car service satisfaction after the rise in six years in a row, the first decline this year.

July 30, JD Power Asia Pacific has released the “2012 China Customer Satisfaction Index Study”. The overall Customer Satisfaction Index, compared to 2011 is only slightly decreased, but the trend from upstream to downstream “switch”, the Automobile Dealers industry already under pressure to carry a heavier burden.

According to JD Power vice president and managing director of Mei Songlin analysis, the decrease was primarily due satisfaction is the automotive industry can not keep up with the explosive growth of car sales in China in recent years.

In fact

, and the brightest car prices in order to gain market share as soon as possible, large areas of the channel network and channel sink has become a compulsory exercise in recent years. This move to the expansion, making dealers more obvious short board in the “service advisor” and “dealer facilities.

worth mentioning is that the domestic brands of after-sales service satisfaction decreased more significantly than multinational brands, between the satisfaction gap is widening.

excessive expansion

data show that in the past four years, the Chinese auto market has added nearly 40 million passenger cars, faster channel paving, the Chinese car manufacturers have to actively expand the dealer network. Previously conducted by JD Power dealer satisfaction research shows that the number of authorized dealer in 2011 compared with 2010 increased by 14%.

According to incomplete statistics, so far, has announced plans to expand distribution network of auto companies in the short term as many as a dozen. Among them, GM plans 600 new dealers in China; Ford plans to increase to 110; Mercedes-Benz plans to add 40 dealers; FAW – Volkswagen plans to 2015 an increase to more than 800 dealers from the current 445.

the

In addition, the market there are many new entrants in the recruitment of distributors, such as the concept of induced car, Fiat, Guangzhou Automobile, Chang’an the PSA, Beijing automobile.

In fact, the expansion of the dealer network can not communicate with the expansion of car ownership in achieving synchronous growth. Mei Songlin opinion, this phenomenon has led to customer satisfaction fell more obvious, especially in terms of “consultant” and “dealer facilities.

It is understood that, under the premise of network expansion, in order to provide the maintenance level of service expected by customers, each service consultant received the volume of business need an average increase of more than 10%. But subject to the operating pressure and cost control, many dealers can not achieve this goal.

In addition, the industry view, dealer profits decline, is also one of the reasons for the decline of after-sales service satisfaction. JDPower Asia Pacific 2012 1605 distributor survey of 59 cities and 38 car brands that are profitable dealers accounted for dropped from 81 percent in 2010 to 63 percent in 2011; operating loss dealers accounted for 9 percent from 2010 to 2011, 20%.

According to the China Automobile Dealers Association, vice president of tangible automotive market branch chairman Chi also Feng revealed that, from the current situation, by the manufacturers bicycle margins throughout the year 2012, the average profit of the dealer fell 10 percent less than last year. In this context, the control costs to become a dealer expedient, while in the service, you will inevitably be compromised.

In the report, customer service satisfaction ranking the top three, are in recent years, expansion of a more robust Japanese brands. Which Guangqi Honda topped the list; Dongfeng Honda and Guangzhou Automobile and Toyota tied for second; followed by Dongfeng Citroen and Peugeot.

independent gap

channel expansion, the dilutive profit decline in sales satisfaction, it is far more dramatic in its own brand.

the industry view, the sales pressure faced with its own brand and dealer profit margins are not unrelated.

At present, the independent brand 4S stores in Beijing, usually an independent brand sedan profit in 1000-4000 yuan. Month same-store sales for 100 cars, probably only 100000-400000 yuan profit, annual profit is only about 4 million yuan.

According to a dealer responsible person said, as many dealers belonging to lease land to build stores, there is no land ownership, so in the business easily controlled by others. With the rapid increase of the past two years, the cost of land, rent land 4S shop building operating costs and operational risks are greatly increased.

Secondly, with the strict management and the prices of car prices on the price system is an increasingly transparent, the dealer’s cost of capital investment also increased dramatically, coupled with increased labor costs caused by the scarcity of talent and management issues, dealer profit margins and be squeezed.

In addition, it was revealed that late also maple own brand’s consumers are very price sensitive, most are just a car, passed after the warranty period is no longer in the 4S shop maintenance, virtually lead to self- brand dealers, investment return rate is very low. The same maintenance-for the price of Auto Parts City is only equivalent to half of the 4S shop. Consumers care about price, it is difficult to carry out maintenance in the 4S shop for a long time. “

Mei Songlin, 2012, with the slowdown of the domestic passenger car sales growth, profit from new car sales continued to decline, the after-sales service has become an important source of dealer profit. Survey data show that the proportion of total revenue for dealer new car dropped from 69 percent in 2010 to 61 percent in 2012; proportion from 48% in 2010, which profits by the new car down to 39 in 2012 %.

a welcome change is that no development beyond the industry average number of domestic brands has a 2008 2012 6.

It is reported that sales of the top three domestic brands – Chery, Great Wall, Geely after-sales satisfaction in 2012 is still in a steady improvement in the state. Among them, Geely’s three brands – Imperial, British, and Global Hawk are above the industry average.

Mei Songlin

stressed that a local brand sold 500,000, will make the brand the first place, and after-sales service satisfaction is its own brand to enhance the brand strategy is the most important performance.

(Edit: Car Communications Department – Li Wei)

focus news – Sina car