Satisfaction with dealer service keeps rising J.D. Power

Satisfaction with dealer service keeps rising – J.D. Power

Overall customer satisfaction with dealership service rose 10 points to 797 (on a 1,000-point scale) from a year ago in J.D. Power and Associates 2013 U.S. Customer Service Index. The score has jumped 29 points since 2011.

The improvement is widespread: Three of the 11 luxury brands and five of the 19 mass market brands rose in overall satisfaction by at least 20 points.

The study found that 77 percent of customer visits to dealer service departments are for vehicle maintenance, up from 72 percent in 2012. This shift is one factor in increased satisfaction, says J.D. Power.

Dealers have made significant investments in key customer touchpoints – people, improved processes and customer waiting areas – which are having a profoundly positive impact on their customers, said Chris Sutton, senior director at J.D. Power. It also helps that dealers are putting more emphasis on service advisors.

The CSI rankings are based on dealer service performance in the first three years of new-vehicle ownership, which typically covers most of the warranty period. Five measures are examined: service quality, service initiation, service advisor, service facility and vehicle pick-up.

The study finds a direct correlation between service satisfaction and loyalty. Overall, 79 percent of vehicle owners say they definitely will return to the dealership for warranty work, and 64 percent say they definitely will return for service after the warranty expires.

Lexus ranks highest in satisfaction among luxury brands, followed by Cadillac, Jaguar and Acura. Among mass market brands, GMC took the top score, followed by Mini, Buick and Chevrolet.

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