Michelin

Michelin and Pirelli Take Top Honours in Satisfaction Survey

A problem-free tyre experience during the first two years of ownership is key in establishing and maintaining brand loyalty, according to a survey conducted in the US by J.D. Power and Associates.

The highly respected study into original equipment tyres measured tyre owner satisfaction over four segments: tyre wearability, appearance, traction/handling and ride.
European tyres giants Michelin and Pirelli took top honours, with Michelin ranking highest in the luxury, passenger car and truck/utility segments, while their Italian rival, Pirelli , was awarded for the top performing sports tyres.

The rankings are based on responses from 29,818 new-vehicle owners who purchased a 2008 or 2009 model-year vehicle.

Nearly one-third of owners who did not experience any problems said they would recommend their tyre brand to a friend, while just 18% of owners who experienced at least one problem said the same.

Allison LaDuc, senior research manager of automotive product quality at J.D. Power and Associates, said: “Providing a problem-free experience is extremely important to tyre manufacturers to ensure good word of mouth recommendations.

“A high-satisfaction experience is also crucial to securing brand-loyal customers, as satisfied customers are less likely to defect to other tyre brands.”

Tags: brand loyalty