Canadian General Motors dealerships performed well in the J.D. Power 2021 Canada Customer Service Index—Long-Term (CSI-LT) Study, which analyzes the customer experience at OEM and third-party service centers.
J.D. Power used survey responses and other data to rank service centers on a 1,000 point scale, with a higher score reflecting superior service. General Motors dealerships (including Buick, Cadillac, GMC and Chevy dealers) ranked fifth overall with a score of 809, placing them just behind NAPA Auto Pro centers in fourth, which achieved a score of 815. Audi dealerships led the way with a score of 825, while Great Canadian Oil Change centers were second with a score of 823. VW dealerships, which likely implement similar practices to Audi dealers, were third with a score of 817.
J.D. Power said dealers can improve upon customer satisfaction by effectively communicating with them. “Tracking the effect of dozens of diagnostic factors or key performance indicators (KPIs) across multiple study years reveals that actions such as keeping customers informed of the status of their repair have become much more effective over time,” J.D. Power said. In other words, customers don’t like being left in the dark with regard to how their repair or service work is coming along. Utilizing the customer’s preferred communication method (i.e., phone, text, email, etc.) is also important.
Service centers have noticed an uptick in customers willing to pay for pricer repairs over the past year and a half. With new and used vehicle prices on the rise due to the semiconductor shortage, many customers would rather pay to have their existing vehicle repaired than walk into a dealer and face overinflated prices.
“There is evidence of more owners opting for more expensive repairs this year, ultimately choosing to keep their four- to 12-year-old vehicle on the road longer,” J.D. Power observed. “Because working from home and other pandemic-related influences have had a dampening effect on average kilometres driven in 2021, this would appear to be a very pragmatic decision for owners.”
View the full results of the study here.
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Comments
Gotta compliment GM dealers showrooms, parts departments and service shops. Best looking that I have seen in years.
GMC has, since the financial crisis, become America’s strongest Detrit
wouldn’t it be better for the owner if they never had to visit the dealership to get something fixed ??
Who cares about Canada?
Attention Consumer Reports. That’s General Motors. And while your grumbling about this JD Power report stating how well GM dealers performed, take note where your Jap loving manufacturers finished.
It depends sometimes on the dealerships but I give them and mine a two thumbs up.