Agility Metrics Uncovers The Factors That Influence Purchasing Behavior In The Automotive Aftermarket

Montreal, Quebec (PRWEB) August 23, 2011

Agility Metrics released today the results of an important study of the factors that influence purchasing behavior in the automotive aftermarket. The report’s key finding was that positive customer experiences are the number one driver of both new and repeat business in the automotive aftermarket, influencing as many as 80% of all customer purchasing decisions.

Agility Metrics analyzed customer feedback data from over 8,000 customer visits to over 120 North American service centers and parts stores. Respondents were asked to indicate which factors most influenced them to purchase car parts or services from aftermarket retailers and car repair centers. 60% of respondents indicated that they purchased car parts or services as a direct result of a past positive customer experience. A further 20% of respondents indicated that they purchased car parts or services after hearing about the great experience that a friend, colleague, or family member had.

Positive customer experiences, therefore, drove sizable amounts of revenue in two different ways: directly, when a great experience or series of experiences motivated a customer to return and purchase from the brand; and indirectly, when a great experience caused someone to praise the brand and the viral impact of that endorsement drove friends, colleagues, or family members to shop or service their cars at a particular location.

Conversely, it was discovered that the traditional methods of driving new business in the automotive aftermarket have only a slight influence on the purchasing decisions of today’s consumers. Coupons were the primary purchasing influencer for only 7% of customers, while billboards, print ads, radio spots, online advertising, and directory advertising combined to influence a mere 6% of all purchasing decisions.

“The voices of automotive aftermarket customers have conclusively shown that great customer experiences are the single biggest revenue driver for car care centers and parts shops,” said Fay Hinkson, Agility Metrics’ Director of Research. “Customers that have great experiences are proven to be more loyal and that can mean years and sometimes even decades of reliable repeat business. Automotive aftermarket brands that squander their budget on expensive ads and ignore the customer experience do so at their own peril, while brands that invest in delivering remarkable customer experiences invariably succeed.”

To download a copy of the full report, entitled “The ROI of Great Customer Experiences,” please click here.

Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper Certified Service Centers Initiate Customer Service Indexing Program with Agility Metrics

April 20, 2011 (PRWeb) — Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper Certified Service Centers announce the launch of a new, comprehensive Customer Service Index program facilitated by Canadian firm Agility Metrics. This new program takes customer feedback to the next level, and drives customer loyalty through features such as instant feedback messaging and dashboard style reporting metrics that enable Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper service centers to retrieve real-time customer service data.

“Our Certified Service Centers serve millions of customers each year, so customer service is the lifeblood of our business,” said Jon Owens, Vice President of Sales & Market Development for Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper. “Until now, we relied on mail-in surveys or other antiquated methods to gather customer feedback. With Agility Metrics’ customized web portal design for each of our service centers, we’re able to aggregate the data collected to measure service quality and ensure consistency across the U.S. and Canada, and use it to improve our performance or instantly respond to a negative experience. It’s already paid dividends for us, and we’ve only had it deployed for about a month now,” Owens explained.

With the program, participating shops have access to real-time customer feedback on a whole host of topics, including overall customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, quality of service, store appearance, as well as information about their customer base. In addition to unit-level reporting for service centers, shareholders and the headquarters office have access to aggregated customer satisfaction and loyalty reports about the car care experience.

“This new program is a real game-changer at all levels of the supply chain,” said Richard Pridham, CEO and President of Agility Metrics. “Key sales and marketing personnel will gain high-level visibility into customer satisfaction and loyalty trends, while certified service center owners will be empowered to provide first-rate customer service and gain tremendous insight into customer thoughts, behaviors and expectations, which in turn enable them to uphold the Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper repair Code of Ethics.”

Armed with real-time customer insights, Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper certified service centers will be better positioned to strengthen customer loyalty and take preemptive action to address negative or unsatisfactory experiences that would otherwise lead to complaints, refunds, and defections. This further reinforces Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper’s commitment to consistent, quality, customer service across their vast network of certified service centers.

About Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper

Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper is part of Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance, one of the largest auto parts distribution and marketing organizations in the world. As the source for quality parts and service for over 2,300 parts stores and almost 2,900 certified service centers throughout North America, the Alliance prides itself on responding to the individual automotive needs of each customer and providing proven, quality service. Visit www.800autotalk.com for more information.

About Agility Metrics

Agility Metrics is one of North America’s leading vendors of Customer Experience Measurement solutions. Agility Metrics employs a full-spectrum, multi-mode data collection methodology to capture ground-level voice of the customer insights that, when acted upon, yield proven increases in customer satisfaction, brand loyalty, and operational efficiency. Since its inception, Agility Metrics has captured closed to 10 million pieces of real customer feedback from thousands of in-store locations across the continent. Agility Metrics provides a broad array of industry-specific solutions and works with leading retail, restaurant, automotive, and financial services brands.