One of GM's current problems is how to keep new customers happy during the ordering and buying experience. I was able to experience this personally after ordering a new 2010 Camaro. The issue specifically was that as a customer, I was not given proper or accurate information in regards to when my vehicle was getting built and/or delivered. I would call my dealership or GM's Customer Service number only to get ambiguous or poorly detailed information.There were so many Camaro buyers dismayed by the buying experience (due to back orders) that myself and a few other GM customers decided to create a website which allows GM customers to find as much information as possible regarding their current status on their ordered car. We created a website called www.camarotracking.com which is designed to let customers of the new Camaro track the status of their order and their car as it moves thru the production process.The process is simple - the customer enters their production order number (a 6 character alphanumeric value given to every GM customer when ordering a car) and email address on the website:
As the car moves through the production process, they are automatically sent emails identifying the status change to their order. They can also view their current status online just entering their order number or email address in the track now box and clicking the track now button.
This example is typical and is an Equinox actually entered into our system. As you can see the status is at 3000 and has a TPW of 1-11-2010. Once the car is built and a VIN issued it begins to be tracked by the VTIM data automatically with no new entry required by the customer or dealer.
The customer can even view their online window sticker simply by clicking on their VIN number. You might notice that a railcar number is provided along with the vehicles current status. This example is In-Transit from Oshawa and it began its journey on December 9th. The customer will receive their email update at each status change.The process for post production includes these stages for easy understanding. On Hold if a Quality Control hold is placed, Available to ship from location, In-Transit from location, Available to ship from rail yard, In-Transit from rail yard and of course Delivered to dealer.
The email process also has the ability for on-line marketing where GM can advertise GMPP products related to the product the customer has ordered. Metrics can also be added to the application which would allow GM to monitor regional sales activity, usage by customer, usage by dealership and end-to-end transaction time.
This easy to use system has helped over 10,000 Camaro customers and has increased the customer buying experience. It has in fact been so well received and easy to use, that many Chevy Dealers across the county are using the system themselves. This includes the number one Chevy Dealer in the nation, Classic Chevrolet and other major dealers like Hendricks Chevrolet. The benefit of being able to easily and automatically update themselves and their customers via the status update email, has allowed them to focus on selling cars, rather than trying to track down the status of an existing order via Global Connect or DBC which quite often, is not available to the floor salesman. Salespersons simply receive daily updates by the website which they can re-communicate to their customers. This not only saves time for the sales personnel, but it also makes it easier for them to keep the customer informed.Camarotracking.com has also created a public forum on the site where people can anonymously ask questions, get special tracking information, updates or just spend time with people in the same situation as themselves. It gives them a sense of community and helps create a long term GM customer due to the customer becoming emotionally attached to the product even before they receive it. This unique process has never been executed in the past by GM. The excitement that customers express when they learn their "baby" has been built is proof alone that this type of service is needed at GM
The service is free and although initially focused on the Camaro, numerous other GM customers who ordered products such as the Equinox or Lacrosse are making tracking requests. At this time, Camarotracking.com is only able to provide limited service to these customers up to the point that the VIN is issued. The full service is available to any GM Product Manager or Director who wishes to add this level of customer satisfaction to their portfolio. In fact, this service can easily adapt to any car manufacturers ordering process.
This entire process was created to mitigate the lack of communication regarding ordered vehicles while at the same time, create customer loyalty and customer satisfaction. It was made possible by the efforts of GM employees who are exactly what Ed Whitacre has been looking for. There are indeed dynamic and visual people hard at work at the new GM. Let's hope those folks get the credit they deserve and GM will see this service as revolutionary enough to implement corporate wide.
