Dealers vote for several different new vehicle Internet lead providers each year, and three familiar names rose to the top in 2011.

Overall, dealers are happier with their special finance lead providers this year. The group average of 101.3 points is the highest it’s been since the 2006 awards.

Dealers rated only two lead providers high enough to win awards in the Used Vehicle Internet Lead category this year.

For dealers, online inventory marketing is a key component of their digital marketing strategy, and there are several providers that help facilitate the push and pull of inventory information across the Internet. This year, dealers rated four providers high enough to be recognized.

Over the years, fluidity in the CRM category has been the norm, so when dealers rate a provider well for consecutive years, it’s a testament to the company’s staying power. This year, dealers recognized four companies, including a new top dog and two newcomers to the category.

The 2011 awards mark the first year Auto Dealer Monthly has recognized chat providers in the Dealers’ Choice Awards; however, it’s not the first time dealers have voted for chat providers.

Out of all 21 categories in the Dealers’ Choice Awards, the direct mail category is the only one that has seen no movement among the top two award winners for the past four years.

For a second year in a row, only two sales trainers were rated well enough by their dealers to claim awards.

Compared to the other categories in the awards, the Internet Trainer category is always a high-scoring one, and this year was no different. However, the race between the top two this year was closer than ever with only 0.4 points separating them.

In the increasingly regulated realm of F&I, continued training is vital for dealerships of all shapes and sizes. This year, dealers recognized three F&I trainers.

The top two desking software providers in 2011 have had a stronghold on the category for several years now. While they have fluctuated in placement some from year to year, their dealers continually rank them as the cream of the crop.

Familiar but different sums up this year’s winners in the Service Contract Provider category. Only one provider returned from last year, but all four companies with above-average scores have been recognized in past years.

While the Reinsurance category is a relatively new category, it’s been around long enough for trends to emerge. For the past three years, the group average has been relatively high compared to other group averages, and two companies have proven their staying power as top providers.

For the past couple years, dealers have rated five captive finance companies high enough to make the Dealers’ Choice Awards listing. This year, however, only three companies scored recognition from their respective dealer bases.

Historically, the group average in the Non-captive Prime Finance category is high compared to averages in other categories. This year, the category still fared well among dealers, with four companies receiving accolades.

Compared to recent years, dealers have been reporting loosened subprime financing, and their ratings of subprime finance companies this year correlate. For the first time since 2008, more than three subprime credit finance companies scored well enough to earn mention.

While there aren’t a ton of players in this category, dealers continue to report high satisfaction for one company.

When it comes to purchasing inventory online, two auction companies received high marks from dealers.

The Data Management Systems category continues to be dominated by major players in the market, and the 2011 lineup mirrors last year’s.

Overall dealer satisfaction with new vehicle leads has improved over last year; however, this category was a polarized one. The award winners’ scores were well above average, while all others seemingly fell by the wayside with below-average scores.

The average score in the Special Finance Lead Provider category jumped almost 10 points, to 97 (the highest in three years). The results of the SF Lead Provider category illuminate an uptick in dealers’ satisfaction in the SF market.

Similar to the New Vehicle Internet Lead category, the group average and individual scores were higher this year. Of course, it is reasonable to consider the possibility that dealers tend to feel more satisfied with their lead provider when they are able to get more deals bought, so the freeing-up of capital in the financing market might have positively influenced dealer sentiment toward their lead providers. Interestingly, the top three companies last year returned to their same positions this year.

The group average in this category saw a jump of nearly eight points over last year, and while only two providers scored above average in 2009, four providers turned in above-average showings this year —the most ever in this category.

Annually, the CRM Tool category is a competitive category with many players. This year, one company returned to the top three, two newcomers scored awards and two additional companies scored higher-than-average, garnering honorable mention in a category that’s only seen three above-average companies in the past couple years.

A category that has remained fairly constant over the past six years is Direct Mail. The group average, although it has slightly declined over the years, hasn’t varied much, and Strategic Marketing, Triple Diamond winner, has won the Diamond Award every year since the Awards began in 2005.

Only two companies scored high enough to beat the group average this year, and both were in the top spots in last year’s awards.

Over the past few years, the Desking Software category has been dominated by the same three companies. DealerTrack has won an award in this category every year since 2007 and took home the Diamond Award for 2010, after two back-to-back Platinum Awards in ‘08 and ‘09.

Similar to the Sales Trainer category, the F&I Trainer category has had a regular winner since the awards began. For the sixth consecutive year United Development Systems (UDS) has won the Diamond Award, scoring its highest score yet this year with 132.7 (more than 18 points higher than the group average) and maintaining its Triple Diamond status.

Last year, KainAutomotive.com received the highest score ever in any category (150.8). Amazingly, the Triple Diamond Award winner beat its own record by over five points and now has the highest score of any provider in the six-year history of the Dealers’ Choice Awards (156).

Dealers who voted in this category were happier than most, with a group average just shy of 113. CNA National, a Triple Diamond Award winner, took home the Diamond Award for the sixth consecutive year, posting the highest score ever in this category—a 141.5. Also, CNA National was the only returning company in the top three in this category.

This year, only two companies scored high enough to win an award in the Service Contracts – Reinsurance category, and there was quite a point spread between the award-winning companies and the group average.

Apparently, dealers representing top import manufacturers are quite satisfied with their captives, as the top two companies in this category received the second- and third-highest scores in the entire Dealers’ Choice Awards and improved their scores by about 22 points each.

As great dealers know, financing is all about relationships. With the changes in the market over the past year, it seems that many dealers are turning more to sources a little closer to home like local banks and credit unions. The exception to that trend is reflected in BB&T’s receipt of the Diamond Award for the second consecutive year.

While the average score in the Subprime Credit Finance category was down slightly, two award-winners from last year’s awards returned with improved scores. The Diamond Award winner, Regional Acceptance, scored a 125.7, which is notable for two reasons...

This category earned one of the higher group averages in this year’s awards, reflecting a great amount of satisfaction among dealers. These inventory management providers are wildly popular with dealers because they allow dealers to plan their inventory based on market conditions and speed up inventory turn...

Despite the increasing popularity of online auctions, dealers still find a lot of value in attending brick-and-mortar auctions. Used car buyers can’t exactly kick the tires and listen to the engines of potential inventory with a mouse or keyboard. However, after spiking last year at 113.9, the group average took a significant dip of about 15 points this year to 98.7.

While the group average in this category was virtually unchanged from last year, there were a couple of dramatic shifts in position. After a two-year absence in this category of the Dealers’ Choice Awards, ADESA triumphantly roared back to claim the Diamond Award for the first time ever and seems to have significantly improved its relationship with dealers.