J.D. Power and Associates and CAR Report: Pirelli Ranks Highest in Inaugural South Africa Original Equipment Tyre Customer Satisfaction Index Study
LONDON, February 22 -- Owners of new vehicles that came equipped with Pirelli tyres report the most satisfying ownership experience, according to the J.D. Power and Associates/CAR Magazine South Africa Original Equipment Tyre Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) Study(SM) released today.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030603/JDLOGO)
The inaugural study is a comprehensive measurement of ownership satisfaction with the tyres equipped on new vehicles at the time of purchase. The study identifies four factors that contribute to overall satisfaction, which are weighted to reflect what is most important to South Africa's motorists. They are (in order of importance): quality and durability; ride/handling; appearance and traction.
With an overall CSI score of 852 on a maximum 1000-point scale, Pirelli tops the customer satisfaction rankings by more than 20 index points over second-place Michelin. Pirelli also outperforms all other tyre brands in the four components of tyre satisfaction.
"The strong performances of both Pirelli and Michelin are indicative of the commitment of these brands to providing excellent customer satisfaction," said Brian Walters, senior director of automotive research at the J.D. Power and Associates London office. "Consequently, Michelin and Pirelli have the industry's highest proportion of owners reporting that they would definitely purchase the same brand of tyres when the time comes to replace their original tyres."
Following Pirelli and Michelin in the CSI rankings are Continental and Yokohama, respectively. A total of nine tyre brands are ranked in the study.
The J.D. Power and Associates/CAR study is based on questionnaire responses from more than 5000 owners of vehicles first registered between October 2002 and September 2003. The study is conducted independently by J.D. Power and Associates with cooperation from the South Africa Department of Transport (DOT), which facilitated the distribution of the questionnaires.
"While vehicle owners don't choose the tyres that are equipped on their new vehicles, they are in the best position to judge the performance of those tyres under the rigours of daily driving," said John Wright, editor of CAR magazine. "Satisfying customers at this stage of ownership is highly influential on both customer loyalty and brand advocacy."
The study also measures consumer perspectives on the image of various tyre brands. For instance, consumers associate Michelin and Pirelli with high performance whereas Firestone, Continental and Goodyear are associated with value for money.
J.D. Power and Associates is recognised across the globe as the leading independent authority on consumer-reported quality and customer satisfaction in the automotive industry. The firm's primary role is to provide a better understanding of consumer preferences and buying patterns, which helps automotive manufacturers and suppliers further improve their product quality and service levels. The firm also provides study results to consumers for use as a reference point when purchasing a new vehicle.
ABOUT J.D. POWER AND ASSOCIATES
With world headquarters in Westlake Village, California, USA, J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services firm operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, consulting, training and customer satisfaction. The firm's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually.
ABOUT CAR MAGAZINE
CAR magazine is read by an average of 915000 consumers each month. CAR magazine also publishes www.cartoday.com. The results of the J.D. Power and Associates/CAR Magazine South Africa Original Equipment Tyre Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) Study(SM) are published exclusively in the March issue of CAR, on general sale Monday, February 21.
>