Apr. 23—A Beckley car dealership was recently honored as the top in its kind for West Virginia.

This is the fourth consecutive year Beckley Auto Mall has been named West Virginia's Buick/GMC Dealership of the Year.

"It's a huge accomplishment," general manager Rick Lewis said of the award, which is based on sales volume.

One of the keys to the dealership's success, Lewis said, is an employee-first business model.

"We make sure our employees are happy, which turns around and makes our customers happy," he said. "That's our success."

That the dealership continues to win a sales-based award at a time when Covid-19 has caused a shortage in both inventory and parts, is no small feat, Lewis said.

"Getting our inventory has been a struggle so this is a huge accomplishment," he said. "We've overcome the obstacles and we hope to do that again this year."

It helps that Beckley Auto Mall is West Virginia's only "Tier 1" dealer, meaning it often receives a little more inventory than other places.

"We're the only Tier 1 dealer in the state," Lewis said of the distinction given to the top 30 percent of dealers in the United States.

He said the dealership will soon receive a second prestigious award — the Mark of Excellence.

That award, he said, is "based off of total dealership service, sales and satisfaction."

The recognitions, he said, are "of the utmost importance."

"Especially when you're one of the very few dealerships who gets it," he said. "You strive to get there. So, when you've won this award, you know you've done everything you can and done it the right way."

Lewis said it's Beckley Auto Mall's commitment to treating everyone like family, that makes it special.

It's the customer service, he said, that attracts both return as well as new buyers.

"Ours is like the Disney experience," he said of the Beckley Auto Mall philosophy. "They (Disney) want to make sure you're happy and taken care of at all costs, so you'll come back.

"We want, not only from the sales part, but service and the whole thing, to make customers happy and comfortable. We want them to feel good about the experience."

Lewis encourages anyone in the market for a vehicle to stop by and look around.

"Just give us a try is all we ask," he said. "We didn't win these awards for nothing. We try to do the right things. When we sell a vehicle to somebody, we want them to be a part of our family.

"(Same for) their kids and their grandkids.

"We want to be the dealership they think of first."

Beckley Auto Mall is located at 3934 Robert C. Byrd Drive.

Visit Beckley Auto Mall online at www.beckleybuickgmc.com.