OVER 15 800 SUBSCRIBERS www.autolive.co.za Issue No. 112 | 30 August 2018 VW AND AUDI LEAD THE WAY IN CUSTOMER CARE PURCHASING EXPERIENCE Passenger Sales Rankings over Time JAN – DEC 2014 JAN – DEC 2015 JAN – DEC 2016 JAN – DEC 2017 Audi Audi Audi Audi Nissan Volkswagen Volkswagen Volkswagen 95.7 - 97.3 96.1 - 97.3 Volkswagen 95.5 – 97.1 96.1 – 97.3 Chevrolet BMW Chevrolet Chevrolet Mercedes-Benz Chevrolet Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz Nissan Nissan Nissan Opel Opel 93.0 - 95.6 Opel 93.5 - 96.0 Toyota 93.8 – 95.4 Opel 93.9 – 96.0 Toyota Toyota Toyota Volvo Volvo Ford Ford Lexus Honda Ford Ford 92.9 Mercedes-Benz Lexus 93.4 Honda Honda ≤ ≤ 91.0 – 93.8 Renault 91.5 – 93.7 Renault Renault Renault Volvo Please note: 41 © 2018 Ipsos. Lexus and Peugeot have been excluded from the Jan - Dec 2017 PC Sales rankings due to low Sample Achieved / high Margin of Error considerations. SERVICING EXPERIENCE Passenger Service Rankings over Time JAN – DEC 2014 JAN – DEC 2015 JAN – DEC 2016 JAN – DEC 2017 Audi Audi Lexus Audi Audi Nissan Nissan 88.7 - 91.3 90.3 - 92.4 Volkswagen Toyota 91.7 – 93.8 92.0 – 94.0 Volkswagen Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet Lexus Lexus Mercedes-Benz Lexus Nissan Mercedes-Benz Opel Nissan 84.4 - 88.6 87.2 - 90.2 Renault 88.7 – 91.9 Opel 89.2 – 91.6 Toyota Volkswagen Volkswagen Toyota Volvo BMW Honda Honda Honda Mercedes-Benz Renault Honda Mercedes-Benz Opel 80.5 - 84.3 81.9 - 87.1 86.2 – 89.1 85.0 – 88.6 Volvo Toyota Renault Patrick Busschau, Business Unit Director at Ipsos. Diagrams sourced Ipsos from 45 © 2018 Ipsos. Vehicle owners in South Africa continue to enjoy This consistency in the results demonstrates the The Volkswagen Group continues to fight the top class levels of customer service for both the reliability and integrity of the research. ongoing backwash of its 2015 so-called Dieselgate buying and servicing experience they get from The Volkswagen and Audi brands have again scandal and a host of vehicle recalls worldwide, but local franchised dealers together with relevant dominated the top positions in the latest survey. it seems its image remains strong if one looks at vehicle manufacturers or distributors. This is This research, based on interviews with more than its dominance in terms of global vehicle sales and evident from the latest edition of an annual survey 20 000 customers in 2017, covered both purchasing customer loyalty. The excellent ratings by custom- conducted by global research company, Ipsos, the and servicing experiences. ers in both the purchasing and servicing aspects third-largest global research company. The sample of participating brands in the of vehicle ownership here in SA are evidence of Ipsos and its predecessors have been conduct- latest survey represented more than three out of this good relationship between these brands, their ing automotive customer care surveys in South every four new cars and light commercial vehicles owners and the franchised dealers. Africa since 1991 and tracked a massive improve- sold through dealership channels in South Africa The Volkswagen and Audi brands have been in ment in the early years. However, the levels are in 2017, as well as the consistency of results leadership positions in the purchasing experience now so high – over 94 on an index of 100 for new from year to year supports the credibility of the in these annual Ipsos surveys for a number of car and light commercial vehicle buyers and over research as a valuable tool with which to measure years. In the latest survey Audi and Volkswagen 88 for servicing in both market segments – that customer service in the automotive market in changes in the scores nowadays are relatively small. South Africa. continued on page 2 Page 7 Page 10 Page 23 Employee training made fast, Honouring women in Iconic SA endurance race to effective and fun the motor industry be revived Subscribe for free @ www.autolive.co.za Page 2 Editor and Advertising Manager continued from previous page PURCHASING EXPERIENCE Liana Reiners Light Commercial Sales Rankings over Time [email protected] both once again attained gold awards JAN – DEC 2014 JAN – DEC 2015 JAN – DEC 2016 JAN – DEC 2017 083 407 4600 Chevrolet for the customer purchasing experi- Isuzu Isuzu Nissan Isuzu Nissan Nissan Toyota ence with Volkswagen also collecting Volkswagen Toyota 93.8 - 95.8 91.4 - 95.7 Toyota Volkswagen 93.1 – 95.5 92.9 – 95.1 Volkswagen Contributors gold in the LCV sales category. Volkswagen Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet Audi has achieved the gold Ford Roger Houghton 92.8 93.7 Ford 93.0 Ford Ford 91.3 ≤ ≤ ≤ Nissan ≤ Isuzu [email protected] standard in the servicing experience Toyota Diagram sourced Ipsos from 082 371 9097 for the past four years too, while Volkswagen has had a gold rating for Stuart Johnston both passenger car and LCV servic- sole recipient of a bronze award in market,” Busschau commented. [email protected] ing for the past two years. this42 category.© 2018 Ipsos. “What is also pleasing to note is that 083 450 9255 Nissan has made very posi- Isuzu, Nissan, Toyota, and a number of other brands are also tive strides in both its purchasing Volkswagen all earned gold awards upping their game to challenge for Advertising Sales and servicing operations at its the Gold medal positions as well. Liana Reiners dealers and collected gold awards “What is also pleasing “Nissan is now seeing the fruits [email protected] in both categories among local to note is that a number of their labours in all categories, 083 407 4600 passenger car and light commercial while Toyota can also see reward of other brands are also vehicle buyers. for their consistent effort in the Address Audi, Nissan, and Volkswagen upping their game ...” Passenger Car Servicing and 237 Rigel Avenue were the only brands which received both Sales and Servicing for Light Waterkloof Ridge gold awards for passenger car for the light commercial vehicle Commercials,” he added. “These Pretoria purchasing, with several brands – servicing experience, with Chevrolet latest results underline the fact that PO Box 914 005 Chevrolet, Mercedes-Benz, Opel, rating silver and Ford bronze. the custodians of these brands are Wingate Park Toyota, and Volvo – collecting silver. “The consistency of good service certainly not sitting back and resting 0153 Ford, Honda and Renault rated that some brands deliver across their on their laurels but rather use the 012 460 4448 bronze in this category of the survey. dealer network to so many customers customer feedback from our ongoing Nissan, Toyota, and Volkswagen over time is highly commendable surveys as well as other sources to Website were the only three gold award as consistency is one of the most improve areas of weakness.” winners in terms of the light important factors in building a There were a number of vari- www.autolive.co.za commercial purchasing experience, powerful brand reputation,” said ations in the attributes a customer with Chevrolet, Ford and Isuzu Patrick Busschau, Business Unit expected when having a light com- Facebook collecting silver. Director at Ipsos. mercial vehicle serviced compared www.facebook.com/pages/AutoLive Five brands – Audi, Lexus, “Volkswagen and Audi brands to a car owner. For example, © 2018 WCM Media CC Nissan, Toyota, and Volkswagen continue to maintain particularly transport to a next destination is – earned gold awards for the high levels of customer satisfaction very important for the car owner, but Production passenger car servicing experience, in terms of both the buying and not so important for the LCV owner. with another five – Chevrolet, servicing of new passenger vehicles, The LCV owner, however, requires a Marketing Support Services Mercedes-Benz, Opel, Renault, and year after year, despite facing fuller explanation of the work done Danie Dreyer Volvo – rating silver. Honda was the very tough opposition in the local and the contents of the invoice than [email protected] the passenger car buyer. +27 (0)12 346 2168 SERVICING EXPERIENCE “We, at Ipsos South Africa, are Light Commercial Service Rankings over Time proud to have been able to continue Disclaimer JAN – DEC 2014 JAN – DEC 2015 JAN – DEC 2016 JAN – DEC 2017 our relationship with the local motor Chevrolet While reasonable precautions have Isuzu Isuzu Isuzu Isuzu industry for more than a quarter of Nissan Nissan Nissan Nissan been taken to ensure the accuracy Toyota Toyota Toyota 87.2 - 90.6 81.9 - 91.1 86.5 – 91.0 89.3 – 91.7 Toyota Volkswagen Volkswagen Volkswagen a century and we believe the compa- of the advice and information given nies that are successful in the field Chevrolet Chevrolet to readers, neither the editor, the Chevrolet 86.4 Ford 81.8 of customer service are those that ≤ Ford Volkswagen ≤ 82.4 - 87.1 proprietors, nor the publishers 86.3 – 89.2 make use of our detailed research can accept any responsibility of their brand to fix any shortcom- 82.3 86.2 Ford Ford ≤ for any damages or injury which ≤ ings for the ultimate benefit of their may arise therefrom. Diagrams sourced Ipsos from customer,” concluded Busschau. ■ 46 © 2018 Ipsos. MONTHLY SALES STATISTICS The growing amount of advertising in AutoLive has made it necessary to relocate the four pages of detailed monthly vehicle sales analysis to the website www.autolive.co.za. CLICK HERE to access Subscribe for free @ www.autolive.co.za Page 3 Global Trade Disputes and Editor’s Note Economic Environment August is Women’s Month, Affecting Vehicle Exports something we celebrate in this issue of AutoLive.