Buickman

Burmite,
Thank you for the consideration. I'll send you the info. You are right, many things can be quickly copied, ask the Chinese. Difference is, if you're not the lead dog, the view never changes. At the risk of alienating you, may I suggest crow tastes best while it's still warm?
Buickman

guionM

I'll re-read it a few times, and I'll think more about it overnight and add comments on it, but there is one glaring omission there Buickman..... product!

Alot of your ideas are excellent, and no doubt would contribute to an improvement in GM's sales figures, but you make a fatal flaw that I see alot in people who are sole marketers or sales people seem to make: that a great sales person can sell anybody anything, regardless as to how the product actually compares to what the other guy's selling.

I'm not sure if you want me to go through the points you mention due to your request to keep the contents confidential, so I'll save the point by point comments for the e-mail. But keeping things as general as I can, everything you propose is almost exclusively for GM's marketing department and dealers. To be perfectly honest, I don't think there's much there that GM can use beyond that.

In a crowded market like we have today, it's much more than marketing that's needed. GM has been overly dependent on marketing only for the past number of years. When someone comes up with an out of the box design like the Chrysler 300 or the Ford Mustang, or even the new line of Cadillacs, all the marketing tricks in the world can't hide the fact that suddenly, it's competitors are suddenly obsolete. That's the point I feel you completely miss in your points.

Saturn is another perfect example. Saturn has high customer satisfaction. Saturn buyers love their dealers, love the no haggle price, love the way they are treated, and yet Saturn sales are pretty pittyful. Solving the problem can't be solved by, say, the dealer delivering cars in the way you mention, or the type of "field trips" you propose, or getting dealers fired up. The problem can only be solved with new products that compete with what the other folks are selling.

I'm not downgrading the importance of your points, mind you. Again, alot of interesting ideas. But these ideas need to be used in conjunction with a new and exciting range of products.

New products with crappy marketing won't do it. On the same level, crappy products with ingenous marketing is pretty useless as well. You need both.

IMHO, you have a piece of the puzzle..... but you don't have the whole answer.



As for Rick Wagoner, I'm sure you are as aware as I am that getting new products through GM is like pushing molasses uphill in the winter. There is no reason on the face of the planet that in our modern supercomputer age it should take 5 years to get a car from idea to production anymore. Yet at GM that's exactly what we have, due more to petty politics or people with tunnelvision in carrying out their job. While the CEO can change marketing almost on a dime, he still is selling products greenlighted during his predecessor's regime. GM's current woes can almost exclusively can be attributed to a lack of new cars or exciting designs, and a system that chokes it's ability to respond quickly to a changing market.

Also, Rick has been CEO since, what? 2002? GM's meltdown has occured since when? January this year? Sounds like the guys being put out to pasture over what's happened the past 5 months out of 36... just when things developed completely under his watch are begining to come out. The only good thing about forcing Wagoner out now is that his successor, no matter how screwed up he is, will take credit for what Wagoners did (since his efforts will bear fruit about that time), and the new guy's screw ups will be felt by his successor.



If the Rick Wagoner is willing to put himself in the line of the firing squad by assuming responsibility for all North American operations (a type of taking responsibility that's extraordinarily rare in today's world), I feel it's our obligation to give the guy a chance. I have reservations about some of the things he's doing, but I think he should have a chance to pull GM up.... or hang himself trying.

If you want to pressure him to link his pay to GM turning a profit (like Bill Ford across the street), that would be great & you'd probally have alot of support.

But I'm dead set against forcing him out...... just yet.

Burmite

I apologize for being too cynical in this discussion, but I agree that GM should do what is best and act quickly to fix any problems it may have. I just look upon the other problems GM has beyond sales. As I said before I edited my previous post (this idea did not fit in there well and I did not expect such a quick reply), I would worry that any sales killer sales strategy can be copied by any other manufacturer and might lead to a near zero net, which is why I have my doubts. GM's other issues are larger and need to be delt with even more so. I don't think GM would appreciate paying high UAW wages or a high coupon rate on their future bonds (which are now categorized as junk). I will read your 20 points first.

Z284ever

Thanks Guy. After reading the 20 pts, you typed exactly what I was thinking...but was too lazy to type it myself.

The only difference is, I'm not willing to give the Board and Wagoner very much more time.

Buickman

Wagoner has been at the top for quite longer than 2002. He took over NA when Lopez bolted. Great product does beat all ie. Toyota, however, their dealer service leaves much to be desired, which is why we can take back share. The comment on GW states goal as 33% That's because we were at 28-29 when I designed the site. I'll soon be doing an update, before Wilmington. The comments and suggestions posted here will be incorporated in the revision. Please don't misunderstand Buickman. I don't claim to have all the answers, not by a long shot. What I do know is how to sell cars. That is more than the direct interface, it's about how to treat customers in general, from advertising (witness the Corvette ad with the Cobalt, we advertise the two door and only build four doors, dealers are screaming), to inventory, to display, to training, to communication, to service, to follow up etc... How many people complain about dealers? That's where we can make the difference. I'll be happy to address any other aspects of the business based on my decades of experience and study. Just remember, I'm a salesman, not an expert in foreign exchange risk or vicarious liability.

Discgolf

I figured it out! This guy is really redzed.

Buickman

If I'm really redzed, would you please explain it to me and save me the trouble of seeking a therapist?

number77

Redzed is a member of this site that makes seems to bring controversy with his comments...to put it lightly.

Buickman

Whew, glad it's only a case of mistaken identity. Thought I might have an incurable disease. Let me assure you I seek congruency not divergence. My understanding here is that we have a common purpose, communication, and a shared goal of a healthy company producing great cars we all can enjoy. Sounds good?

Caps94ZODG

Buickman, and the others...

as a normal everyday person who chimes in this forum more than the rest of the board.
I have thought of many of these points the "higher ups" have said. Bucikman I sent you an email just to see what your points are. I have posted a few things..

why it takes so long to get a car into production, the solstice was supposed to be the guinie pig for the new program..so where is this car still and the program???..So time is the problem with GM..to many hoops...

Marketing..they got it right with Caddy..it works, gotta get the rest of GM to the follow in line...how can SCION market a BOX on wheels so sucssesfully..HOW..marketing..GM has to know how to market again..Buickman might have that idea..but to build cars they need to sell them...and selling them no matter what makes a better car in the long run...

thats the last thing...and it ties into selling the cars..the money from selling the cars goes to new styling...and thats where my signature comes in with WERMS quote, hes right..we build american cars..then they cant compare apples to oranges..American cars will be what americans want..not tail chasing the imports..who we all have been brainwashed by marketing as being superior..well DCX is proving that wrong..and Fords mustang is proving there is a RWD coupe market..
I think the thing is the big general need to cut the fat as far as bean counters and yes people..thats the only way to get this ship rights..in lamans terms..get ideas and desicions on the board instead of boardmeeting..

but what do I know..Im the guy your selling the cars too..

Z284ever

Buickman,

Outside of the 20pts, generally speaking, what would you change at GM?

Who do you think would make a good CEO? And why?

What about the Board of Directors?

What is your understanding of what really went down with Fiat?

Reno Leigh

I just want to say that I think some here are being a bit harsh and disrespectful. It is not becoming or professional to ourselves.

Sales is where the rubber meets the road, an almost totally untapped resource for improvement, even at the two Toyota stores that I have experience with. The individual sales person alone has in him or her the tremendous power to sell THE AVERAGE CUSTOMER a brand that he sells, or, to **** them off so they buy next door instead. The room for improvement here is immense, and the results from some simple reforms could come quickly enough to keep the wolf at bay until the product is where it needs to be at GM. Who here thinks GM dealers are hitting on all cylinders? Same with the marketing.

IMO the potential is huge, and would like to read his 20 points.

I must also say as a former repeat Buick owner, I have scratched my head lately in wonder as far as what the frick is Buick doing to themselves. I dont own any Buicks myself anymore, they no longer make anything I would buy with my own money. Maybe the brand is trying to be minimized by some in command, I had never imagined that before. I dont think bundling Buick Pontiac GMC in a forced marriage is a company saver or market share increaser. Closing dealerships is no way to increase market penetration.

On a personal note, I no longer sell Toyotas, and after a vacation, might try my hand at selling GM stuff. GM needs guys like me on the front lines at the moment. I also feel I can get a better idea of what they need to do that way.

Edit, Wagoner seems to be a professional CYA guy, a survivor. He has already set up Mark La Neve as THE MAN to blame if things dont go right from here on out. Anybody else notice that?

dav305z

For whatever reason, LaNeve e-mailed him back essentially saying "no thanks."

Burmite

After reading the 20 points, I saw many kernels in there that have some promise to increase volume and sales. It is well put together and is convincing. It is not that there is a problem with these ideas, but it comes to a divergence of ideas of how to fix GM. GM as it is relies on large volumes to make a profit and Buickman's ideas would increase volume. That is definitely a start for now. The other idea of fixing GM (what I feel mostly) is that GM needs to be able to rely on smaller volumes than it currently does. Competition has grown stateside and will probably increase in the future with Chinese cars coming to the shores. Competition more often than not squeezes out market share making it more difficult to maintain that slipping market share. Although I think some of Buickman's ideas will work (even in the long run), I only fear that it relies too much on discounts/volume and not on superior product or being more internally efficient which I feeling is the long term solution.

It's a start down the right path for now, but I would not look at it for the most part as a permanent solution. I applaud you, Buickman, for your effort and your enthusiasm. As to my previous posts, I must clarify. I felt as though you came across as though you had all the solutions to most of GM's problems which was my bone of contention. This is a sound plan to fix short term sales (<4 years), but not long term sales or the other macrocosmic problems. Still though, it is a very sound list and I was very happy to read it.

As guionM said, linking Wagoner's pay to profits is something you should also bring up since you have the opprotunity.

Caps94ZODG

Buickman,

thanks for the email..and the 20 points...just hope your other points are as helpful.

And to be vague as possible..those 20 points, they sound familiar to me, though diffrent in some parts a good stadegy that one company has used and still use and that's why they are climbing up the ladder? Am I wrong? there using our own stadegy against us no???
I think this sales part will help GM get back on the sales track..you might not cure GM. dont know your other plan points but you can figure out that it will help.