Automotive News posted this 5-minute video about Audi Milwaukee’s successful efforts on TikTok. Millions of views, two actual sales and a longterm customer base. While I refuse to join TikTok because I don’t want President Xi to know where I am at all times, I’m posting the video here for two reasons: It’s a great example of the content creation …
Luxury vs. mass-market: no difference?
Last year, the American Customer Satisfaction Index shared an interesting finding: The difference between luxury and mass-market automobiles is disappearing. ACSI has surveyed U.S. consumers across a variety of industries for decades. Now, it appears, in the eyes of consumers, most cars are safe. Reliable. Drivable. And higher-end features–the latest technology–might just debut in the mass-market vehicles instead of their …
Content creation: What do your customers want?
Why I haven’t retired to the Bahamas yet Years ago, an influential and well-connected man in the automotive industry approached me: Would I become the first sales rep for a new company? The company sold dealerships a service to ensure that, when a customer searched for, say a Ford Explorer, the pages for individual Explorers in the dealership’s inventory would …
How to prevent hiring deceivers
I have seen a lot of bad hires over the years. Managers will be really excited about a new recruit. Then slowly over the course of time, they will realize the person isn’t who they said they were. Or worse, they won’t realize it: The person was so good at faking it in the interview that they faked it on …
Customer service is nothing new under the sun
This morning I searched for websites and news articles about “serving customers.” And I had a stark reminder of what is at stake. I try to post two articles a week, one employee-oriented, the other customer-oriented. (And, of course, we post our podcast every Saturday, plus a song for #HornSectionsMakeRockBetter, just because I can.) It was time for this week’s …
Why frontline workers burn out
Seth Godin has put his finger on burnout in the service industries. More on that in a minute. But first, let me share a picture of how a lot of frontline workers feel: high schoolers. It happens every year around the start of December. I noticed it about 10 years ago–but I suspect it has been going on longer than …
Every team member can enhance the customer experience
A colleague shared with me this speech clip from Susan Salgado, director of culture and learning for Danny Meyer’s famous Union Square Hospitality Group. The group includes Shake Shack among many other brands. The clip is a short story about a hospital nurse who took some clever steps to ensure patients received quick and efficient care. What will impress you …
Good news: Loyalty is dead
In about a month, this website may disappear. I received an email that it is time to renew my domain. The link in the email doesn’t work. And the phone number leads me to believe I’ll need about an hour on the phone. They haven’t lost me as a customer yet. But they will. Assuming I figure out how to …
Redefining a good job, honoring one willing to work
“I’m looking for people who want a career, not a job.” I’ve had many clients, especially car dealerships, say that to me. I get the point. They want someone who is investing in their future. Looking at the big picture. Not just punching the clock and going through the motions. And while they look for those types of employees. … …
How a connected car might change the dealership model
The gurus call it the Internet of Things. You may be asking why your toaster needs to be connected to the Internet, but we can all see the benefits of a car that can talk to other cars on the road, or receive updates from the factory remotely. (We can also see the dangers of a car so online it’s …