My GM Survival Plan

As you know from my recent Facebook and blog postings, I have been a bit obsessed with the GM situation.

So, in the spirit of "walking the walk, not just talking the talk", I hereby submit my list of what I think GM must do - at breakneck speed - not only to flourish, but ensure survival.

1. There is only one priority - Restore consumer confidence in the GM brand. This is job one - without it, we all lose our money (and more jobs). Consumer confidence in the brand and the corporate reputation have hit all time lows. This has to be the focus - from executive level on down to dealers and the assembly line folks. This is a long term excercise and must be the focal point of the "new GM".

2. Revolutionize the culture. This might be even harder than number one, but if we regress to union fighting managment it's all over. Every single employee has to drink the Kool Aid and be part of the new GM - including dealers. A new spirit is essential and it must focus on the customer - not the pension plan or more bailout dollars. The culture must be innovative and aligned to compete in the new global realities. Pride and workmanship and quality must shine through.

3. Evangelze dealers as brand ambassadors. No more plaid jackets and gimmicky pricing. Dealers and staff are the front line for GM - they must be smart, professional and "consultative" in selling - not high priced commission types.

4. GM must re-invent marketing - especially their web site and advertising strategy. GM's web site compared to best of breed Mercedes, is a joke. The experience is dismal and does not even allow you to book a test drive online! This is 2010 - that stuff is basic! As for the millions spent on advertising, - time to hire a new agency and re-visit strategy - starting with alignment between the manufacturer/brand spending and dealer or association campaigns. We are tired of "specials " and "deals" and "rebates' - give us great ads, that tell us why we should buy the cars and simplify the price message (Benchmark Hyundai!)

5. Make global supply chain managment a core executive competency. If you cannot accurately forecast demand, and constantly overproduce and end up with high ivnentories you do not deserve a dime of tax payer money. GSCM needs to be executive mandated and drilled into product managment.

6. Deliver and experience. Exceed expecations across the board - from early online looking to dealer test drive visits to service and follow up - integrate the customer experience from top to bottom. Bring this to warranty - make it easy for us to love you.

7.Drive innovation across the organization. This is part of the cultural mandate and innovation in product planning through to retail experience is essential to win back customers. Don't confuse "no charge oil change" with innovation!

8. Stop the infighting. By now everyone has skin in the game - the unions, managment, government, dealers, bondholders, and the enitre auto eco-system. Focus on the basics and the customers - this constant internal warrring is winning you nothing.

9. Bring in some outside talent. Year over year results have proven the need for some expertise beyond "car guys". Hire some creative folks with unique skill sets in areas of retailing, product development online and web marketing - forget hiring guys from other car companies.

10. Prove you can make decisions fast. You need to demonstrate intense managment capabilities now more than ever - and truly move at the speed of light. Not everything is going to go as planned, even with the influx of new cash - so don't vascilate - make changes quickly.

Will this work?

Latest on GM Canada's Restructuring Progress

The Governments of Canada and Ontario have approved our comprehensive plan, enabling General Motors of Canada to complete our restructuring and launch a more competitive, stronger new GM Canada, building on our award winning vehicles.

GM customers can confidently continue to purchase and service their vehicles and take full advantage of GM’s leading warranty coverage throughout this process. We stand by our commitment to deliver vehicles with world-class fuel economy, safety, quality, and innovation.


Thank you to our loyal customers, the largest customer base in Canada, for your unwavering support. I would also like to thank all our stakeholders, including employees, retirees, the CAW, dealers and suppliers, as well as the Canadian and Ontario Governments, who have made it possible to lay the foundation for a new GM Canada. We are intensely focused on building a leaner, greener company that will be competitive over the long term.


As we move forward with the reinvention of our company, I hope you share in our enthusiasm for a great new future. To track our progress visit gm.ca


Thank you for your continued support.


Arturo Elias
President,
General Motors of Canada Limited

New Yorker Cover Art, Painted With an iPhone

THIS IS WHY THIS PRODUCT IS SO COOL AND DISRUPTIVE - THIS IS AMAZING APP AND THE PR VALUE FROM THIS IS OFF THE RICHTER SCALE!

STEPHANIE CLIFFORD
Published: May 24, 2009
Some people send text with their iPhones, and some play games. The artist Jorge Colombo created this week’s cover for The New Yorker with his.



Mr. Colombo drew the June 1 cover scene, of a late-night gathering around a 42nd Street hot dog stand, entirely with the iPhone application Brushes. Because of the smears and washes of color required by the inexact medium, it comes off as dreamy, not sharp and technological.

“The best feature of it is that it doesn’t feel like something that was done digitally; quite the opposite,” said Françoise Mouly, the art editor for The New Yorker. “All too often the technology is directed in only one direction, which is to make things more tight, and this, what he did very well, is use this technology for something that is free flowing, and I think that’s what makes it so poetic and magical.”

Mr. Colombo bought his iPhone in February, and the $4.99 Brushes application soon after, and said the portability and accessibility of the medium appealed to him. He began the scene by beginning with the buildings’ structure, then layering on the taxis, neon lights, hot-dog stand and people. (A video of the process is available at newyorker.com beginning on Monday.)

It “made it easy for me to sketch without having to carry all my pens and brushes and notepads with me, and I like the fact that I am drawing with a set of tools that anybody can have easily in their pocket,” he said. There is one other advantage of the phone, too: no one notices he is drawing. Mr. Colombo said he stood on 42nd Street for about an hour with no interruptions.

“It gives him an anonymity in the big city that an artist with the easel wouldn’t have,” Ms. Mouly said.

“Absolutely nobody can tell I am drawing,” Mr. Colombo said. “In fact, once I was doing the drawing at some place, and my wife was around, and they asked her why did I have to work so hard? I seemed to be always on my iPhone sending messages.” STEPHANIE CLIFFORD

Lovin, the Merecedes C 300

Click title link to video

I took this car out yesterday and was absolutely blown away and I am madly in love with it. I have jsut had the best overall customer experience of my life - the online interface is outstanding and booking a test drive was a breeze. The follow up from call centre was prompt and courteous, and the visit to dealership (Mississauga) was amazing - great people and exquistie attention to detail.

I am falling madly in love.....

GM & Chrysler Woes continue

Question of the Day?

If you were in the market for a new car, would you buy a Chrysler or General Motors model right now?

Yes 30%

No 60%

Not sure 10%

21414 responses, not scientifically valid, results updated every minute. (This may not scientifically be valid, but based on everything I hear, it sure as hell is!)

Obama Cap - this is great marketing!

White Sox design Obama cap
Print This Story By ERIC FISHER
Staff writer

Published January 26, 2009 : Page 04
The Chicago White Sox are aiming to release a President Barack Obama-themed version of their cap in time for the start of spring training.

The club has developed two prototype designs of its club hat with Obama marks on the side and back. The hats have been approved by MLB Properties, and the White Sox now are awaiting a formal blessing from the Obama administration before league licensee New Era goes into production. Both designs will be made if accepted by Obama.

The White Sox enjoy a special relationship with the newly inaugurated president due to his roots in south Chicago. Should the hat happen as intended, proceeds from its sale would be donated to charities, likely ones that provide services near U.S. Cellular Field.


The team needs approval from
the president before it can
start selling the caps.Retail distribution would likely be tied, at least at the outset, to official league and club channels, such as the team’s stadium store and MLB.com’s online shop, but a wider release could occur should demand warrant it.

“We know exactly what we want to do with this [hat]. It’s just a matter now of getting sign-off from Obama’s camp, going through the proper channels and moving forward,” said Brooks Boyer, White Sox vice president and chief marketing officer.

“We’re very excited. This is somebody who’s obviously a White Sox fan, but more importantly, really embraces and embodies the attributes of our brand: the notions of pride, passion and tradition we rally around. He’s made it hip to be a White Sox fan,” Boyer said.

Sales of all White Sox hats have surged 25 percent since Obama’s election in early November compared with the same period a year ago. Obama himself is not part of that increase, as club officials have tried unsuccessfully to give him a fresh replacement for an older, tattered White Sox cap he owns.

The club is devising other marketing and merchandising opportunities around its most powerful fan and have developed an area within the team’s official Web site devoted to Obama.

While team officials said there is not a concern about upsetting conservative-leaning White Sox fans, pointing to baseball’s historic role as a political unifier, they are aiming to draw a careful line about how much they do in connection with the president.

“We don’t want to be overly opportunistic and exploit this,” Boyer said.

Sports marketing executives with Chicago ties said the club’s Obama embrace did not run much immediate risk of backfiring.

“Short-term, at least, this is a very smart business play,” said Tom Fox, former Gatorade and Wasserman Media Group executive. “There’s a tremendous amount of good will around this guy right now, regardless of political affiliation. As time goes on, and his positions in office become more defined, you do run some risk of this becoming more of a polarizing thing, but not in the short run.”

Reader Comments

NCAA Hockey on Sportsnet

I am fascinated watching this NCAA product on Sportsnet - a great game between Harvard Crimson and Boston College - the Beanpot Tournament. Big crowds wearing their alma matter sweaters, everyone cheering and even national TV. Pretty good for a market that is not supposed to be a hot bed of hockey. No wonder so many of our finest are now leaving the ranks of Junior A and going for the full ride US college route.

We have many problems with our fine public university system - not to mention TA and bus strikes preventing students from actually going to school - however, we need a better system of keeping our best athletes in this country.

Lets discuss this - what should we do?