ACA Research | Automotive Industry Research Australia

Expert Opinion

To be successful in the highly competitive Australian automotive market, manufacturers need to deliver an exceptional and differentiated customer experience. In today’s world the customer is empowered through greater access to information through websites, social media and customer reviews. With this knowledge the customer assumes control of the relationship and hence automotive brands need to take a customer centric approach across all touchpoints including sales, marketing, service, pricing, positioning and communication.

To deliver a truly customer centric experience, automotive brands require an intimate understanding of the customer journey throughout the lifecycle. It is critical that touchpoints are mapped and the effectiveness of those touchpoints are measured. Key moments of truth need to be identified and the processes that support these moments of truth need to be optimised to ensure the rational and emotional needs of the customer are truly satisfied.

At ACA Research, we know how to tap into the nuances of your market to help you differentiate and ultimately succeed. We have a pragmatic approach to project work, designing and delivering research to get you what you don’t know, rather than what you do.

Our Research Approach Is Tailored To Achieve Optimal Outcomes For You

Market Behaviour

Market Landscape
Market Trends
Market Sizing
Market Attitudes & Behaviour
Market Evaluation and Opportunity Identification
Market Segmentation
Brand Positioning & Tracking
The Use Of Emerging Technologies, Platforms and Channels

Customer Experience

Customer Experience Tracking
Voice of Customer and Integrated Customer Feedback Management Programmes
Mystery shopping
Customer Journey Mapping
Touchpoint Mapping
Customer Segmentation
Ethnography
Contextual inquiries
Customer storytelling
Customer journals

Passenger

Light
Small
Medium
Large
People Movers
SUV
Motorcycles

Light Commercial Vehicle

(For recreational use)

Vans
Utes

Fleet

Small, Medium & Large Commercial Fleets
Specialised Fleets (Road Freight Transport, Logistics, Trades)
Off Road Fleets (Mining, Construction & Agriculture)
FMO’s

Aftermarket Trades

Mechanics
Paint & Panel
Auto Electricians

Retail

Automotive parts
Tyre retailers
Wholesalers

Technology

In-vehicle telematics
Automated delivery scheduling technology
Asset tracking
GPS and route optimisation

We Have Extensive Experience To Draw On For Your Next Project

Whether You Want To Understand:

Macro and micro social and economic factors influencing consumers attitudes and demand for new vehicles
How improved quality and reliability is influencing the total cost of ownership, life of the vehicle and the frequency of servicing and maintenance
The impact and demand of technological innovation for in-car entertainment, connectivity and safety
The impact of media fragmentation on the customer journey
The demand for small and medium SUVs and UTEs to cater for commercial and recreational needs
How emission regulations are impacting buyer choice in the road freight industry
The impact of fleet managers driving down costs through fleet consolidation programs

Here is a snapshot of recent research we have undertaken for Automotive clients:

Quantitative survey with 450 SUV buyers to develop a clear understanding of buyer behaviour and preferences. The insights identified the customer journey, the rational and emotive needs when buying an SUV and the feature set that was most compelling to buyers.
Qualitative and quantitative study to provide insight into creating a differentiated vehicle service experience for new car buyers. We explored the current state end to end experience, identified key moments of truth and provided a customer wish list for enhancing the experience.
Ethnographic study with 20 truck drivers to provide input into a customer centric product design to encourage safer driving practices. We provided a revised product design incorporating the key elements required to drive switching behaviour.
Qualitative and quantitative study to observe the behaviours related to the use of telematics within the Australian fleet market. Our client was able to develop a segmentation and pricing model tailored to the different needs of fleet managers within the market.

Got Only A Handful Of Questions To Ask?

We conduct a number of Omnibus studies throughout the year with a number of audiences within the automotive sector. Omnibus studies provide a great way for you to access the opinions of your target audience whilst sharing the cost of the study with other subscribers. The answers to the questions you submit remain confidential to you, but Omnibus studies provide you with cost-effective access to market information that is tailored to your needs.

Click on the calendar icon to download the current Omnibus calendar.

Electronic Work Diaries To Boost Telematics Use in Road Freight Transport Industry

The recent passing of the Heavy Vehicle National Law Amendment Bill 2015 means heavy vehicle drivers and operators are a step closer to being able to replace their onerous written work diaries with electronic work diaries (EWDs). The implementation of EWDs will be voluntary, but to understand the potential impact on take up of telematics systems, we have explored how road freight transport companies would respond if EWDs were mandatory.

Automotive

In a highly competitive automotive market, consumers and businesses have a choice of more than 400 vehicle models. With over 20 years of automotive experience, ACA Research will deliver the purchase journey and customer experience insights you need to drive acquisition, retention and advocacy.

Experts Dedicated To Automotive Research

Knowledge Across Consumer, Commercial And Aftermarket

Innovative Customer Experience Solutions

Expert Opinion

Complete the form to contact Steve Nutall,
our Automotive expert.

Contact our Automotive Expert

Our Research Approach Is Tailored To Achieve Optimal Outcomes For You

We Recognise The Importance Of The Consumer And Commercial Markets