Invest in WiFi and other technology amenities in your service lounge, said J.D. Power in its latest study.
The 2016 Canadian Customer Service Index Long-Term [CSI-LT] Study, which measures satisfaction and intended loyalty from owners of vehicles four to 12-years-old, found that customer satisfaction increased when technology amenities were included in a service waiting area.
For a second consecutive year, Lexus dealerships ranked the highest in customer satisfaction for service. Aftermarket providers took the next top four spots, while Volkswagen dealerships ranked fifth.
“Consumers are demanding a connected service experience,” said J.D. Ney, manager of the Canadian automotive practice at J.D. Power, in a written release.
“From scheduling appointments to interacting with the service advisor to staying connected via unobstructed WiFi access, customers expect these services from their local coffee shop, so why wouldn’t they expect the same of their dealership facility?” Ney added.
Though customers are looking for access to Internet and computers, less than half of Canadian dealerships offer WiFi, and only 17 per cent have computers with Internet access available to customers, said J.D. Power.
Yet Internet access has the highest service facility satisfaction score among dealer customers. Tablet computers and video games — the least offered amenity — came in close second.
Of those surveyed, 53 per cent of customers who had access to WiFi in the dealership said they “definitely will” return to the dealer for future services. This compares with only 42 per cent of customers who say they “definitely will” return to the facility when WiFi is absent.
