The U.S. Automotive Technicians' Choice survey measures the best in the Automotive Replacement Parts market in the United States. All respondents were asked to rate each brand/manufacturer listed as well as any other brand/manufacturer they think should be represented. The Frost & Sullivan Choice Award is conferred on the company that is selected by the largest proportion of respondents. Award recipients are determined directly by the sample respondents' perception and views.

"The survey results showed that Interstate Batteries dominates the automotive battery category," says Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Rolando Barrera. "One out of two U.S. automotive technicians (55 percent) chose Interstate Batteries, placing it above competitor, AC Delco, which garnered just 12 percent of the votes."

This is no surprise, as Interstate Batteries was the preferred brand by nearly the same proportion of U.S. Automotive Technicians in both 2007 and 2008. Eight out of ten U.S. automotive technicians (82 percent) make or influence automotive battery brand purchase decisions. Among these informed decision makers, "quality" is the most important purchase criteria (97 percent). Yet most impressively, among these decision makers, 55 percent report intentions to re-purchase Interstate batteries.

Many technicians expressed high satisfaction with Interstate Batteries in terms of quality and battery maintenance. Interstate Batteries provides maintenance through 300 distributors and 1,000 route sales managers. The specialized attention to products ensures that all Interstate batteries start the first time, proving the brand's outrageous dependability. However, if an Interstate battery needs to be replaced before its expired time, representatives offer hassle-free warrantees, which require no forms, and battery replacement on-the-spot.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents the Automotive Technician's Choice Award to the company that demonstrates excellence and distinguishes itself through its proactive strategies that position it to emerge as an industry leader.

The study is spearheaded by Frost & Sullivan's Competitive Benchmarking Services, a division of the Customer Research team that conducts independent, non-sponsored research among end-users to evaluate and measure companies that are top performers for their products, processes and services. Specifically, respondents to Competitive Benchmarking Services surveys are deemed experts (i.e., CEOs, CIOs, Automotive Technicians, Paint Contractors, etc.) in the wide range of industries that Frost & Sullivan supports.