Motor Codes has compiled a report on customer satisfaction with car dealers and service centres across the UK.
Looking at results from 25,000 surveys - 20,500 from car servicing customers using a Motor Codes affiliated garage and 4,500 new car buyers - Motor Codes asked for people's opinion on the overall customer service experience when dealing with a garage and the results paint a reassuring picture of the quality within its 7,000-strong network.
Consigning the archetypal ‘suck through teeth, that'll cost you' view of garages to a stereotyped past, the Motor Codes Report shows that trust in its garages has risen to an incredible 98% since its inception in 2008.
Importantly, the survey also shows that, where the dreaded phone call comes and the garage has found that extra work is needed on top of a routine service, again, 98% of Motor Codes garage customers were happy that they were being charged fairly and only for work they were happy to have carried out.
Announcing the launch of the first Motor Codes Report, managing director, Chris Mason, said that it would pave the way for providing an ongoing check and balance of standards in the car industry.
He said: "When the government first tasked us with reducing the number of complaints in the car service sector, we knew we had to get to the heart of the problem. That meant talking directly to garage customers and asking their opinion.
"To see that trust in Motor Codes garages has risen to such a high level is phenomenal. This upward trend suggests growing consumer confidence in the professional standards of garages in the Motor Codes network. But we won't rest on our laurels.
"This report will become an annual fixture - a regular, public check-in on our businesses and standards. We'll continue surveying customers to make sure that people can choose a Motor Codes garage with confidence."
Traditionally, when choosing a garage, recommendation of friends and family is all-important. Of those 25,000 surveyed, only 2% would not recommend their Motor Codes garage.
Although open to any vehicle workshop to apply for Motor Codes accreditation, the majority of Motor Codes garages are members of manufacturer franchised networks.
As editor, Tim is responsible for the media content, planning and production of AM's multiple channels (AM print and digital magazines, website, social media and contributing to our events planning). He interviews and writes about as many franchised dealer groups and UK divisions of motor manufacturers as possible, to explore the issues facing UK motor retail and understand what solutions dealers and suppliers are using to overcome these.
LINGsCARS.com - 26/11/2012 15:56
"trust in its garages has risen to an incredible 98%" - who makes this stuff up? This is a North Korean survey. Only Kim Jong Un manages a better vote of confidence than this, in his latest re-election. Obviously, the way to devalue any progress is to engineer a survey that gives massively overwhelming support. 20,500 serviced customers over 7,000 garages and just a 2% dissatisfaction rate. These 2% of customers should probably be taken out, and shot. How can garages possibly get any better? When you are obviously perfect, how much higher can you climb in the eyes of your customers? === These surveys are 100% laughable. And AM should be ashamed to reprint this garbage, unchallenged. Ling LINGsCARS