We are delighted to announce that McCarthy Cars, have been nominated for a WOW! Award. Established in 1999 to recognise excellence in customer service, the WOW! Awards are coveted by all companies in direct contact with their patrons.

The nomination was submitted by customer Andy Strang of Sussex, who first came into contact with McCarthy Cars via its Live Chat 24/7 service provided by GForces.

“I had moved from London to a small village in Sussex and, after the weather last winter, decided that I needed to get a 4×4 since our road doesn’t get gritted,” said Mr Strang. “I hate buying cars, and hate being sold to, so when looking to buy a second-hand car I tried to do as much research online as I could. Having looked at dozens of adverts and called a few garages, I saw a nice-looking Toyota Rav4 on the McCarthy Cars site.”

What impressed Mr Strang was the ability to discuss his needs outside regular dealership hours: “I was pleased to see I could speak (albeit online) to one of the McCarthy Cars team at 10pm. This online chat was really handy for me since I hate having to make personal calls at work and I don’t get home from my commute until 9pm.”

But it was the customer service on offer that prompted the nomination, with a McCarthy Cars representative talking to him about his needs and what would be the most suitable vehicle – all without trying to sell him the most expensive model. “Not only were they able to handle my enquiries at all hours of the night, they didn’t try and push an expensive model onto me,” added Mr Strang.

McCarthy Cars provided all the details of the car in question, arranging a time for Mr Strang to visit the Croydon dealership to take a closer look. “I met with James (the dealership manager) who, before showing me the car I had enquired about, spent about 20 minutes talking through what I needed, why I needed it and what my expectations were. I had gone in set on the Rav4 and, while James showed me that model, he took the time to explain why it might not suit my needs in terms of fuel consumption and space. He showed me three other 4x4s with different specs, two of which had lower prices than the Rav4. This was so refreshing, as I clearly wasn’t getting pushed to spend the most money.”

In fact, following further discussions with James, Mr Strang decided on a Suzuki Grand Vitara – £1,500 less than the price of the Rav4. In providing Mr Strang with the model best-suited to his requirements, McCarthy Cars displayed how the happiness of its customers is of greater importance than simply securing the highest-value sale.

“I have nothing but praise for the guys at McCarthy Cars, concludes Mr Strang. “They really took the time to understand my needs. In the world of used cars, this has the WOW factor for me!”

Our congratulations to McCarthy Cars. We wish you the best of luck at the WOW! Awards 2012.