If there’s anything the two Runners-Up for 2016’s Dealer of the Year have, it’s drive and character. Both companies stood out from the competition not only for their business savvy and extraordinary growth, but for the ways they treat both their employees and their customers. Take a look at each of them individually below:

Bates Security and Sonitrol of Lexington, KY

Besides growing the business at an astounding rate, Bates Security (Lexington, Ky.) has made a name for themselves not just locally, but on a regional level—and possibly even a national level— within the security community. Most notably, Bates goes above and beyond when it comes to community service and interacting with the people who make them who they are. They believe in “genuine old-fashioned customer service,” according to Crystal Newton, marketing coordinator, and have the awards to prove it.

Along with community service, Bates holds their employees near and dear and make them their first priority every single day, whether they’re hosting company kickball games or just taking the time to stop and get to know each other within the office.

LOUD Security Systems, Inc.

Another powerhouse that’s growing their business exponentially, LOUD Security (Kennesaw, Ga.) has recently grown from a small to medium sized business and has no intention of stopping any time soon. Getting them to that level however, is their primary focus and reason for everything they do: their customers.

LOUD takes the time every day to insure that they’re doing everything they can to service their customers and let them know they care, whether that’s expanding Customer Service hours later into the evening or following up with them to make sure everything is running smoothly. LOUD calls this their “222 Program” which entails them reaching out to the customer two days, two weeks, and two months after installation to gather feedback for technicians and the install process, as well as assessing any potential problems.

SDM appreciates and congratulates everyone who participated in 2016’s Dealer of the Year and cannot wait to see what 2017 will bring!