Mitsubishi jumped positions from last year to rank highest in overall new vehicle sales satisfaction in the Philippines, according to a JD Power sales satisfaction survey.

Mitsubishi scored 841/1,000, doing particularly well in the delivery process. Honda and Mazda followed, with both brands improving on 2008 scores. Chevrolet, Kia and Toyota were above the industry average of 833, a 10-point decline from 2008.

Delivery timing from order placement to keys in hand was the biggest gripe though the average was down about a day to four days.

“Overall vehicle sales in the Philippines have declined by approximately 3,000 units between August 2008 and February 2009, compared with the same period the year before,” said JDP Asia Pacific spokesman Taku Kimoto. “With the reduction in demand, manufacturers are in a better position to improve their delivery timing.”

He said automakers should pay more attention to ‘non-determined’ buyers, those who visit dealerships not having decided what to buy, or about 30% of the total.

“Non-determined customers shop around more often than their counterparts and naturally, tend to compare their options more often – making them harder to please. This group also tends to be more price-conscious, creating a challenge for manufacturers to convince these customers that they have made the right choice,” Kimoto added.

Source: just-auto.com editorial team

Tsikot.com Philippines