Was working on it when you posted. See above, thanks again.

 

I approach every shopping experience with an open mind, I'm a harsh critic, but will give everything a chance. I am not the average distinguishing BMW, MB, Toyota, Honda, LExus, Audi prosprective consumer, they will NOT give you a chance based on cars that are five years old and of atrocious value compared to the competition. The average BMW, Audi, MB, Honda, Toyo convert looks at it this way: "My (insert brand here) is so good, why would I EVER consider anything else? That American is CRAP compared to this car. This car makes me feel like I am getting MORE than my money's worth. This car makes me PROUD to drive it. MY FRIENDS applaud my decision. PEOPLE LOVE MY CAR."

Are you getting what I'm saying? Answer this, beyond new advertising, what do you want to do to get people to actually CONSIDER GM????

Most won't consider. That's harsh.

 

I still don't understand why we are talking about sales paradigms when GM doesn't actually sell cars to the end user. Car dealerships are in the car selling business, and unless GM is able to sell cars directly to the consumer, then why would a new sales strategy "save GM?"

GM is in the car building business. They need ways to improve what they do. That happens to be building cars, not selling them. It seems to me that any plan that would have the potential to "save GM" would focus on factors that contribute or detract from their ability to manufacture competitive or class leading vehicles at profit. For example, such a plan may recommend cutting out certain layers of the vehicle approval process. Or maybe it would find that the brands are out of focus. Maybe it would find that vehicles go too long between generations.

Product needs to be the focus. Product, product, product.

You can do all the advertising you want. Hell, you can do all the selling you want. But if your product isn't good than you have lost repeat business, and how will that be for the long term? But if you build a product people want to buy, then you as a manufacturer are set.

 

That is it right there.

 

I seriously just read 4 pages and still dont see the point of this entire conversation, especially what Buickman is saying because it takes ten non-related responses out if before you get one actually worth listening to. Buickman needs to stop preaching and realize that he neither has nor deserves to have a say in GM's buisness. Its simple, they didnt hire you and shouldnt have to listen to you, nun your business.

 

There are no solutions, only tradeoffs.

Creating a plan in a vacuum where the virtually infinite complications of running one of the worlds largest companies can be ignored or emphasized as you see fit is destructive.

I mentioned in another Buickman thread that this, being an enthusiast website, probably isn't the best forum to draw admirerers by telling a company not to emphasize product. Chrysler came back from the brink by making interesting cars, Ford has improved its position because of appealing products; same thing with Subaru, Nissan, Audi and Volkwagen.

Daewoo came into the US market with the idea that novel marketing and dealer relationships could make them competitive with an inferior product. Where are they now?

And you still wonder why people do not like your plan?

 

I have an MBA. I just got it actually, about a month ago. Reading this post is the first application of the knowledge I spent 3 years and hundereds of hours working towards this degree that opened new doors to me. Want to know what the first application of this new knowledge is?

You're full of crap. You have ulterior motives. Like someone said above...the guys at Radio Shack who sell IBMs..are they qualified to tell the CEO what to do?

When Settlemire put his confidence in Wagoner in a recent post, it confirmed the feeling I had that he was on the right track. I hated Zarella, knew brand engineering was a joke, and apparently Settlemire felt the same way. He knows more than I do about GM...far more.

And if he's with Wagoner, so am I. Its not just blind faith either. What I see and what I read tell me he'll turn it around. He got to the helm when the crap was there. Give him time. Calling him out in front of the firing squad is shooting the wrong man.

And it tells me all I need to know about your character, sir.

BTW, underpants gnomes kick a**

 

This post really wasn't made to criticize Wagoner as much as to review the steps. Since you bring it up, he began running NA in 1994, lost market share every year. Since he became CEO 5 years ago, we've lost $50 Billion in shareholder value. Also blew $4.4 Billion on Fiat. Say what you will, that is a definintion of disaster. ELEVEN years is long enough, sorry.
Assaults on my character are irrelevant, useless, and totally without merit, you only make yourself look bad.
I have never said to de-emphasize product.
I do not wonder about people not liking The Plan. The relatively few disbelievers here are inconsequential. My hope was to learn something useful. In between the impertinence and sarcasm, some benefit has occurred.
Thanks to turbo200, whose comments and questions address valid issues and ask for serious responses. It would be easy to say, "make better products". Of course that works in the long run, but as we saw with yesterday's financial statements, quick fixes are needed now. That's why the first twenty deal with marketing. These ideas are easily implemented, with minimal cost.
Now back to post 42, which by the way was excellent, and worthy of attention. Winning first the consideration, and then the actual purchases, of these demographics in various locations is not so difficult if one is able to see things from their perspective. Effective marketing would include getting to know influential individuals in each group, understanding their motivations and desires. We then match up the features and benefits of our products that appeal to those conceptual issues. We "hook up" with the "personas" of current trends and leverage our corresponding attributes. For example, an Hispanic member of the "Chico Bears". It's all about image and perception. Once "in vogue" GM products reverse the decline in popularity and begin the growth evidenced in an invigorated desire for aspirational transportation. Once convinced of the attributes and attainability of enviable automobiles, the aforementioned segments of society will "cut loose" the pursestrings.

 

I make myself look bad? Yeah, right. As others have pointed out, you claim to want people to critique the plan. Then when they blow holes right through it, you either ignore what they say or talk right over them. Give me a break.

Wagoner wasn't in charge of GM for 11 years, was he? What is your vendetta against him for? Did he pee in your Cheerios or kick sand in your face on the playground years ago? Last time I checked, Zarella was in control for at least a few years. The crap he gave us is what's on the market now. Shooting Wagoner is shooting THE WRONG PERSON.

I feel like I'm listening to Rush Limbaugh on GM. Lots and lots of hot, steamy air...

 

Zarrella worked for Wagoner. The ships going down and the captain is to blame. Wake up. You claim to "blow holes". All you really are blowing is my mind with your attempts at belittling. Give me an example of where The Plan is weak and prove yourself, Mr Newly Acquired MBA. Otherwise, go back to school and take a class in etiquette.

 

The titanic can't stop on a dime. Even I know a great deal of the mistakes GM is paying for happened long ago. Blaming one man for the failure of a company is almost as ludicrous as suggesting that one man with no actual expirience building, or marketing cars can save an entire company.

So its not ok for him to belittle you, but you can do it to him right.

Your hipocrisy shows through again, one of the above mentioned girl scouts could see through your doublespeak and yet you continue to preach it somewhere it isn't wanted? Why?

 

The Titanic was a great ship. It went down due to poor leadership and direction. Belittling the goose begets belittling the gander.
Why is it we are not discussing the points, and instead continue wasting time and energy against each other? Aren't we all on the same side here?

 

I see way too much bashing going on in this forum. People are always waiting for any chance they get to tear into a contributors ideas, comments, or 5th Gen pic!! We're all GM fans here. Seems Buickman has put alot of effort and thought into his ideas. we should appreciate what he is trying to do and contribute to his cause with our own ideas and suggestions. What is the point of bashing? Really turns alot of us members off.

 

That and the fact it was rushed into service being poorly equipped and was under tremendous pressure to be the saving grace of the entire White Star line, due to which the crew made some fatal errors.

Sound familiar?

Doesen't sound like ettiquette class training to me. Or was that another one of those good ideas thats bad when people other than you do it? Or a bad one thats good when it has your name on it?


Well, one because the highs and lows of your points have already been discussed ad nauseum and you aren't listening to either when its coming from board members who have more industry expirience than you do and common consumers who can see you are playing games.

I would say we are all in fact on the same side but you portend to have GMs best interest in mind but only when there best interest comes from one of your ideas. Not only that but you dodge -- not even artfully -- ever question directed to you and only spout cliche and often nonsensical sales rhetoric, which, if you ever read a thread other than one you are in, you would know really isnt going to fool anyone here.

Thats whats been happening, or rather was... Until it became obvious all constructive criticism would be at best ignored and at worst lambasted as being whatever idiocy he himself is probably currently spouting, which will then be covered by idiotic sales rhetoric, and the repition of the fact that he sold lots of GM vehicles to GM employees.

 

I truly prefer to engage in discussions here that specifically involve Return to Greatness.