JK Tyre tops latest JD Power India tyre satisfaction study

The Indian tyre market is maturing and proof of that lies in the findings of the latest J D Power Asia Pacific 2015 India Original Equipment Tyre Customer Satisfaction Index (TCSI) Study. Among the findings is that there has been a significant reduction in customer-reported problems with original equipment (OE) fitted tyres during the past five years in India, indicating improvement in the quality of OE-fitted tyres.

The study, now in its 15th year, measures satisfaction among original equipment tyre owners during the first 12 to 24 months of ownership across four factors (listed in order of importance): appearance (870 on a 1,000-point scale); ride (869); durability (866); and traction/ handling (866).

The overall incidence of problems cited by customers has dropped significantly to 9 percent in 2015 from 18 percent in 2010. That decline is primarily due to a notable reduction in the percentage of reported problems with frequent punctures — the most commonly cited problem — to 57 percent from 77 percent in 2010.

JK Tyre, which has ranked highest in overall customer satisfaction with a score of 881 points, has performed particularly well in the appearance (882) and ride (886) factors. MRF ranks second with a score of 876.

The 2015 TCSI Study is based on 4,079 responses from new-vehicle owners who purchased their vehicle between May 2012 and August 2013. The study was fielded between May and August 2014.

“With the continuous quality and performance improvement of OE-fitted tyres over the past five years, customers are increasingly satisfied,” said Mohit Arora, executive director, J D Power Asia Pacific. “This bodes well for the tyre industry considering that demand in the replacement tyre market is driven by customer perceptions of their original equipment tyres. Customers who are satisfied with their OE tyres are more likely to repurchase the same brand again.”

KEY FINDINGS

- Overall OE tyre customer satisfaction averages 868, which is a 24-point increase from 2014.

- Satisfaction improves across all four factors year over year, most notably in the durability factor (+26 points).

- Tyre brand remains the most influential reason for customers when selecting new tyres (51%).

- Customers are increasingly placing importance on tyre design and styling. Overall, 27 percent of customers cite tyre design and styling as a reason for selecting a brand, which increases to 30 percent of midsize car owners.

- Across vehicle segments, 24 percent of small car owners and 22 percent of utility car owners say they are “delighted” with their tyre’s performance in terms of fuel economy, compared with just 18 percent of mid-size car owners who say the same.

- Owners who are highly satisfied (overall satisfaction scores of 948-1,000) with their original tyres are more likely to recommend their tyre brand, with 78 percent of these customers saying they "definitely would" recommend their tyre brand. Among customers who are less satisfied (scores of 808 and below), only 41 percent say they "definitely would" recommend their tyre brand. 

- Although quality continues to improve, 30 percent of customers in India indicate they ignore servicing their tyres.