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SARASOTA, Fla. — Auto Dealer Monthly recently named the winners of its 2010 Dealers' Choice Awards, a program that honors the auto industry's top product and service providers, as well as finance organizations.

To determine the winners, dealers and their personnel rate companies in various categories based on quality, customer service/support and value of the product or service.

According to officials, there were 20 categories and close to 12,000 votes cast. The publication conducted online voting between Jan. 4 and Feb. 23.

To make it to the finals, nominees had to meet specific criteria. For starters, they had to be named on at least 10 percent of their particular category's ballots.

Officials explained that this was meant to curtail "write-in" companies from taking an inconsequential number of votes and displacing a more popular company.

Also, a nominee's rating must have been at least the average for all votes in the specific category.

All told, there were 185 award nominees with 54 different winners selected.

Officials stated that scores are rounded to the nearest decimal, but in case of a tie, scores are carried out several decimal places.

In each category, the top score wins the Diamond Award. The second-highest wins the Platinum Award, followed by the Gold.

The complete list of categories is below, with the company's name followed by their award (if any) and rating. Last year's ranking is in parentheses:

Internet Trainer

—KainAutomotive.com, Diamond, 156.0 (Diamond)

—Dealer.com, Platinum 127.9 (not ranked)

—Group average: 108.2

Online Inventory Marketing Tool

—eBizAutos, Diamond, 122.1 (Diamond)

—HomeNet, Platinum, 117.2 (not ranked)

—Auction123, Gold, 116.8 (Platinum)

—Auto Uplink, 112.6 (not ranked)

—Group average: 111.0

Special Finance Lead Provider

—Auto-Pro Network, Diamond, 104.4 (not ranked)

—Interactive Financial Marketing Group, Platinum, 102.6 (not ranked)

—Auto Credit Express, Gold, 100.4 (not ranked)

—Adtel, 98.8 (not ranked)

—Autobytel (Car.com), 98.5 (Platinum)

—blueSky Marketing, 98.3 (not ranked)

—Group average: 97.0

New Vehicle Internet Lead Provider

—CarsDirect.com, Diamond, 101.1 (Diamond)

—Cars.com, Platinum, 97.8 (fourth)

—AutoTrader.com, Gold, 96.3 (Platinum)

—Group average: 93.7

Sales Trainer

—Joe Verde Group, Diamond, 116.6 (Diamond)

—The Cardone Group, Platinum, 114.0 (Platinum)

—Group average: 110.1

Online Auctions — Purchasing Inventory

—ADESA, Diamond, 106.4 (not ranked)

—Manheim (OVE.com), Platinum, 102.0 (Platinum)

—GMAC (SmartAuction), Gold, 101.9 (Diamond)

—Group average: 101.6

Auction Companies — Traditional

—Manheim, Diamond, 104.9 (Diamond)

—ADESA, Platinum, 99.2 (not ranked)

—Group average: 98.7

Customer Relationship Management

—AW, Diamond, 115.5 (not ranked)

—VinSolutions, Platinum, 107.3 (not ranked)

—eLEAD, Gold, 100.4 (not ranked)

—DealerSocket, 96.0 (Gold)

—Reynolds & Reynolds 87.2 (not ranked)

—Group average: 86.9

Desking Software

—DealerTrack, Diamond, 103.7 (Platinum)

—ProMax Online, Platinum, 101.7 (Diamond)

—Reynolds & Reynolds, Gold, 100.3 (Gold)

—Group average: 99.8

Used Vehicle Internet Lead Provider

—eBay Motors, Diamond, 101.7 (Diamond)

—Cars.com, Platinum, 95.9 (Platinum)

—AutoTrader.com, Gold, 94.7 (Gold)

—Group average: 94.6

Finance & Insurance Trainer

—United Development Systems, Diamond, 132.7 (Diamond)

—IPS Agency, Platinum, 125.7 (not ranked)

—Resource Automotive, Gold, 124.4 (not ranked)

—Group average: 114.3

Data Management Systems

—DealerTrack, Diamond, 103.9 (Diamond)

—Reynolds & Reynolds, Platinum, 91.1 (Gold)

—ADP, Gold, 90.2 (Platinum)

—Group average: 90.1

Service Contract Provider

—CNA National, Diamond, 141.5 (Diamond)

—EasyCare, Platinum, 115.8 (not ranked)

—Zurich, Gold, 115.0 (not ranked)

—Group average: 112.9

Direct Mail

—Strategic Marketing, Diamond, 110.3 (Diamond)

—AutoRevenue, Platinum, 95.0 (Platinum)

—Force Marketing, Gold, 91.0 (not ranked)

—Group average: 88.6

Prime Credit Finance — Captive

—BMW Financial Services, Diamond, 149.0 (Diamond)

—Toyota Financial Services, Platinum, 148.5 (Platinum)

—American Honda Finance, Gold 143.1 (Gold)

—Ford Motor Credit, 123.0 (fourth)

—GMAC, 116.7 (not ranked)

—Group average: 116.0

Prime Credit Finance — Non-captive

—BB&T, Diamond, 126.9 (Diamond)

—Local Credit Unions, Platinum, 123.1 (sixth)

—Local Banks, Gold, 121.9 (not ranked)

—Fifth Third Bank, 117.9 (fifth)

—Wells Fargo Auto Finance, 116.0 (Gold)

—Capital One, 112.6 (not ranked)

—Group average: 111.8

Inventory Management

—vAuto, Diamond, 116.8 (Platinum)

—First Look, Platinum, 115.7 (not ranked)

—DealerTrack, Gold, 108.0 (Diamond)

—Group average: 108.0

Service Contract Provider — Reinsurance

—Portfolio, Diamond, 144.8 (Diamond)

—CNA National, Platinum, 141.3 (Gold)

—Group average: 119.1

Web Site Design/Provider

—Dealer.com, Diamond, 112.5 (Gold)

—eBizAutos, Platinum, 111.9 (Platinum)

—TK Carsites, Gold, 97.5 (Diamond)

—Group average: 97.4

Subprime Credit Finance

—Regional Acceptance, Diamond, 125.7 (Gold)

—Capital One Auto Finance, Platinum, 97.7 (Platinum)

—Santander Consumer USA, Gold, 89.5 (not ranked)

—Group average: 89.5