During the pandemic lock-downs during 2020 many vehicle owners drove fewer miles and thereby extended service intervals. Nonetheless, dealer service visits are only down 6% from 2019 and overall satisfaction increased to 847 (on a 1,000-point scale) from 837 a year ago, according to the J.D. Power 2021 Customer Service Index (CSI) Study released today. Overall satisfaction also increased for a sixth consecutive year. However, EV owners are dissatisfied with service. Their overall service satisfaction is 69 points lower than the average customer and 76 points lower for service quality. Hmn.
“When one- to three-year-old vehicles required service in 2020, dealers captured an even greater share of service visits, which is the highest level in at least five years,” said Chris Sutton, vice president of automotive retail at J.D. Power.
Click to Enlarge. Note the usual below average satisfaction makers.
The 2021 Customer Service Index study measures satisfaction with service at a franchised dealer or independent service facility for maintenance or repair work among owners and lessees of one- to three-year-old vehicles.
It also provides a numerical index ranking of the highest-performing automotive brands sold in the United States, which is based on the combined scores of five different measures that comprise the vehicle owner service experience.
These index ranking measures are in their order of importance – service quality (29%); service facility (19%); service initiation (18%); service advisor (18%); and vehicle pick-up (16%).
KeyFindings of the 2021 Study
- Remote or online payment options boost satisfaction: While service customers didn’t frequently use contact-less payment options—only 6% of premium and 1% of mass market owners say they used these methods—pick-up satisfaction is highest among those who used these options. Satisfaction scores improve 44 points among premium customers who pay remotely or online compared with handling payment via a cashier. Among mass market customers, satisfaction improves 69 points. “This is an example of a process some dealers may have put into place as a safety measure during the pandemic, but which they may want to keep in place, as customers find they like it more,” Sutton said.
- Using express how to buy valtrex online service increases satisfaction: Satisfaction among customers who did not use express service for maintenance is flat compared with a year ago. However, satisfaction among those who did use express service has increased 10 points during the pandemic.
- Battery-electric vehicle owners less satisfied with service: According to the J.D. Power 2021 Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Ownership Study, only 54% of battery electric vehicle (BEV) owners indicate they had taken their vehicle in for service in the past 12 months. However, the 2021 CSI Study finds that when they do visit a dealer for service, their overall service satisfaction is 69 points lower than the average customer and 76 points lower for service quality. “BEV owners present a unique challenge for dealers,” Sutton said. “Not only are their vehicles more difficult to service than traditional internal combustion engine vehicles, but also the lower frequency of visits means dealers have fewer chances to make a positive impression on these customers.”
- BEV owners less satisfied with maintenance than repairs: On average, there’s nearly twice as much maintenance work being done during dealer service visits than repair work. However, the maintenance-to-repair ratio for BEV owners is nearly an even split. While more complex service repair work usually results in lower customer satisfaction than does maintenance work, the opposite is true for BEV owners. A large reason for this is that BEV owners are 2.5 times more likely to not experience their service completed right the first time. “BEVs are in their early stages and dealers seem to be experiencing growing pains with servicing these vehicles,” Sutton said. “Automakers may want to invest in more dealer service training. Otherwise, they run the risk of losing return customers.”
Study Rankings
- Porsche ranks highest in satisfaction with dealer service among premium brands with a score of 899. Lexus (895) ranks second, followed by Infiniti (887), Cadillac (883) and Lincoln (872).
- MINI ranks highest in satisfaction with dealer service among mass market brands, with a score of 864. Buick (859) ranks second, followed by Mitsubishi (857), GMC (856) and Kia (855).
Click to Enlarge.
The 2021 U.S. Customer Service Index Study is based on responses from 62,519 verified registered owners and lessees of 2018 to 2020 model-year vehicles. J.D. Power claims to go to “great lengths to ensure that survey respondents are true owners of the brand they are representing.” The study was fielded from July through December 2020.
2020 Dealer Service Visits Drop 6%. EV Owners Dissatisfied
During the pandemic lock-downs during 2020 many vehicle owners drove fewer miles and thereby extended service intervals. Nonetheless, dealer service visits are only down 6% from 2019 and overall satisfaction increased to 847 (on a 1,000-point scale) from 837 a year ago, according to the J.D. Power 2021 Customer Service Index (CSI) Study released today. Overall satisfaction also increased for a sixth consecutive year. However, EV owners are dissatisfied with service. Their overall service satisfaction is 69 points lower than the average customer and 76 points lower for service quality. Hmn.
“When one- to three-year-old vehicles required service in 2020, dealers captured an even greater share of service visits, which is the highest level in at least five years,” said Chris Sutton, vice president of automotive retail at J.D. Power.
Click to Enlarge. Note the usual below average satisfaction makers.
The 2021 Customer Service Index study measures satisfaction with service at a franchised dealer or independent service facility for maintenance or repair work among owners and lessees of one- to three-year-old vehicles.
It also provides a numerical index ranking of the highest-performing automotive brands sold in the United States, which is based on the combined scores of five different measures that comprise the vehicle owner service experience.
These index ranking measures are in their order of importance – service quality (29%); service facility (19%); service initiation (18%); service advisor (18%); and vehicle pick-up (16%).
KeyFindings of the 2021 Study
Study Rankings
Click to Enlarge.
The 2021 U.S. Customer Service Index Study is based on responses from 62,519 verified registered owners and lessees of 2018 to 2020 model-year vehicles. J.D. Power claims to go to “great lengths to ensure that survey respondents are true owners of the brand they are representing.” The study was fielded from July through December 2020.