Bangkok--10 Sep--Jigsaw Communications Ford ranks highest in customer satisfaction with the new-vehicle sales and delivery process in Thailand, according to the J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2007 Thailand Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) StudySM released today. The study, now in its eighth year, is conducted annually in numerous markets across the Asia Pacific region and around the world. Six factors are utilized to determine overall customer satisfaction. They are (in order of importance): delivery process, salesperson, dealer facility, paperwork, delivery timing and deal. SSI performance is reported as an index score based on a 1,000-point scale, where a higher overall SSI score indicates greater satisfaction with the new-vehicle sales and delivery process. Overall satisfaction within the industry has increased considerably in 2007 to 857 points—up 20 index points from 2006. The increase in satisfaction is primarily attributed to all eight vehicle makes included in the study receiving higher overall SSI scores when compared with 2006 results. In particular, among owners in the three vehicle segments surveyed, pickup truck owners have the most noticeable increase in sales and delivery satisfaction. The other two segments are passenger car and utility vehicle. “As in previous years, we see a strong relationship between brand advocacy and sales satisfaction,” said Loic Pean, country manager at J.D. Power Asia Pacific. “Nearly 50 percent of customers indicate they would definitely recommend their dealer. This is a considerable increase of more than 10 percent compared with the 2006 study.” With a score of 872, Ford sets a new benchmark for SSI in Thailand and performs particularly well in delivery process, salesperson, dealer facility, delivery timing and deal. Isuzu follows in the rankings with 864 points, receiving the highest ratings from customers in the paperwork factor. Toyota ranks third with a score of 858. Additionally, Chevrolet and Ford register the greatest improvement among brands included in the study, each increasing by 27 points since 2006. In particular, Chevrolet improves notably among pickup owners. The study finds that manufacturers have made considerable improvements in terms of delivery timing. The average reported delivery time in 2007 is 6.5 days—a decrease of nearly 5 days compared with 2006 results. These improvements can primarily be attributed to performances within the pickup segment, where the average delivery time has been reduced by 6 days since 2006 to 4.7 days in 2007. Conversely, passenger car buyers report a much lengthier delivery time at an average of 10.1 days. The study also finds that more than 60 percent of customers have seriously considered several models before making a final purchase, which is an increase of 8 percent compared with 2006. Additionally, customers visit an average of 3.1 different dealers before making their final purchase decision. Putting pressure on customers during the sales process, for example, pressuring them to purchase unwanted accessories/options, buy on the same day, or pay a higher down payment, can negatively impact their overall satisfaction. “Pressure from the salesperson can greatly impact satisfaction, as customers who experienced sales pressure provide SSI scores that are more than 40 points below the industry average,” said Pean. “The good news is that manufacturers have improved in this area, as 74 percent of respondents report experiencing no sales pressures in 2007 compared with 57 percent in the 2006 study.” The 2007 Thailand Sales Satisfaction Index Study is based on evaluations from 3,106 new-vehicle owners who purchased their vehicles between August 2006 and March 2007. Fieldwork for the study was conducted from February to May 2007. The SSI Study is one of four consumer-based studies J.D. Power Asia Pacific conducts in Thailand. The 2007 Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) Study, which measures customer satisfaction with authorized dealer after-sales service in Thailand, was released in July. The 2007 Initial Quality Study (IQS), which measures problems experienced by new-vehicle owners, will be released in October. The 2007 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, measuring what excites and delights owners about their new-vehicle’s performance and design, will be released in November. About J.D. Power Asia Pacific J.D. Power Asia Pacific, established in 1990, conducts customer satisfaction research and provides consulting services in the automotive, information technology and finance industries. Information regarding J.D. Power Asia Pacific and its products can be accessed through the Internet at www.jdpower.co.jp Media e-mail contact: [email protected] About J.D. Power and Associates Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is an ISO 9001-registered global marketing information services firm operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, training and customer satisfaction. The firm’s quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies. About The McGraw-Hill Companies Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor’s, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2006 were $6.3 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/. Media Relations Contacts: David Toogood Loic Pean John Tews Managing Director Country Manager, Thailand Director, Media Relations Jigsaw Communications J.D. Power Asia Pacific J.D. Power and Associates Bangkok, Thailand Singapore Troy, Michigan USA Tel: +66-02-253-2793 Tel: +65-6733-8980 Tel: +1 248 312-4119 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the information in this release without the express prior written consent of J.D. Power and Associates. www.jdpower.com