J.D. Power 2025 Dealer of Excellence

One of the most prestigious recognitions a dealership can receive is the Dealer of Excellence. This high honor, established by J.D. Power, was recently recognized at Hondru Ford of Manheim-a testament to their commitment to excellence. This is great news for customers in and around Lancaster, Ephrata, and Elizabethtown, PA.

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Standing Out from Others

Today's automotive retail market is highly competitive, and it is one of the most dynamic areas within the industry. Dealers nationwide are faced with daunting challenges to be recognized for the distinction of their retail operations from local competitors, delivering an extraordinary experience for their customers. The Dealer of Excellence is a tremendous way to stand out from the competition and showcase what a dealership is all about.

The J.D. Power Dealer of Excellence ProgramSM reflects the commitment and dedication of select retailers to provide their customers with a purchase experience that meets today's consumer expectations.

Not all dealerships can qualify. Those that do must pass a rigorous process:

First, J.D. Power limits the percentage of eligible dealerships by nameplate based on each brand's performance in the most recent J.D. Power Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study.SM Only about 20% of franchised dealerships are eligible for consideration under the J.D. Power Dealer of Excellence Program.

Second, interested dealerships must rank among their brand's top performers in key customer satisfaction areas consistent with measurements found in J.D. Power's Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) StudySM.

Finally, once a dealer passes the initial screening, U.S. and Canada J.D. Power Dealer of Excellence applicants must complete, and pass, an in-dealership process verification, which focuses on eleven (11) J.D. Power Best Practices. Passing dealers must be able to demonstrate a minimum of nine (9) out of the eleven (11) criteria.

Dealers of Excellence who achieve certification for multiple years are identified as follows:

  • 2 Years: Silver Dealer of Excellence
  • 3 Years: Gold Dealer of Excellence
  • 4 Years: Platinum Dealer of Excellence
  • 5 Years or More: Diamond Dealer of Excellence

When you choose to visit a J.D. Power Dealer of Excellence you can be confident the sales team will be just as committed to providing an exceptional experience as they are to selling a vehicle.

Frequently Asked Questions

J.D. Power's Dealer of Excellence (DOE) Program recognizes dealerships nationwide for their superior sales experience, which sets them above others within the industry as high performers in the retail automotive market.

The benchmark of high standards of operations and performance is at such an elevated level that only 2%-3% of dealerships get there. The certification was created to recognize the most elite dealerships for their commitment to customer service and to help dealer managers set apart their brand of retail excellence from other local dealerships. Speaking from the customer's point of view, a dealership with the Dealer of Excellence seal of approval inspires confidence in the new and used vehicle shopping process.

Check our expansive inventory of new and used vehicles and find one that suits your lifestyle today and be sure to look at our New Vehicle Special, and see what we have available. If you don't want to buy new, check our pre-owned specials.

Dealerships that strive to provide customers with excellent experience have the freedom to submit their Dealership for consideration if they meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • The dealership will have earned their respective manufacturer's recognition for CSI/SSI.
  • They will also have performed in the upper tier of their respective manufacturer's CSI rating.

There are about 20,000 franchised dealers in the U.S. only 2%-3% qualify for inclusion, which is about one to two dealers of the same brand in any PMA/DMA can earn a DOE recognition. These standards are in place to ensure the program integrity is preserved to avoid a saturated market.

Once the qualifications are verified and the documentation is submitted, a DOE inspector will visit the GM or owner of the lot, the sales manager, the F&I manager and the newest sales team member who has completed training for the dealership. The Dealership will know how it did 2-3 days after the inspection is completed.

The DOE expires after a year, but each dealership is reinvestigated with an abbreviated inspection and recertification is conducted by phone. At the end of the call, the dealership will know how they did, and as long as the dealership stays in good standing with the community, the dealership can keep the recognition year after year.

At Hondru Ford of Manheim, we take pride in our Dealership of Excellence, and we intend to keep our certification for years to come. If you are looking for a vehicle, contact us and schedule a test drive with the vehicle of your choice.

* J.D. Power 2025 Dealer of Excellence Program recognition is based on achievement of high scores from automotive manufacturer customer research and completion of an in-dealership best practices verification visit. For more information, visit jdpower.com/US-DOE.