With a CSI score of 915 (on a 1,000-point scale), Ford-owned Lincoln ranked highest in customer satisfaction with dealer service, receiving a record-setting high CSI score for the second consecutive year, according to the JD Power and Associates 2005 Customer Service Index.
The US study, now in its 25th year, measures customer satisfaction of vehicle owners who visited the dealer service department for maintenance or repair work during the first three years of ownership, which typically represents the majority of the vehicle warranty period. Overall customer satisfaction is based on six measures: service initiation, service advisor, in-dealership experience, service delivery, service quality and user-friendly service.
Lincoln outperformed other brands in the areas of service initiation and user-friendly service. Its customers were particularly pleased with the dealership’s ability to get them in for an appointment within a reasonable amount of time and the fairness of charges. Lincoln was the first domestic make to rank highest in CSI for two consecutive years.
Lincoln was followed in the rankings by Cadillac, Saturn and Lexus.
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The study found that 51% of repair work involved a recall – up from 39% in 2004 – reflecting, in part, a change in government regulations on mandatory reporting of vehicle safety defects. CSI scores are, on average, considerably higher for repairs that involve recalls, particularly in the area of service quality. Recall work often tends to garner higher satisfaction than typical repairs because dealers plan for and communicate the work to customers better. As recall repairs become routine, technicians become more efficient and consistent in fixing the problem.
The study also found that brands receiving high ratings from customers for service satisfaction benefit as well in terms of loyalty, both in the likelihood of customers returning to the dealer for in-warranty and post-warranty work and in intentions to repurchase from the servicing dealer.
The 2005 CSI Study was based on responses from 99,550 owners and lessees of 2002 to 2004 model-year vehicles.
