According to the recently released J.D. Power U.S. Aftermarket Service Index Study, overall satisfaction has declined year over year in the three segments that comprise the study (based on a 1,000-point scale): quick oil change (-18 points); full-service maintenance and repair (-7); and tire replacement (-6). Customer satisfaction is lower for the performance of the service advisor, specifically noting increased wait times, and fewer advisors providing helpful advice. There is also lower satisfaction with service advisor courtesy.

A detailed look at each segment reveals that satisfaction with quick oil change declines in all seven measures, with the largest decline in service facility (-22); satisfaction with full-service maintenance and repair declining in six of seven measures, with satisfaction only improving in ease of scheduling (+3); and tire and replacement declining in six of seven measures, with satisfaction improving only with time to complete service (+1).

“Independent service providers must remain focused on retaining their customer base,” said Leonard Martin, director of automotive retail at J.D. Power. “Aftermarket service facilities can increase customer loyalty and revenue by taking advantage of what they do best—being easier to do business with. Convenience, speed and price are very attractive to today’s vehicle owners who are looking for excellent service, and aftermarket service providers can leverage those factors to stem the tide of owners going to dealerships.”

 The study, now in its fourth year, measures customer satisfaction with aftermarket service facilities, providing a numerical index ranking of the highest-performing facilities in the U.S. aftermarket. Performance in three segments—full-service maintenance and repair; quick oil change; and tire replacement—is based on the combined scores for seven measures that comprise the vehicle owner service experience. These measures are (in alphabetical order): ease of scheduling/getting vehicle in for service; fairness of charges; service advisor courtesy; service advisor performance; service facility; time to complete service; and quality of work.