Market research case study:
Customer programs benchmarking in the automotive industry

Automotive client

The challenge

A luxury vehicle manufacturer commissioned DJS Research to conduct an international benchmarking exercise. The primary objective of the research was to understand and compare the cover and maintenance options available to its competitors' customers. The project focused on two core areas and the research explored the many strands within these specific service offerings as follows:

  • Warranty extension: including the duration of the contract (one, two, or more years); coverage type (full, limited, other); activation mode; services offered (road assistance, courtesy car, etc.); activation limits (time and/or mileage); post-activation mileage limits; inclusion in maintenance plan; selling price (MSRP).
  • Maintenance plans: including the duration of the contract (one, two, or more years); activation method; type and number of services offered; service content (both for planned or unplanned maintenance); potential limits of validity (time-based or mileage); selling price (MSRP).

The approach

The international research was conducted across key markets worldwide including countries across Europe (including Germany, Switzerland, Italy and the UK), the Middle East, Asia (including China, Japan, Hong Kong) and the United States. Five competitors were reviewed across three distinct model classifications, in each country.

The primary methodology was telephone mystery shopping; this approach allowed investigation of the range of options available for each competitor in every country. Where required, this approach was combined with secondary research, including desk research to source further contact details as needed.

The results

Following the successful execution of the project, DJS Research was commissioned to conduct a series of similar studies focusing on different models, including high-performance supersports, across multiple markets.

Customer programs benchmarking in the automotive industry case study image 1 Customer programs benchmarking in the automotive industry case study image 2
Customer programs benchmarking in the automotive industry case study image 2
Customer programs benchmarking in the automotive industry case study image 3
Customer programs benchmarking in the automotive industry case study image 1

Case study:
Customer programs benchmarking in the automotive industry

Automotive client

The challenge

A luxury vehicle manufacturer commissioned DJS Research to conduct an international benchmarking exercise. The primary objective of the research was to understand and compare the cover and maintenance options available to its competitors' customers. The project focused on two core areas and the research explored the many strands within these specific service offerings as follows:

  • Warranty extension: including the duration of the contract (one, two, or more years); coverage type (full, limited, other); activation mode; services offered (road assistance, courtesy car, etc.); activation limits (time and/or mileage); post-activation mileage limits; inclusion in maintenance plan; selling price (MSRP).
  • Maintenance plans: including the duration of the contract (one, two, or more years); activation method; type and number of services offered; service content (both for planned or unplanned maintenance); potential limits of validity (time-based or mileage); selling price (MSRP).

The approach

Organisations operating across multiple countries face a unique set of challenges, from designing research that works across cultures and languages, to coordinating multi-market fieldwork, managing time zones, and ensuring results are comparable, meaningful and actionable. Our clients tell us that international research is essential to their decision-making, but often difficult to resource internally. Different markets have different expectations, behaviours and cultural norms, and insight gathered in one country rarely lands without careful localisation.

Our international research capability exists to help you navigate these complexities with confidence. Drawing on more than two decades of experience, we bring the cultural intelligence, operational expertise and global partner networks needed to design and deliver robust programmes across regions. Whether you are conducting a multi-country study across Europe, APAC, the Americas or beyond, at DJS Research we work collaboratively with you to ensure your research is contextually grounded, consistently executed and strategically valuable. 

With a director-led approach and a focus on bespoke design, we support clients who need clarity on global audiences, confidence in multi-market decisions, and insight that connects local nuance with international strategy.

International market research solutions at DJS Research

We design and deliver research across all global regions, using primary and secondary methodologies tailored to your objectives. As a mid-sized agency, we have the agility to tailor our project teams to suit your requirement. We are small enough to offer collaborative, hands-on support, yet big enough to manage complex, multi-market programmes with rigour and efficiency. Every international project is built from the ground up – we simply don't do 'off-the-shelf' solutions.

Our in-house specialists and our vetted network of in-market partners enable us to reach:

  • Consumers: Across Europe, the Americas, APAC, Africa and the Middle East — including hard-to-reach populations and minority groups.
  • Business audiences and professionals: From senior decision-makers and technical specialists to frontline staff, intermediaries, and international supply chain stakeholders.
  • Public sector and NGO audiences: Educators, community groups, social sector partners and international representatives contributing to policy, culture and social outcomes.
  • Across the globe: We have delivered research in more than 80 countries, combining central oversight with contextual expertise to ensure findings remain locally relevant and internationally comparable.

We conduct qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method research across the world using modalities such as:

Having access to such a wide range of methodologies enables us to mix and match methods to each country based on our years of experience, and knowledge of suitability between one market and another.

A wide range of methodologies

Small enough to listen, and big enough to answer – on a global scale

Clients choose us because we combine deep expertise in international research with the flexibility and senior involvement required to manage multi-market work effectively. We oversee complex studies across regions, ensuring consistency in design, translation, fieldwork, analysis and interpretation.

We know that global research requires more than coordination; it requires cultural fluency. Our expertise ensures that questionnaires, discussion guides and stimuli are accurately translated, appropriately localised and interpreted with nuance. We use industry-leading translation partners, in-market moderators and multilingual in-house teams, supported by senior researchers who stay close to the work from design to delivery.

Clients tell us we feel like an extension of their team: honest, pragmatic and responsive, delivering high-quality outputs that enable organisations to align across regions and act with clarity.

Whether you need help navigating complex fieldwork, managing stakeholder expectations, or interpreting cross-country insight, DJS Research brings the integrity, expertise and operational strength required to support confident international decision-making.

Bespoke international solutions which deliver actionable insight

Keen to find out more? Our international leads love nothing more than chatting about the nuances and complexities of global projects! You might wish to ask them...

  • How we can reach audiences in your target markets?
  • How we ensure translation accuracy and cultural relevance?
  • How we facilitate you attending fieldwork remotely, or in-person?
  • How we manage multi-country logistics?
  • How we interpret global findings in context?

Get in touch with our team today to discover how we could elevate your international research and deliver the outputs you need to achieve your multi-market goals. 

 

The results

Following the successful execution of the project, DJS Research was commissioned to conduct a series of similar studies focusing on different models, including high-performance supersports, across multiple markets.

Customer programs benchmarking in the automotive industry case study image 2
Customer programs benchmarking in the automotive industry case study image 2
Customer programs benchmarking in the automotive industry case study image 3