J.D. Power and Associates Reports: High-Performing Home Improvement Retail Chains Differentiate Themselves Through Superior Customer Service

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Home improvement retailers that are customer-focused are better able to attract and retain loyal customers who might have otherwise shopped at a more conveniently located retailer, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 U.S. Home Improvement Retailer Satisfaction Study(SM) released today.

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The study, now in its fourth year, measures customer satisfaction with home improvement retail stores, based on performance in five factors: merchandise; price; sales and promotions; staff and service; and store facility.

For a fourth consecutive year, Ace Hardware ranks highest in satisfying home improvement retail store customers.  Ace Hardware achieves a score of 791 on a 1,000-point scale and performs particularly well in two factors: staff and service and store facility. True Value (779) and Menards (761) follow Ace Hardware in the rankings.

"Satisfaction with retailer staff and service has improved notably during the past year," said Christina Cooley, senior manager of the real estate and construction industries practice at J.D. Power and Associates. "As customers continue to take on projects themselves instead of hiring someone and with spending in the home improvement retail market beginning to increase, being known for providing superior customer service may translate directly to the bottom line."

While the convenience of the store location is often the main reason for shopping at a specific home improvement retailer, Ace Hardware and True Value have been able to differentiate themselves and draw larger proportions of customers due to perceptions of good customer service, compared with other major home improvement retailers.

The study finds that 62 percent of customers in 2010 say they asked a store employee for help during their last visit to their primary home improvement retailer, an increase from 51 percent in 2009. Nearly 83 percent of customers who asked for assistance needed help in locating a product and 65 percent had a question about a particular product. A particularly high proportion of customers—98 percent—state that they received the help they needed when they asked for assistance.

"Customers who may not be as experienced or knowledgeable about the specific home improvement project they are undertaking may want to consider seeking out a home improvement retailer with a reputation for good customer service, even if that means driving to a store that is less conveniently located," said Cooley. "Traveling the extra distance may save customers some aggravation and additional money that may be spent if they don't get the right products and advice needed to tackle the project the first time."

The 2010 U.S. Home Improvement Retailer Satisfaction Study is based on responses from more than 6,400 consumers who purchased a home improvement product or service within the previous 12 months from a store that sells home improvement products. Consumers were asked to evaluate their primary home improvement retailer. The study was fielded in March and April 2010.

About J.D. Power and Associates

Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, Web intelligence and customer satisfaction.  The company's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually.  For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies:

Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a global information and education company providing knowledge, insights and analysis in the financial, education and business information sectors through leading brands including Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, Platts, and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2009 were $5.95 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.  

No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the information in this release without the express prior written consent of J.D. Power and Associates. www.jdpower.com/corporate

SOURCE J.D. Power and Associates