Mercedes Benz tops list of SSI index

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Mercedes Benz topped the list among twelve of the world's leading automotive brands in customer satisfaction relating to the sales and delivery process in Indonesia this year, a study revealed.

In the 2002 Indonesian Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI), conducted by U.S.-based J.D. Power, a marketing information services firm, Mercedes Benz performed better than the industry average in all sales factors.

It led the automotive industry in four areas namely sales staff, delivery process, delivery timing and paperwork.

Mercedes Benz received a score of 799 out of a possible 1,000 points, while the industry average was 760.

Last year's winner, BMW, came second with 789 followed by General Motors, Toyota, Mitsubishi and Suzuki, which also scored above average.

Other automotive companies surveyed in the study that scored below average were Hyundai, Nissan, Isuzu, Daihatsu, Honda and Kia.

The SSI survey is based on customer evaluations from more than 2,500 owners of new passenger cars and light trucks. The survey was conducted over a period of three months to five months.

It aims to provide an objective and customer-driven measure of satisfaction with automotive sales and delivery in Indonesia.

The study covered six aspects of customer satisfaction relating to sales in order of importance: namely sales personnel, paperwork, dealer facilities, delivery timing, delivery process and transaction.

All in all, new vehicle owners reported the lowest score for the transaction factor. They claimed that they had to pay more than they expected and had insufficient influence on the contract terms. This applied to van and SUV buyers.

As for dealer facilities, as many as 22 percent said the main reason they purchased a car at a particular dealer was that the dealer had the exact vehicle they wanted.

Sixteen percent were frustrated because the dealer only had a small selection of models in stock.

"A lack of selection causes prospective buyers to shop and buy at other dealers," Gerrit Kuyntjes, general manager of J.D. Power Asia Pacific said in the study.

The SSI also measures the amount of pressure experienced by new vehicle buyers in several areas of the sales process. Forty- three percent of buyers felt some pressure during the sale process.