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Wards Auto
Cadillac Scores High, Startups Rank Low in Helping Customers
July 2022
Post-pandemic inventory issues still make it a sellers market... but for how long? Many dealers have been developing bad habits due to the lack of new units... why bother responding to an Internet lead when the lead time is going to be six months or longer, right? WRONG!
How effective and customer-helpful are the sales processes of startup electric-vehicle luxury brands compared with those of traditional premium brands?
Not so good, according to a mystery-shopping survey by automotive consultancy Pied Piper.
Its annual Prospect Satisfaction Index this year focuses exclusively on luxury brands, including EV makers such as Tesla and new kids on the electric avenue: Lucid and Rivian, which interact with customers primarily online. Pied Piper calls them "New Way."
In the firm's polling of 25 brands, Cadillac ranks highest in how effectively premium brands and their dealers helped both online and in-person vehicle shoppers. Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz rank second and third, respectively, followed by Acura, Volvo and Lexus.
At the bottom of the list is Rivian (No.25), Polestar (an EV subsidiary of Volvo) (No.24) and Lucid (No.23). Tesla is No.21 in the standings.
