A WINCHESTER business specialising in garden machinery and services have walked away with a pair of industry accolades.

Winchester Garden Machinery Ltd, which has several sites across Hampshire and Surrey, has won the 2019 Garden Machinery Dealer of the Year Award and also the Overall Dealer Of the Year Award.

The awards were collected by director Jason Nettle and were presented by Kevin Ashmore, Husqvarna Professional UK manager, and the Overall Dealer of the Year Award was presented by Des Boyd of sponsor Kramp UK, during the annual Service Dealer Conference and Awards on November 21.

An integral part of the judging process for the awards included customer feedback and Winchester Garden Machinery Ltd raised high praise.

One customer said: “Exceptionally friendly staff with excellent product knowledge. I cannot fault the service, advice and the knowledgeable staff encountered. I have recommended other people to this store, all of whom have received the same treatment. Undoubtedly a store that has got it right.”

In winning the Garden Machinery Dealer of the Year Award the judges said of the company: “In a very competitive category that had four finalists, this well-established dealership had demonstrated a determination to keep focussing ahead whilst making some tough decisions on the way.”

And scooping the Overall Dealer of the Year Award too, the panel said: “This year’s overall winner is an established name in our dealer community. The next generation are managing the company forward and have recently made some big decisions in regards to direction and strategy as well as utilising the traditional ways alongside modern routes to market.”

The awards, organised by the leading business magazine Service Dealer, are now in their 16th year and recognise outstanding sales, service advice and support by dealers in the garden machinery, professional turfcare machinery, farm machinery, forestry equipment and ATV/Quad industry.

Steve Gibbs, editor of Service Dealer magazine, said: “Each of our winning dealerships this year, across the product categories, have represented the finest examples of trusted, local businesses serving their communities. In these times of uncertainty, it’s reassuring that there are still independent, specialist companies out there, such as our Dealer Of The Year winners, who can be relied upon to provide exemplary levels of customer service.”

The recent awards for Winchester Garden Machinery are in addition finishing in the final three of this year’s Forestry Dealer of the Year, for its ForestAndArb division.