Lexus topped the J.D. Power Customer Service chart for a fourth consecutive year.
For the fourth year in a row, Lexus has topped the charts as the brand delivering the highest level of customer satisfaction when it comes to dealer service. Among mainstream brands, Mini led the list for the second consecutive year, according to a new study by J.D. Power and Associates.
The annual Customer Service Index, or CSI, found that overall satisfaction with dealer service has improved substantially over the last year, perhaps reflecting efforts by automakers to build brand loyalty. Significantly, survey respondents revealed they are generally more pleased with the service they get at the dealer than with work done by independent repair shops.
“Steady improvements in vehicle quality, longer intervals between recommended service visits and a higher mix of maintenance service events have had a positive effect on overall dealer service satisfaction,” said Chris Sutton, senior director at J.D. Power and Associates.
“Moreover,” Sutton added, “manufacturers and their dealers have instituted broad-based customer service improvement initiatives to increase satisfaction with both the purchase experience and after-sales service, with the understanding that a substandard service occasion can and will impact their ability to make a future vehicle sale or gain repeat service business.”
Lexus topped the list overall, and was first among luxury brands for the fourth year in a row, according to Power, with a total of 861 points on a 1,000-point scale. Cadillac landed in second place, at 852, followed by Jaguar, at 849, Acura, at 838, and Porsche, at 836. Audi, meanwhile, showed the most significant improvement among luxury brands, gaining 34 points in the 2012 Customer Service Index.
“Lexus dealers continue to raise the bar in delivering on the promise of industry-leading customer satisfaction,” responded Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president and general manager. “We are thrilled that their tireless efforts at exceeding customer expectations resulted in Lexus being the highest ranked brand in CSI for the 15th time, more than any other manufacturer.”
Luxury brands have traditionally topped the customer satisfaction charts but the 2012 CSI shows that some mainstream marques are pushing into luxury territory. That notably includes Mini, which ranked tops among its more plebian competitors for the second year, scoring 809. Power officials noted that MINI performed particularly well in four of the five measures: service quality, service advisor, service facility and vehicle pick-up.
The mainstream runners-up included second-place Buick, at 805, GMC, at 803, Chevrolet, at 801, and Hyundai, at 791. Significantly, no Japanese marques were in the mainstream Top 5, though the two mass market brands showing the most improvement were Nissan, up 43 points, and Toyota, which gained 31.
Of all 33 brands covered by the 2012 Customer Service Index, 28 showed gains over the 2011 study. Eight brands jumped by at least 20 points.
The new study defied conventional wisdom by suggesting that owners are now more pleased with the service they get from franchised dealers than from independent service shops. That – and longer, more inclusive warranties – has led more owners or relatively new vehicles to take their cars back to the dealer for service – 79% of those with one to three year-old cars, the new CSI shows. That’s up from 74% in 2011 and 72% in 2010.
But it wasn’t all good news for those factory showrooms; due to the sharp sales downturns of recent years, Power projects that they will continue seeing a decline in service-related business for at least several more years.