J.D. Power and Associates has released the results of its annual Customer Service Index Study (CSI), and Lexus was again the top-ranked luxury brand, plus the #1 brand overall in customer service. According to J.D. Power:
The study examines satisfaction among vehicle owners who visit a service department for maintenance or repair work. The CSI rankings are based on dealer performance during the first three years of ownership, which typically represents the majority of the vehicle warranty period. Five measures are examined to determine overall customer satisfaction with dealer service (listed in order of importance): service quality; service initiation; service advisor; service facility; and vehicle pick-up.
Lexus ranks highest in customer satisfaction with dealer service among luxury brands and receives an award for a second consecutive year. Lexus achieves an overall CSI score of 837 on a 1,000-point scale and performs particularly well in four of the five measures: service quality; service initiation; service advisor; and service facility. Rounding out the top five nameplates in the premium segment are Cadillac (827), Jaguar (822), Acura (817) and BMW (816).
This year, J.D. Power also separated out the scores, producing charts for luxury and mainstream brands. Lexus’ CSI score of 837 was consistent with last year’s, improving by 2 points. Despite an ever-expanding owner base, Lexus’ customer service scores have remained high, with the division taking the CSI top spot in 2006, 2009, and now 2010. The average luxury brand score was 813, while the top mainstream make, the outgoing Hummer brand, scored 815. Lexus, Hummer, Saturn, and Buick were also the only brands to receive J.D. Power’s 5-Power Circle Rating, signifying “among the best.”
[Source: JD Power]