Ottawa, Ontario — Auto service at the dealership may be pricier than the aftermarket counterpart, according to J.D. Power’s 2022 Canada Customer Service Index–but that didn’t stop the segment from capturing more than half of industry revenue this year.
According to J.D. Power’s long-term study dealership-based service centres accounted for 47 percent of all service visits and captured 58 percent of industry revenue this year, reversing the market share gains of aftermarket shops reported in 2021.
The average per-visit spend for dealership customers in 2022 is $394, according to the long-term study. For aftermarket visits, the average cost sits at $247–nearly $150 cheaper.
Both segments saw per-visit spend increases over 2021.
Dealership-based service providers were, however, able to increase the number of average annual visits per customer, from 1.1 visits in 2021 to 1.5 visits in 2022. By comparison, aftermarket service providers saw 1.2 visits per year, per customer in 2022, versus 1.3 visits in 2021.
Customers appear to have equal faith in the quality of both dealership and aftermarket work. The percentage of aftermarket customers who said all service work was completed right the first time was 95 percent in 2022; down two percent from 2021. The dealership segment reported 94 percent of customers citing service completion upon first visit; similar to the pre-pandemic levels of 2019.
NAPA AutoPro was the highest-ranked brand for aftermarket customer satisfaction, said J.D. Power. In the dealership service segment, Lexus Dealerships ranked highest for customer satisfaction.
For more information on J.D. Power’s Canada Customer Service Index, click here.
