Chinese electric and hybrid vehicle brands have outperformed traditional automakers in customer service in China, according to China Daily, citing consumer intelligence company JD Power. Analysts believe that competition in the world’s largest auto market is gradually shifting from vehicle specifications to service quality.
Buyers care about more than just the car
The JD Power survey showed that electric and hybrid vehicle brands scored an average of 797 on the purchasing process satisfaction index. This is 13 points higher than the score for manufacturers of combustion engine vehicles. The gap is particularly noticeable in the premium segment: 811 points versus 788.
According to analysts, customer service quality in China has improved significantly over the past four years. Buyers now evaluate not only the car itself but also the entire purchasing process, including the performance of sales consultants, test drives, technology demonstrations, transaction processing and even the vehicle delivery ceremony.
Younger customers have become more demanding
Electric vehicle buyers are much more sensitive to poor service. A disappointing test drive, an ineffective presentation of the vehicle’s features, or a transactional approach to the delivery process has a greater impact on their overall impression than it does on buyers of traditional vehicles.
Customers born after 2000 turned out to be especially demanding. They are becoming one of the fastest-growing groups of car buyers in China.
Startups are overtaking auto giants
Interestingly, it was young companies — not large corporations — that received the highest scores. Nio, for example, led the premium brand ranking with 827 points, followed by AITO.
In the mass market, Li Auto ranked first, while Deepal and XPeng shared second place. Meanwhile, international brands received the lowest scores among all the participants in the study.
Why is this important for Kazakhstan?
The Kazakhstani market is becoming increasingly filled with Chinese vehicles and competition is no longer limited to models and prices.
Companies are increasingly competing on service quality, response times, mobile apps and additional services. The JD Power survey shows that this approach is beginning to yield results.
