JD Power India Releases Report Of Customer Service of 2 Wheeler Manufacturers - TVS On the Top

Authorized Service Network is experiencing Significant Competitive Pressure from Independent Workshops 

We all know that more than half of the satisfaction from an automobile comes from the after sales service which the company provides. Regarding this, J.D Power India conducted an inaugural survey called the J.D. Power 2016 India Two-Wheeler Customer Service Index (2WCSI) Study, which stated that more than one in five (22%) two-wheeler customers indicate visiting an independent workshop during the warranty period. 

That's why two-wheeler dealers in India face significant competitive pressure from independent workshops, which are providing similar service work as the original equipment (OE) authorized network.

What are the Results?

TVS Ranks Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Two-Wheeler After-Sales Service followed by Suzuki (764) ranks second and Royal Enfield ranks third (758).

How the 2WCSI study was evaluated?

The Study is based on evaluations from 7,270 two-wheeler owners in 45 cities across India. These owners purchased a new two-wheeler between November 2013 and March 2015 and had a service experience within three months of evaluation. The study includes 10 two-wheeler makes and over 75 two-wheeler models and was fielded from November 2015 to March 2016.

“Understanding after-sales service expectations and concerns can help service dealers build a more engaging relationship with customers,” said Kaustav Roy, director at J.D. Power. “Doing so is not only prudent for improved customer satisfaction it can also create loyalty for the brand and lead to increased revenue streams for the dealer.”

This study examines customer satisfaction with the after-sales service experience at original equipment (OE) authorized service center during the first 12-24 months of ownership. It measures overall satisfaction in five factors (listed in order of importance): vehicle pick-up (22%), service advisor (21%), service quality (20%), service facility (19%), and service initiation (18%). The customer satisfaction is measured on a 1,000-point scale, with a higher score indicating higher satisfaction.

Key Findings

⦁ Overall and Segment Satisfaction: Overall customer satisfaction with two-wheeler after-sales service is 748. In the two-wheeler segments, the CSI score averages 755 for scooters and 745 for motorcycles.

⦁ Factors Most Influencing Customer Satisfaction: Among the five study factors, satisfaction is highest in service facility (758) and lowest in vehicle pick-up (738).

⦁ Location of Service Facility Impacts Satisfaction: Proximity of the service centre impacts satisfaction. Among the 65% of owners who travel 5 or fewer kilometres to reach the service centre, satisfaction is 12 points higher than among the 19% of owners who travel 10 or more kilometres (751 vs. 739, respectively).

⦁ Scheduling of Service Improves Satisfaction: Satisfaction is higher among customers who schedule their service than among those who drop by the service dealer without an appointment (773 vs. 742, respectively).

⦁ Highly Satisfied Customers More Likely to be Loyal and Advocates: Highly satisfied customers tend to have higher levels of advocacy and loyalty to the service dealer. Among highly satisfied customers (overall satisfaction scores of 857 or higher), 67% say they “definitely would” recommend their service dealer to family and friends, while only 22% of highly dissatisfied customers (scores of 667 or lower) say the same. Additionally, 58% of highly satisfied customers say they “definitely would” revisit their service dealer for post-warranty service, compared with only 21% of highly dissatisfied customers.

“Given the high propensity of customers visiting independent workshops, it is critical for manufacturers and their authorized network to develop a differentiated service experience, thus providing a compelling reason for customers to revisit,” said Mohit Arora, executive director at J.D. Power. “Significant opportunities for improvement exist related to key customer expectations of quality, cost and time. Dealerships that are able to address these efficiently and engage customers are likely to benefit from increased service business.”

The amount of satisfaction with the service experience at an authorized network is driven by three after-sales services including the charges incurred, quality of work done and on-time delivery after service. According to the study, 25% of customers are dissatisfied with these activities, creating the need to improve on these services since there is significant correlation between customers visiting an independent workshop and the quality of experience at the authorized network.

So we hope that the manufacturers are making notes by analyzing the outcome of this survey and will try to improve the customer service at their end as it is more important to customers rather than the product itself in the long run.