J.D. Power and Associates Survey Says Auto Industry Has Made Improvements in Customer Service

DETROIT July 20, 2004; The AP reported that the auto industry has achieved widespread improvements in overall customer service in the past year, according to a survey released Tuesday.

The industry as a whole gained 11 index points in the 2004 Customer Service Index study by J.D. Power and Associates. In addition, nearly half of the brands improved by at least 10 points compared to the market research firm's 2003 survey.

The study measures customer satisfaction among new-vehicle owners with the dealer service department during the first three years of ownership.

An increased focus on what customers want when they bring their vehicles in for maintenance or repair has resulted in a more satisfied client base, said Joe Ivers, executive director of quality/customer satisfaction for J.D. Power, based in Westlake Village, Calif.

Lincoln ranked highest in the 2004 survey with a record-high index score of 912. The previous industry record was 903, set by Lexus in 2001.

The Ford Motor Co. nameplate posted a 17-point improvement over its 2003 third-place finish to earn the top ranking for the first time in the study's 24-year history.

Ivers credited Lincoln's strong performance in part to improved vehicle quality, resulting in a 14-percent decline in the volume of repairs needed and a greater proportion of maintenance-only work, which is easier from a customer perspective, he said.

Seven brands received a score of 900 or higher out of a possible 1,000, a mark previously reached only by Lexus and Saturn.

Following Lincoln were General Motors Corp.'s Buick brand (909), Nissan Motor Co.'s Infiniti (908), GM's Cadillac (904), Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus (902), GM's Saturn (901) and Honda Motor Co.'s Acura (900).

The biggest jumps in the 2004 survey were made by Audi and Ford's Jaguar, which each improved by 31 points over their 2003 scores, and Land Rover, which improved 29 points.

All of GM's brands scored above the industry average of 862.

The bottom five in this year's study remained unchanged from 2003: Volkswagen (821), Kia (813), Suzuki (809), Isuzu (786) and Daewoo (754).

The 2004 study is based on responses from more than 97,000 new-vehicle owners and lessees.