Ireland has been ranked as second worst in a European survey of how satisfied customers are with car dealerships.
The survey of five countries ranks Germany as best for customer service for car shoppers, while France is rated as the worst. The Netherlands is ranked second and Spain is in third place.
The survey, carried out by UK company Grass Roots, used a panel of representatives to evaluate the service given to customers in the fast food, financial services, mobile phone and car sectors. It conducted the research in France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom and Ireland. In Ireland the survey examined the service given in Ford, VW, Renault, Nissan and Audi dealerships. A total of 200 people were surveyed in five dealerships here.
In Grass Roots's performance index of car dealerships, Ireland scored 71.2, compared to an average of 74.8 and better only than France. Grass roots found that 26.6 per cent of Irish customers would not return to a dealership, compared to 32.9 per cent in France. Some 26.6 per cent said they would not recommend a dealership. In Germany, only 19 per cent said they would not go back to a dealership, while only 18 per cent there said they would not recommend a car showroom.
Cyril McHugh of the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (Simi) said he was "surprised" by the findings of the Grass Roots study, which he said was "subjective".
He said dealerships had customer satisfaction rating systems in place and they were "constantly monitored" by car manufacturers. He said profits and bonuses were often based on customer satisfaction ratings.
Pearse Flannery of motor industry consultancy, Pragmatica, said that he believed customer service in Irish showrooms was "not that bad" and "certainly in the top quarter" in Europe.
However, he called for increased regulation for rogue car dealers. "There is an element in the industry that is only out for the quick buck. There are a lot of guys working out of lots and it's only when something goes wrong that you find they aren't there any more," he added.
