First Assistance roadside recognised as best practice provider

New Zealand’s leading emergency assistance company, First Assistance, has topped the rankings in a recent customer satisfaction survey and gained recognition as a provider of best practice roadside assistance.

The survey undertaken by corporate vehicle fleet managers LeasePlan highlights strong results across the board for their roadside assistance provider First Assistance, with the company averaging 92 percent satisfaction across all categories surveyed.

Based on the survey, which has been rolled out across LeasePlan offices globally, the service First Assistance provides to LeasePlan New Zealand has been recognised globally as an example of best practice for roadside assistance. Only four other countries – Belgium, Greece, Hungary and the Netherlands – provide best practice roadside rescue services.

Charles Willmer, Managing Director of LeasePlan New Zealand, commends First Assistance for their contribution into the ongoing success of the LeasePlan business.

"We are regularly impressed by the commitment First Assistance shows in supporting our clients in their time of need. Their hard work helps LeasePlan to achieve its goal of being the foremost experts in fleet management and finance,” says Willmer.

“First Assistance always rates highly in our surveys and this year takes the lead position in service delivery across all our outsourced partners,” he says.

The First Assistance roadside service also achieved the highest rank in a single category of the LeasePlan NZ survey, with 95 percent of respondents satisfied with the availability of the contact centre when needed. Over 93 percent of those surveyed also indicated their satisfaction in being kept up to date on the progress of their roadside assistance claim.

In categories identified as having increased impact on customer retention, namely ‘Friendliness of staff’ and ‘Speed of getting the customer on the road again’, First Assistance delivered an exceptional 94 and 91 percent customer satisfaction rating respectively.

First Assistance CEO Mary Jo McDonald is pleased to be recognised for the service they provide to LeasePlan.

“Customer care is paramount in terms of the services that First Assistance offers to its clients. We put a lot of emphasis on representing both our own brand and values and those of our client in the best possible way,” says McDonald.

“This recognition we believe highlights the whole team’s dedication to providing each of our clients with outstanding roadside assistance services,” she says.

First Assistance manages the roadside assistance operations for a number of New Zealand’s top vehicle manufacturers and vehicle fleet managers, ranging from fielding of emergency response calls through to the implementation and follow up of the roadside rescue.