Surprise, surprise. National carmaker Proton has thud to the last place among 11 manufacturers in a survey on customer satisfaction in Malaysia.

In last year's survey by market research and consultancy firm JD Power Asia Pacific, Proton was ranked second-last by 2,200 vehicle owners at 12 to 18 months of ownership.

In that survey, Proton outperformed only Naza among 10 other companies in their provision of services to customers.

This year, however, JD Power rated Proton's authorised dealer services as the lowest in customer satisfaction.

Proton received 677 points on a 1,000-point scale in JD Power's consumer satisfaction index (CSI) - 13 points worst than in 2005.

Meanwhile, rival local manufacturer, Perodua, scored 722 points this year - one point better then last year - to finish in sixth spot.

Another local car assembler, Naza, was ranked one notch better than Proton.

At the other end, Ford came out on top this year with a CSI score of 781 points, a 37-point improvement from 2005, and received the highest ratings on all seven key performance index.

The seven factors are service quality, problems experienced, user-friendly service, in-service experience, service advisor, service initiation and service delivery.

Ford's authorised dealer services performed "particularly well" in terms of 'completing work right the first time, explaining the work prior to service, completing all of the work requested, and providing a clean waiting area," said JD Power Asia Pacific in its press release.

Dismal performance

Among the other carmakers surveyed were Nissan (which was top in 2005 but fell to second place this year with 745 points), Honda (742), Toyota (729), Chevrolet (723), Perodua (722), Hyundai (717), Inokom (712), Kia (708), Naza (694) and Proton (677).

A Singapore-based JD Power spokesperson declined to give specific reasons behind Proton's dismal performance, saying such information was contained in the "fuller reports that are provided only to JD Power's clients."

"There's been a lot going with Proton this past year," said JD programme manager Endina Asri Widartama, without elaborating.

On a brighter note, she said Proton customers did report a higher improvement in their in-service experience.

"They did better this year in terms of customers' experience, while waiting for the cars to be repaired, with such things as the comfort and cleanliness of the dealers' lounges, the facilities at the waiting area, and so on," said programme manager Widartama.

JD Power Asia Pacific is headquartered in California and is a business unit of global information services provider McGraw-Hill Companies.