Auto Brands Miss the Mark on Customer Experience: Report

Capgemini Research Institute's latest report, "Joining the Race: Automotive’s Drive to Catch Up with Customer Experience," uncovers a significant gap in how automotive brands and consumers view customer experience (CX). While modern consumers expect frictionless service akin to other sectors, automotive CX lags, ranking 9th out of 13 major consumer industries. Mobility-as-a-Service fares better, though results vary by country.

The study reveals that while automotive executives estimate a Net Promoter Score (NPS®) of 14, consumers rate the industry an average of 2, the lowest among consumer-facing sectors.

Key Disconnects Between Brands and Consumers

• Brand Reputation vs. Consumer Priorities: 73% of organizations rank reputation as the top purchase driver, but only 48% of consumers agree. Emotional connection with brands also ranks higher for consumers (41%) than organizations (24%).
• Ease of Use Matters: For 76% of customers, seamless functionality—spanning apps, dashboards, charging, and insurance claims—is a top priority, compared to just 51% of companies focusing on this.
• Digital and Post-Purchase Gaps: 90% of customers report dissatisfaction with inconsistent, fragmented services across the vehicle lifecycle. Only 29% rate their overall CX positively, particularly post-purchase services like maintenance and reselling.

Opportunities for Automotive Brands

Despite CX being a C-level priority for 70% of organizations, only 17% involve IT or digital teams in CX strategies. Digital and post-purchase experiences, from maintenance to software updates, are key areas where brands can differentiate and capture consumer loyalty.

"Consumers are increasingly shifting away from vehicle ownership toward flexible, on-demand mobility options. To compete, automotive companies must prioritize seamless, personalized digital solutions that cater to the entire customer journey, including after-sales services," said Laurence Noël, Head of Global Automotive at Capgemini.

Report Methodology

The report is based on surveys of 600 senior executives from large automotive OEMs and mobility service providers across 10 countries, and 10,000 consumers from 11 countries. It includes insights from 32 CX experts across various industries, from automotive to hospitality and retail.