success ultimately resulted in the first full year that Mercedes-Benz of Hoffman Estates, Zeigler's very own luxury Mercedes-Benz dealership, was eligible for the award. "What a great accomplishment for Zeigler Mercedes Benz Hoffman Estates in our first full year of eligibility! This is an example of our culture and clear vision by being internally motivated and staying aligned with our company's mission and vision," said O'Hara.

"We can go above and beyond. The success of empowering our leaders and team members supercharges their performance. You can only achieve so much by working alone, the reward is the result of working with and through others. This fuels the culture and I am humbled to be a part of this team! Congratulations!"

Zeigler Automotive Group is one of the largest privately-owned dealer groups in the U.S. with 78 franchises across 35 locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Vehicle brands represented include all of the domestic and the majority of the imported manufacturers.

Besides its extensive automotive portfolio, the organization owns and operates Zeigler Motorsports, an 85,000-square-foot motorsports dealership and action park, offering 19 different powersports brands, plus its own onsite restaurant: Trak Houz Bar & Grill. Additionally, Zeigler Motorsports houses the Elevate Leadership & Team Building Academy, an executive training company.

The Kalamazoo-based dealer group also owns and operates Zeigler Pre-Owned of Chicago, a Carquest Auto Parts store, three Byrider franchises, three finance companies, several insurance firms, and a leasing firm.

Founded in 1975, the organization employs over 2,300 people, ranking among the top 1% of automotive dealers in the nation with estimated annual sales of $2.2 billion for 2022. The family-owned and operated company is well known for its commitment to both customer service and employee satisfaction. Zeigler is regularly recognized as one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work for in the Nation, also earning similar accolades in Chicago and Michigan.