The UK award by Auto Express was based on real-world experiences of thousands of motorists surveyed by the publication. It was the third award for Lexus by Auto Express, following its “best manufacturer” and “best premium SUV” for the RX450h.
Lexus won the customer service gong with an overall score of 90.66 per cent and attributed the win to its adherence to Omotenashi – the best traditions of Japanese hospitality – that Auto Express said “influences every aspect of the brand from designing cars that protect and anticipate the needs of driver and passengers, to providing welcoming, professional and courteous service to every customer”.
So how did Lexus win? The survey covered the facilities available on-site, availability of courtesy cars, staff politeness, the standard and speed of work carried out, clear communications and value for money.
The results from motorists stated Lexus dealerships provided “by far the cleanest and most comfortable” facilities, with work done by technicians who are “clearly among the best in the business”.
It was also voted the best brand for the standard and efficiency of service, maintenance and repair work.
One customer said “nothing is too much trouble” for the dealership and “they recognise me as soon as I walk through the door and they know exactly what I am there for”.
Lexus in February received the highest award in the Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards in Australia and was named Car Manufacturer of the Year for the third consecutive year.
Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine, in announcing the win earlier this year, said award winners such as Lexus “had consistently outperformed industry peers with an unwavering dedication to satisfying their customers – as judged by the customers themselves”.
Lexus was also the highest rated automotive company in Roy Morgan’s 2014 and 2015 Customer Satisfaction Awards, which are based on face-to-face interviews with approximately 50,000 customers across Australia.
The latest award follows a similar accolade presented to Lexus in December for the excellence of its after-sales service.
The luxury car-maker also won the luxury vehicle brands sector in the JD Power 2016 Australia Customer Service Index (CSI) Study.
This study assessed the after-sales service experience on five factors: service quality, vehicle pick-up, service advisor, service initiation and service facility.
Lexus was included in previous JD Power studies but was not ranked because the sample size was considered too small. In 2016, however, it achieved 852 points (from a 1000-point scale) on the study’s CSI index.
By comparison, Mercedes-Benz recorded a 15-point fall from 2015 to 828 and Audi dropped three points to 826.
By Neil Dowling
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