Boosting Customer Satisfaction with Service Plans
20 February 2025 by Curtis Hutchinson
Service plans identified as a key driver for customer satisfaction, finds JudgeService survey
Dealers offering car buyers service plans, cosmetic repair insurance and extended warranties are achieving higher levels of customer satisfaction than those who do not.
Research of over 436,100 customer surveys by JudgeService shows how the offer of upsells is a significant driver of higher net promoter scores, challenging the traditional view that they can be a turn-off for car buyers.
Service plans saw the biggest overall increase in customer satisfaction rising from just 53% when not offered to 86% when offered, an uplift of 60%.
“As we enter the all-important March plate-change, our research shows dealers have an opportunity to maximise their revenue opportunities by ensuring processes are in place to promote upsells in every single car buying transaction, because customers appreciate being offered them,” said Neil Addley, managing director of JudgeService.
“Introducing service plans are easy conversations for sales executives and our results suggest many are successfully articulating the cost saving benefits, which is driving up customer satisfaction and their propensity to purchase them.
“We know from our Profit Clinics that when dealers offer service plans there is a 48% uptake, so introducing them should always be part of the vehicle sales process,” said Addley.
Customers offered cosmetic repairs also reacted favourably with a 41% increase in promoter scores to 81%, extended warranties saw an improvement of 20% to 84% and wheel protection rose 19% to 84%.
Other popular upsells were finance which saw a 13% increase to 82% and paint protection, also up 13% to 82%.
“Our research demonstrates how much buyers appreciate being given the opportunity to look after their newly purchased vehicles, it’s easy to underestimate the emotional value attached to many car purchases,” said Addley.
“It’s revealing just how low the customer promoter scores are when upsells are not offered, which makes it profitable, customer centric and within the power of dealers to remedy,” he said.
Further details and comments available from Neil Addley on 07795 665927 or neil@judgeservice.com.
About JudgeService
Launched in 2011 by Neil Addley, JudgeService is the UK’s only customer review platform developed exclusively for the car retailing sector. By ensuring all reviews are verified and genuine, JudgeService builds a solid foundation of trust and respect between customers and sellers enabling car retailers to actively manage their online reputations.
JudgeService shares granular insight reports with dealers to help them identify opportunities to improve customer satisfaction levels, with many achieving 100% recommendation scores.
Based in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, JudgeService has published over 1 million customer reviews and is used by over 1,000 franchised, independent and car supermarket sites across the UK.
Issued by Curtis Hutchinson Communications
