More Chinese car owners turn to independent stores for after-sales service

More Chinese vehicle users will switch to independent service providers for after-sale service instead of 4S stores as the whole industry is getting more customer-oriented, according to the latest survey by marketing consultancy Accenture.

80 percent of polled consumers will not choose 4S stores for their after-sale daily maintenance and repair as the expenses are too high and due to the lack of service points of 4S stores in certain areas.

With the proliferation of digital devices, people will turn to a combination of online and offline services to get their cars repaired with parts purchased from online shops and maintenance provided by brick-and-mortar stores. A total of 72 percent of consumers are willing to accept O2O methods to receive after-sale services.

Huang Luchuan, director of Accenture Strategy, Greater China, suggested that it is essential for independent service providers to offer more value-added and digital divertive services to catch the attention of consumers in the future.