Pre-Service Process Implementation at OEM Workshops in India Can Help Increase Satisfaction and Revenue, J.D. Power Finds

DELHI: 30 Nov. 2023 — High implementation of service advisor actions during pre-service assists original equipment manufacturer (OEM) workshops in a multi-faceted manner, according to the J.D. Power 2023 India Customer Service Index (CSI) Study,^SM released today. After a hiatus since 2021, J.D. Power has re-launched the India Customer Service Index Study in collaboration with NielsenIQ.

Pre-service actions by the service advisors combine several actions like multi-point inspection, explanation of work before service, being fully aware of customer needs, providing helpful advice and having sufficient technical knowledge. The study finds that customers who have received implementation of all these elements have an increase of 20 points (on a 1,000 -point scale) than those who do not (848 vs. 828, respectively). In addition, these customers end up spending 7% more on their service than those who do not receive these implementations.

“Pre-service process sets the tone for the entire service experience,” said Sandeep Pande, lead of the automotive practice India at NielsenIQ. “Service advisors who are able to ensure a higher implementation of the key elements, not only reap higher monetary benefits for their workshop, but they are also able to build trust for their workshops in the mind of the customers.”

Following are additional key findings of the 2023 study:

• Proper explanation key to mitigating high charges perception: Nearly one-fifth (19%) of customers who have their work and charges explained both pre and post service say that the charges were higher than expectations. This increases significantly to 45% among customers who did not receive an explanation of both the work done and money charged by the workshops.
• Sensitivity towards vehicle handover time remains: Customers want to hand over their vehicles for service in a fast yet efficient manner. The inflection point is 20 minutes after walking into the workshop. Satisfaction progressively drops beyond that time, with a decline of 21 points when the handover time exceeds 30 minutes.

Study Ranking

MG India ranks highest in customer service satisfaction with a score 852. Skoda (848) ranks second and Nissan (845) ranks third.

The 2023 India Customer Service Index Study (CSI) is based on responses from 5,480 new-vehicle owners who purchased their vehicle from July 2020 through September 2022. The study was fielded from July through September 2023.

The study measures new-vehicle owners’ satisfaction with after-sales process by examining the dealership performance in five factors (listed in order of importance); service initiation (36%); vehicle pick-up (19%); service quality (18%); service advisor (15%); and service facility (13%). The study only examines the after-sale satisfaction in the mass market segment.

J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, J.D. Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 50 years. The world's leading businesses across major industries rely on J.D. Power to guide their customer-facing strategies. J.D. Power has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.

NielsenIQ is the leader in providing the most complete, unbiased view of consumer behavior, globally. Powered by a groundbreaking consumer data platform and fueled by rich analytic capabilities, NielsenIQ enables bold, confident decision-making for the world’s leading consumer goods companies and retailers.

Using comprehensive data sets and measuring all transactions equally, NielsenIQ gives clients a forward-looking view into consumer behavior to optimize performance across all retail platforms. Our open philosophy on data integration enables the most influential consumer data sets on the planet. NielsenIQ delivers the complete truth.

NielsenIQ, an Advent International portfolio company, has operations in nearly 100 markets, covering more than 90% of the world’s population. For more information, visit NielsenIQ.com.

Media Relations Contacts
Kaustav Roy, NielsenIQ; kaustav.roy@nielseniq.com
Sandeep Pande, NielsenIQ; sandeep.pande@nielseniq.com
Geno Effler, J.D. Power; media.relations@jdpa.com; +1-714-621-6224

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