Vehicle owners in Malaysia are expecting more out of their dealer service experience, and authorized service centers are struggling to keep pace with those rising demands, according to the J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2015 Malaysia Customer Service Index (CSI) StudySM released today.
The study, now in its 13th year, measures overall service satisfaction among owners who took their vehicle to an authorized service center for service maintenance and/ or repair work during the first 12 to 24 months of ownership. Service satisfaction is examined exclusively in the mass market segment.
The study evaluates new-vehicle owner satisfaction with the service experience by examining dealership performance in five factors (in order of importance): service quality (32%); service initiation (22%); vehicle pick-up (18%); service advisor (15%); and service facility (13%).
Satisfaction among mass market brands averages 749 index points (on a 1,000-point scale) in 2015, which is a 5-point decline from 2014. Customers are expecting to receive a higher level of service, overall satisfaction averaging 815 among the 12 percent of customers who indicate they had a “better-than-expected” service experience, compared with 842 in 2014. The greatest drop in satisfaction is in service facility, where satisfaction has declined to 773 in 2015 from 785 in 2014. Ease of approach to and convenience of service centers contribute to the decline in satisfaction in the service facility factor.
Among the 3 percent of customers who indicate having a “worse-than-expected” service experience, overall satisfaction is 558, down from 590 in 2014.
The study also demonstrates the importance of satisfying customers to improve loyalty and repeat visits. Among mass market vehicle brand owners who are highly satisfied with their service experience (overall satisfaction scores of 815 and higher), 42 percent say they “definitely would” revisit their service dealer for post-warranty service, compared with 12 percent of those who are highly disappointed (scores of 698 or lower).
Among the 22 identified service standards that enhance the overall customer service experience, notifying customers for routine maintenance and contacting customers after the service visit have the most significant positive impact on satisfaction (+22 points and +15 points, respectively). Overall satisfaction among the 18 percent of customers who indicate their service center executed both of those standards averages 778, compared with 737 among those whose service center did not deliver on both of these services.
KEY FINDINGS
Overall customer service among the Malaysian national brands within the mass market segment averages 742 points, down 2 points from 2014.
Implementation rates for several key service initiation offerings have decreased year over year: offering quick/ express service (-7%); inquiring for specific problems (-5%); offering value added services (-4%); and inquiring for additional service requirements (-2%).
Study Rankings
Mazda ranks highest in overall service satisfaction among mass market brands, with a score of 774. Mazda performs particularly well in the service initiation and service quality factors. Mitsubishi ranks second with a score of 773, and Honda ranks third at 760.
The 2015 Malaysia Customer Service Index Study is based on responses from 2,812 new-vehicle owners who purchased their mass market brand vehicle between February 2013 and May 2014 and took their vehicle for service to an authorized service center between August 2014 and May 2015. The study was fielded between February and May 2015.
