iPerceptions' VP of R&D reports on upward trends in satisfaction with the online automotive experience, and what to watch for as visitors' criteria evolve.

It wasn't too long ago that visiting an automotive website tested the patience of even the most loyal customer. The sites were difficult to navigate and were filled with beauty shots that took too long download. The content left much to be desired, and in addition to endless wait times, there were few or no dealer related links, and little pricing information.

Happily, it seems the tides have started to turn. iPerceptions' Q1 2006 Auto Industry Comparative Customer Satisfaction Study confirms that overall website visitor satisfaction reached a new record high -- 7.40 out of 10 -- in Q1 of 2006 (up from 7.11 in 2005). Obtained from the quantitative and qualitative analysis of feedback from 64,000 actual visitors to 10 different OEM websites in North America between January and March of this year, the results signal a significant upward shift in the total visitor experience.

Based on our analysis, we believe that most automotive web teams have resolved the early front-end issues that plagued their sites in previous years. Data also indicate that the weakest rated dimensions in 2005 -- poor navigation and inadequate content -- are no longer the weakest aspects of the visitor experience.

Chart 1

Continuing the upward trend
While signs indicate that automotive websites are headed in the right direction, there's always room for improvement. The key issues for 2006 seem to lie with visitor expectations and increased demands on a site's interactivity. This was evidenced by a decrease in the relative ranking of ratings for interactive tools and self-service within iPerceptions' perceptual framework-- the basis for this auto industry comparison (Chart 1). These two attributes provide an indication of long-term site usefulness (see Chart 2 for comparison).

Chart 2

This makes a lot of sense. Website visitors in general are getting more sophisticated and more comfortable with the tools and features they encounter on websites. Where "configuring your car" was once a flashy tool employed to show off technology, it's now a standard feature at any automotive website. Same goes for "get a quote" or "take a test drive" or "find a dealer." Visitors to automotive websites demand and expect more; for example, we are now seeing consumers demand competitive pricing information online-- something that was unheard of just a year ago.

An even bigger issue for automotive website teams is that automotive websites in Q1 2006 experienced a much larger proportion of visitors who indicated that they came to a site for the first time over the last three months. Our research indicates that this rate has risen from 27 percent of all visitors in 2005 to 42 percent in Q1 2006. This supports a consistent trend over the last three years and confirmed, by behavioral metrics (log file analysis, et cetera), that a growing number of people are using online resources in the process of making automotive purchase decisions. Twenty-six percent of visitors have a purchase horizon of one to three months in Q1 2006-- this number is the same as in 2005, but the pie has grown larger.

Another area to watch is trial. More people are kicking the tires and checking out all their options via the web. One of the most significant changes we saw in Q1 2006 was an increase in the proportion of visitors exploring manufacturer websites other than those of vehicles they currently own. In 2005, the industry average of vehicle owners who visited their manufacturer's site was 47 percent. This number has dropped to 36 percent in Q1 2006.

As manufacturer loyalty declines, we are also seeing slightly older demographics making up the universe of automotive website visitors-- iPerceptions' results indicate a four percent increase in visitors between the ages of 45-54; this is at the expense of visitors under the age of 34.

All of this data confirms something we've all know for a while. Visitor needs and expectations continue to change as the marketplace and technology impact the way we conduct business and carry on in our own personal lives. Creating a positive visitor experience and related satisfaction ratings depends on a team's ability to juggle and respond to a constantly moving set of criteria. Keep in mind that what works for automotive sites today, may only be good for today-- tomorrow may be a whole new day, bringing with it a whole new set of customer demands.

Duff Anderson is vice president of research, development and knowledge delivery at iPerceptions Inc. He is responsible for core product development, research design, data modeling and analysis at iPerceptions. Read his full bio here.