Michelin Ranks Highest in Customer Satisfaction in Two Segments; Bridgestone Ranks Highest in One Segment
TOKYO (MMD Newswire) January 11, 2011 -- Replacement tire owners who place particular importance on fuel efficiency indicate they are largely satisfied with contributions that fuel-efficient tires make to fuel economy, according to the J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2010 Japan Replacement Tire Customer Satisfaction Index StudySM released today.
The study, now in its second year, measures customer satisfaction with replacement tires (excluding winter tires) in four segments: mini-car/compact car; passenger car; mini van and SUV.1 Overall customer satisfaction with replacement tires is based on four factors: appearance, durability/reliability, handling/traction and ride/quietness.
In 2010, the Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association introduced a tire labeling system that indicates whether tire models are considered fuel-efficient. The study finds that owners of fuel-efficient replacement tires are significantly more satisfied with the tires' contribution to fuel economy, compared with the industry average. Satisfaction with fuel economy is highest among those owners who say they are particularly concerned about the fuel efficiency of their vehicles.
However, satisfaction with fuel-efficient replacement tires' contribution to fuel economy is slightly lower among the 20 percent of owners who purchased them primarily due to low prices or recommendations from the shop clerk.
The study also finds that shopping behaviors among replacement tire owners are undergoing considerable change. Compared with 2009, the percentages of owners who rely on the Internet and salesperson recommendations for information while tire shopping have increased notably in 2010. Meanwhile, owners are relying less upon print, radio and television advertisements. In addition, the importance of low price as a reason for selecting a tire brand has increased in 2010, compared with 2009, while the importance of brand preference has decreased significantly.
"Although replacement tire owners are becoming increasingly price sensitive, they are also intent on not giving up good tire performance," said Tetsushi Furuya, project manager at J.D. Power Asia Pacific, Tokyo. "Therefore, it will become increasingly necessary for tire manufacturers to communicate the value their products provide, in order to compete on more than pricing alone."
According to Furuya, it is also important for manufacturers to help drive demand for fuel-efficient tires by educating owners about their positive effect on fuel efficiency.
The study also finds that owners indicate they would prefer that the current tire labeling system indicate durability performance and quietness, rather than the rolling resistance coefficient, in tire grading. In particular, owners who paid lower prices for their tires are interested in durability performance information, while customers who paid higher prices are particularly interested in tire quietness.
Michelin ranks highest in customer satisfaction with replacement tires in the passenger car and mini van segments and receives an award in the passenger car segment for a second consecutive year. Bridgestone ranks highest in the mini-car/compact car segment.
The study finds that providing high levels of satisfaction has a strong positive effect on customer loyalty. For example, among highly satisfied owners of passenger cars (scores averaging 734 or higher on a 1,000-point scale), 30 percent indicate they "definitely would" repurchase the same brand for their next set of replacement tires. However, among less-satisfied owners in this segment, only 6 percent say the same.
The 2010 Japan Replacement Tire Customer Satisfaction Index Study is based on responses from 7,136 vehicle owners within the first four to 15 months of ownership, who purchased their replacement tires between June 2009 and May 2010. The study was fielded in September 2010.
1For a segment award to be issued, there must be at least three brands with sufficient sample that comprise 80 percent of market sales within an award segment. There is only one SUV brand with sufficient sample size, thus no SUV award has been presented.
About J.D. Power Asia Pacific
J.D. Power Asia Pacific has offices in Tokyo, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai and Bangkok that conduct customer satisfaction research and provide performance analytics services in the automotive, information technology and finance industries. Together, the five offices bring the language of customer satisfaction to consumers and businesses in China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Information regarding J.D. Power Asia Pacific and its products can be accessed through the Internet at www.jdpower.com.Media e-mail contact: cc-group@jdpower.co.jp
About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, Web intelligence and customer satisfaction. The company's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.
About The McGraw-Hill Companies
Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a global information and education company providing knowledge, insights and analysis in the financial, education and business information sectors through leading brands including Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, Platts, and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2009 were $5.95 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.
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