Customer experience scores declined across parts, service, sales, and rental this year. For many dealers, that raises a fair question: Are we doing something wrong?

The short answer is no.

The data isn’t showing a collapse in service quality. It’s reflecting a market where customer expectations rose faster than operating capacity. In tighter conditions, customers are more price-sensitive, less patient, and more candid. Experiences that once felt acceptable now register as disappointment.

At the same time, dealerships—especially in the aftermarket—are under real strain. Aging equipment, technician shortages, and uptime pressure mean teams are working harder with less margin for error. Even strong execution can feel slower and less predictable to customers when systems are stretched.

There’s also a measurement shift at play. With more digital and SMS-based feedback, dealers are hearing from a broader, more transactional customer base. As response pools widen, scores naturally normalize downward—but feedback becomes more honest. This represents a truer baseline, not worse performance.

The most important takeaway from this year’s benchmark isn’t that experience is declining. It’s that loyalty is more fragile.

🔹 When times are good, customers reward effort.
🔹 When times are tight, they only reward excellence.

That makes customer experience a risk and resilience lever—not a “nice to have.” Lower scores aren’t a verdict. They’re an early warning, showing where small experience gaps can quietly put long-term customer relationships at risk.

And in this industry, losing one customer isn’t losing one transaction—it’s losing years of future value.

Want to explore how benchmarking can help you strengthen aftermarket performance and stay competitive?
Book a short meeting to see how these insights apply to your service, parts, and rental operations—and stay tuned for the full report, packed with practical guidance to protect loyalty and performance in 2026.