Tractor owners’ overall
satisfaction with product performance improves to 841 from 823 in 2017,
illustrating a second consecutive year of improved satisfaction. The increase
in satisfaction is observed in both the machine performance and quality and
reliability indices.
“Younger cohorts in rural
India are increasingly less influenced by word-of-mouth referrals in their
new-product purchase decision and are evaluating products and services on
several aspects before finalising their purchase, while also displaying lower
brand stickiness,” said Yukti Arora, Practice Lead at J.D. Power.
“With a multitude of choices
available, greater information accessibility and strong desire to explore
different options, the younger generation of tractor buyers is relatively
harder to please. Thus, the success of tractor manufacturers in attracting and
retaining the attention of this new generation of buyers hinges on creating
value that resonates with them. This set of progressively informed and
demanding customers is exerting pressure on OEMs to exhibit unprecedented
agility in delivering at a pace that matches their heightened and continually
evolving expectations,” noted Arora.
The study also notes a high
increase in cross-shopping rate among new tractor buyers over the last 4 years,
with 21% customers stating they considered another tractor brand before buying
their tractor in 2018, compared to only 14% in 2015. “Just being there is no longer
enough to succeed in this market. To navigate through a crowded field of
enhanced product offerings and latest technologies, tractor manufacturers need
to create distinct experiences that stand-out from the clutter. Thinking of
innovative ways of forging long-lasting relationships with customers will help
OEMs to harness the opportunity that the sector presents today” said
Arora.
The following
are additional key findings of the study:
• Above 50 HP segment posts highest satisfaction: Owners of above
50 HP tractors report the highest satisfaction on both machine performance and
quality and reliability at 871 and 862 respectively, compared with below 31HP
(847 and 841 respectively), 31-40 HP (835 each) and 41-50 HP (845 and 841
respectively) segments.
• Tyres remain an issue: Excessive or uneven tire wear continues to
be the most frequently reported problem for the fourth consecutive year; it is
also cited as the most bothersome problem by tractor owners.
• Loyalty is up: Overall loyalty and advocacy rates have gone up in
2018, with 58% of tractor owners saying they “definitely would” purchase the
same tractor brand again, compared with 52% in 2017; 65% say they “definitely
would” recommend their tractor brand, up from 56% last year.
Study Rankings
Mahindra Swaraj ranks highest in the below 31 HP and 31-40 HP
segments, scoring 864 and 843 points, respectively. Swaraj leads in all seven
machine performance categories in the below 31 HP segment, and in six of the
seven categories in the 31-40 HP segment.
John Deere and Mahindra,
in a tie, rank highest in the 41-50 HP segment with a score of 851 points.
While the former performs particularly well in three of the seven machine
performance categories, the latter leads in the remaining four categories.
New Holland ranks highest in the above 50 HP segment with a score
of 870 points.
The 2018 India Tractor Product
Performance Index Study is based on responses from 3,835 tractor owners across
14 states. The study was fielded from January 2018 to May 2018 and includes
owners who purchased a new tractor between January 2016 and May 2017 from an
authorised dealership.
Source: JD Power