General Motors last fall asked its dealers to spruce up their stores and get rid of outdated signs and dingy lighting. So far, only about 20% have complied. Driving home the message that appearances
count will be one of the core themes at the annual National Automobile Dealers Association convention in Orlando this weekend, reports Tim Higgins.
"We have a lot of work to do," Steve Hill,
gm of GM's retail sales support, tells Higgins while flashing some photos of rundown dealerships. "Would you buy an Apple at a store that looked like that? Probably not," he says. GM is also pushing
improved training, digital marketing and customer retention efforts. "The spirit of this program is cooperation," Hill says.
John Humphrey, svp of global automotive at J.D. Power,
says the renovation effort sends an important psychological message that General Motors is open for business and serious about it. "The dealers are the brand," he points out. "That's the primary touch
point between the consumer and the brand."
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