Infiniti Jumps In Rank On New JD Power Satisfaction Index

The J.D. Power U.S. Sales and Satisfaction Index (SSI) is published annually based on surveys of consumers and their purchases. Among premium automotive brands, Infiniti moved two positions to second place on the survey, improving by 15 points in overall SSI scoring. The 2014 survey just published is based on purchases made in 2013.

High client satisfaction and salesperson interaction scores were the most-improved for Infiniti. The company says that these improvements are a direct result of their concerted effort to improve training and standardize processes in its retailer network nationally.

"Among those efforts is Infiniti University, a retailer education program designed to give sales and service personnel the tools to succeed with best practices for serving luxury customers in a very competitive segment," Infiniti says in a release.

This month marks 25 years for Infiniti as a brand. When it began, Infiniti opened the "Total Ownership Experience" to give customers things like complimentary service loan vehicles during warranty work, roadside assistance, and special finance offers for repeat customers.

Lately, the brand has added a new Infiniti Personal Assistant service which acts as an in-car concierge and is complimentary for the first four years of ownership when purchasing a new Infiniti. This service, which I have personally tried in press loan vehicles, allows the driver or passenger to speak to a live operator and ask for things like directions, restaurant recommendations (even making reservations), weather forecasts and more.

These latest J.D. Powers numbers show that despite months of flagging sales, Infiniti is growing as a brand.