Customer loyalty is so important to any brand today, and that’s why Ford has made it such a massive priority. As a result, for the second consecutive year, the HIS Automotive Loyalty Awards honored Ford for having the most loyal customers.
IHS Automotive reviewed nearly 16.5 million new-vehicle registrations and found that among both manufacturers and makes, Ford Motor and the Ford brand had the highest percentage of customers returning to buy or lease another Ford. Ford was also recognized as the winner for Overall Loyalty to Make.
Loyalty360 CEO and CMO Mark Johnson said that the commitment to simplicity and true customer experience resonates with Ford.
“Being a second generation F150 owner, I assure you that I will never consider another truck,” Johnson said. “The service levels, great product, and true commitment to their customers has removed any and all truck providers from my consideration set.”
Johnson said that the challenge with customer loyalty is to move into the consideration set and, once brands are able to attain that status, “leverage any and all levers to exclude other competing brands from getting into that consideration set!”
Ford Motor Company took home a silver award in the Customer-Centric Culture category at the inaugural Loyalty360 CX Awards unveiled at the 4th Annual Loyalty360 Engagement & Experience Expo in November.
Maserati garnered the customer conquest title for the highest conquest level as a percentage of registrations. Maserati sales rose 171.5%, to 12,943 vehicles in 2014, from just 4,768 the year before.
Toyota Motor Corp.’s Lexus luxury brand won the category for most improved in conquests as a percentage of sales.
“As the overall market growth flattens, the competition for buyers returning to market has never been greater,” IHS Automotive Senior Vice President Edouard Tavernier said in a statement. “Manufacturers will need to continue to launch great new products to retain their customers, while driving aggressive conquest programs in order to be successful at growing their market share.”
Winners were named in eight featured categories during the event, based on IHS Automotive analysis of new vehicle registrations during the 2014 model year.
Loyalty is determined when a household that owns a new vehicle returns to market and purchases or leases another new vehicle of the same make, model or manufacturer. The IHS Automotive Loyalty Awards are presented annually to OEMs and brands that demonstrate a manufacturer’s ability to retain owners over repeat buying cycles. They are the only fact-based awards of their kind in the industry.
IHS Automotive analyzes loyalty throughout the year and regularly works with its customers to effectively manage owner loyalty and conquest efforts through in-depth research and analysis of automotive shopping behaviors, related market influencers and conquest and retention strategies. This year’s awards are based on an analysis of nearly 16.5 million new vehicle registrations during the 2014 model year, which ran from Oct. 1, 2013 through Sept. 30, 2014.
Here is the complete list of the IHS Automotive 2014 Loyalty Award Winners by category:
Manufacturer and Make Loyalty Awards:
Overall Loyalty to Manufacturer—Ford Motor Company
Overall Loyalty to Make—Ford
Most Improved Loyalty to Make—Maserati
African American Market Loyalty to Make—Ford
Asian Market Loyalty to Make—Toyota
Hispanic Market Loyalty to Make—Toyota
Conquest Awards:
Highest Conquest Percent of Registrations—Maserati
Most Improved Conquest Percent of Registrations—Lexus
Segment Model Loyalty Awards:
Non-Luxury Compact SUV—Kia Soul
Non-Luxury Traditional Compact Car—Nissan Leaf
Non-Luxury Traditional Mid-Size Car—Honda Accord
Non-Luxury Full-Size Half-Ton Pickup—Chevy Silverado
Non-Luxury Mid-Size CUV—Buick Enclave
Non-Luxury Mid-Size SUV—Jeep Grand Cherokee
Non-Luxury Traditional Sub-Compact Car—Mitsubishi Mirage
Luxury Traditional Compact Car—Lincoln MKZ
Luxury Mid-Size CUV—Lexus RX
Non-Luxury Mid-Size Van—Chrysler Town & Country
Luxury Traditional Mid-Size Car—Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Non-Luxury Traditional Full-Size Car—Toyota Avalon
Non-Luxury Mid-Size Pickup—Toyota Tacoma
Luxury Compact CUV—Mercedes-Benz GLK
Non-Luxury Sport Mid-Size Car—Dodge Challenger
Non-Luxury Full-Size SUV—Chevrolet Suburban
Luxury Sport Car—Chevrolet Corvette
Non-Luxury Sport Car—Volkswagen Eos
Luxury Full-Size SUV—Land Rover Range Rover
Luxury Traditional Full-Size Car—Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Luxury Traditional Sub-Compact Car—Lexus CT200h
Non-Luxury Compact SUV—Jeep Wrangler
Luxury Mid-Size SUV Mercedes-Benz G-Class
Luxury Prestige Full-Size Car—Bentley Continental
Luxury Exotic Car—Maserati GranTurismo