Buick and GMC Rank 1st and 2nd in JD Power Overall Sales Satisfaction Index

This past November, J.D. Power released its 2023 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study. For Ewing Buick GMC and, frankly, any other dealers with Buick GMC in their name, the news was great! Of all the mass market brands in the industry, Buick ranks the highest in sales satisfaction while GMC ranks second. 

Overall, customer satisfaction was up this year, with the vehicle purchase experience averaging at 793 (on a 1,000-point scale) compared to 786 from a year ago. It helps that vehicle inventory is back to normal levels after being significantly down last year from the aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to this year’s 793 industry average, Buick scored 824, with GMC just behind at 824. 

“Buick continues to perform and deliver from a position of strength with our customers, and this ranking further demonstrates our efforts,” said Duncan Aldred, global vice president, Buick-GMC. “Credit goes to our dealers, who ensure our customers have a great sales and ownership experience.”

The 2023 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study is based on responses from 37,234 buyers who purchased or leased their new vehicle from March through May 2023. Rather than ask people about their cars as in other J.D. Power studies, the U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study measures satisfaction with the sales experience among both new-vehicle buyers and rejecters, which is defined as those who shopped at a dealership but purchased elsewhere. The overall buyer satisfaction rating is based on six factors (in ranked order): 

1. Delivery process (26%)
2. Dealer personnel (24%)
3. Working out the deal (19%)
4. Paperwork completion (18%)
5. Dealership facility (10%)
6. Dealership website (4%). 

Rejecter satisfaction is based on five factors: 

1. Salesperson (40%)
2. Price (23%)
3. Facility (14%)
4. Variety of inventory (11%)
5. Negotiation (11%)

“The improved level of vehicle inventory and the easing of upward pressure on prices are the driving factors in sending sales satisfaction back in a positive direction,” said Chris Sutton, vice president of automotive retail at J.D. Power. “Vehicle buyers are more satisfied with the inventory choices they now see in dealerships across the country—more than in the past three years. Increased inventory also means fewer buyers are paying more than the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) for their new vehicle.”

Ewing Buick GMC is doing our best to make all of our customers highly satisfied with their purchase experience and we are always interested in hearing from our customers on what we could be doing better. We certainly would like you to visit and try that experience for yourself.