Dealer satisfaction and its significance with regard to the relationship between authorized car dealers and manufacturers/importers

Abstract

Considering the fact that the way in which a dealer is treated by its manufacturer has decisive influence on the dealer’s commitment to the brand as well as on the dealer’s business success, an examination of dealer satisfaction or dissatisfaction has become strikingly important during the last few years. For this purpose a questionnaire has been developed by the Forschungsstelle Automobilwirtschaft (FAW), Bamberg with the aim to assess the Dealer Satisfaction Index (DSI). The main objective of this questionnaire is to evaluate the significance of various factors with regard to business success for all brands and dealerships, and to provide a profound result concerning satisfaction or dissatisfaction of all dealers with their brand. Since its start in 1995, the DSI has gained increasing importance throughout both trade and industry. With regard to the development the dealer satisfaction has undergone since 1995, it is highly remarkable that the dissatisfaction still persisting in 1996 did not continue in 1997. The overall satisfaction has increased markedly.