Aftermarket automotive service providers regularly top the rankings in the annual J.D Power Canadian Customer Service Index Long-Term Study, but car dealerships have closed the gap, and everyone in the auto service business could do better.

Aftermarket auto service providers outperform dealers in areas of service initiation (797 vs. 778 on a 1,000-point scale); service advisor (798 vs. 781); vehicle pick-up (773 vs. 751); and service quality (765 vs. 745). While dealers lag behind non-dealers in overall satisfaction (761 vs. 767, respectively), dealers do provide a better facility experience (746 for dealers vs. 681 for non-dealers) and are continuously closing the gap in the other categories, improving their scores by an average of 30 points over 2016.

It is important to note that those categorized as “independents” in the study would have ranked third in average rating (797), behind Lexus and Mercedes-Benz dealership, and just ahead of NAPA Autopro, but were not ranked as they represent a category and not a single business network

“Customer satisfaction is at the core of every viable business and the automotive service market is no exception,” says J.D. Ney, country manager for J.D. Power in Canada. “The study clearly demonstrates the importance of maintaining high satisfaction levels in retaining loyal customers who also act as brand ambassadors and recommend their vehicle service provider. The higher the customer satisfaction score, the higher the likelihood of the vehicle owner returning to the facility for paid work. For auto service providers, this can lead to hundreds, if not thousands of additional service customers annually.”

According to the study, delivering exceptional customer service (901 points and higher) increases customer likelihood of returned paid visits (85% for dealers and 93% for non-dealers). This is compared to only 58% of dealer customers and 69% of non-dealer customers who say their service experience was outstanding (751-900 points) and are planning to return to the facility for service work.

It is notable that none of the ranked service outlets achieves that “exceptional customer service” rating.

The study highlights the greater role service advisors play and the impact they have on customer satisfaction. Four of the top 10 most influential key performance indicators (KPIs, or dealership processes that have the most impact on customer experience) are related to the service advisor. Additionally, in ratings for service advisor performance in people skills and knowledge, non-dealer service advisors outperform their dealership counterparts in every category, including: courtesy of the service representative (8.12 vs. 7.99 on a 10-point scale); responsiveness (7.96 vs. 7.77; thoroughness of explanation (7.80 vs. 7.63); and knowledge of service advisor (8.03 vs. 7.81).

“If auto service providers want to improve their business performance, they should pay closer attention to the front desk,” Ney said. “Service advisors play a critical role in driving a positive customer experience as they have the most interaction and visibility to the customer. Equipping service advisors with the right tools, training and knowledge can help auto service shops gain this competitive advantage that drives satisfied and returning clients.”

Study Rankings

Note: Included in the study but not ranked due to small sample size are Fountain Tire, Goodyear Auto Centre, Infiniti Dealerships, Kal Tire Mr. Muffler, OK Tire, Quick Lane Auto and Tire Centre, Speedy and Volvo Dealerships.

*Independent Garage/Repair Shops has sufficient sample, but cannot be ranked.

Power Circle Ratings Legend
5 – Among the best
4 – Better than most
3 – About average
2 – The rest