This is quite honestly the weirdest, most bizarre thread I've ever read in the 5th Gen forum.

 

Believe it or not I do have a day job. Tonite I will address ALL questions and concerns posted here. Don't think anyone is being too tough. I welcome criticism. If it doesn't kill you, it only makes you stronger. For now, let me give an update. I've learned, but not confirmed, Wagoner is developing a major announcement for sometime in the next 60 days. This from a confidential but reliable source. It will call for major downsizing and enact union concessions. Also, see inside back cover of Auto News today. More stories to follow. Interviews occurring almost daily. More later. Any thoughts? Post 'em today, I'll respond tonite. Thanks,
Buickman

 

I'm with you. There's only one thing I'd like to say. Anyone that refers to themself in a post in the third person? They're trying a little too hard at marketing.

"Don't be mad at Buickman." ??? Say what? If I said in a post "Don't be mad at Jason E," I'd have redzed on my *** in no time Speaking of which, where is he anyway??

Marketing is key, but product is even more key. I'm in sales, and even I know that. Selling 70% of your cars to GMS qualifiers in MICHIGAN IN FLINT, in my opinion, does not qualify someone as all-knowing. If he has points, great. I have not read the 20 points....but if product is missing as guion said, I don't have to read them...

Without clear, concise changes for PRODUCT, all of this is marketing. Which is not good.

 

I'll bet 70% is low.

Over 90% of Lunghamer Chevrolet's sales in the Pontiac area are GMS qualifiers, and by percentage I'll bet that Pontiac has fewer eligible individuals in their population than Flint does.

 

Any of our insiders hear anything about this? I hope he doesn't put the future of Buick and/or Pontiac in doubt when they each have major product introductions this summer.

Buickman, just read the first twenty steps. IMO, all these individual steps actually would together be the first step to fixing the company. The thing is, none of this will work for very long unless it's followed by great product. You will remember that at first, incentives worked quite well in driving GM and the auto industry after September 11. Eventually however, people came to expect them, and STILL buy the foreign product even though they're clearly paying more upfront for it.

As far as the steps themselves go, they all sound good - save perhaps step 4. This might be good for people working in the Northern region, but for a salesperson in say S. Florida, where I am, the idea of traveling up to Detroit would hardly be an incentive. How about GM Fastrack in Orlando?

 

Pacer,

Somewhere in his 16 different posts, he said 70% in reference to your question...not sure where it is at the moment. That's not to say its true, but who knows.

I too am interested to see what Wagoner has to say. Personally, I'm not in favor of booting Wagoner either. I think it was guion that said by taking over NA car operations he's doing his best to assume control and responsibility. I love Lutz, but I think he is the one that needs to keep his mouth shut or be locked in a lab somewhere. He's a great product guy, and GM needs him. But some of the things that come out of that man's mouth???? "Damaged brands," "US Engineers behind the Japanese," etc...sometimes, I honestly believe he does more harm than good.

 

Any revamp based on marketing technique alone won't do it.

At the dealer level, an individual store is run as a independant business. Changing that would involve changing the franchise agreements and most dealer's aren't going to go there, for their own good or not.

This gent might be far better off selling a system to GM dealers on a consulting basis. If his system is that good it will do well for him and GM too. Hopefully it wouldn't be like many motivational packages that are often sporting disclaimers like " Results not typical, your experinece may vary..."

GM doesn't retail vehicles, dealers do. There's a lot of good materials that GM offers but the individual dealer chooses to do it their own way, sometimes with success and sometimes to dismal failure. Getting the mega dealer chains
to go a different way is easier said than done.

GM can't control the complete marketing process any more than any manufacturer can with absolute control through to final retail and into F&I. However, what they can control is the product. It's easier to "deliver" things people really want rather than have to "sell" things they don't.

Now moving what's "hot"?..that's not a master salesman required deal, but a manufacturer would rather have courteous order takers that bother to not pi$$ off customers than hope for dealers to train great closers...

Car sales is becomming less and less of a profession in many areas and it doesn't matter what brand we are talking. Buickman seems to have done well on the retail floor, and it would be interesting to see if all the sales staff benefitted from his way of retailing cars.

GM has some great product on the ground now, and more in the pipe. Some of the product doesn't interest me in the least. Not that the product is bad...just not interesting to me. No RWD, no sale here.

Most car and truck sales are made based on an emotional response on the part of the customer, where the itch is strong enough that it has to be scratched. A Corvette isn't a sale...it a delivery. To gian perception plusses requires a CLEARLY better product and customer notion of VALUE.

When it comes to cars that the owner views as an appliance, it's no different than someone needing to buy buy an air conditioner... They want one that won't break and they buy what they perceive has a good track record for not breaking or they roll the dice and jump on the price.. Track records take awhile to achieve and and awhile to lose.

There's a reason why the imports have their rep and how they tend to maintain it, even when it's not as accurate as it once was. One key is that far less is changed under the most popular imports bodywork.

Marketing is a part of the car business, but it isn't the "cart" that should be put before the product "horse".

LaNeve did quite well with Caddy, and I'm confident he has a clue to what's required among the other Divisions.

Best of luck in Delaware to Buickman. I think you'll get to chat with some that have a better clue than you might think.

If GM doesn't buy your path, sell it to GM dealers...

 

Very well said.

Buickman ... I say that after reading the 20 points. Much of what you propose will be wasted if dealers don't "get it".

 

1fastdog,
I take it from your posting you haven't seen The Plan for a Return To Greatness. You bring up some good points, I'll respond tonite. Meanwhile send me your email and I'll send you the first twenty steps.
Thanks,
Buickman
Buickman@GeneralWatch.com

 

To say that Wagoner is going to make an important announcement soon is like predicting sharks eat meat. Of course he is!

As for what it exactly is, that's something he's keeping close to the chest at the moment. I sincerely don't believe he's going to advocate closing down a division or 2 based on what slivers I know, so that's not even in the equasion.

What I would expect is him to announce the termination of certain repetitous models, and perhaps a thinning down of divisional car lines. I'd also expect some labor items (don't ask!). I would also expect him to take advantage of the meeting to make a vehicle or architecture related announcement.

Whatever happens, trust me on this, it's going to be very intresting.


Hey.... don't mess with our leak!

 

Buickman, I'd be utterly shocked if you didn't at least have a "book deal already in the works." For all I know, maybe you've already been published half a dozen times. All I can say is that your posts have an unmistakable "motivational" or "self-help" tone.

 

redzed,
Been waiting for you to surface. More than happy to discuss merits of The Plan with you. I intend to spend time on this site tonite, kind of busy right now. Please send me your email and I'll forward you the first twenty steps of A Return To Greatness. Looking forward to having some fun this evening.
Buickman
Buickman@GeneralWatch.com

 

Tell Lutz to bring back the T/A, and not **** it up. Make it on the vette Chassis. obviously boy-racer did better than "classy"(gto) keep that **** in mind. and no retro atleast on the T/A

and have either all Metric or all Standard bolts and nuts on a damned car.

 

TrackMagicWS6,
Do suppose profanity makes you appear any more intelligent or convincing? Have some class, I've received emails from youngsters who visit here.
Buickman

 

****<gasp its a bunch of dots...

And for the Record I'm a Ford Guy. I will never buy another gm vehicle unless its a T/A after all the problems this one has given me.