BMW Improves and Ranks Highest in South Africa Sales Satisfaction Study
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, December 5 --
BMW ranks highest in satisfying new-vehicle buyers with the purchase experience, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 South Africa Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study(SM) released today.
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Now in its second year, the study is a comprehensive measurement of the new-vehicle sales and delivery process, and includes 32 attributes grouped in five factors (the importance of each factor is shown as a percentage):
- Delivery process (27%)
- Salesperson (23%)
- Negotiated price (18%)
- Paperwork/Finance process (17%)
- Dealership facility (15%)
Importance weights are developed based on consumer survey responses, thus
reflecting what is most important to South Africa's new-vehicle buyers. SSI
is reported as an index score based on a 1000-point scale, with a higher
score indicating a more satisfying purchase experience.
BMW tops the rankings with an overall SSI score of 874-an improvement of
54 index points compared to 2005 and 17 points ahead of second-ranked
Chevrolet. Premium brands Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and Audi, respectively, round
out the top five brands.
BMW improves in each factor and sets the benchmark in four of the five
factors: dealership facility, salesperson, paperwork/finance process and
delivery process. Chevrolet outperforms other nameplates in price
negotiations.
"Premium nameplates perform well in providing a satisfying purchase
experience, a pattern that is also reflected in our research in other
countries," said Brian Walters, senior director of J.D. Power and Associates
European, Middle East and Africa operations. "Manageable sales volumes,
combined with a well-trained sales staff, give premium nameplates an
advantage over volume brands. To continue to meet and exceed expectations of
premium vehicle buyers, it is imperative that they deliver at a higher level
to stay ahead in the market."
New-vehicle buyers in South Africa rate the sales staff highly with
respect to courtesy/friendliness, appearance and honesty, but customers are
less satisfied when it comes to closing the deal. Speed and clarity of the
negotiation process are rated below most other aspects related to the
salesperson. Attentiveness to new-vehicle buyer's budgetary limitations is
among the study's lowest-rated considerations.
"While a positive first impression of the sales staff creates a good
foundation for the later stages of the purchase process, rushing through the
more sensitive aspects of price negotiations and neglecting budget concerns
could alienate potential buyers and ultimately cause them to walk out during
the final stages of the sales process," said Walters. "Having an attentive,
trained salesperson with an understanding of customers' budgetary limitations
can lead to more flexibility in the final stages through the introduction of
financial options, ultimately yielding greater satisfaction."
J.D. Power and Associates is recognized across the globe as the leading
independent authority on customer satisfaction in the automotive industry.
The firm's primary role is to help automotive manufacturers further improve
their product quality and service levels through a better understanding of
consumer behaviour and preferences. J.D. Power and Associates also provides
topline results of its studies to consumers for use as a reference point when
purchasing a new vehicle.
Nameplate Ranking by Sales Satisfaction Index
(Based on a 1,000-point scale)
BMW 874
Chevrolet 857
Mercedes-Benz 854
Volvo 844
Audi 843
Subaru 840
Mitsubishi 838
Toyota 836
Mazda 834
Honda 832
Peugeot 826
Renault 821
Industry Average 820
Nissan 816
Ford 815
Isuzu 814
Opel 813
Kia 812
Hyundai 801
Volkswagen 798
Fiat 782
Citroen 773
Daihatsu 749
Tata 743
Included in the study but not ranked due to small sample size are:
Jaguar, Jeep, Land Rover, Mahindra, MINI and Proton.
The 2006 South Africa SSI Study is based on a representative sample of
more than 9 100 new-vehicle owners who purchased their vehicles between
December 2005 and April 2006. The study was funded entirely by J.D. Power and
Associates as a part of its global research programs and included a section
of questions to assist the Department of Transport in measuring the
performance of its vehicle licensing programme.
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
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 US$6.0 billion. Additional information
is available at www.mcgraw-hill.com.