RAC Ranks Highest in Satisfying Roadside Assistance Customers in the UK

LONDON, December 21 -- The RAC ranks highest in satisfying emergency roadside assistance customers, according to the J.D. Power and Associates UK Roadside Assistance StudySM released today.

The study, which evaluates 16 different aspects of the roadside assistance experience, is based on the evaluations of nearly 3,000 UK motorists who required emergency assistance. Now in its ninth year as the UK's leading barometer of roadside assistance, 2006 marks the first time respondents were surveyed online.

With an overall customer satisfaction score of 766 based on a 1,000-point scale, the RAC leads the AA by just two index points. The RAC receives the highest ratings for all three factors driving customer satisfaction: timing (time taken for help to arrive and time taken at the scene), operator/dispatcher (includes friendliness, reassurance, and time taken to answer the phone) and mechanic/vehicle driver (includes appearance, courtesy and the ability to do what was needed).

The study finds that 66 percent of respondents purchased their roadside assistance coverage independently, as opposed to those who were covered through the original programme that came with the vehicle or were covered through their bank/motor insurance policy. Amongst respondents who actively chose their assistance provider, price was the top reason for selecting a particular organisation, followed by reputation for good service, brand recognition and previous experience with the company.

As in previous years, satisfaction ratings are higher when a motorist is assisted by a mechanic belonging to the roadside assistance organisation, rather than one employed by a subcontractor.

"The use of subcontractors by the AA and RAC is substantially lower than other providers, which is one of the reasons these providers record the highest levels of customer satisfaction in the study year after year," said Karen Gibbs, research manager at J.D. Power and Associates. "Both the AA and RAC rely heavily on their own fully branded, in-house fleets of vehicles, whereas most other providers operate through a network of subcontractors."

The study finds that 44 percent of respondents were attended to at the roadside (not a motorway), compared with 22 percent at home, 14 percent on a motorway, 12 percent at another location and 8 percent at work. Satisfaction with roadside assistance is greatest when provided at home and lowest when required on a motorway.

Engine and other mechanical problems are the most common causes of roadside assistance callouts (23% each), followed by flat battery (19%) and flat tyres (15%). Flat batteries (94%) and flat tyres (92%) are the problems most often fixed at the roadside. Problems with low fix rates are mechanical problems (52%), engine problems (65%) and electrical problems (67%).

The study finds that the highest satisfaction ratings are reported by the 41 percent of respondents who said the problems with their vehicle were permanently fixed by the roadside assistance mechanic. Overall, 23 percent of vehicles were temporarily fixed in order to be driven to a dealer or garage.

The 2006 UK Roadside Assistance Study is based on responses from 2,951 customers regarding their experience with a roadside assistance provider in the previous six months.

About J.D. Power and Associates

The European headquarters of J.D. Power and Associates is located in Guildford, UK. With world headquarters in Westlake Village, California, U.S.A., J.D. Power and Associates is an ISO 9001-registered global marketing information services firm operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, consulting, training and customer satisfaction. The firm's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies

Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands including Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2005 were $6.0 billion. Additional information is available at www.mcgraw-hill.com.