There’s a thin line between love and hate

Annie Lennox sang “There’s a thin line between love and hate.” Strategic Vision has just come out with the most loved vehicles, and it shows that unless a person loves their car, they might as well hate it.

Love, Love, Love

When customers experience love, they become strong advocates who are significantly more likely to be loyal. Christopher Chaney, Senior Vice President of Strategic Vision, reported in a press release, “For years, companies, especially automotive manufacturers, have struggled to understand why customers often report they were completely satisfied with their product, but do not even consider the product at their next purchase. We know why. Satisfaction is not enough.”

534,000 new vehicle buyers took a New Vehicle Experience Study (NVES) which utilized The Edwards Commitment Scale. This scale looks beyond satisfaction as it ranges from

1=Hate it,

2=a Failure,

3=Unsatisfactory,

4=Satisfactory,

5=Excellent,

6=Delightful

7=Love it.

What the study showed is that merely satisfying a customer isn’t good enough. In fact, if the customer is just satisfied, they tend to talk bad about the brand.

Tesla received the top rating of all vehicles, and this is not the first accolade. In 2014 350,000 people took a Consumer Reports study and it had the same result, Tesla was the most loved of any car.

German sports cars, muscle cars, and even a Fiat and the Chevy Volt made the list; all specialty vehicles that are distinct in their own right.

You don’t bring me flowers anymore

Alexander Edwards, President of Strategic Vision, makes the analogy of being satisfied versus being in love, “Are the relationships with our spouse and children simply satisfying or do they go beyond and become something to Love? “The difference is when you are in love you talk lovingly about your relationship. You’ve heard it many times, “I want to be just like that couple when I get older.” If you’re just satisfied people can tell by what you say or don’t say.

Mass Market Cars “Love It”

Dodge Charger 68%
Chevrolet Volt 68%
Subaru Impreza 67%
Honda Civic Si Sedan 65%
Fiat 500 64%
Kia Optima 61%

Mass Market SUV/CUV “Love It”

Jeep Wrangler 68%
Toyota FJ Cruiser 67%
Chevrolet Suburban 64%
Ford Flex 62%
Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 57%
Subaru XV Crosstrek 57%

Luxury Cars “Love It”

Tesla Model S 92%
Audi A8/S8 76%
Mercedes S-Class 69%
Audi A7/S7 65%
Hyundai Equus 65%
Audi A6/S6 64%

Specialty Cars “Love It”

MINI Cooper Roadster 86%
Porsche Boxster 83%
BMW Z4 Roadster 82%
BMW M3 Coupe 81%
Mercedes SL Roadster 80%
Porsche 911 Coupe 80%

“When you fully understand the impact of only satisfying customers, you understand that satisfied customers are essentially lost future sales. You must create experiences customers will naturally state that they love, or you will lose,” reports Dr. Darrel Edwards, Ph.D., Founder of Strategic Vision.

And don’t forget those famous two words, Yes Dear.