Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- Today’s consumer is in search of good service
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- Figure 1: Factors influencing choice of repair facility, September 2015
- Consumers don’t always pay for recommended repairs
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- Figure 2: Attitudes towards maintenance, September 2015
- The opportunities
- Good customer service trumps all
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- Figure 3: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of auto service maintenance, and repair, at current prices, 2010-20
- The price can be right
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Growth expected going forward
- A booming new-car market means there will be more cars to fix
- More miles driven means more wear and tear
Market Size and Forecast
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- Growth expected over the next five years
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- Figure 4: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of auto service, maintenance, and repair, at current prices, 2010-20
- Figure 5: Total US consumer expenditures for auto maintenance and repair parts and services, at current prices, 2010-20
Market Perspective
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- Burgeoning new-car market and shift in consumer driving habits
Market Factors
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- More miles driven means more necessary maintenance
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- Figure 6: Percent change in cumulative monthly travel 2014 vs 2015
- Increasing vehicle complexity limits DIY work
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Shops of all types can benefit from strong customer service
- Consumers match shops to repairs
- Consumers don’t always follow the rules
What’s Working?
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- Customer service is key
- Consumers focus on specific shops for specific repairs
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- Figure 7: Type of shop by type of repair, September 2015
What’s Struggling?
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- Consumers don’t always follow recommended maintenance
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- Figure 8: Attitudes towards maintenance, September 2015
- Lack of trust kills business growth for repair shops
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- Figure 9: Attitudes towards attributes of automotive maintenance providers, September 2015
- Oil change retail shops don’t have a great reputation for anything but price
What’s Next?
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- In home service could be the future
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Consumers do car maintenance on schedule
- Consumers prefer dealerships and independent shops
- Consumers focus on price and location when choosing maintenance shop
- Customer service will build consumer retention
Maintenance Frequency
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- Consumers follow manufacturer maintenance schedules
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- Figure 10: Frequency of vehicle maintenance, September 2015
- Women more likely than men to get their oil changed
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- Figure 11: Maintenance frequency, by gender, September 2015
- Gen X, Baby Boomers are staying current with oil changes
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- Figure 12: Maintenance frequency, by age, September 2015
- Whites, Blacks more likely to bring their cars in for oil changes
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- Figure 13: Maintenance frequency, by race, September 2015
Place Taken for Maintenance
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- Dealerships and independent shops are most visited
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- Figure 14: Place taken for maintenance or repair, September 2015
- Youngest consumers most likely to go to oil change shops
- Buyers over 55 most likely to visit the dealership
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- Figure 15: Service facility used for repair, by age, September 2015
- Asians more likely than other races to visit dealer
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- Figure 16: Service facility used for repair, by race, September 2015
Factors Influencing Choice of Repair Facility
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- Price, location drive consumer choice
- Past experience matters even more
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- Figure 17: Factors Influencing Choice of Repair Facility, September 2015
- Expertise matters to older buyers, younger buyers worry about price
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- Figure 18: Factors influencing repair shop choice, by age, September 2015
- Female consumers follow recommendations
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- Figure 19: Factors influencing repair shop choice, by gender, September 2015
- Past experience matters most to Blacks, Whites
Factors Influencing Choice of Specific Repair Facility
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- Customer service matters when it comes time to choose a specific shop
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- Figure 20: Customer service factors in repair shop choice, September 2015
- Older consumers value customer service most
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- Figure 21: Customer service factors in repair shop choice, by age, September 2015
- Women are more likely to value customer service, as well
- Hispanics least likely to value customer service
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- Figure 22: Customer service factors in repair shop choice, by race, September 2015
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
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