With four nominations at this year’s prestigious Motor Trader Independent Dealer Awards, Culloden Cars is gaining national recognition.
But for owner Craig Walker, the accolades are simply confirmation that putting customers first remains the best business strategy of all.
When Craig talks about Culloden Cars, he doesn’t begin with awards, sales figures or industry recognition. Instead, he talks about trust.
In an industry that has often struggled with public perception, Craig has built his business around a simple principle: treat customers with honesty, transparency and respect and success will follow.
It’s an approach that is earning national recognition.
This June, Culloden Cars will travel to the Motor Trader Independent Dealer Awards at The Belfry having been shortlisted in three major categories: Aftersales Excellence, Independent Community Dealer of the Year and the coveted UK Independent Dealer of the Year.
Sister company Top Car Services has also been shortlisted for Independent Garage of the Year, bringing the total number of nominations to four.
For a business based in the Highlands, competing against dealerships from across the UK, the nominations represent a significant achievement.
Craig has spent more than 26 years in the motor industry. His career began in traditional dealership environments, progressing from sales executive through senior sales roles and ultimately into general sales management positions.
Along the way, he developed a detailed understanding of how successful dealerships operate, but he also saw areas where the customer experience could be improved.
“I’ve been in the motor trade my whole working life,” he said.
“For most of that time I’ve watched the industry treat customers like a problem to be managed rather than people to be looked after. That always bothered me.”
His journey has not been without challenges.
At just 22 years old, a failed business venture left him bankrupt and forced him to rebuild from scratch. Today, he speaks openly about that experience and the impact it has had on his outlook.
“That drive is the fuel,” he said.
“I never want to feel like that again. It made me incredibly determined and competitive. I want us to be the best. I want customers to have a fantastic experience and I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure they do.”
After leaving dealership life in 2018 to join automotive finance provider MotoNovo Finance, Craig was introduced to Culloden Car Sales owner Donnie MacDonald.
What followed would become a turning point in his career.
The pair agreed that Craig would join the business Top Car Inverness and help transform its performance. If he succeeded, he would earn a stake in the company.
Within a year, Craig had secured half ownership and, when MacDonald later decided to retire, an opportunity emerged to acquire Culloden Cars.
In October 2022, Craig took full control and began implementing his vision.
With costs rising and the difficulty of operating two dealerships, Craig decided to close Top Car Inverness and focus solely on the growth of Culloden Cars under one roof. He relocated the staff and stock to Culloden in October 2023.
The transformation has not been about reinventing the business but amplifying what already worked.
Craig said: “A lot of people think the business has grown dramatically.
“In reality, it’s probably grown more in reach and recognition than anything else.”
Central to that growth has been a deliberate shift towards transparency.
Craig recognised that many customers approach car dealerships with caution.
“The psychology of buying a car is fascinating,” he said.
“Customers come in with their guard up. They’re anxious. They worry they’re going to be pressured or ripped off.”
Rather than fighting those perceptions, Culloden Cars set out to remove them.
That means being open about vehicle valuations, investing heavily in vehicle preparation and maintaining clear communication throughout the sales process.
The result has been a customer experience that prioritises long-term relationships over short-term transactions.
“When someone buys a car from us, the relationship doesn’t end when they drive off the forecourt,” Craig said.
“That’s where it starts. The aftercare, the support and making sure customers aren’t left on their own if something goes wrong is hugely important to us.”
A major factor in Culloden Cars’ success is its close relationship with Top Car Services and business partner Liam Grant.
While the businesses operate under separate names, they function as one integrated operation.
Together, they employ 16 people across sales, administration, servicing and repairs.
Having an in-house workshop gives Craig and his team complete control over vehicle preparation, servicing and aftersales support.
“We know exactly what’s gone into every car before a customer sits in it,” he said.
Every vehicle is inspected and prepared by Top Car Services before reaching the forecourt, helping ensure standards remain consistently high.
The arrangement also allows customers to deal with one trusted business throughout their ownership journey.
Craig added: “If something goes wrong, we fix it.
“There aren’t many independent dealers who can genuinely control every stage of the customer experience from purchase through to servicing and repairs.”
That level of accountability has become a defining feature of the business.
While traditional values remain at the heart of Culloden Cars, Craig has also embraced modern marketing strategies.
One of the most visible examples is the dealership’s popular online video series, Dealership Diaries.
The videos offer customers an authentic look inside the day-to-day workings of the dealership.
“We wanted to open the doors and show people exactly what we’re doing,” Craig said.
The series gives customers access to everything from vehicle preparation and workshop activity to team interactions and customer handovers.
It also reflects Craig’s belief that transparency should extend beyond the showroom.
“Anyone can say they’ve got five-star reviews,” he said.
“The question is, how do you show it? This allows people to see for themselves.”
The approach has proven highly effective, helping the business build trust, strengthen its brand and connect with customers across Scotland and beyond.
It also contributed to one of the company’s earliest major industry successes, winning Best Marketing Campaign at the Highland Business Awards and becoming a finalist at both the Automotive Management Awards and the Car Dealer Magazine Used Car Awards.
The awards have continued to follow.
Last year alone, Culloden Cars received significant recognition from across the motor industry.
The business won the Motor Trader Customer Care Award and received a highly commended distinction for Independent Dealer of the Year.
Craig was also named Dealers’ Dealer of the Year by Car Dealer Magazine, an award voted for by fellow retailers and one he describes as particularly meaningful.
“It’s nice to have recognition, not because of what it looks like on the wall, but because of who gave it,” he said.
“That’s the industry itself saying we’re getting it right.”
This year’s shortlistings continue that momentum.
The Motor Trader Awards are widely regarded as among the most prestigious honours in the UK automotive sector, attracting entries from businesses of all sizes across the country.
For a Highland-based independent dealership to feature prominently among the finalists demonstrates how far the business has come.
“If you’re shortlisted for these awards, it tells you that what you’re doing is working,” Craig said.
“These aren’t participation awards. These are the awards the industry genuinely wants to win.”
Craig’s reputation extends beyond Culloden Cars itself.
He currently serves on the national committee of the Independent Motor Dealers Association (IMDA), helping represent more than 2,000 independent dealers across the UK.
He is also a member of the Finance Open Standards Committee and one of just 25 retailers selected nationwide to sit on Auto Trader’s Advisory Board.
“The independent dealer sector is incredibly important,” he said.
“We provide personal service, local accountability and customer relationships that large corporate groups often struggle to replicate.”
His involvement ensures that independent retailers have a voice in discussions around industry standards, regulation and future developments.
It’s a responsibility he takes seriously.
“I care about this industry beyond my own four walls,” Craig added.
Despite the recent success, Craig’s ambitions remain firmly focused on the future.
Plans are already in place for continued growth, including expanding stock levels and strengthening the business’s position in the electric vehicle market.
All technicians at Top Car Services are now Level 4 EV qualified, allowing the business to service and repair electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
The company has also become a Tesla sub-agent, providing direct access to parts, service capabilities and specialist support when purchasing a used vehicle.
While Craig acknowledges that electric vehicles are not the right solution for every customer, he believes preparation is essential.
“The trend is moving in that direction and we’re ready for it,” he said.
Yet even as technology evolves, he believes the foundations of success will remain unchanged.
Being based in the Highlands has shaped the business in important ways.
Craig said: “This isn’t a city where a customer who has been let down can simply walk down the road to another dealer.
“People rely on their cars here. If you get it wrong, they remember, but when you get it right, the community notices too.”
That sense of accountability continues to drive every decision.
Craig believes the business succeeds because it never loses sight of the people behind every transaction.
“Most people have had a bad experience buying a car at some point,” he said.
“They’ve felt pressured, misled or let down afterwards. I built Culloden Cars for those people. To show them it doesn’t have to be like that.”
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