J.D. Power and Associates Takes Steps To Redesign its Annual Initial Quality Study(SM)
17 September 1997
J.D. Power and Associates Takes Steps To Redesign its Annual Initial Quality Study(SM)
AGOURA HILLS, Calif., Sept. 17 -- J.D. Power and Associates
completed a test-run of a new quality survey that will be the basis of its
annual Initial Quality Study(SM) (IQS) beginning in 1998. This change is
designed to achieve two critical goals. First, the redesigned IQS Study, J.D.
Power and Associates IQS2(SM), will cover new technologies and features that
simply did not exist when the current study was originally designed in 1987.
Second, the information provided to the manufacturers will be much more
specific, identifying more details about each problem, such as location and
driving conditions.
This improved diagnostic capability will make IQS2 a more powerful tool
for manufacturers to use in their efforts to reduce warranty expense, respond
to their competition, and meet the increasingly demanding expectations of
today's consumers.
"This beta run helps our clients prepare for IQS2, which will debut in May
of 1998," commented Chance Parker, director of product research at J.D. Power
and Associates. "This is the first time IQS has been completely redesigned in
its 10-year history, and we are enthusiastic about the more thorough
diagnostic capability this new study will offer," said Mr. Parker.
IQS2 has been designed with both the consumer and the manufacturer in
mind. Consumers will have an increased ability to more clearly convey any
problems they have experienced with their new vehicle. In addition,
manufacturers will receive a much more detailed understanding of those
problems via the added analytical capabilities.
"With IQS2, we do not expect the order of the world to change however, we
expect to give manufacturers a more defined picture of that world," Parker
continued. "It is important to note that the results of this beta test
correlate very closely with the J.D. Power and Associates 1997 Initial Quality
Study(SM) results, even though the beta test was conducted at a different time
of year. Once again, what will change is the amount of information we can
provide manufacturers on the initial quality of their vehicles from the ever-
important consumer perspective."
J.D. Power and Associates is an international firm best known for its
marketing information services in key business sectors including market
research, forecasting, and customer satisfaction. The firm's quality and
satisfaction measurements are based on actual customer responses from over a
million consumers annually. With its headquarters in Agoura Hills,
California, the firm also has U.S. offices in Torrance, California; Michigan;
and Connecticut. Its international locations include Japan, Korea, England,
Canada and Brazil.
J.D. Power and Associates can be accessed through the World Wide Web at
http://www.jdpower.com. Email: info@jdpower.com.
No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the information in
this release or J.D. Power and Associates survey results without the express
prior written consent of J.D. Power and Associates.
SOURCE J.D. Power and Associates
