The second annual Supplier Awards from Alphabet has recognised outstanding and best practices within the fleet sector.

The event held at the M-Gallery Castle Hotel, Windsor celebrated examples of industry-leading best practice over the past 12 months, hosted by chief operating officer Nigel Fletcher and entertainment by Hal Cruttenden.

The year-long process which takes into account quantitative results, such as customer satisfaction scores, as well as qualitative measures.

They recognise leading suppliers in five categories which include commercial vehicle converter, dealership of the year, dealer group of the year, rental provider and fleet services provider.

The winners include:

• LCV converter of the year: Qi Van Systems
• Dealership of the year: Dick Lovett BMW
• Dealer group of the year: Sytner
• Rental provider of the year: Avis
• Fleet services provider of the year: Kwik-Fit Fleet

Individuals working for Alphabet’s supply partners who went above and beyond during the past 12 months were also recognised in the service excellence category:

• Innovation award: TEVO
• Collaboration award: Clifford James Consultants
• Service Excellence award: Paul McGeever, Think Ford

The event culminated in the crowning of one of the evening’s eight winners as Alphabet’s overall Service Provider of the Year, the supplier who really stood out over the past 12 months and set the standard:

• Service provider of the year: Kwik Fit Fleet

Nick Brownrigg, CEO of Alphabet (GB), said: “The business achieved consistently excellent results across all of our criteria - whether that’s in the ‘hard numbers’ of key performance indicators, customer satisfaction and net promoter scores, or the softer aspects such as innovations delivered and their approach to the relationship. Kwik Fit Fleet was chosen for its all-round approach to partnership, collaboration, innovation and service excellence.”

Kit Wisdom, head of technical services at Alphabet and presenter of the fleet services provider award said: “Over the last 12 months Kwik Fit Fleet has demonstrated its ability in delivering continual improvements and a real appetite for innovation.

"From an end-user perspective, Kwik Fit Fleet has introduced new digital solutions to make the customer journey easier and have worked collaboratively with us to deliver some industry firsts, such as online tyre replacement and MoT booking.”

The two companies enjoy a business partnership stretching over almost 20 years, and the awards recognised Kwik Fit’s “partnership approach” to the wide range of services provided, including the introduction of online initiatives all designed to improve fleet operating efficiencies.

Kwik Fit GB’s fleet sales director Andy Fern said: “There is a strong and longstanding relationship between the two companies.

“Kwik Fit continues to innovate and bring new solutions to the table, all without diverting focus away from our core strength of tyres. That is recognised by Alphabet, which itself is known for its industry-leading products and solutions.

“Consequently, the two companies share the same ethos, focus and teamwork and that is cemented by a relationship that extends over almost two decades.”

Pictured: (R) Chief executive Nick Brownrigg, chief operating officer Nigel Fletcher, presenting the Service Provider of the Year award to Andy Fern and Luke Penn of KwikFit Fleet (pictured centre) with comedian Hal Cruttenden.