Mercedes-Benz Pips BMW And Audi In 2017 J.D. Power India Customer Satisfaction Index

Every year, J.D. Power brings us some of the most insightful study findings on the global and Indian automotive markets. A couple of weeks back, the company reported that year on year, the quality of new vehicles is improving in India. This time around, it has released the 2017 India Customer Satisfaction Index Study (ICSIS) for the luxury car brands in the country. The research was carried out to find how these expensive carmakers performed in India on the overall vehicle service experience. JD Power reports that customers are increasingly seeking convenience when initiating their vehicle’s service. Moreover, they appreciate a customer-oriented service experience and the combination of both these parameters result in higher levels of satisfaction.

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The 2017 ICSIS for the luxury segment quantifies its findings based on responses from 241 new vehicle owners who purchased theirs between May 2015 and August 2016 and sent or took them for a service to an authorised service centre between October 2016 and August 2017.

How the dealership performed towards after-sales customer satisfaction is measured in five factors - service quality, vehicle pick-up, service advisor, service facility, and service initiation. These are the same set of factors which also examine service satisfaction in the mass market segment as well.

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Here are the main takeaways from the conducted study:

• With a score of 862 points (on a 1,000-point scale), Mercedes-Benz topped the chart in after-sales satisfaction; BMW with 849 and Audi with 826 came in second and third respectively
• 87 per cent of luxury car owners scheduled a service appointment beforehand. That’s up from 77 per cent in 2013, when the first such study was carried out.
• 17 per cent of owners were given door-step services in the latest report, compared to just 6 per cent five years ago.
• Overall satisfaction in 61 points (on a 1,000-point scale) higher among owners whose vehicle was picked up and dropped off at their home or work than among those who did not opt for the same.
• 31 per cent of owners opted for dealer-provided alternate transportation in 2017, which is up from just 8 per cent in 2013. Satisfaction among these owners is 73 points higher than those who did not use this service in 2017.
• A total of 22 service standards, which directly enhance the overall after-sales service experience, are also gauged in this study. In 2017, 29 per cent of luxury car owners responded that they received all 22 service standards from dealerships - a hike of 9 percentage points from last year’s study.
• 83 per cent of customers received a follow-up call from the dealership in 2017. That’s up by 9 per cent since 2013. The effect is quite clear in overall satisfaction score - 857 points among those who did receive a follow-up call and 794 points among those who did not.
• Among customers who rated their overall after-sales experience at 917 points or more, 92 per cent say they “definitely would” revisit their service dealer for post-warranty service, compared with only 39 per cent of highly dissatisfied customers who say the same.

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This is how the three brands fared against the Luxury Segment average score: