April 10, 2014—The percentage of vehicle owners with complementary or prepaid vehicle maintenance packages has more than doubled during the past five years, according to the J.D. Power 2014 U.S. Customer Service Index (CSI) Study.
According to the study, 68 percent of luxury vehicle owners and 46 percent of mass market brand owners said their vehicle was covered under either a complementary or prepaid maintenance package during the first year of ownership, compared with 35 percent of luxury and 15 percent of mass market brand owners in 2009.
Customer satisfaction with dealer service has also continued to increase. Among luxury brands, overall customer satisfaction averages 855, up from 846 in 2013, while the CSI average among mass market brands is 797, up from 789 in 2013.
Six of the top 10 key performance indicators involved service advisor-related best practices, including a focus on customer needs, providing helpful advice and keeping the owner updated about the status of their vehicle.
The study also found that the use of digital tablets during service interactions can have a positive impact on customer satisfaction. The industry-wide CSI score when a tablet is used is 838, compared with 802 when a tablet is not used.
