The auto industry has come out on top in the customer service stakes according to a study conducted by leading research firms Maritz Research and CEBenchmarks.
Although the perception of car dealerships has been tainted by images of suave forecourt dealers the survey revealed that three in four customers rated their experience in the top three highest ratings on a 10-point scale. This was based on their experiences when buying or leasing cars or getting their vehicle serviced.
The CEBenchmarks research looked at customer service provision over 11 industries and 34 varieties of transactions. In particular customers were questioned about their buying and leasing experiences at a new car dealership over the last 6 months and vehicle serving experiences, also at new dealerships, in the last three months.
"With so many dealerships vying for business with increased competition, ensuring quality customer experience during the buying and servicing process is incredibly important," said Scott Pimley, strategic consulting director of Maritz Research's Automotive Research Group. "Our findings demonstrate that personnel at automotive dealerships recognise how providing a good experience can create loyal customers and benefit the dealership's bottom line."
Other findings from the survey include the fact the 74.5 percent of customers were satisfied with the levels of service provided, in relation to automotive sales. In terms of car servicing 74.9 percent felt satisfied with their experience, giving the honesty of a dealership as a key factor in the rating.
Additional criteria that influenced levels of customer service satisfaction included quality of repair, efficiency of service, the process of dropping and writing-off cars and getting vehicle repairs correct on just one visit.
Drivers also looked at a number of factors when making their rating. This included dealership honesty, dealership sticking to promises, how a vehicle was delivered and how and financing/paperwork were handled.
"Leading several industries in customer satisfaction is a great testament to auto dealerships understanding and then satisfying their customers' needs," said Chris Travell, vice president of strategic consulting for the Maritz Research Automotive Research Group.
