The Dealer Satisfaction Study 2021 was conducted by Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations in association with PremonAsia
As per the findings of the Dealer Satisfaction Study 2021, Kia India’s dealers were the most satisfied in the 4-wheeler mass market segment, while dealers of Honda were the happiest in the 2-wheeler segment.
The study was undertaken by Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) in association with Singapore-based consulting firm PremonAsia.
It was, according to President of FADA, Vinkesh Gulati, initiated to examine the health of the relationship between auto dealers and OEMs and reflects the prevailing issues faced by the auto retail sector at large.
FADA received over 2000 responses directly from either dealer principals or CEOs of dealerships. The study covered both urban and rural areas.
The Dealer Satisfaction Study 2021 covers segments such as 4-wheeler mass market, 4-wheeler luxury, 2-wheeler, 3-wheeler and commercial vehicles.
In the 4-wheeler mass market segment, the average satisfaction score of which was 720 (on a scale of 1000), Kia India scored 879 points, MG Motor India and Toyota got 778, Renault 767, Tata 729 and Hyundai 711.
Maruti received 699 points, Mahindra got 687, Ford 669 and Honda 562. Thus, Kia’s dealers were found to be the most satisfied of the lot.
Coming to the luxury vehicle segment, the average satisfaction of which was 678, BMW and Mercedes-Benz came a joint first with 707 points, while Audi (649) and Land Rover (645) followed suit.
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) topped the 2-wheeler segment ranking with 693 points. Hero came second with 627 points, followed by TVS (606), Bajaj (598), Piaggio (585), Suzuki (571), Yamaha (557) and Royal Enfield (540). The industry average satisfaction score was 626 points.
Dealers of Bajaj Auto (620 points) in the 3-wheeler segment and VECV-Eicher Motors (669 points) in the commercial segment were found to be the most satisfied and as a whole, the industry average satisfaction score stood at 657 points.
Moreover, the Dealer Satisfaction Study 2021 found that OEMs were not being receptive to inputs from 4-wheeler mass market dealers and it was a similar case in the 2-wheeler segment as well.
Dealers of 4-wheeler luxury segment believe training cost sharing arrangement by OEMs is unsatisfactory. However, commercial vehicle dealers were quite happy about their ability to discuss business viability and long-term policies with OEMs.
