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Honda.com Best in Customer Satisfaction;
NissanUSA.com Worst

Automotive Website Satisfaction Index from ForeSee Results Finds that Automotive Websites Influence Purchases and Dealer Visits

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (March 31, 2008) - Honda’s website does the best job satisfying customers and driving sales and dealer visits, according to the first ForeSee Results Automotive Website Satisfaction Index, released today. NissanUSA.com came in last in terms of customer satisfaction among the six automotive websites that were measured by the study.

ForeSee Results’ study used the methodology of the University of Michigan’s American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) to rate top automotive websites in terms of how well they satisfy customers. The ACSI methodology is a proven predictor of brand loyalty and purchase behavior and can be used to identify which specific website improvements would have the greatest return on investment.

Each automotive website was rated on the ACSI’s 100-point scale. The industry aggregate was 78. Individual automotive website scores are as follows:

  • Honda.com: 80
  • Chrysler.com: 79
  • FordVehicles.com: 79
  • Chevrolet.com: 77
  • Toyota.com: 77
  • NissanUSA.com: 76

“Even though customers haven’t embraced the idea of buying cars online, it’s clear that automotive websites are a major source of information and research,” said Larry Freed, president and CEO of ForeSee Results. “This is the first time the industry has been able to use the ACSI to isolate the online channel and see how sites perform relative to each other.”

Satisfaction, as measured by the ACSI, has a proven and demonstrated link to key desirable future behaviors. The Automotive Website Satisfaction Index found that by a significant margin, Honda.com does the best job leveraging the website to get visitors to make a purchase or visit a dealer. Chevrolet.com, FordVehicles.com, and NissanUSA.com were tied for being the least likely to influence customers to purchase a vehicle. Visitors to FordVehicles.com were the least likely to visit a dealer.

“Not all automakers know it, but there is a very clear and demonstrable way to prove the impact of a website on sales and dealer visits,” said Freed. “These things matter, and the companies who are not maximizing the value of their online channel are really missing a crucial advantage given the worsening economy and extremely competitive landscape.”

For more information about the study or to download a free copy, please visit: http://www.ForeSeeResults.com/Form_AutoIndex_2008.html. Media inquiries should be directed to Sarah Allen-Short, sarah.allen-short@foreseeresults.com or 301-518-2960.

About ForeSee Results

As the leader in online customer satisfaction measurement, ForeSee Results captures and analyzes online voice of customer data to help organizations increase sales, loyalty, recommendations and website value. Using the methodology of the University of Michigan’s American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), ForeSee Results identifies the improvements to websites and other online initiatives with the greatest ROI. With over 28 million survey responses collected to date and benchmarks across dozens of industries, ForeSee Results offers unparalleled expertise in customer satisfaction measurement and management. ForeSee Results works with clients across industries, including: retail, financial services, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing and government.  Clients include Ace Hardware, Automotive News, Best Buy, Forbes Auto, and Harley-Davidson to name a few.

ForeSee Results, a privately held company, is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and on the web at www.ForeSeeResults.com.