The last couple of years have been exceptionally challenging for automakers, dealerships, and car buyers. GMC weathered the rough conditions to win the 2021 J.D. Power Award for U.S. Sales Satisfaction.
Overcoming Inventory Frustration
As we all know, the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc throughout the automobile ecosystem. Inventory shortages have led to disappointment among buyers. It also caused a great deal of frustration for car dealerships, which had to find strategies to get shoppers back to the showroom.
According to the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study, buyer satisfaction with the dealers where they bought their vehicles increased slightly to 841 points (out of 1,000). It was an uptick of 2 points over the 2020 results.
Increasing Buyer Happiness
Two of the main factors that helped dealers representing brands like GMC increase buyer satisfaction are:
- a substantial increase in trade-in value
- a better online/remote buying experience
Many of the customers surveyed reported receiving a lot more money for their trade-in vehicle than they were expecting.
Dealerships also worked hard to perfect their online buying process for customers. Even before COVID-19 put a temporary halt to in-person buying, customers who were already uncomfortable visiting showrooms were turning to online car buying sites.
Besides beefing up the virtual showroom experience with walkaround videos and test drives, dealers sweetened the deal by adding features like online financing applications, instant cash offers on trade-ins, and local vehicle delivery.
GMC Tops the Field
This is the 36th year that J.D. Power has done its U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index Study. It reflects responses from over 35,000 buyers who bought or leased a new vehicle from March through May 2021.
Based on a study of responses from new-vehicle buyers, J.D. Power found more shoppers were happy with their experience at GMC dealerships compared to other mass-market brands.
Overall, General Motors brands fared well in buyer happiness, with GMC taking the top spot with 812 points, followed by Buick at 806, and Chevrolet close behind with a score of 804. Chevrolet showed a significant improvement of +17 points in its score compared to the prior year.
Why are GMC Buyers Happier?
In addition to factors such as availability, trade-in value, and overall customer service, buyers are happy with the GMC vehicles they purchase.
Parents love the three-row GMC Acadia. It’s affordable and includes a ton of family-friendly features like sliding second-row seats, loads of cargo capacity, and an impressive list of safety features.
And trucks remain as popular as ever. With innovative features, including Super Cruise and the world’s first six-function MultiPro tailgate, shoppers are driving home GMC Sierra 1500 and 2500 pickups almost as soon as they arrive at dealerships.
GMC is Exploring Ways to Stay on Top
While supply chain issues may take a long time to sort out, automakers discovered a popular workaround: offering shoppers a chance to pre-order vehicles. Automakers like GMC and their dealer partners are finding that buyers are less antsy about waiting when they’re getting a vehicle that’s custom-made.
GMC and its dealerships strive to stay ahead in sales satisfaction by exploring ways to drive buyers to their showrooms and send them home happy in their new vehicles.
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