Product & Quality

Syndicated Study

Initial Quality Study (IQS)  

Addresses issues of manufacturing quality and design quality by make, model, and vehicle segment

The study provides a measurement of “Voice of Customer” during the first 2-6 months of ownership to identify those problems that vehicle owners encounter in this initial ownership period. The study addresses issues of build quality and design quality by make, model, and vehicle segment. The study formally launched VQS4 platform in 2015. With more quality-related questions directed to current and future new technologies and features, the new questionnaire can help manufacturers obtain more accurate and in-depth information.

Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study   

Measuring how much customers like or dislike virtually every aspect of their new vehicle

The J.D. Power APEAL has become a benchmark for measuring the APEAL of new vehicles. The study offers insights into customer satisfaction with different vehicle executions and the appeal of different features and technology, as well as insights into how owners operate the various features within the vehicle. Containing 10 categories and 79 attributes covering powertrain, exterior design etc., the APEAL study transfers the customer's experience and perception into a very powerful and useful analytical tool.

The study launched VQS4 platform in 2015. Newly-added questions reflect more precisely owners’ preferences, while descriptive questions are included to better show the actual performances that affect owner preferences and customer expectations.

Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS)  

Measuring long-term vehicle quality

The study, which focuses on problems experienced in the last 6 months of 13- to 48-month-old vehicles, provides critical insights into longer-term defects and malfunctions as well as design deficiencies that have existed over the life of the vehicle.

Starting from 2017, the VDS study has been transitioned onto the VDS5 survey platform. The new survey platform consists of more diagnostic questions and data to assist car manufactures in obtaining more accurate data that provides deeper insights and in turn, allow the conduct of better product quality improvement plans.

New Energy Vehicle Experience Index (NEVXI) Study  

Measuring NEV owners’ perspective on pre-sales, sales, and product experience

The study offers a complete perspective on pre-sales, sales and product experience of new energy vehicle owners during the first 2-6 months ownership. For the sales related experiences, the study explores the key touch points of the sales. For the experienced quality problems, the study measures customer complains on both manufacture malfunctions and design issues specifically on new energy vehicles.

New Vehicle Tire Satisfaction Index Study (NV-TSI)   

Measuring customers perspectives and satisfactions with New Vehicle Tires

New vehicle tire study provides a measurement of “Voice of Customer” during the first 13-30 months of ownership to identify those problems that vehicle owners encounter regarding their new vehicle tires.  This study aims to discover the quality related problems regarding new vehicle tire. Meanwhile, the study's approach measures how much customers like or dislike virtually every aspect of their new vehicle tires.

Proprietary Study

IQS Tracking

IQS Tracking, based on J.D. Power IQS questionnaire, tracks and reflects the vehicle quality issues consumers complain about.

• Identify improvement measures by in-depth data analysis

• Determine whether the improvement is effective by comparing vehicle performance before and after the improvement

• Manufacturers invite owners to share the problems they come across when using the product, which shows manufacturers’ attention to customers

• IQS Tracking, together with follow-up visits to frequently complaining customers, can effectively stabilize and improve brand image

Mass Market Vehicle Quality Club Study

Organized as a club, the study is initiated by J.D. Power and invites intended mass market vehicle manufacturers to participate in as club members. The club uses real vehicle owner lists provided by manufacturers and the same VQS4 questionnaire as J.D. Power syndicated studies, then conducts a tracking study and shares data and findings of the vehicle quality study.

Premium Vehicle Quality Club Study

Organized as a club, the study is initiated by J.D. Power and invites intended premium vehicle manufacturers to participate in as club members. The club uses real vehicle owner lists provided by manufacturers and the same VQS4 questionnaire as J.D. Power syndicated studies, then conducts a tracking study and shares data and findings of the vehicle quality study. The study is conducted monthly on owners during the first 90 days ownership and shares data three times annually.

Participated members: Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Porsche, Volvo, Jaguar Land Rover, Infiniti, Cadillac, Volkswagen (Imported). Current members: Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Cadillac, Jaguar Land Rover.

New Energy Vehicle Quality Study

Organized as a club, the study is initiated by J.D. Power and invites intended new energy vehicle manufacturers to participate in as club members. The club uses real vehicle owner lists provided by manufacturers and a special quality study questionnaire designed for new energy vehicles, then conducts a tracking study and shares data and findings of the vehicle quality study. J.D. Power New Energy Club Study, started in 2017, has completed two waves of study and data sharing. Current members are Changan, Geely, BAIC BJEV, Dongfeng and Xiaopeng.

Product Consulting

Customer Requirements Target Setting (CRTS)
Integrating the Voice of the Customer during product positioning

Project Stage: Strategy (Exterior, Interior, Components)

Owning to long-term cooperation with manufactures from around the globe and its own Voice of the Customer quality assessment systems, J.D. Power has established a mature vehicle product target setting method oriented around consumer needs, which aims to help manufacturers take into consideration Voice of the Customer during product positioning and defining, shift from engineering-oriented to Voice-of-the-Customer-oriented, make product development process more controllable, avoid detours, and lower costs.

Early Product Evaluation (EPE)
Detecting problems in the design stage

Project Stage: Design (Exterior, Interior, Components)

J.D. Power EPE aims to evaluate vehicle’s early design. Based on the company’s rich Voice of the Customer research data, competitors’ performance and personal experiences, senior experts from J.D. Power evaluate carefully the models, drawings and plans of the vehicle product, and detect hidden problems.

EPE looks at the very beginning of product design and evaluates vehicle’s perceived quality such as vehicle design, material selection, etc., in order to find issues that consumers may complain about and propose an improvement plan, which can help manufacturers detect problems as early as possible, make improvement and reduce costs.

Initial Product Evaluation (IPE)
Detecting problems in different R&D stages before mass production

Project Stage: Prototype, Pre-series

IPE is based on J.D. Power’s own Voice of the Customer research systems (IQS/APEAL) and accumulated big data. A professional team of J.D. Power vehicle evaluation experts carries out on-site evaluation from the perspective of consumers, detects quality problems in different R&D stages before a new model goes into mass production, and analyzes design advantages and disadvantages compared with competitors, aiming to help manufacturers improve new model’s perceived quality and enhance consumer satisfaction. Currently, all major manufacturers in the world are clients of J.D. Power IPE project.

Human-Machine Interaction (HMI) System Evaluation and Improvement
Conceiving and implementing HIM design strategy

Project Stage: Design (Components)

HMI consulting project utilizes J.D. Power’s human-machine interaction system user data, deep dive the value of user perceptive data in “people-centric” mobility scenarios, and combine the study on disruptive trend such as intelligence, connectivity and sharing, in order to help manufacturers and HMI parts suppliers define their design strategies of HMI products to be used in different mobility scenarios.

Benchmark Club
Interpreting popular models and features

Project Stage: Design (Exterior, Interior, Components), Production

The project focuses on popular models and features in Chinese market and provides experts’ evaluation and more detailed interpretation and in-depth analysis of J.D. Power syndicated studies data, guiding manufacturers in understanding the data correctly and comprehensively. The project can help manufacturers discover the benchmark design of benchmark models and perfect their benchmark design database and vehicle evaluation system.

Manufacturing Improvement (MFG)
Evaluating and improving plant’s mass production capabilities

Project Stage: Manufacturing (Prototype, Tooling, Pre-series, Production)

From the perspective of consumers, J.D. Power’s Manufacturing Improvement consulting team adopts the methodology of “quality loop” and “MFG rating”, accesses manufacturing capabilities across 6 major dimensions (Automation, Quality Management, Flexible Manpower Systems, People, Supply Chain Management and Support Systems)  in 19 aspects with 310 check items, points out the weakness and gap in manufacturer’s internal quality control system and provides solutions and guidance (to identify and solve client’s specific problems) for the manufacturers to reduce the gap by proper means.

Customer Placement Evaluation (CPE)
Identifying potential problems by studying owners of competitive brands

Project Stage: Pre-series, Sales

After a new model is launched, the manufacturer needs to learn about the feedback regarding vehicle quality from owners of main competitors after a certain period of driving under real road conditions and follow up on the quality performance of the new model. CPE’s regular IQS and APEAL feedback data and findings from face-to-face interviews with owners of competitive brands can be used by manufacturers to promptly implement quality measures and improve vehicle quality.

Customer Vehicle Evaluation (CVE)
Detecting quality issues as early as possible by feedback from real owners

Project Stage: Sales

After a new model is launched, the manufacturer needs to learn about the quality feedback from the first group of owners and follow up on the quality performance of the new model. As restricted by the implementation time, the Syndicated Studies (IQS/APEAL) cannot help manufacturer learn about the new vehicle’s performance if it is not included in the samples of that year’s Syndicated Studies. The CVE project, focusing on a single model, can help the manufacturer understand a new vehicle’s performance.

Dealer Quality Improvement (DLR)
Detecting and solving new vehicle quality problems on the dealers’ side

Project Stage: Sales

By visiting the dealers, the project detects key issues on the dealers’ side that affect a vehicle’s IQS performance, offers advice on solving problems and optimizing process, and provides support for manufacturers to improve product quality and consumer satisfaction.