Auto researcher J.D. Power and Associates said yesterday Alberta-based Tirecraft scored the highest level of service satisfaction and loyalty in the 10-year history of the annual study.
Tirecraft accumulated 905 out of 1,000 possible points in J.D. Power’s customer satisfaction index for owners of two- to 12-year old autos.
"They did very well in almost every aspect of the service experience," said Charles Schade, senior director of syndicated research at J.D. Power.
The company asked customers 28 questions on matters ranging from the work of the service adviser and quality of repairs to availability of parts and fairness of charges. Almost 19,000 motorists responded in a survey between November 2006 and April this year.
Rohan Lobo, a senior manager at J.D. Power, said shops with the prominence of a brand name under the management of a local owner-operator with a vested interest tend to take more care of customers than new-auto dealers in general and big retail chains.
"They really see the value of forming a relationship," Lobo said.
Tirecraft, which traces its roots to Vernon, B.C., in 1968, operates more than 200 stores, including a dozen in the Toronto area.
The company used the Town & Country Tire name before changing to Tirecraft in 1990.
The company cites an unwavering commitment to customer service, integrity, loyal staff and ethical managers as reasons for its success.
Tirecraft finished ahead of Mister Muffler, which jumped from the 21st spot after putting more emphasis on staff training. Autopro and Petro-Canada’s Certigard, two perennial top performers, captured third and fourth spots, respectively, in the latest study.
Last year’s top performer, Fountain Tire, a chain based in Western Canada, plunged to 24th spot and below the industry average after volumes shot up.
Tirecraft did not make the J.D. Power satisfaction ranking last year because researchers did not get enough responses to qualify.
Among new-auto dealers, Mercedes-Benz, Acura, Toyota/Lexus and Honda dealers posted above-average satisfaction results.
Costco, Wal-Mart, Canadian Tire, Volkswagen/Audi and Hyundai finished at the bottom of the rankings.
Schade said the study also revealed that auto dealers gained market share from independent shops in terms of higher volumes of service visits, particularly from older vehicles.
He also noted that General Motors, Ford and Chrysler increased their share of service work, which could be the result of initiatives to maintain revenues because of declining vehicle sales.
But he added that fast-growing Japanese-brands are struggling to keep up with their gains in auto sales and have been losing share among owners of vehicles with warranties. (Tire Review/Akron)
