Vehicle Parts Managers Seek Personal Relationship with Manufacturer
16 October 1998
J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Vehicle Parts Managers Seek Personal Relationship with Manufacturer
AGOURA HILLS, Calif.--(AutomotiveWire)--Oct. 15, 1998--
Saturn Parts Managers Remain Most Satisfied
With Their Manufacturer for Third Straight Year
A simple phone call to automotive dealership parts managers every few weeks may have a significant impact on their satisfaction with manufacturers, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 1998 Parts Managers' Study: Best Practices in a Competitive Market.
The study, based on participation of nearly 4,000 parts managers nationwide, demonstrates that dissatisfied parts managers can create a variety of challenges for manufacturers, one of which is the likelihood of future increased reliance on aftermarket parts.
"When you bring the contents of this study down to its bare essence, parts managers are concerned that their manufacturers do not place as much emphasis on the parts business as they should," said Chris Denove, director of consulting operations at J.D. Power and Associates.
"This is reflected in many areas, from general dissatisfaction with the parts department training programs to a perceived lack of dedicated attention from manufacturer field representatives."
The study shows a strong correlation between levels of manufacturer involvement in the parts business and parts manager satisfaction levels with manufacturers. Parts managers are generally satisfied with parts quality and ordering systems but are more critical of training programs and pricing policies.
For example, two-thirds of the parts managers surveyed rated the parts ordering system as truly outstanding/excellent, compared with only one-third rating their manufacturer's parts department training programs as outstanding or excellent.
According to the study, Saturn tops the parts managers' satisfaction index for the third straight year, followed closely by Infiniti and Acura. Saturn performed at or near the top of each performance area, which includes the parts ordering system; parts quality; return policies; field representatives; parts supply; parts catalog; pricing policies; and training programs.
This year's study reveals that the gap between Saturn and the competition has closed significantly, putting numerous franchises in position to challenge Saturn for the parts-managers-satisfaction-index title.
"Despite the fact that parts managers provide the final link in the distribution chain, they often perceive that manufacturers discount their importance," said Denove.
"There are many steps that manufacturers can take to enhance their relationship with parts managers. A few of these include, reducing turnover among field reps and installing automated systems that ease the burden of managing time while still providing the dealership with an acceptable level of control."
With headquarters in Agoura Hills, J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services firm operating 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 more than 1 million consumers annually. J.D. Power and Associates can be accessed through the World Wide Web at www.jdpower.com. Media e-mail contact: john.pepitone@jdpower.com.
This press release is provided for editorial use only. 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.
J.D. Power and Associates
1998 Parts Managers' Study: Best Practices in a Competitive Market
Satisfaction Index
(based on a scale of 0 to 120)
Saturn 113 BMW 103
Infiniti 110 Hyundai 103
Acura 107 Mercedes-Benz 103
Chrysler/Plymouth 105 Saab 103
Honda 105 Cadillac 102
Jeep/Eagle 105 Mitsubishi 101
Lexus 105 Pontiac 101
Toyota 105 Volkswagen 101
Dodge 104 Buick 100
Jaguar 104 GMC 100
Kia 104 Mazda 100
Industry Average 100
Charts and graphs extracted from this news release must be accompanied
by a statement identifying J.D. Power and Associates as the publisher,
and the J.D. Power and Associates 1998 Parts Managers' Study: Best
Practices in a Competitive Market as the source. 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.