How can we help Porsche to improve?

[TC Fan]

I can't figure out how to review your document, but it looks impressive clicking by on the screen.

Bottom line:

1. Better dealer training both from a customer service perspective and from a product knowledge perspective. My first sales associate completely ignored me. The second got back to me on many, but not all, things, even after I asked multiple times. I was given outright incorrect information - my build was locked when it wasn't, I needed certain options to get things like launch control, (I didn't) and the wheels I wanted couldn't be purchased without upgrading the brakes (they could) - all of which were completely untrue. However, I relied on these false statements in selecting my build, and am now not getting 100% what I want.

2. Better transparency from Porsche to dealers and dealers to customers re: timing. I was told my order was the first from my dealer. They are a large dealer. Somehow, smaller nearby dealers managed to get their cars before my dealer. Unless my dealer delayed my order, that doesn't make much sense. Regardless, once the order was placed, the delivery date skipped (without update or explanation to me without asking), long before Covid-19 issues. Since then, my car has been sitting in Emden, and no one - not Porsche USA, not the dealer, not anyone, has any idea when the car will be shipped. No discount or other remuneration (much less an apology), was offered for this either.

3. The car didn't hit any of the metrics Porsche advertised when it first pitched the car. I understand Porsche believes in underpromising and overdelivering, but it is only underdelivering on its revised overpromised specs to begin with. If a car company doesn't have integrity, then one should not expect anyone working for it (including sales agents, such as mine), to have it either.

I get Porsche is in the business to make money, and I am willing to pay them for a product that does what they say it will do, and which is delivered when they say it will be delivered. However, this is my first Porsche, and I have had better service and transparency for cars I bought for my kids (i.e. less than $30,000). Porsche's attitude, top down, strikes me like I'm lucky they're selling to me, as opposed to the other way around.

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[SHN]

@MassDriver, I sure have lot of thoughts, but at the end it's up to Porsche and how they are dealing with it. If they ask me, I will surely contribute with my thoughts. Then, to your thoughts and comments....

I keep asking myself if the dealer sees these queries as a waste of time, or part of the relationship building experience, establishing the "trusted advisor" position for future sales opportunities. If you think about the tail off in the need for service with EVs (according to Tesla ) a relationship building opportunity will be gone (i.e. the customer is at the dealership less frequently). Is this sales advisor/customer interaction throughout the order cycle going to be viewed as a critical part of making the customer "sticky" and a chance for Porsche to highlight their "premium experience" with hands on interactions, and if so what is the best way to get the best of both the digital experience and establish the relationship...

As I mention In my previous post, I had really good experience with the Porsche Experience program, where my Dealer where involved in hosting. For that kind of program, you have be physical attendant. Digitalization, would probably mean that the dealer has to do more of that kind of services than traditional car seller services. However, it's very good way to marketing new models. E.g. I attended Porsche Ice Experience, where we drove different models from the Dealer to the Ice Ring. We stopped and changed drivers on the way, so all could experience the different models.

Excellent! Did you give the dealer your MyPorsche ID as part of the purchase process? Curious to know if this is something already integrated in the order process, or if the dealer is monitoring the orders and plugs in the information when available.

No, I created the account one week after I purchased the car. I was not tolled to do so, I figured it out by reading about it on Porsche's site.
I didn't tell my Dealer about it. It just happened that the VIN popped up. I guess it's because all the information I provided in My Porsche/My Porsche ID together could identify me, linking me to the VIN number, when it became available.

Largely agree, though I have been at the desks of "B salesMen/Women" where they loved to show you screen prints of the competition's long cycle times for car deliveries when you were cross shopping and pushing them on a delivery date. Somehow that's more impactful than just a forum post complaining about how long its taking.

At the end I think transparency will do consumers and service providers well. It will force the service providers focus on improving to be able to compete, which gives the consumers better services

My experience this is a large area where the dealer is not empowered to do anything or find anything out. The speed is the speed, if it gets stuck well its stuck. I've had cars set at the port of entry for 6 weeks and not move (I could have easily had the car picked up from the PoE on a flatbed). I don't really need a lot of details on why its stopped, I just want to know when it will be on the move again, and is there anything I can do to make it go faster.

I agree, currently the Dealers doesn't have the ability to speed up the prosess. Probably, because they are lacking of information, as we are.
My car has been in Transit in Germany for over a Month now, so I can feel your frustration. Particularly, when I know the train services, ships and ports are still in operations. What's the reason for not my car is on that train or ship? I guess it's only Porsche AG who can answer this question. I could follow up with several of other questions as well

My experience this is a large area where the dealer is not empowered to do anything or find anything out. The speed is the speed, if it gets stuck well its stuck. I've had cars set at the port of entry for 6 weeks and not move (I could have easily had the car picked up from the PoE on a flatbed). I don't really need a lot of details on why its stopped, I just want to know when it will be on the move again, and is there anything I can do to make it go faster.

I agree with you about, the most important question is when can I expect to take a delivery. 1 wk, 2wks, 1 mth, 2 mths ....? I know that has long as Germany partly is shutdown, it's difficult to give an estimate. The information they give us has to be accurate. Don't say its because of the ports have been shut down, when we can view on the webcams that it's not through. If it's because they have a lot of 80 cars that they need to fill up before they can load the vessels, then tell us so (just an example).

I love the idea of an "reservation to delivery" status. One real previous frustration was with dealer allocation and when I'd get to firm up an order. If the status process went from Reservation -> Dealer waiting list countdown -> order -> order processing -> build -> ship -> transport -> dealer prep -> delivery that would be excellent

This is about the Customer Journey

Thanks again, this has been a fun thought exercise...

Thanks, the same. It's been a pleasure

 

[SHN]

Radio silence is broken. Just got it confirmed from my Dealer - it's alive - my Taycan sets wheels on Norwegian soil tomorrow

 

[SHN]

I took the delivery of my Taycan last Wednesday, and I am more interested in After sales now.

However, improvement of the purchase to delivery processes are still important to new and exciting customers who order new Porsches.

Hopefully, by sending the presentation to your contact in Porsche will speed up the improvement. It will only take a minute or so of your time.

Porsche may not read your frustration on this forum, but will more likely read the presentation and your cover note if you send it to you Porsche contacts.

I have only got positive feedback from my contacts
https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/t...he-to-improve-my-submitted-presentation.1309/

 

[TIM]

https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/202...he-behind-the-scenes-20905.html?sf122678983=1

It seems porsche is going the right way, unfortunately as I have read the pictures in production r
is for 911 and 718

 

[SHN]

https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/202...he-behind-the-scenes-20905.html?sf122678983=1

It seems porsche is going the right way, unfortunately as I have read the pictures in production r
is for 911 and 718

This is good news. It's a start, may be a proof of concept or a pilot. If it is a success, they will probably expand it to other markets and models as well

 

[SHN]

I renamed the thread to focus on How we (this forum) can help Porsche to improve. The news from Yesterday about the "Porsche Track Your Dream" and "Behind the Scenes" shows us that if we stick together and provide Porsche with constructive feedback, they will listen to us.

However, Porsche is on its way, and it is a way to go. Taycan customers have to wait a bit longer.

As I read on the forum it's raising more questions. E.g. Why do they start with 911 and 718, and not Taycan when Taycan owners are probably more digital? When will these features be available for Taycan customers. Why are they starting with the markets USA, Germany, Great Britain, Canada, Switzerland as well as Spain, and not other markets? When will it be available in "my" country?

As a project manager and a change manager I recognize these questions very well, and I will probably of experience know the answers, but other customers don't. I think Porsche should use this good news, which is really is, to take control of the situation and communicate directly to the customers and address these common questions.

In Norway, Porsche sends out newsletters to keep the customers updated. I guess Porsche could do the same in the other markets too. In addition Porsche should take the opportunity to be more active on the forums, like Taycanforum, and responds to questions. Last year they had an unofficial representative @PAG_J1 who answered lot of our speculations. It was well received on the Taycanforum.

In Norway, there's a forum hosted by the Norwegian EV association, elbilforum.no, where lot of Charging Operators are active answering questions and make announcement. I think Porsche (and other Manufacturers) should learn from them and become more active on forums.

Porsche is on its way to become digital, but as I said it's a way to go. The next step could be more active on Taycanforum So, tell your Porsche contacts about it

 

[charliemathilde]

Honestly I think the vast majority of customers would be happier with Tesla’s sales experience. Simple, one responsible party, dynamic pricing, first come first serve.

the traditional car dealership isn’t really an advocate for customer relationship in any way. The internet and auction pricing make it easy to buy nationwide, and offer a lot more price transparency. Dealerships used to be in a better position as local monopolies. Again not serving the customer interest.

Porsche is stuck thinking its franchise dealerships are the way, but they really don’t offer customers anything on sales. Now, service and maintenance are different and a lot better handled locally. I’m not sure how to square that circle. But i think it’s inevitable as this economic contraction nukes car sales and dealerships from orbit.

 

[charliemathilde]

my 2c is to un-franchise the dealerships, and make them Porsche employees or contractors. Yeah yeah crazy talk. But I can’t see most of them remaining independently viable, especially with the EV transition and it’s minimal servicing schedule.

 

[thenaimis]

the traditional car dealership isn’t really an advocate for customer relationship in any way. The internet and auction pricing make it easy to buy nationwide, and offer a lot more price transparency. Dealerships used to be in a better position as local monopolies. Again not serving the customer interest.

I can't say that I've given a lot of thought to the purchase aspect of dealer vs direct sales model, but I have I couldn't disagree more when it comes to service. When Tesla refuses to honor their warranty, as they frequently do these days, your only recourse is a lawsuit. The dealer, OTOH, gets paid based on warranty terms so they're going to be resolving warranty claims on your behalf and probably aren't just going to pass the f*** on to you. It was this warranty situation with Tesla that has led me to ordering a Taycan with the intent of getting rid of my Tesla.

Do I completely trust the dealers? Of course not, but I trust them more than Tesla who has abused their position being direct sales only to really screw over customers. Same reason I don't like OTA updates.

 

[dryii]

Honestly I think the vast majority of customers would be happier with Tesla’s sales experience. Simple, one responsible party, dynamic pricing, first come first serve.

My Model 3 purchase experience was OK. More difficult than I hoped, but nothing horrid. Tesla can have below average sales people, just like any dealer. From what I hear it was much better when they only sold Model S.
The purchase via website was simple (because the options are bare minimum), true.

 

[TIM]

I think there is some update by "MyPorsche" as we can now see our order status, see my post on the other thread https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/t...as-ordered-and-a-delivery-date.550/post-20431

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