Lister Wilder has been named as Farm Machinery Dealer of the Year to round off a run in which the company also achieved a second successive five-star dealer award from AGCO.
The latest recognition in an award scheme run by Service Dealer magazine comes at a time when the Oxfordshire-based company has consolidated a period of growth during which it opened a new branch at Southam in Warwickshire. In doing so it stretched its network across southern and central England to eight branches. Significantly, Lister Wilder’s busy Groundcare division was also nominated for an award its own category.
Service Dealer took initial nominations from all the main machinery suppliers. “We then did our homework quite carefully and made phone calls to assess whether what the manufacturers told us carried through to customers,” says Editor Chris Biddle.
“That confirmed for us that Lister Wilder does indeed take customer service to a very high level. One of the most significant comments was that the company is always prepared to go the extra mile for customers and that it is pro-active with exceptional after-sales service. We were also very impressed by its website.”
Lister Wilder Managing Director Ian Nutt was in no doubt where the credit for the award should go. “It is very much down to our team and to the way in which they respond to our customers’ individual needs,” he said. “I am very proud of what they achieve.”
He added: “Our association with AGCO, formerly Massey Ferguson since 1947, has been a major contributor to our success and the growth of our business. Added to this is the association and support from our key franchises producing innovative products to meet our customers’ requirements in modern day farming”.
One of the big current focuses for the company is the completion of a 3,300 feet extension to its Wallingford depot which will add some 75% to its existing workshop space. The company continues to commit to spending some £65,000 a year on specialist training in order to provide customers with the very best in after-sales support.
