Buick Ranks Well In J.D. Power 2024 China Customer Satisfaction Index Study

Customer service experience from Buick was rated solidly above average by Chinese vehicle owners, according to information gathered by the J.D. Power 2024 China Customer Service Index (CSI) Study, as automakers in China begin to improve their offered service across the board.

Buick scored 776 points out of a possible 1,000, putting it in sixth place behind GAC Honda, Geely, Chery, GAC Trumpchi and Kia, as well as surpassing the overall Mass Market sector average of 767 points, the J.D. Power study reveals.

This ranking means 2024 is the second year in a row that Buick performed well in the customer service sphere for Chinese consumers. In 2023, Buick scored 768 points, well above the segment average of 753 points for the year. Buick therefore beat the average by a notable margin in both years, and also improved its customer satisfaction rating with its service between 2023 and 2024.

J.D. Power China consulting manager Ann Xie points to China vehicle consumers’ expectations being shaped by the highly digitalized and streamlined service offered for EVs and other high-tech “green” vehicles. She notes that “customers who purchase ICE vehicles are now expecting that same service efficiency” and that this creates a need to achieve “the right balance between cost control and customer satisfaction.”

Since customer satisfaction with automaker service is generally increasing for vehicle brands in China, car companies seem to be successfully bringing better service to their ICE product lineups. Buick remains ahead of the curve, since its rating is rising to stay above the industry average, despite these improvements.

Providing “service transparency” seems to be one of the key factors to higher customer satisfaction, with video availability for current service boosting satisfaction ratings by 77 points. The ability to set up service through digital channels, and particularly through a brand app, boosts positive vehicle owner response by shortening wait times. Finally, giving customers some free benefits encourages them to spend more, nearly tripling the rate of add-on purchases from 13 percent to 38 percent.

The study collected customer ratings in six different areas related to service, including the facility itself, service quality, personnel, and so on. The feedback came from 33,298 vehicle owners across several dozen cities and was gathered during the six months ending in July.

The main lesson of the findings, per Ann Xie, is that “automakers need to actively adapt to market changes by building efficient digital service systems that reduce costs while also enhancing the customer experience.”