Iran’s Standards and Quality Inspection Company has released its latest report on auto after-sales services for the last Iranian year (ended March 19).
In order to monitor the implementation of consumer protection laws, the performance of 39 service providers and auto producers has been evaluated by ISQI, a local auto news website, Persian Khodro, reported.
In addition to after-sales services provided by legal representatives of auto manufacturers, the survey assessed auto importers, producers and part suppliers.
Four criteria were taken into account, namely the final result, service quality, waiting time and prices.
Customer satisfaction, reports on technical inspection and efficiency of the procedures were assessed for the quality appraisal.
Parameters for evaluating service quality include the conditions of service centers, human resources and quality metrics.
Waiting time includes the time spent in the auto repair network, the time taken to purchase spare parts and companies’ response time to complaints and requests.
Prices and fees are of utmost importance to both sides of the bargain: customers as well as service providers and manufacturers.
In this survey, more than one million customers were questioned. Also, 2,430 authorized centers were checked and 1,878 managers of auto service centers were interviewed about auto and parts manufacturers’ performance.
In addition, the technical knowledge of more than 23,000 mechanics were assessed and the performance of 26 manufacturers and 13 auto importers were evaluated.
The survey—classified in a four-star ranking system—showed that none of the auto manufacturers and importers earned four stars for after-sale services.
The average after-sale services index was reported as 59.4% and average customer satisfaction index at 68%.Nearly 20% of the companies and 32% of legal representatives obtained only one star and less than 1% of them obtained four stars.
According to the report, one of the main legal issues that was not taken seriously was overtime pay. This is while all the companies were obliged to devise overtime payment mechanisms and none had done so.
The most frequently cited reasons for dissatisfaction among customers was lack of spare parts, low quality of services and high prices, while managers and service providers complained that the prices were not high enough.
According to the report, services provided by none of the companies complied fully with the regulations of consumer protection laws.
