Volvo and Volkswagen Certified by J.D. Power and Ass.
20 October 1998
Neftin Westlake Volvo and Volkswagen Receives J.D. Power and Associates Certified Retailer Distinction
AGOURA HILLS, Calif.--Oct. 20, 1998--J.D. Power and Associates Certified Retailer program has recognized Neftin Westlake Volvo and Volkswagen with a Certified Retailer Award after the dealership successfully completed a rigorous certification process, which measures commitment to providing outstanding customer service.
J.D. Power III will present the award to Neftin on Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. PT. Neftin Westlake Volvo and Volkswagen is located in the Thousand Oaks Auto Mall at 3550 Auto Mall Drive, Thousand Oaks, Calif.
"Neftin Westlake Volvo and Volkswagen is proud and honored to receive this recognition from our customers," said Howie Neftin, Neftin president. "Customer service is a family tradition that we have always placed as our No. 1 priority and we feel that this award will serve to set us apart in a very competitive marketplace."
As an independent third party, J.D. Power and Associates conducts a random sampling of a dealership's recent new car-buyers. Upon successfully meeting stringent benchmark qualifying criteria, the dealership is given the Certified Retailer designation for one year and is monitored by J.D. Power and Associates to ensure that customer satisfaction levels are maintained.
"The concept of our program has been in design and development for nearly a decade. However, now with all the whirlwind changes in the automobile retail environment, dealers more than ever need a means to differentiate themselves in the marketplace," said J.D. Power III, founder and chairman of J.D. Power and Associates.
Although there are certification programs that evaluate the quality of products, there are no credible independent programs to measure the car buying experience. The J.D. Power and Associates Certified Retailer program is the only independent program to certify and track dealers who maintain top levels of customer satisfaction during the new-vehicle buying experience.
While certification consideration is open to all dealers, J.D. Power and Associates expects that the "best-of-the-best" will most likely be fewer than five percent of all new car and truck dealerships.
"The Neftin family and all at Neftin Volvo and Volkswagen are to be commended for their tireless commitment to satisfying their new-vehicle customers," said Linda Hirneise, partner and project director of the certified retailer program at J.D. Power and Associates. "They truly have an outstanding operation as expressed by their current customers."
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 news 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.