Tony lands a trip to Spain for top service standards

Aug 5 2008 by jez Davison, Evening Gazette

AN AWARD-WINNING automotive boss has won a trip to sunny Spain for his outstanding performance in customer service.

Billingham man Tony Hallimond, 47, was rewarded with a trip to Barcelona after scooping Jennings Motor Group’s Bodyshop Department of the Year award for 2007 at JenningsFord’s Yarm Road dealership in Stockton.

Bodyshop manager Tony beat off stiff competition from other dealerships across the group for outstanding levels of customer care throughout the year.

Delighted Tony said: “Winning the internal award is an absolute honour and a true testimony to the hard-working and dedicated staff at Stockton, the majority of whom are loyal and longstanding.”

As a reward for the achievement, Tony was treated to an all-expenses-paid weekend break for two to Barcelona.

Staying at the Hotel Dante, Tony and his wife Christine spent a weekend being wined and dined in Barcelona’s finest restaurants and sampling the city’s most eye-catching sights.

Tony has been loyal to JenningsFord for the past 31 years, having joined the firm at the age of 16 as an apprentice panel beater.

He was promoted to foreman before climbing another rung on the career ladder when he took on the role of bodyshop manager.

Nicky Dalkin, operations director for the Jennings Motor Group, said: “We have many internal awards in operation across the Jennings Group and I’m delighted to award the Bodyshop 2007 award to Tony and his team.

“The award was initiated in recognition of achieving extremely high standards not only in workmanship, but also as a result of consistently achieving outstanding levels of customer care throughout the year.”