The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) has announced the results of its Dealer Satisfaction Study (DSS) 2024, in collaboration with PremonAsia, a consulting firm. The study involved feedback from over 1,500 dealer principals representing nearly 4,500 outlets across India.
JSW MG Motor topped the rankings in the 4-Wheeler Mass Market category with an industry-leading score of 866 points, while Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) retained its top spot in the 2-Wheeler category with 805 points. In the Commercial Vehicle segment, Ashok Leyland led the charts with 817 points, marking significant improvement across the board.
FADA President, Mr. C. S. Vigneshwar, expressed his gratitude to the participating dealers, stating that their feedback highlights the need for stronger collaboration between dealers and OEMs. “The study revealed that after-sales and business viability continue to be the main concerns, particularly in buy-back policies for unsold spare parts and improved inventory management norms for new vehicles,” said Vigneshwar.
Despite challenges, dealers praised the reliability and diversity of OEM products. Tata Motors PV made significant strides, improving by 98 points from last year to secure the fourth position in the 4-Wheeler Mass Market segment, while TVS Motor improved by 37 points to tie for third in the 2-Wheeler segment.
PremonAsia COO, Mr. Rahul Sharma, noted that while improvements have been made across the industry, there is still a need for better dealer support to ensure long-term business viability. “Involving dealers in policy-making processes and addressing deadstock inventory concerns are critical steps to improving dealer satisfaction,” said Sharma.
The study’s findings also shed light on the satisfaction levels in other segments. Bharat Benz made its debut in the top three of the Commercial Vehicle segment with a 94-point improvement, and 2-Wheeler dealers emphasized concerns regarding buy-back of dead stock and the need for multi-brand outlets.
With an industry average score of 768, this year’s Dealer Satisfaction Index improved by a single point from 2023, showing gradual progress. However, while satisfaction in the 4-wheeler segment rose, the 2-wheeler and commercial vehicle segments saw slight declines.
