Cadillac Recognized as a J.D. Power 2011 Customer Service Champion

One of only 40 brands to receive this distinction in United States

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Mar 03, 2011, 09:00 ET

DETROIT, March 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- J.D. Power and Associates recently named Cadillac a J.D. Power 2011 Customer Service Champion, making Cadillac one of 40 brands honored this year for outstanding customer service.

J.D. Power chose the 2011 Customer Service Champions from more than 800 brands in 20 major industries based on customer feedback, opinions and perceptions gathered primarily from J.D. Power's syndicated research and supplemental research.

The report measured five key customer touch points: people, presentation, process, product and price. The 40 distinguished companies represent the highest-performing companies that deliver service excellence to U.S. customers — both within their respective industries and across all industries measured, Power said.

The recognition comes as Cadillac and its dealers begin this month a second round of training programs for sales and service consultants with luxury hotelier Ritz-Carlton, also a J.D. Power 2011 Customer Service Champion. Cadillac partnered last year with the Ritz-Carlton on the first series of training programs, called "Defining Moments," aimed at elevating the customer experience in showrooms and service departments.

In February, Cadillac also launched the Cadillac Shield program, which ties together the brand's suite of ownership benefits. Cadillac Shield includes Cadillac's four-year, 50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper and five-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranties. In addition, it provides maintenance on many frequently required services for four years or 50,000 miles as well as 24-hour roadside assistance and courtesy vehicle transportation during the powertrain warranty period.

"Cadillac and its dealers have made a concerted effort to provide luxury buyers with a heightened level of customer service both during and after the sale," said Kurt McNeil, vice president of Cadillac sales and service. "We're honored to be recognized by J.D. Power and be included among this elite group of companies for customer service."

In 2010, Cadillac ranked second among automotive brands in the J.D. Power and Associates Customer Service Index (CSI) Study, which measures the satisfaction of owners who visit a service department. Cadillac also ranked second last year in the J.D. Power and Associates Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study, which measures satisfaction with the new-vehicle purchase experience.

The Cadillac Escalade received top honors in the Large Premium Crossover/SUV category of the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Initial Quality Study(SM) (IQS), which measures the number of problems consumers experience during the first 90 days of vehicle ownership. Lansing Grand River (Mich.) Assembly, which makes the CTS and STS, received the study's Bronze Plant Quality Award for North and South America.

About Cadillac

Cadillac has been a leading luxury auto brand since 1902. In recent years, Cadillac has engineered a historic renaissance led by artful engineering and advanced technology. More information on Cadillac can be found at media.cadillac.com.

SOURCE General Motors