Lexus, Buick Lead the Way in Customer Satisfaction
The J.D. Power 2017 U.S. Customer Satisfaction Index Study has been released.
Overall customer service improved to 816 (on a 1,000-point scale) from 802, while service quality scores account for the greatest improvement, rising to 809 from 782 in 2015, when the study was redesigned. The other four measures, service advisor, service initation, service facility and vehicle pick-up, all showed improvements from 2015 levels.
The J.D. Power U.S. Customer Satisfaction Index Study measures customer satisfaction with service at a franchised dealer or independent service facility for maintenance or repair work among owners and lessees of one- to five-year-old vehicles.
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The luxury brand average this year is 859, with Lexus topping the segment with a score of 874. Audi (869), Lincoln (868), Porsche (867) and Cadillac (865) round out the top five. Only four luxury brands performed below the average: BMW (852), Acura (836), Volvo (836) and Land Rover (828).
For mass market brands, Buick led the way with a score of 860. The mass market brand average was 807, with nine automakers performing below average. At the bottom of the list this year is Mazda (784), Dodge (771), Ram (755), Jeep (753) and Fiat (739). Joining Buick at the top is MINI (850), GMC (837), Chevrolet (829) and Nissan (822).
The study also found that among customers who are contacted by phone, 55 percent say they “definitely will” return for paid service. But when receiving text messages, the loyalty factor jumps to 67 percent. An increase in the use of tablets by service advisors and online scheduling also tends to increase customer satisfaction.
“The quality of work – doing the job right the first time – can noticeably affect customer satisfaction and loyalty, but it shouldn’t be viewed in a vacuum,” said Chris Sutton, vice president, U.S. automotive retail practice at J.D. Power. “Proactive communication with the customer, especially while the car is being serviced, is one element that has a direct influence on loyalty.”
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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