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J.D. Power and Associates 1997 Emergency Roadside Assistance Study(SM):

22 September 1997

J.D. Power and Associates 1997 Emergency Roadside Assistance Study(SM):

                 Important Consumer and Manufacturer Benefit,
                 But Not Being Promoted by Auto Manufacturers

    AGOURA HILLS, Calif., Sept. 22 -- J.D. Power and Associates
Emergency Roadside Assistance Studies (ERA) have revealed that ERA programs
are important to vehicle owners for their security benefits.  However, the
current study reveals that auto manufacturers are neglecting the opportunity
to sufficiently promote them as a consumer benefit during the purchase
process.  In fact, nearly one third of vehicle owners who have a manufacturer
sponsored ERA program are uninformed to the point that they purchase
additional ERA coverage.
    "The importance of a good ERA program is being neglected by auto
manufacturers," commented Hubert Brossard, manager of research projects at
J.D. Power and Associates.  According to the J.D. Power and Associates 1997
Emergency Roadside Assistance Study(SM), it appears that money is being wasted
on programs that exist but are virtually unknown by nearly one third of
vehicle owners who are carrying them," said Mr. Brossard.
    Consumers who required ERA in the past year provided important insight
into a satisfying experience that can, in turn, add to their level of
security.  According to the J.D. Power and Associates 1997 Emergency Roadside
Assistance Study(SM), the three key drivers of ERA satisfaction are:

    1) The technician/tow truck driver performance; (i.e., ability to do what
was necessary to help the consumer) 46% of importance
    2) How quickly help arrived; 27% of importance
    3) The service representative/dispatcher performance; (i.e., ability to
provide helpful information, courtesy/sympathy/understanding) 27% of
importance

    Many manufacturers view ERA as a window of opportunity to differentiate
their products, and have developed strategic alliances with providers to
sponsor 24-hour emergency roadside assistance programs.  It appears, however,
that they are closing this window by a failure to make consumers sufficiently
aware of the service from the outset.  The troublesome outcome is that many
manufacturers miss the chance to recover and even enhance customer
satisfaction by neglecting to sufficiently market this valued feature.
    "By instilling consumer awareness in emergency roadside assistance
programs, manufacturers have a unique opportunity to create a bonding
experience with their customer base," continued Mr. Brossard.  "Consumers who
require ERA and have a positive experience virtually offset what might have
been a negative situation.  In addition, manufacturers promoting the service
subsequently gain a clear differentiation," concluded Mr. Brossard.
    The J.D. Power and Associates 1997 Emergency Roadside Assistance Study(SM)
evaluates ERA experiences over the past year among original owners of 1996
model year vehicles.  The study measures the performance and quality of the
ERA providers and assesses the impact of ERA sponsored programs on customer
satisfaction.
    J.D. Power and Associates is an international firm best known for its
marketing information services in key business sectors including market
research, forecasting, and customer satisfaction.  The firm's quality and
satisfaction measurements are based on actual customer responses from over a
million consumers annually.  With its headquarters in Agoura Hills,
California, the firm also has U.S. offices in Torrance, California; Michigan;
and Connecticut.  Its international locations include Japan, Korea, England,
Canada and Brazil.
    J.D. Power and Associates can be accessed through the World Wide Web at
 http://www.jdpower.com.  Email:  info@jdpower.com.
    No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the information in
this release or J.D. Power and Associates survey results without the express
prior written consent of J.D. Power and Associates.

                       Key Drivers of ERA Satisfaction:
                          J.D. Power and Associates
                   1997 Emergency Roadsde Assistance (ERA)
                       Customer Satisfaction Study(SM)

    Technician/Tow Truck Driver               46%
    How Quickly Help Arrived                  27%
    Sales Representative/Dispatcher           27%

SOURCE  J.D. Power and Associates