Dealers need to break from the manufacturer’s obsession with customer satisfaction if they want to obtain a true and meaningful measurement of likely future customer behaviour.

The manufacturers’ Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) surveys do not measure retention, according to Professor Jim Saker of Loughborough University's Centre for Automotive Management, who will question the validity of current CSI surveys when he speaks at AM’s Hit for Six Conference on November 13, at The Quadrangle Conference Centre, Oxford.

Professor Saker will urge dealers to adopt their own customer surveys and measure the strength of the customer’s relationship with the business and the likelihood they will return and refer. He will also explore ways those relationships can be developed by using social media.

Saker said: “Manufacturers are measuring completely the wrong aspect. Satisfaction is quite a weak emotion, in fact, we should be measuring the strength of the relationship and the likelihood of the intention to return to the business.”

Saker will explain in detail how he thinks dealers should approach customer satisfaction at the event.

Hit for Six is AM’s new conference which explores six fundamental areas - new cars, used cars, aftersales, F&I, the digital arena and profit and brings together experts and dealer case studies to enable delegates to gain valuable insight and tangible solutions under one roof in one day.

More information and details of how to book are available at https://www.am-online.com/hit-for-six-conference/