BROOKFIELD, Wis. -

Fiserv named its top performing auction for 2011 on Tuesday. Claiming Fiserv’s highest honor for the fifth time was Carolina Auto Auction.

Carolina AA based out of Anderson, S.C., also has been among Fiserv’s top three auctions for nine of the past 11 years.

Fiserv explained that it began ranking auctions in 2001 as a way to aid lenders seeking the greatest potential return on their outsourcing investment. Fiserv scores auctions to identify qualified partners. 

Megan Haley, Fiserv’s director of remarketing strategies within its lending solutions division said rankings are tabulated to reflect overall customer service, operational efficiencies, sale preparation and marketing with the main emphasis on sales retention.

“Carolina Auto Auction continues to be one of our strongest auction partners,” Haley declared.

“We trust Carolina Auto Auction to support our clients’ disposition needs in a proactive manner,” she continued. “Our partnership adds value to our overall remarketing program and helps our clients succeed.”

In its first year of eligibility for the Fiserv ranking, Indiana Auto Auction of Fort Wayne, Ind., placed second. Manheim Harrisonburg Auto Auction of Harrisonburg, Va., came in third.

Fiserv noted Manheim Harrisonburg AA has placed in the top three every year since the ranking began. 

Fiserv also recognized the auctions that have achieved the highest rankings in customer service and operational excellence in 2011:

—Carolina AA
—Indiana AA
—Auto Auction of New England based in Londonderry, N.H.
—Manheim Tampa based in Tampa, Fla.
—Manheim Louisville based in Louisville, Ky.

Fiserv reiterated that it provides solutions for loan and lease origination, account servicing, loss and risk mitigation, lease maturity management and vehicle remarketing to captive finance companies, banks, specialty lenders and credit unions.

As part of its outsourcing model for auto finance lenders, Fiserv partners with auction groups to remarket off-lease and repossessed vehicles. Fiserv managed the remarketing of 42,000 vehicles in 2011.