Brand Loyalty
19 April 2023 by Curtis Hutchinson
MINI buyers are the most reluctant to switch car brands, reports JudgeService
19 April 2023 - When it comes to in-market brand loyalty, customers are more likely to stay with MINI than any other car marque, according to consumer research by JudgeService.
The study of the buying preferences of customers visiting franchised dealerships found 57% of MINI buyers who visit a showroom and end up purchasing elsewhere, will stick with the brand.
Although other prestige carmakers scored highly in JudgeService’s Top 10 OEMs for In-Market Brand Loyalty, so did mainstream and volume names.
Land Rover came joint second with BMW at 53%, followed by Mercedes-Benz (44%), Jaguar (38%), Volkswagen (37%), Skoda (37%), Cupra (36%), Audi (36%) and Ford (34%).
“Brand equity is something carmakers invest heavily in building and maintaining, as demonstrated by the unwavering determination of MINI customers, who are the most reluctant buyers to switch brands.” said Neil Addley, managing director of JudgeService.
“However, it’s not just upmarket brands that engender this loyalty as demonstrated by the strong showing of Skoda and Ford. Dealers selling mainstream brands can also build loyalty by pulling out all the stops to impress prospective buyers.”
“The buying experience, outside of the prestige brands, does not just have to be transactional. All customers respond well to being made welcome and feeling valued, so all walk-ins must be attended to immediately, introductions to managers are also appreciated.”
“And even before that, lead handling is also a fundamental part of the retailing experience. The processes for managing direct and third-party leads must be timely, professional and consistent, this provides an opportunity to wow customers before they step into the showroom.” said Addley.
The JudgeService research is based on responses from 48,390 car buyers visiting franchised showrooms between 1 July 2022 and 28 February 2023.
JudgeService Top 10 OEMs for In-Market Brand Loyalty
1
MINI
57%
2
Land Rover
53%
=
BMW
53%
4
Mercedes-Benz
44%
5
Jaguar
38%
6
Volkswagen
37%
=
Skoda
37%
8
Cupra
36%
=
Audi
36%
10
Ford
33%
Source: JudgeService
The full league table is available on request.
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 1000 franchised, independent, and car supermarket sites across the UK.
Issued by Curtis Hutchinson Communications
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