How GM Uses "Social Sentiment" & Data to Improve Vehicles

3666 Views 36 Replies 21 Participants Last post by SierraGS, Dec 17, 2014

Perian

Discussion Starter · Dec 12, 2014

Adweek magazine - page 10

December 8, 2014

Article Quotes:

When owners of the new Chevrolet Trax drive off lots in January, they will comment on everything from its built-in WiFi to its trunk space on Facebook, Twitter and auto blogs. Like all marketers, General Motors will keep an eye out for recurring complaints about features; but unlike most, the carmaker will troubleshoot and make alterations at its factory in real time.

Brands increasingly are taking social sentiment seriously, and GM is among those closing the loop between customer feedback and its engineers.

"We are becoming more precise," said Whitney Drake, GM's lead for social media care. "We can resolve [issues] really quickly instead of waiting for a survey to come back."

After GM’s latest Cadillac Escalade hit the market in September, the passenger-side backseat’s cooling-ventilation system was actually heating up the seat directly in front of it. And in no time, Drake and her team of 20 could see on their Oracle-powered data dashboard that a wave of owners were posting about the flaw via social sites. She alerted the engineers, and repairs were made on the Escalades that were shipped to dealerships a few weeks later.

Similarly, the latest Chevy Silverado drew the ire of owners in southern states because the steering wheel had been designed with metal. "It got warm to the touch," Drake explained. "So the team was able to feed that information back to product development, which looked at it and then [nixed] that steering wheel as an option."

Reactions: 1

1 - 20 of 37 Posts

Perian

Discussion Starter · #2 · Dec 12, 2014

Perian said:
Similarly, the latest Chevy Silverado drew the ire of owners in southern states because the steering wheel had been designed with metal. "It got warm to the touch," Drake explained. "So the team was able to feed that information back to product development, which looked at it and then [nixed] that steering wheel as an option."

I can honestly tell you that years ago, a change like that would have taken at least 24 to 30 months.

Bravo GM; a great use of modern technology to improve your products and the needs of your owner base.

Reactions: 2

Envoy4Life

· #3 · Dec 12, 2014

Oh man, GMI must be a massive blip on their screen! The amount of complaining on here is breathtaking to say the least. :lmao:

That must be what we look like on their screen. :lmao:

See less See more

Reactions: 5

nsap

· #4 · Dec 12, 2014

I'm intimately familiar with their social strategy (which, social is now a corporate level function of GM). It is a step in the right direction, but they still have a major hurdle in that not all the necessary parties are fed the information and collaborating. Social feedback makes it to the right spot because they created a new function to make it happen. However media feedback, traditional market research, dealer/field sales feedback, etc. still go through traditional channels.

Ideally they would be best served by reducing functions and channeling all feedback through the same vetting process internally. Social is getting to the right spot because it's the big red lollipop in the corporate world and it gets GM good press for being progressive.

Reactions: 4

steve333

· #5 · Dec 12, 2014

When did this start?
GM would have heard plenty about the Sonic needing a console/armrest, the Cruze needing bigger seats and a bigger engine option among other things that never got done.

Neanderthal

· #6 · Dec 12, 2014

Envoy4Life said:
Oh man, GMI must be a massive blip on their screen! The amount of complaining on here is breathtaking to say the least. :lmao:

That must be what we look like on their screen. :lmao:

GMI's in Memphis now? Let's move, New Madrid fault is right there and if you think this social media is a virtual erffquake at GM, wait until the real thing happens. :fall:

Reactions: 1

BlackGTP

· #7 · Dec 12, 2014

steve333 said:
When did this start?
GM would have heard plenty about the Sonic needing a console/armrest, the Cruze needing bigger seats and a bigger engine option among other things that never got done.

I assumed that is because what you are talking about would require an interior redisgn to fit a bigger seat or stuff in an armrest, etc where ther examples given in the article are more about fixing problems.

Reactions: 4

spd98

· #8 · Dec 12, 2014

Envoy4Life said:
Oh man, GMI must be a massive blip on their screen! The amount of complaining on here is breathtaking to say the least. :lmao:

That must be what we look like on their screen. :lmao:

You've been saving that one for a special occasion haven't you! lol

Reactions: 1

Ruperts Trooper

· #9 · Dec 12, 2014

nsap said:
I'm intimately familiar with their social strategy (which, social is now a corporate level function of GM). It is a step in the right direction, but they still have a major hurdle in that not all the necessary parties are fed the information and collaborating. Social feedback makes it to the right spot because they created a new function to make it happen. However media feedback, traditional market research, dealer/field sales feedback, etc. still go through traditional channels.

Ideally they would be best served by reducing functions and channeling all feedback through the same vetting process internally. Social is getting to the right spot because it's the big red lollipop in the corporate world and it gets GM good press for being progressive.

It's an excellent way of finding out quickly about common issues - do you know if it's applicable to Opel/Vauxhall ?

F14CRAZY

· #10 · Dec 12, 2014

Sooooo GM looks for tweets with #gmsucks?

steve333

· #11 · Dec 12, 2014

BlackGTP said:
I assumed that is because what you are talking about would require an interior redisgn to fit a bigger seat or stuff in an armrest, etc where ther examples given in the article are more about fixing problems.

They should look at everything. There's actually a aftermarket armrest/console for the Sonic so it does fit, I don't think the seat would be a problem either but GM should look at all complaints

Reactions: 1

Ed Arcuri

· #12 · Dec 12, 2014

steve333 said:
When did this start?
GM would have heard plenty about the Sonic needing a console/armrest, the Cruze needing bigger seats and a bigger engine option among other things that never got done.

You have identified the donut hole here. They are not getting data on why buyers chose another make instead of a GM car. I have been out of the retail car sales business for a long while, but I can remember some buyers making decisions to buy or not based on some easily fixed details.
Of course, getting this information is a step in the right direction even if incomplete.

steve333

· #13 · Dec 12, 2014

GM doesn't act. I find it bizarre that instead of jumping all over an obvious design flaw or faulty component they just fall asleep and would rather deal with all the complaints and warranty work and lose customers in the process.
Mary, you listening?

Neanderthal

· #14 · Dec 12, 2014

steve333 said:
GM doesn't act. I find it bizarre that instead of jumping all over an obvious design flaw or faulty component they just fall asleep and would rather deal with all the complaints and warranty work and lose customers in the process.
Mary, you listening?

It needs to go through a few committees.

Reactions: 2

SierraGS

· #15 · Dec 12, 2014

steve333 said:
When did this start?
GM would have heard plenty about the Sonic needing a console/armrest, the Cruze needing bigger seats and a bigger engine option among other things that never got done.

Don't hold your breath on those fixes since they are low profit vehicles, GM only fixed the Escalade because it has a large enough profit margin to justify it.

There are about 50 things that GM will never fix on it's vehicles, no matter how many complaints are received and why I no longer recommend GM vehicles to anyone who asks for advice when buying. I just tell them if they buy a GM product that it will be nearly worthless when they go to trade it in since the feature/price "value" is so poor and for the majority of GM products that is what has happened.

Reactions: 3

hq308

· #16 · Dec 12, 2014

Obviously GM's social media reach doesn't extend to Australia. They're not fixing anything down here, quite the opposite actually.

Reactions: 1

1958carnut

· #17 · Dec 13, 2014

steve333 said:
When did this start?
GM would have heard plenty about the Sonic needing a console/armrest, the Cruze needing bigger seats and a bigger engine option among other things that never got done.

The seats were the first and major turn off back when I bought my Malibu. The salesman came over and opened up a Cruze when my Mother and I were looking at one. I sat in it and didn't last more than a minute and a half and decided no way. Then to the Malibu, much more comfortable and on to a drive. Loved the way it handled etc. and was sold.

steve333 said:
They should look at everything. There's actually a aftermarket armrest/console for the Sonic so it does fit, I don't think the seat would be a problem either but GM should look at all complaints

They really should and also the frequency speaks volumes. Then not to rest on their "laurels".

SierraGS said:
Don't hold your breath on those fixes since they are low profit vehicles, GM only fixed the Escalade because it has a large enough profit margin to justify it.

There are about 50 things that GM will never fix on it's vehicles, no matter how many complaints are received and why I no longer recommend GM vehicles to anyone who asks for advice when buying. I just tell them if they buy a GM product that it will be nearly worthless when they go to trade it in since the feature/price "value" is so poor and for the majority of GM products that is what has happened.

There is a lot of truth to this and it is so disconcerting. So many new models look promising but then they miss the details here and there and get you about ready to jump ship and go to another brand.

Reactions: 1

jac0001

· #18 · Dec 13, 2014

Perian said:
After GM’s latest Cadillac Escalade hit the market in September, the passenger-side backseat’s cooling-ventilation system was actually heating up the seat directly in front of it.."

The real issue is why this wasn't picked up in the development/ testing stage?

Reactions: 1

steve333

· #19 · Dec 13, 2014

jac0001 said:
The real issue is why this wasn't picked up in the development/ testing stage?

You mean like the 4 million miles of testing the Cruze supposedly went through?
In addition to Barra and the rest who need to go, the first to be canned should be whomever is in charge of quality control at GM

V-Car

· #20 · Dec 13, 2014

hq308 said:
Obviously GM's social media reach doesn't extend to Australia. They're not fixing anything down here, quite the opposite actually.

+ 1!

If "Social Sentiment" is anything to go by here in Australia, GM has just handed this market to Ford, Toyota etc.!

Reactions: 1

1 - 20 of 37 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.