U.S. cars do very well in quality survey
But I wonder how much of importance the survey measures. Auto writers are gushing over how well Detroit did in Strategic Vision's Total Quality Awards. The Mercury Sable was the best large car. The Chrysler 300C was the best near-luxury car. The Ford Edge was the best medium crossover, etc.
But if quality is measured in terms of how well a car does its job and how much service it delivers for the dollars spent, these awards and similar ratings don't measure quality. They measure the warm giddy feelings owners have soon after they drive the cars home. This like judging the quality of a marriage by interviewing husband and wife right after the honeymoon.
The Total Quality Index™ was calculated from the responses of 20,655 buyers who bought 2008 models in September, October and November of 2007... The Total Quality Index™ is the premier measure of new vehicle owner satisfaction. It asks buyers to rate all aspects of the ownership experience, from buying and owning to performance and driving. It is much more than simply counting problems. “Innovation and thoughtfulness in functionality and design, keeping in mind how the customer will interact and use the vehicle, is essential,” reports Dr. Darrel Edwards, Founder and CEO of Strategic Vision.
Whatever. What's really essential is how a car runs after you've owned it for a year or two. You want to measure quality? Measure the seal on the piston rings after 100,000 miles.
Comments
The addsurveys introduces theories and concepts, but always with a focus on practical application. The survey novice needs to collect real and useful information about customer survey needs or perceptions -- or research other groups of interest such as employees.
Posted by: addsurveys | June 2, 2008 3:18 PM
It's hard to rate a new crop of cars on their lifetime value, Jay. To my mind, intial quality does mean something. If you have less lemons of the lot, shouldn't it follow that you should have less over the life of the car? It's nice to hear that American cars are at least competing with the foreign models. Just like the current Orioles, it seems that at least at Ford there is a plan in place and things are starting to look up.
Posted by: bryanintimonium | June 3, 2008 9:53 AM