The Hindu Business Line : The toppers in the satisfaction index

New models launched by General Motors, Mahindra Renault and Maruti Suzuki have come up tops according to the findings of the 2007 four-wheeler total customer satisfaction study released by leading market information provider, TNS.

The 2007 four-wheeler Total Customer Satisfaction (TCS) study conducted by TNS specialist division, TNS Automotive, is one of the largest syndicated automotive studies in India, representing the responses of more than 7,600 new car buyers.

Rankings for the TCS study are done at the vehicle segment-level to provide comparisons among similar groups of vehicles. The models ranking highest in their respective segments for total customer satisfaction are:

Maruti Alto — Entry compact;

Hyundai Santro — Premium compact;

Chevrolet Aveo U-VA — Upper premium compact;

Maruti Swift Diesel — Small car, diesel;

Hyundai Accent Petrol — Entry midsize;

Honda City — Midsize;

Skoda Octavia — Premium midsize;

Mahindra Renault Logan Diesel — Midsize, diesel;

Honda Accord — Entry luxury;

Toyota Innova and Mahindra Scorpio (tied) — SUV/ MPV; and

Honda CRV— Premium SUV.

According to the study, some traditionally strong models continue to delight their customers. The Maruti Alto finds extremely high satisfaction levels across all product and customer service areas.

The Hyundai Santro and Accent are able to do much the same, thanks to the manufacturers taking a 360-degree approach encompassing product quality, after-sales service and brand image.

The Swift Diesel is yet another ongoing success story of Maruti. It has the highest customer satisfaction scores in the industry.

Maruti had exited the diesel segment a couple of years back and this marks their re-entry into a market, which has been growing rapidly.

The expectations of diesel car customers have been growing and manufacturers have been meeting them consistently through better engine technology and improved fuel efficiency.

The TCS study also points out that the Mahindra Renault Logan Diesel’s customers are highly satisfied with the overall quality of the product.

Honda, ever consistent, repeats the 2006 performance, with City, Accord and CRV topping their respective segments. In the premium midsize segment, Skoda Octavia stays ahead of stiff competition from Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic with a strong performance on brand image and product quality.

This TNS TCS study covers over 60 models with customer evaluation taken in the key areas of sales satisfaction, product quality, vehicle performance and design, after-sales service, brand image, and cost-of-ownership.

The TCS index score provides a measure of satisfaction and loyalty a given model enjoys with its customers.

S. M.

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