Honda may be the best when it comes to aftersales service, but when it comes to sales satisfaction, two unlikely brands scored huge wins at this year’s J.D. Power 2018 Philippines Sales Satisfaction Index or SSI: Kia and Suzuki.

Among the 10 brands ranked in this year’s study (Mazda was excluded due to a small sample size), Kia scored the highest with a score of 842. Suzuki ranks second with 831, and Toyota ranks third at 826. The industry average sits at 820 (top score is 1,000).

The 2018 Philippines Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study is a comprehensive analysis of the new-vehicle purchase and delivery experience. The study is based on responses from 2,072 new-vehicle owners who purchased their vehicle between August 2017 and May 2018 and was fielded between February and July 2018.

This year, the J.D. Power Sales Satisfaction Index Study finds a convergence between the online and offline vehicle shopping experience, especially among younger buyers (29 years old and younger). These buyers are more satisfied when they use a combination of both online channels, such as the website, and offline channels, such as visits to dealerships when purchasing a vehicle.

The study finds that this group of customers are active both online and offline when researching their vehicle purchase. When searching for a vehicle, nearly 60 percent of shoppers 29 years and younger use the internet vs. 43 percent of those 30 years and older. Additionally, 80 percent of younger buyers compare prices from different dealerships online vs. 68 percent of older buyers. When interacting with the dealer, 63 percent of younger buyers contact a dealership directly to schedule an appointment vs. 54 percent of older buyers. At the dealership, 28 percent of younger buyers engage with a staff member with deep product knowledge, such as product specialists, compared with 20 percent of older buyers. In addition, 81 percent of younger buyers take a test drive vs. 80 percent of older buyers.

“The use of such digital tools as virtual and augmented reality demonstrations, ‘live’ consultations and videos of car-driving experiences are likely to provide a more engaging purchase journey, while equipping sales consultants with deep product knowledge, encouraging interaction with product specialists and offering test drives are likely to enhance the in-store experience,” said Sigfred M. Doloroso, Country Manager, Philippines, J.D. Power. “When deciding on their next vehicle, younger buyers are not just looking online, so it is crucial for manufacturers to redefine both their digital and traditional strategy if they want to improve the customer experience.”

The following are additional key findings of the study:

• Digital media increases satisfaction: Satisfaction among customers who stay engaged via digital devices—such as tablets, smartphones and touch screen monitors/ kiosks—during shopping and delivery is higher than among those who do not (827 vs. 750, respectively, on a 1,000-point scale). Satisfaction is higher when salespeople use digital media to demonstrate vehicle features during the purchase decision (839 vs. 815, respectively) and of vehicle features at delivery (840 vs. 817).
• Finding the right channel: Younger buyers are more inclined than older buyers to follow recommendations from the dealer and salesperson (39 percent vs. 27percent, respectively) and are more influenced by in-mall displays when making their purchase decision (38 percent vs. 33 percent). Older buyers opt to refer to information gathered from the television, compared with younger buyers (16 percent vs. 10 percent, respectively) and newspapers (25 percent vs. 20 percent).
• Closing the deal: Overall satisfaction is higher when the sales consultant has total authority in agreeing to the terms of a deal, compared to when the consultant needs to get permission from their supervisor (831 vs. 788, respectively).