Think you're the car company's customer?

JackDodge · 12-11-2007, 06:34 AM

One of those dirty little secrets of the Detroit 3 is that they don't consider the car buyer (the one who's stuck with the 3-year loan and parks the car in his own garage every night) to be their customer. Their customer is the dealer. The dealer is the one they listen to. They don't give a rat's behind about you unless you're a dealership. Of course, the same may be said of all car companies but since the Detroit 3 build mostly junk that no one wants, it's all the more noticeable. A sterling example:

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...712100326/1014

"He doesn't have a conversation where he doesn't talk about dealer profitability and how did we get to where we are at. And he apologizes every step of the way even though he wasn't working for Chrysler," said Eddy of Bob & Chuck Eddy Chrysler Dodge Jeep near Youngstown, Ohio. "He wants to get it turned around because he knows ... if they take care of their customer who is the dealer they will be successful in Auburn Hills."

mldoc · 12-11-2007, 07:06 AM

Both the dealer and the end-user are the customer. It is most definitely possible to have multiple customers for one item. For example, I work in a shop where we rent lighting equipment for shows. For some of our gear, the manufacturer has 3 customers they need to keep happy: The dealer we purchase through, us, and the shows that rent our equipment. If you don't keep the renter happy, they don't spec the gear. If you don't keep us happy, or our dealer happy, we find alternative products to try to convince our clients to purchase instead. Nowhere in that article did they say that the end user (aka You and I) weren't their customer. The article is simply talking about what Chrysler is trying to do to improve their customer relationship with their dealers.

JimN · 12-11-2007, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mldoc

Both the dealer and the end-user are the customer.

I disagree. GM made their profit when the dealer bought the car. They don't give a dam* about the car after that. The only time they care to even talk to the end user is when a complaint is filed with the BBB.

FL_Prius_Driver · 12-11-2007, 08:16 PM

There is a feedback loop. The dealer will complain bitterly to GM as their sales continue to fall. It's just that GM can ignore the dealers as well as individuals.

patsparks · 12-11-2007, 08:19 PM

I think GM are fully aware that if the cars don't roll out of the showroom on a regular basis the dealer isn't going to purchase replacement stock. I think manufacturers care about their customers they just try to manipulate them rather than produce for them.

JackDodge · 12-12-2007, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mldoc

Both the dealer and the end-user are the customer. It is most definitely possible to have multiple customers for one item. For example, I work in a shop where we rent lighting equipment for shows. For some of our gear, the manufacturer has 3 customers they need to keep happy: The dealer we purchase through, us, and the shows that rent our equipment. If you don't keep the renter happy, they don't spec the gear. If you don't keep us happy, or our dealer happy, we find alternative products to try to convince our clients to purchase instead. Nowhere in that article did they say that the end user (aka You and I) weren't their customer. The article is simply talking about what Chrysler is trying to do to improve their customer relationship with their dealers.

I know what the article is about, son. It's what it says without meaning to that counts. You sound like one of those Detroit 3 dealer boys who say stupid crap like "we're partners, you and me" bulls**t. You're going to make half the car payment then? No? Then we're not partners, dumb***. No, you can't have two customers at the same time unless you listen to both and the Detroit 3 don't listen to me. Make them listen, I know, that's what you'll say, but I don't need to make them listen, they need to make themselves listen. Otherwise, I take my business to someone who does listen. Oh, that's right, I already have. The thing that really bothers me is guys like you just don't listen. You pay lip service to it but you never really do. That's why the Detroit 3 have less than half of the U.S. market now. I know, you're not a dealer boy but you might as well be one for all I care.

JimN · 12-12-2007, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patsparks

I think GM are fully aware that if the cars don't roll out of the showroom on a regular basis the dealer isn't going to purchase replacement stock. I think manufacturers care about their customers they just try to manipulate them rather than produce for them.

Chrysler's answer to my neighbor's diesel fumes in the cab is to add rose scent then delete the data contained in his trips to the service dept.

GM's reply to my complaints is "it's supposed to do that".

Ford tells owners "don't park the vehicle in the garage so if it catches on fire it won't burn your house down". IMO domestic manufacturers don't give a rat's a$$ about the consumer.

patsparks · 12-13-2007, 12:18 AM

Oh sorry I was thinking like everyone is like Toyota.
Toyota Australia send a letter to every new purchaser asking if they were happy with the salesman the dealer and the car. I can only assume they want to know if they ask.

daniel · 12-14-2007, 04:09 PM

The manufacturer's customer is the dealer. The dealer's customer is the car buyer. If the car buyers don't buy car from the dealer, the dealer won't buy them from the manufacturer. Then the manufacturer has to go to the government and beg for a bail-out, paid for by our tax money.

Businesses that can't make a profit are supposed to shut down, but modern monopoly capitalism has come a long way since Adam Smith. If you get big enough, you no longer need to make a product anybody wants to buy.

JackDodge · 12-15-2007, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daniel

The manufacturer's customer is the dealer. The dealer's customer is the car buyer. If the car buyers don't buy car from the dealer, the dealer won't buy them from the manufacturer. Then the manufacturer has to go to the government and beg for a bail-out, paid for by our tax money.

Businesses that can't make a profit are supposed to shut down, but modern monopoly capitalism has come a long way since Adam Smith. If you get big enough, you no longer need to make a product anybody wants to buy.

Yes, the common refrain that I hear from any retail establishment when I want to buy something that they don't carry is 'we can't carry what we can't sell' and my response is 'you can't sell what you don't carry' The Ford dealer won't carry an Escape hybrid, you have to order it. Toyota doesn't think that way, fortunately, when it comes to their hybrids.

12-11-2007, 06:34 AM	#1
JackDodge Gold Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Bloomfield Hills, MI Posts: 2,375 My Car: Other Hybrid Model: Package: N/A Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Friends: 0	Think you're the car company's customer? One of those dirty little secrets of the Detroit 3 is that they don't consider the car buyer (the one who's stuck with the 3-year loan and parks the car in his own garage every night) to be their customer. Their customer is the dealer. The dealer is the one they listen to. They don't give a rat's behind about you unless you're a dealership. Of course, the same may be said of all car companies but since the Detroit 3 build mostly junk that no one wants, it's all the more noticeable. A sterling example: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...712100326/1014 "He doesn't have a conversation where he doesn't talk about dealer profitability and how did we get to where we are at. And he apologizes every step of the way even though he wasn't working for Chrysler," said Eddy of Bob & Chuck Eddy Chrysler Dodge Jeep near Youngstown, Ohio. "He wants to get it turned around because he knows ... if they take care of their customer who is the dealer they will be successful in Auburn Hills." __________________ "Isolation exists only in isolation. Once shared, it evaporates" - Dr. Breuer from the movie "When Nietzsche Wept"

12-11-2007, 07:06 AM	#2
mldoc Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Riverdale, NY Posts: 28 My Car: 2008 Prius Model: Package: #2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Both the dealer and the end-user are the customer. It is most definitely possible to have multiple customers for one item. For example, I work in a shop where we rent lighting equipment for shows. For some of our gear, the manufacturer has 3 customers they need to keep happy: The dealer we purchase through, us, and the shows that rent our equipment. If you don't keep the renter happy, they don't spec the gear. If you don't keep us happy, or our dealer happy, we find alternative products to try to convince our clients to purchase instead. Nowhere in that article did they say that the end user (aka You and I) weren't their customer. The article is simply talking about what Chrysler is trying to do to improve their customer relationship with their dealers.

12-11-2007, 08:16 PM	#4
FL_Prius_Driver Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Tampa Bay Posts: 1,845 My Car: 2001 Prius Model: Package: N/A Thanks: 4 Thanked 17 Times in 16 Posts Friends: 2	There is a feedback loop. The dealer will complain bitterly to GM as their sales continue to fall. It's just that GM can ignore the dealers as well as individuals.

12-11-2007, 08:19 PM	#5
patsparks An Aussie perspective Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Adelaide South Australia Posts: 9,204 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: N/A Package: Base Thanks: 122 Thanked 180 Times in 138 Posts Friends: 33	I think GM are fully aware that if the cars don't roll out of the showroom on a regular basis the dealer isn't going to purchase replacement stock. I think manufacturers care about their customers they just try to manipulate them rather than produce for them.

12-13-2007, 12:18 AM	#8
patsparks An Aussie perspective Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Adelaide South Australia Posts: 9,204 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: N/A Package: Base Thanks: 122 Thanked 180 Times in 138 Posts Friends: 33	Oh sorry I was thinking like everyone is like Toyota. Toyota Australia send a letter to every new purchaser asking if they were happy with the salesman the dealer and the car. I can only assume they want to know if they ask.

12-14-2007, 04:09 PM	#9
daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 11,278 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: #6 Thanks: 59 Thanked 201 Times in 127 Posts Friends: 0	The manufacturer's customer is the dealer. The dealer's customer is the car buyer. If the car buyers don't buy car from the dealer, the dealer won't buy them from the manufacturer. Then the manufacturer has to go to the government and beg for a bail-out, paid for by our tax money. Businesses that can't make a profit are supposed to shut down, but modern monopoly capitalism has come a long way since Adam Smith. If you get big enough, you no longer need to make a product anybody wants to buy.