4th independent car dealers satisfaction · pdf file4th independent car dealers satisfaction...

4th Independent Car Dealers Satisfaction Survey


IntroductionThere is nothing new in stating that a cooperation with the importer is one of the most important elements of the dealership business and the automotive industry is perfectly aware of that. After all, it is the headquarters that determines the availability of dealership products and its margin, manages nationwide advertising campaigns or sets standards and requires dealers to incur additional capital expenditure. A dealer network will therefore be successful only if it maintains full balance in the relationship with the importer. The cooperation of importers and dealers was, for the fourth time, evaluated in the 2010 nationwide car dealer satisfaction survey.

This year’s survey was made DCG Dealer Consulting supported by Ernst & Young, in line with the EU and the US standards and under the auspices of Car Dealers Association (ZDS) and the Polish Chamber of Automotive Industry (PIM).

Thanks to your opinions we know that an independent study is highly needed and valuable source of knowledge. Throughout the world the results of such studies are widely published and scrupulously analyzed by both car importers and manufacturers.

According to dealer organizations in the United States and Europe, research results have a major impact on the improvement of relations between the importer and the dealers and they strengthen the position of dealers.

We thank all the companies that participated in this survey and look forward to equally enthusiastic contribution to the next edition.

Leszek Lerch

Partner Automotive Group Director in Poland

Krzysztof Romański

Partner DCG Dealer Consulting

2 4th Independent Car Dealers Satisfaction Survey

The MethodologyThe study was made between 5 September and 22 November 2010 and involved dealership owners and managers. The various aspects of ‘dealer satisfaction’ were rated on a scale of five, where 1 is the lowest rating and 5 the highest. The survey covered dealers offering passenger cars of up to 3.5t

The minimum sample was 30% of all dealers of a given brand, with the exception of the brands having less than 20 dealers in Poland -- the minimum in this case was set at 40%.

The survey ignored brands having less than 10 dealers in Poland and niche brands with a marginal sale across the country. A total of 359 surveys were collected for 25 different brands, which represents 32% of the study group.


The Survey‘Dealer satisfaction’ measured under international standards was surveyed on three levels that the dealers used to evaluate their importers:

The first was about evaluating the product sold. It covered all product-related aspects, such as quality, availability and reliability. The second level was the manufacturer’s / importer’s policy as a representative of an international corporation. It featured the assessment of how attractive the dealership agreement is, how competitive the market strategy is and the evaluation of business approach.

The third level focused on assessing the importer as a company, which hires people in the Polish reality while having its own organizational culture.


The Survey – key highlightsWith 4.19 points Volvo scored the highest among 25 dealer networks.

It is the brand’s second victory in the survey, the first one reached in 2007. Mercedes came second with 4.03 points. The two next positions are for volume brands: Mazda – for the first time in the survey (3.85) and Ford – last year’s winner (3.77).

Fig 1. Top 15*

15(bd) KIA

14(17) Opel

13(14) Hyundai

12(11)Honda

11(bd) Nissan

10(12)Suzuki

9(bd) BMW

8(7) Chevrolet

7(bd) Alfa Romeo

6(bd) Mitsubishi

5(5) Toyota

4(1) Ford

3(bd) Mazda

2(2) Mercedes

1(3) Volvo 4,19 (+0,52)

4,03 (+0,08)

3,85 (bd)

3,77 (-0,37)

3,61 (+0,10)

3,60 (bd)

3,57 (bd)

3,55 (+0,25)

3,53 (bd)

3,40 (+0,32)

3,37 (bd)

3,35 (+0,26)

3,35 (+0,38)

3,32 (+0,47)

3,32 (bd)

* In parenthesis: last year’s position, the change.

Next part of the report brings 10 brands with the best score in 12 out of 20 categories which contributed to the overall score in the 2010 Car Dealers Satisfaction Survey.

BMW came first in terms of increase of income in the previous year and the forecast for the coming year (Fig. 2), just like it did in 2007 and 2008.

Last year’s winner in the category – Ford – came 9th.

Fig. 2. Increase of income in the previous year and the forecast for the coming one

In terms of importers’ business ethics (Fig. 3) Mercedes came first like one and two years ago. Volvo and Mazda were also among the top performers. Toyota’s score boosted y/o/y – from 11th to 6th position.

Fig. 3. Importers’ business ethics

10(bd) BMW

9 (bd) KIA

8(12) Honda

7(10) Suzuki

6(11) Toyota

5 (2) Ford

4(7) Chevrolet

3(bd) Mazda

2 (3) Volvo

1(1) Mercedes 4,53 (+0,15)

4,24 (+0,49)

3,94

3,64 (+0,47)

3,60 (-0,53)

3,57 (+0,64)

3,23 (+0,28)

3,19 (+0,43)

3,14

3,1010(bd) KIA

9(1) Ford

8(11) Chevrolet

7(bd) Nissan

6(6) Hyundai

5(bd) Dacia

4(bd) Mitsubishi

3(bd) Mazda

2(2) Volvo

1(bd) BMW 4,00

3,83 (+0,61)

3,50

3,20

3,19

3,11

3,06

3,00 (+0,12)

2,91 (-0,37)

2,91


Volvo dealers appreciated importer’s assistance the highest (Fig. 4). Scores from Honda dealers reveal a major improvement in this respect.

Fig. 4. Assistance from the importer

10(11) Toyota

9(bd) Mitsubishi

8(17) Honda

7(bd) Suzuki

6(6) Chevrolet

5(bd) Alfa Romeo

4(1) Ford

3(bd) Mazda

2(2) Mercedes

1(3) Volvo 4,67 (+0,67)

4,23 (+0,18)

4,00

3,94 (-0,26)

3,67

3,58 (+0,16)

3,50

3,42 (+0,72)

3,34

3,33 (+0,20)

Japanese and Korean car dealers seem to appreciate the most reliability and warranty policy (Fig. 5), but German brands – BMW and Mercedes – also scored high.

Fig. 5. Product reliability and warranty policy support

10(2) Toyota

9(bd) Mazda

8(1) Ford

7(15) Suzuki

6(7) Mercedes

5(bd) KIA

4(bd) BMW

3(bd) Mitsubishi

2(4) Honda

1(6) Hyundai 4,69 (+0,39)

4,57 (+0,21)

4,53

4,48

4,40

4,37 (+0,09)

4,33 (+0,85)

4,21 (-0,37)

4,17

4,17 (-0,36)

Distribution system (Fig. 6), covering the availability of cars and delivery times, was ranked the highest by Alfa Romeo’s and Mercedes’ dealers. Toyota slightly lower y/o/y.

Fig. 6. Distribution system

10(bd) KIA

9(3) Hyundai

8(10) Chevrolet

7(7) Volvo

6(9) Ford

5(4) Fiat

4(2) Toyota

3(bd) BMW

2(1) Mercedes

1(bd) Alfa Romeo 4,00

4,00 (-0,12)

3,86

4,79 (-0,11)

3,69 (-0,12)

3,66 (+0,22)

3,57 (+0,07)

3,57 (+0,19)

3,53 (-0,36)

3,50


Volvo dealers ranked marketing programs and advertising support from the importer the highest (Fig. 7) which is why the brand went up from 3rd place in 2009. Hyundai went up by 11 notches y/o/y.

Fig. 7. Marketing programs and advertising support from the importer

10(bd) Alfa Romeo

9(4) Toyota

8(bd) Citroen

7(bd) Mitsubishi

6(bd) Nissan

5(8) Chevrolet

4(15) Hyundai

3(bd) Mazda

2(2) Mercedes

1(3) Volvo 4,32 (+0,57)

3,85 (+0,07)

3,75

3,64 (+1,04)

3,58 (+0,45)

3,56

3,55

3,47

3,41(-0,21)

3,25

Figure 8 shows how the importer was interested in dealers’ opinions about the product image, quality and the loyalty-marketing programs. Again Volvo won scoring 4.10. Mercedes, like last year, came second. Suzuki went up significantly.

Figure 8. Manufacturer’s/ importer’s interest in dealer’s opinions

10(bd) BMW

9(bd) Alfa Romeo

8(1) Ford

7(bd) Nissan

6(14) Suzuki

5(8) Chevrolet

4(bd) Mitsubishi

3(bd) Mazda

2(2) Mercedes

1(7) Volvo 4,10 (+3,42)

4,00 (+4,13)

3,78

3,77

3,67 (+3,42)

3,60 (+2,81)

3,56

3,46 (+4,38)

3,44

3,43

The survey also checked how dealers evaluate the competences of managers hired by the importers (Fig. 9). Evaluation covered: task management skills, achieving goals, meeting the obligations towards dealers, quality of contact and assistance in selling car fleet.

Fig. 9. Evaluation of the managers hired by importers

10(bd) Nissan

9(7) Toyota

8(bd) Mitsubishi

7(bd) BMW

6(bd) Alfa Romeo

5(11) Chevrolet

4(bd) Mazda

3(2) Ford

2(1) Mercedes

1(3) Volvo 4,77 (+0,82)

4,16 (-0,12)

4,05 (-0,10)

3,87

3,71 (+0,63)

3,43

3,43

3,40

3,36 (+0,14)

3,22


Like in 2007 and 2008, Volvo managers received the highest marks. Last year’s winner in the category – Mercedes – this time came second. Another satisfaction measure involved training opportunities – their quality, convenience of dates and overall efficiency. Volvo sales trainings (Fig. 10) and service trainings (Fig. 11) turn out to be the best. Other top performers include Mazda (first time in the ranking) and Mercedes

Fig. 10. Sales trainings

10(bd) BMW

9(11) Suzuki

8(8) Chevrolet

7(bd) Mitsubishi

6(bd) Alfa Romeo

5(7) Toyota

4(1) Ford

3(2) Mercedes

2(bd) Mazda

1(4) Volvo 4,57 (+0,74)

4,28

4,03 (-0,07)

4,00 (-0,17)

3,79 (+0,19)

3,72

3,70

3,62 (+0,12)

3,60 (+0,30)

3,57

Fig. 11. Service trainings

10(10) Suzuki

9(16) Peugeot

8(bd) Mitsubishi

7(3) Fiat

6(1) Ford

5(bd) Mazda

4(5) Toyota

3(2) Mercedes

2(bd) Alfa Romeo

1(7) Volvo 4,43 (+3,67)

4,33

4,33 (+4,18)

4,26 (+3,73)

4,00

3,98 (+4,18)

3,94 (+4,04)

3,83

3,78 (+3,09)

3,70 (+3,38)

Dealers ranked importers also in terms of availability of spare parts. They assessed waiting time and the availability of spare parts in regular and special circumstances. Toyota scored the highest with Mercedes – the winner in 2007 and 2008 – coming second.

Fig. 12. Availability of spare parts

10(bd) Suzuki

9(bd) Citroen

8(bd) Renault

7(bd) Fiat

6(bd) Honda

5(bd) Peugeot

4(bd) Ford

3(bd) Alfa Romeo

2(bd) Mercedes

1(bd) Toyota 4,54

4,53

4,44

4,41

4,27

4,24

4,16

4,11

4,04

3,93


The last partial evaluation shows dealers’ opinions about the financing of car purchases by the customer. This assessment covered: competitive deals in the financing of new and used cars, speed of obtaining credit and an overall evaluation of credit programs and their consistency. This time the winners are Peugeot and Citroen – both using the services of PSA Finanse.

Fig. 13. Car purchase – financing opportunities

10(bd) Mitsubishi

9(bd) Nissan

8(bd) Mazda

7(6) Mercedes

6(bd) Alfa Romeo

5(7) Volvo

4(bd) BMW

3(5) Toyota

2(bd) Citroen

1(9) Peugeot 3,93

3,92

3,86 (+0,71)

3,75

3,71 (+0,71)

3,54

3,53 (+0,43)

3,50

3,47

3,47

Our respondents were also asked about what brand dealer they would be if they had to choose again. This year’s answers showed a number of brands. Among the most sought were Mercedes, Skoda and Volkswagen. Interestingly enough, neither Skoda nor Volkswagen are among the Top 15 in the general classification.

Below we present two graphs: the first (Fig. 13) shows the 10 most popular dealers most frequently mentioned by the respondents. The second one (Fig. 14) shows the percentage of dealers who would chose the current brand once again.

Fig. 14. The percentage of dealers who would choose the following brands

Nissan

Hyundai

Mazda

Kia

BMW

Toyota

Ford

Volkswagen

Skoda

Mercedes 8,59%

8,59%

8,59%

7,07%

6,57%

6,06%

6,06%

4,55%

4,04%

3,54%

Fig. 15. The percentage of dealers who would choose the current brand once again

Mitsubishi

Hyundai

Volkswagen

Ford

Nissan

Volvo

Mazda

Mercedes

Toyota

BMW

30%

33%

35%

38%

40%

57%

57%

60%

64%

71%

Next Car Dealer Satisfaction Survey in Poland will be made in September and October 2011.

Ernst & Young

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© 2010 Ernst & YoungAll rights reserved.SCORE: 003.02.11

Survey made by: Krzysztof Romański PartnerTel.: + 48 602 434 [email protected] DCG Dealer Consultingul. Kraszewskiego 48 lok. 405-800 PruszkówTel.: +48 22 244 07 76Fax.: +48 22 244 07 78 Partner: Leszek LerchPartnerAutomotive Group DirectorTel.: + 48 32 760 77 [email protected] Ernst & YoungRondo ONZ 100-124 WarszawaTel.: +48 22 557 70 00Fax: +48 22 557 70 01

Patron: Roman KantorskiPIM CEOTel.: +48 22 845 01 [email protected] Polska Izba Motoryzacjiul. Grażyny 15 02-548 WarszawaTel.: +48 22 845 01 40Fax: +48 22 845 27 17

Marek Konieczny ACD CEOTel.: +48 600 003 [email protected] Związek Dealerów Samochodówul. Podchorążych 8300-722 WarszawaTel/fax: +48 22 840 82 44

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