J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Lexus Remains Number One In Satisfaction
12 July 2000
Saturn Makes Customer Satisfaction Comeback in 2000 Study
AGOURA HILLS, Calif., July 12 For the fourth straight
year, Lexus ranks highest in Customer Satisfaction with Dealer Service among
all major automotive nameplates, according to the J.D. Power and Associates
2000 Customer Service Index Study released today.
Lexus has taken top honors in this study for nine out of the past 10 years
and scores well among repair customers especially in areas of service quality,
user-friendly service, service delivery, service advisor and initiating
service.
"Lexus dealers go to great lengths to satisfy customer needs and
especially stand out in the way the vehicle is returned after servicing," said
John Harbicht, senior manager of service satisfaction research at J.D. Power
and Associates. "Lexus customers have stated they frequently have their
vehicle returned cleaner than when it was dropped off at the dealership, and
it is almost always available when promised."
New-car owners expect to receive quality service quickly at their
dealerships and at a reasonable cost, according to the study.
"Dealers who provide this level of quality service are reaping the
benefits of higher-volume repeat business from satisfied customers," Harbicht
said.
Ranking a close second in the study is Saturn, which rebounded this year,
moving up six positions from 1999 results. Saturn customers are primarily
pleased with the level of service they receive, particularly customers who
visit the dealership for general maintenance. Study respondents indicate
positive marks for ease of getting into the dealership for service, personal
care of the service advisor and user-friendly aspects of the dealership, such
as fairness of charges and cleanliness of the service facility.
BMW ranks third and, according to its owners, is doing a better job than
many other dealerships at diagnosing problems and fulfilling customer
requests.
Korean-manufactured Daewoo ranks fourth in the study.
"Daewoo benefits from a factory-sponsored warranty program that
essentially covers all items on the vehicle including oil changes during the
first three years of ownership," Harbicht said. "It appears they are doing a
good job of providing excellent customer service at the dealership."
Because Daewoo launched in the United States in 1999, its sample consists
of customers in the first year of ownership only, rather than a mixture of one
to three years of ownership.
Volvo ranks fifth and does well among repair customers. Volvo has been
particularly effective in parts availability, which has traditionally affected
prompt repairs among some European makes. Twelve of the top 15 highest CSI
scores were held by luxury brands.
Another non-luxury nameplate among the top 15 performers is Buick, ranking
eleventh overall in a tie with Saab. Buick showed a dramatic improvement
among its maintenance customers -- those who require routine service.
The study indicates that customer treatment during visits for both routine
maintenance and repairs has a direct influence on future service for the
dealer.
"Increasing competition from aftermarket providers and repair shops is
also causing dealers to pay closer attention to satisfying the service
requirements of their customers, particularly those service providers who make
an extra effort to satisfy customers' time considerations as well," Harbicht
said.
The CSI study, which was pioneered by the firm in 1981, focuses on
experiences with the dealer service department during the first three years of
vehicle ownership, which represents the majority of warranty periods. The
study is based on responses from more than 52,000 new-vehicle owners and
leasees and continues to provide benchmarking of dealer service satisfaction
across the U.S. automotive industry. J.D. Power and Associates independently
funds the study.
Headquartered in Agoura Hills, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a
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
actual customer responses from millions of consumers annually.
J.D. Power and Associates
2000 Customer Service Index Study(SM)
(By Nameplate)
Lexus 811
Saturn 807
BMW 783
Daewoo 778
Volvo 769
Cadillac 766
Infiniti 765
Acura 760
Jaguar 749
Mercedes-Benz 746
Buick 739
Saab 739
Lincoln 736
Audi 733
Land Rover 733
Oldsmobile 732
Mercury 716
Porsche 708
Chrysler 702
Honda 700
Pontiac 699
Chevrolet 698
INDUSTRY AVERAGE 692
Finishing below industry average, in alphabetical order are: Dodge,
Eagle, Ford, GMC, Hyundai, Isuzu, Jeep, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan,
Plymouth, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota and Volkswagon