J.D. Power's 2023 India Customer Service Index (CSI) Study, conducted in collaboration with NielsenIQ, unveils the pivotal role of pre-service processes in enhancing customer satisfaction and revenue for original equipment manufacturer (OEM) workshops in India.
The study emphasises the multifaceted benefits of high implementation of service advisor actions during the pre-service phase, encompassing elements such as multi-point inspection, proactive explanation of work, understanding customer needs, offering helpful advice, and possessing robust technical knowledge. Customers who experience the comprehensive implementation of these elements exhibit a 20-point increase in satisfaction on a 1,000-point scale compared to those who do not (848 vs. 828, respectively). Furthermore, this satisfied segment tends to spend 7% more on their service compared to counterparts lacking these implementations.
Sandeep Pande, Lead of the Automotive Practice India at NielsenIQ, emphasises the significant role of the pre-service process in shaping the overall service experience. Service advisors capable of ensuring higher implementation not only yield financial benefits for their workshops but also foster trust among customers.
Key findings from the study include the impact of proper explanations on mitigating perceptions of high charges. Customers receiving explanations both pre and post-service report higher satisfaction, with only 19% finding charges higher than expected. This figure sharply rises to 45% among customers lacking explanations for the work done and charges incurred.
The study also underlines the sensitivity of customers towards vehicle handover time, revealing a satisfaction decline beyond 30 minutes, with an inflection point at 20 minutes after entering the workshop.
In terms of rankings, MG India secures the highest customer service satisfaction score of 852, followed by Skoda (848) in second place and Nissan (845) in third.
The 2023 India Customer Service Index Study collected responses from 5,480 new-vehicle owners who made purchases between July 2020 and September 2022. It measured satisfaction across five factors: service initiation, vehicle pick-up, service quality, service advisor, and service facility. The study focuses on after-sales satisfaction in the mass market segment.
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