WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA -- Quality Cabinets ranks highest among cabinet brands in satisfying new-home builders and remodelers, according to the J.D. Power and Associates/McGraw-Hill Construction 2008 Builder and Remodeler Cabinet Satisfaction Study released this week.
The study, now in its second year, is designed to provide comprehensive information to assist cabinet manufacturers in their efforts to improve customer satisfaction. Overall builder and remodeler satisfaction with cabinets is based on performance in eight factors (in order of importance): warranty and replacement service (18%); customer service and support (14%); product installation and durability (14%); price (12%); delivery (11%); ordering process (11%); product features (11%); and credit/billing process (9%).
Quality Cabinets performs particularly well in four of the eight factors: product installation and durability; price; product features; and credit/billing process. Quality Cabinets is closely followed in the rankings by American Woodmark, which performs particularly well in the customer service and support, delivery and ordering process factors. Following American Woodmark in the rankings is Mid Continent Cabinetry, which performs well in the warranty and replacement service factor.
The study finds that the industry average has improved to 753 on a 1,000-point scale from 730 in 2007.
"Overall, in a highly competitive industry, cabinet firms have demonstrated considerable improvement since 2007 and are doing a very good job of satisfying their builder and contractor customers," said Jim Howland, senior director of the real estate and construction practice at J.D. Power and Associates. "An opportunity exists for firms to differentiate themselves by focusing on service-related aspects of the customer experience, since cabinet durability and features tend to be rather similar across manufacturers."
The study also finds that 83 percent of builders and remodelers indicate that they received their products on time and as ordered when considering their most recent experience with a cabinet brand -- an increase of 13 percent since 2007.
"For those builders and remodelers that have problems with their orders, good warranty and replacement service from a manufacturer can help salvage a builder's schedule and minimize costly delays," said Burleigh Morton, senior director of research and analytics at McGraw-Hill Construction. "Although it's best to make every effort to provide accurate shipments that arrive unblemished, when a problem does happen, builders appreciate a cabinet vendor that will quickly make things right."
The 2008 Builder and Remodeler Cabinet Satisfaction Study is based on 1,356 evaluations from over 1,100 new-home builders and remodelers who ordered and purchased cabinets within the previous 12 months. Respondents were asked to evaluate their primary and/or secondary cabinet brands (defined as the brands they used most often). The study was fielded between March and May 2008.
Customer Satisfaction Index Ranking (Based on a 1,000-point scale)
Quality Cabinets 777
American Woodmark 775
Mid Continent Cabinetry 756
Industry Average 753
Merillat Industries 750
KraftMaid Cabinetry 749 Aristokraft Cabinetry 743
J.D. Power.com Power Circle Ratings For Consumers
Power Circle Ratings Legend:
5 - Among the best
4 - Better than most
3 - About average
2 - The rest
Quality Cabinets 5
American Woodmark 5
Mid Continent Cabinetry 3
Industry Average 3
Merillat Industries 3
KraftMaid Cabinetry 3
Aristokraft Cabinetry 2
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