Kia rises to third in JD Power survey
KIA jumped to third place just within a hair’s breadth of number two Hyundai and two points shy of highest-ranked Honda in the just-released JD Power Asia Pacific 2012 Philippines Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study.
A customer satisfaction research and performance analytics services in the automotive industry, the JD Power study examines seven contributing factors to overall customer satisfaction namely: delivery process, delivery timing, salesperson, paperwork, deal, sales initiation, and dealer facility.
The study points to a correlation between high levels of satisfaction and higher levels of repurchase intent and brand loyalty. “As more people are delighted by the experience of buying a Kia car, 44 percent of them say they ‘definitely would’ repurchase a Kia. The pleasant experience of buying, owning and maintaining a Kia keeps them loyal” said Dodie Ganac, vice president for marketing of Columbian Autocars Corp., the exclusive distributor of Kia in the Philippines.
The challenge for dealers then is to focus on long-term satisfaction and loyalty, a task that Kia continuously strives to deliver.
“We would like to recognize our partners the local Kia Dealerships for their part in improving the overall purchase experience for our customers. Our investments in the physical design of our dealerships, the trademark look of our Global Space Identity and even the intangibles such as continuous training of our sales and service teams all contribute to the improved brand image, awareness, and customer satisfaction.” said Ginia Domingo, president of CAC.
Most improved player
“We have improved more than any other brand in the study, a very telling gain of 40 statistical points. Our efforts at standardizing the sales processes and following through with our after sales have made all the difference” said Apollo R. Rosal, CAC aftersales director.
Rosal added that it is the result of implementing the brand’s philosophy of “Family-Like-Care” at every step of the customer relationship life cycle. “From the very first test-drive to the purchase experience and at every visit to the dealership, we take care of them every step of the way.”
Car owners, both new and old, are enjoying more the experience of buying, owning and maintaining a Kia, thanks to the improvements being implemented at the dealership level. Kia owners can therefore look forward to the same delightful experience for years to come.