[VIDEO] NCM Anniversary Celebration 2020 – Thursday Highlights

1. WHAT A CLUSTER PHUCK…….August 31st second shift starts…….barely 4 days later there IS A PARTS SHORTAGE ISSUE AGAIN…….I am 3000 status since March 17th, 2020
   this is absolutely LUDICROUS, GM–CHEVY are lying their asses off to their customers. there are 11,000 MY2020 models left to build. they say they can build 3 weeks into december 2020….who wants a MY2020 delivered in January, February of 2021
   WHY IN THE HELL DID THEY START A SECOND SHIFT KNOWING they would run short on parts again. Was it just to train workers?

2. Saw an add today Premiere Chevrolet in Carlsbad CA. They have 2 new C8’s 20,000 over msrp!
   Hope they sit there.

3. wow! If they cant do the math anymore than 4 days ahead of scheduled build, Where are they going to be 60 or 90 days from now?
   Anybody else liking the two new colors as much as I do? I checked with the concierge about letting us long waiting loyal customers make one switch to order and that would be chosing one of the new colors. My color will be old the minute it rolls off line because the 2021 model will be RIGHT behind my 2020! MORE THAN WILLING to pay upcharge for changing paint only. Anybody else? HTC scheduled 3000 1-17-20. still at 3000.

4. Here’s the thing: Manufacturers everywhere spent a couple of decades perfecting the “Just In Time” model, as a key to reducing/eliminating the amount of time, storage space, and money blown on warehousing, inventorying, and in-house management of parts. Many manufacturers, including GM, became quite adept at this. It not only saved them lots of money and even kept some companies afloat — it enabled them to be far more responsive to customers’ needs and orders, and it saved the customers money as well.
   Just In Time models that work most efficiently also feature a supply chain that works the same way — all the way back to suppliers of raw materials. This type of manufacturing on a large scale is, in fact, one big reason that Corvette can give customers so many high-tech features for a very low price, relative to similarly-equipped vehicles that are produced on a much smaller scale.
   The down side of this is that when something like COVID comes along, every Just In Time supplier in the supply chain is affected. Since there are so many suppliers of bespoke parts for Corvettes in every corner of the country (and other corners of the world as well), just a few open links in the chain can throw the whole process off.
   So our alternatives are to get a different vehicle, or be inconvenienced for awhile longer. If we really want a Corvette, we’ll just have to summon up some more patience and accept the fact that delivery will take a little more time.
   Think about it — do you really believe that GM would rather sell you a car next year instead of now? Of course not.
   Oh, and there is at least one side benefit: Three years from now, your later-year Corvette will be one of the newer models! 🙂
   And if you really want a 2021 color, cancel your 2020 order and order a 2021. You’re not really a “loyal customer” until you pay and drive the car off the lot. Until then, you are just some guy waiting in line whose space will quickly be filled in if you hop out.

5. I’m leaning towards Bull ____ on GM’s part, they have the resources & the money to have a back up plan in place for unforeseen interruptions to the supply chain? Where was dual source or even triple source on long lead time assemblies with sufficient safety stock on the shelf. Knowing that the c8 would take off like a rocket with everything that it has going for it. It seems very unlikely no one would be holding a bag of inventory. They can blame Covid all day long, but first they need to take a good look in the mirror. And while they are looking in the mirror, they may want to question their _____ customer support & just maybe they should think about gathering up some of their best problem solvers & come up with a better solution. How about starting with an apology & then contacting each one of us for once,
   rather than use chasing them.

   They believe that their poor delivery performance is acceptable. Who’s the customer again. Oh ya, to busy thinking about sales in Japan rather than concentrating on delivery constraints here in the US

   Why are dealers getting their inventory before the people that went about ordering their cars the suggested way. GREED

   How can a US company, this size, that’s been around for a 100 years be be so inconsiderate to their customers regarding updates. How about some honesty & more communication on GM’s part. That might be a good place to start.

   I know some kids running a lemonade stand down the street that would jump in & try using some of their recently learned business skills. Who knows they could be top executives there some day.

6. Greed?
   The biggest (and only real) whiners are the ones who HAD to have the first year of the generation and had to have it NOW. Some might think THAT’S pretty greedy. The need for instant gratification has drawbacks.
   Keep in mind, as you are lecturing about business skills, that ALL successful businesses are in business to make MONEY. If you think anybody is in business to make CARS, COMPUTERS, DESKS, CELL PHONES, TOASTERS, WIDGETS, or ANYthing, you are WRONG. Those items are byproducts of selling something to make money.
   Look at the Articles of Incorporation of any major corporation and you will see that it says something to the effect of “… to engage in any lawful act or activity for which a corporation may be organized…” as their reason for being — in other words, they were created to promote commerce/make money. It’s what makes shareholders invest, and it’s what keeps shareholders happy.
   How does this affect you as a potential customer? Corvette is a great vehicle and marketing tool, but it represents a tiny fraction of GM’s business. So yes, GM probably cares more about sales in Japan (many millions of dollars) than they care about you (a few thousand dollars). It makes business sense because those millions of dollars of sales in Japan will keep the shareholders way happier than selling you a Corvette will. It is GM’s responsibility to keep the shareholders happy first.
   The aggregate Corvette buyers’ happiness IS very important, and GM is pretty good at that, but there will be some casualties such as your experience in the grand scheme of producing 20K-30K Corvettes per year. But these several cases will not come close to offsetting the overall customer base’s high level of satisfaction.
   That said, remember and try to be thankful that GM is the entity responsibile for producing these amazing cars. If not for GM’s foresight and willingness to take some major risks to develop, create, and market the C8 over the past 6-7 years , there would be no C8 Corvette for you to enjoy in the first place. Try to appreciate that GM is comprised of human beings doing their best to produce the best vehicle possible at an affordable price. Would you rather finally have your C8 a bit later than anticipated, or your Mustang now?
   [As to dual/triple source, and stock “on the shelf” — consider this example: Molds, say, for fenders, can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Good luck getting Supplier B to invest in such tooling, speculating that GM “might” need Supplier B, if Supplier A can’t come through. And, with Just-In-Time, there is no “shelf” — it’s more like ‘from the railroad car to the assembly line.’ Building a car like this is way more complicated than you can imagine.]

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