J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Michelin Sweeps Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Rankings
Consumers Continue to Cite Tire Wearability as Top Priority in Overall Satisfaction
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Sept. 12 -- Michelin ranks highest in original equipment (OE) tire satisfaction in four segments, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2005 Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Study(SM) released today.
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The study is based on responses from more than 32,000 new-vehicle owners who purchased a vehicle between 2003 and 2004. Overall satisfaction of OE tires is based on performance in five factors: wearability, appearance, traction, ride and handling. Rankings are based on owners' experiences with their tires during the first year of ownership.
Michelin achieves the highest OE tire satisfaction index score in each of the four segments included in the study: luxury/sport; mass-market/non-luxury; pickup/full-size van; and SUV. Michelin leads all four segments in the five factors contributing to customer satisfaction.
"Michelin has continually received high ratings from customers in our study," said Carolyn McBeth, director of automotive component research for J.D. Power and Associates. "By listening to its customers and paying attention to market demand trends, Michelin has fostered strong customer satisfaction and thus higher customer repurchase intention."
Tire wearability continues to be the most important factor contributing to overall customer satisfaction. The study finds that among consumers who experienced problems with their tires within the first 12 months of ownership, one-half report puncture damage and only 14 percent cite tread wear issues.
"Although it's often difficult to manage customer expectations with original tires, particularly in the area of wearability, achieving high levels of customer satisfaction in the original equipment market is vital for tire manufacturers," said McBeth. "Consumers may not have much say in which tires come standard with their new vehicle, but they definitely have a choice when it comes time to replace those tires."
About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., 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 such as Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education and BusinessWeek. The Corporation has more than 300 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2004 were $5.3 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.
J.D. Power and Associates Media Relations Contacts: John Tews Michael Greywitt Director, Media Relations Director, Media Relations Troy, Mich. Westlake Village, Calif. (248) 312-4119 (805) 418-8526 john.tews@jdpa.com michael.greywitt@jdpa.com
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