 | An Account Representative for Automotive Retail Solutions, Lois really enjoys building rapport and trust with her clients. What makes her job unique is having so many different solutions to offer her clients for their various analytic and marketing needs. She always has an answer for her customers, sometimes even an unexpected one. When she's not taking good care of her customers, Lois enjoys scrapbooking, playing soccer, reading to her daughter, and proofreading other people's work. Admittedly, Lois enjoys wielding that red pen and marking up text. She considers herself a professional clapper after 13 years of marriage to a singer. As to her dream job -- someday you might find Lois running a cozy pub in Ireland. | ||
 | Norm's true talent lies in outlining the strategy & vision of Polk's future. He loves the evolutionary aspects of Polk – how we are always changing to meet the needs of the industries that we serve. As VP of Strategy & Planning, Norm has many opportunities to take his skills and what he loves about Polk, and use them both to help his customers access the solutions they need to solve their business challenges. His hobbies include golf, running and enjoying time with his two kids and his wife. His family has travelled around the globe with him, spending two years in London while he was providing leadership within our Northern European office. Norm's favorite quote is, "You'll see it when you believe it." In all that he does, he aspires to be like the 70s runner, Steve Prefontaine, who always gave 100% and could run through brick walls. If Norm ever left this business, he would love to coach other runners and help them have that competitive edge. | ||
 | Jody appreciates how Polk uses creativity to meet the needs of its customers. As an Account Manager for the Business & Insurance team, Jody's best asset is her ability to listen and find ways to use our data to solve customer challenges. She is always thinking outside of the box to find ways to solve data needs. Jody works best under pressure and loves to fit as many tasks as humanly possible into the shortest amount of time, only stopping to relax after she's succeeded. Her sense of urgency at work fades to a sense of calmness when she returns home and enjoys spending time with her husband, two-year old daughter, and her horse. Jody credits her appreciation for the simpler things in life to her father, who is also her inspiration. Some day after she finishes her career at Polk, you might find her running a farm for misplaced animals. | ||
 | Kristina, a self-proclaimed webaholic, spends about 90% of her awake time "connected." After she leaves Polk for the day, where she is the Web Manager, she spends the rest of the night juggling between her Android, her iPad and a laptop. Her goal is to find a way to bring others to the "dark side" with her, helping them join forces with social media. When she's not online, you can find her on the soccer field attempting to "Bend it like Beckham". She enjoys Michigan football, the Detroit Pistons and the Detroit Tigers. As for the Lions -- she is not a fan. She secretly wishes she'd gone into dentistry and could fix people's smiles without the use of Photoshop! | ||
 | Greg's co-workers think of him as a bit of a workaholic. He's in the office when they arrive and he's still there when they leave! When he's not busy writing Corporate Communications, he enjoys photography, bowling, his iPad and mac, scooting around Ann Arbor on his Vespa and spending time with his family. Greg recently acquired a ready-made family when he married in 2008, and it's now complete with the recent addition of a new grandson. Thanks to his wealth of knowledge, Greg has been nicknamed both "Doc" and "Weatherman" and it's a toss-up between the two which career he'd have if he weren’t at Polk. | ||
 | Mike's special gig here at Polk is based on his ability to understand and leverage technology to solve critical marketing problems and optimize marketing activities. He loves how Polk represents the ideal mix of technology, marketing and business management. When Mike isn't handling CRM and Digital Marketing product and service development at Polk, he's out coaching youth football or dabbling in astronomy. He has a wife and two teenage sons and they enjoy sports, boating and simply hanging out. Other than automotive marketing, Mike's dream job would be studying cognitive science at the Santa Fe Institute in Santa Fe, New Mexico. | ||
 | Matt "the mentalist" specializes in reading his customers and fully understanding their needs. His team will tell you that he ALWAYS delivers! A long-time employee at Polk, he really loves the people and helping his customers solve their toughest business challenges. Outside of his role as Account Manager for the Business & Insurance team, you'll catch Matt hitting the long ball at a local golf course and spending time with his wife and three kids. Although Matt enjoys helping out his customers and dealing with the good guys, there's another side to him that wishes he was out enforcing law and bringing in the bad guys. | ||
 | Known around Polk as "Mr. Reliable," Sam enjoys helping customers use our data and solutions. Other interests include softball, karaoke, reading, golf and watching the Detroit Tigers and Pistons. His love of sports began when he was growing up in Los Angeles where he watched the Dodgers with his father. Sam stems from a reliable family -- whose family tree spans 1200 years in Japan, where they were prominent shippers. His travel experiences includes 40 countries and 49 U.S. states. If Sam wasn't at Polk, he'd be selling auto parts internationally. | ||
 | Geo-inspired Tanja loves maps and geographic analysis. When she is not managing the Network Planning team for Polk Europe and trying to save retailers and marketers money, she is traveling and exploring beautiful places in the world. Although she appreciates geographic information systems (GIS) and multimedia, she is happier when she gets to experience the real deal. Luckily her job entails working with a creative, global team - Tanja gets to "Think outside of the box" often. If she weren't so great at what she does for Polk, you'd probably find her giving David Attenborough competition as a wildlife photographer. | ||
Global Passenger Vehicle Sales Increased by 3.8%; First Seven Months of this Year Were 10.5% Above Previous Year
Key findings include:
- July sales increased approximately 10.5% year-over-year due to several incentive programs and more favorable economic conditions
- New registrations in Eastern Europe increased in July (+26%) and were led by the scrappage premium in Russia
- For the remainder of the year, sales growth rates will turn negative due to the expiration of several scrappage premiums in Western Europe
Forecast updated on August 11, 2010 with data from July 2010 YTD.
Click here to visit the forecasting page and download the free Global Passenger Vehicle Market Monthly Forecast Report.
Posted by Ulrich Winzen, Chief Analyst, Polk, Essen, Germany (08.12.2010)
I have to admit it, I'm kind of a news junkie especially during my morning commute. So I listened with interest the other day about Volkswagen creating a "Hybrid" Radio that enables users to create a personalized playlist including just about everything from news to music. From what I can see, the new Volkswagen system will automatically switch back and forth among radio stations according to a pre-defined playlist and times. Interest you? For a guy like me that is constantly changing channels when I'm in my car, it's perfect. On my daily commute I am doing everything to beat the traffic as I drive into the Detroit suburbs. Being able to have a hybrid radio that switches between stations based on my preferences would be exactly what I need. For example, I could catch the WWJ Radio traffic report at 6:48 AM, listen to the top news stories on WJR at 7:00 AM and automatically flip to W4 Country to catch Breakfast with Bubba for the remainder of the commute. Simple. Easy. No fuss.
I've read Volkswagen is testing the system in 2011. Bring it on OEMs, I'm waiting. What do you think?
Posted by Greg Hathaway, Manager, Communications, Polk (08.06.2010)
The July YTD data shows the passenger vehicle sales forecasting through 2011 for Spain.
Key Findings:
- In July 2010 the Spanish car market reached its lowest level for a month of July since 1995
- The end of the scrappage premium and the increase of the VAT from 16% to 18% had a strong and negative influence on registrations
- The strong positive effects in the first half of 2010 pushed the market to 1.01 million new registrations this year
- The forecasted decline of the Spanish market in 2011 (which will reach a maximum of 1 million new registrations) is due to the weak economic framework and missing positive special effects
Click here for the latest analysis and predictions for select markets around the world. Polk's Global Automotive Forecasting Dashboards are updated regularly. Be sure to check back often to ensure you have the most updated information. You can also click here to subscribe to receive our Knowledge Center and Forecasting updates via email.
Posted by Ulrich Winzen, Chief Analyst, Polk, Essen, Germany (08.05.2010)
Everyone likes to talk about making the pie bigger and creating win/win situations - which is a great objective, whenever possible. The reality is it isn’t always possible and sometimes there is only one winner. In fact, auto dealers live in this highly competitive world each day. Because of this situation, the smart dealer is always trying to improve so he can provide a better shopping experience and overall value proposition than the store down the street. After all, the store down the street may be the same brand - in which case the product is exactly the same, or if it is a different brand, the store will still likely have a similar offering in the same segment. A dealer has to make his interaction with his prospects and customers - both online and in the store - immediate, frequent, and relevant.
Lead Marketing–which is all about using analytics to understand and drive the ideal message to the prospect before they even consider your competition–can insure that a dealer always puts his best foot forward. Rather than being a victim of all the various things that can go wrong–salespeople not following up, poor vehicle and message presentation, difficulty contacting the prospect, etc.–the dealer can take control and use lead marketing to drive the ideal message immediately to the prospect and pull him/her into the store. Lead Marketing stops short of being a silver bullet, you still need to improve your in-store process however you can, but lead marketing is highly effective and provides the competitive edge that is critical to a dealer making their monthly number or not. I understand not everyone is sold on the concept of lead marketing yet, but at the very least you need to understand it and consider it as a means to gain a competitive edge and win the race. Ward's Dealer Business provides a great overview via their online publication. Check it out and feel free to share your thoughts.
Posted by Mike Spadafore, Manager, Consumer & Commercial Portfolio, Polk (07.19.2010)
Lead Marketing–which is all about using analytics to understand and drive the ideal message to the prospect before they even consider your competition–can insure that a dealer always puts his best foot forward. Rather than being a victim of all the various things that can go wrong–salespeople not following up, poor vehicle and message presentation, difficulty contacting the prospect, etc.–the dealer can take control and use lead marketing to drive the ideal message immediately to the prospect and pull him/her into the store. Lead Marketing stops short of being a silver bullet, you still need to improve your in-store process however you can, but lead marketing is highly effective and provides the competitive edge that is critical to a dealer making their monthly number or not. I understand not everyone is sold on the concept of lead marketing yet, but at the very least you need to understand it and consider it as a means to gain a competitive edge and win the race. Ward's Dealer Business provides a great overview via their online publication. Check it out and feel free to share your thoughts.
Posted by Mike Spadafore, Manager, Consumer & Commercial Portfolio, Polk (07.19.2010)
The target customer for the new Ford Fiesta is described as "youthful, active and media-savvy." Who knew that would be me – an over-50 Gen X'er with two college age kids? I think Ford will find that there are many of us out here --- environmentally-friendly, economical, who no longer need room to car-pool or carry hockey or soccer gear!When I got the chance to place an early order for a Fiesta, I jumped at the chance. Delivering 40 highway miles per gallon, offering a class-leading array of seven air bags, and well, just darn cute – I had to have one! The vehicle has been built and I am anxiously awaiting its arrival. It feels good to be excited about delivery of a new vehicle and honestly, I am counting down the days until it arrives.
The Ford Fiesta is earning rave reviews including one that described it as a "party on wheels" – I definitely knew that this was the vehicle for me when I read that one! I'll let you know when my Fiesta arrives – and hey, party on!!
Posted by Alice Miles, Regional Director, Polk Government Relations (07.15.2010)
I recently attended a communications seminar offered by Inforum and Centric Strategies called "Say It Like You Mean It!" The seminar was highly informative and there were several good take-aways for me to apply in my day-to-day personal and professional communications.
As an example, did you know that communication is 55% body language, 38% tone of voice and 7% words according to Kristina Evey, our seminar leader? Body language is especially important. Kristina spoke about the importance of keeping an open stance (ie. no arm crossing), eye contact and delivering a firm (but not crushing) handshake. We spent some time on a "mirroring" exercise for rapport building by copying the actions (in a subtle way) of the person we were listening to. She also recommended that when you have bad news to relay that you position your body sideways to the person you are communicating with.
A confident and certain voice is essential too. Which words you stress can completely change the meaning of your message. As an example, we read the aloud the sentence, "I did not make you dinner last night." and said the sentence over and over emphasizing a different word each time. Another great reminder was to smile when speaking.
Clearly, choice of words can affect the result of your communication. We learned about the use of negative versus positive statements. Saying "no problem" or "no worries" can actually be perceived as being negative. Instead use words such as "absolutely", "I'd be happy to" or one of my favorites "it's all good."
Kristina addressed communicating when you are using email or texting. With these methods, there is obviously no body language or tone of voice, so all you have to rely on are the words. Her suggestions were to re-read your message before hitting the send button, use spell check and start with a rapport building sentence. With texting, her advice was to be engaging with your words.
Lastly, how many of us use the following sentence at the end of a presentation or an email, "Do you have any questions?" Just to hear "crickets?" Replacing it with, "What questions do you have? I have the time to answer them." can make a significant difference by demonstrating that you are expecting questions, while opening up the door for feedback and productive dialogue.
Posted by Lois Yeats, Account Representative, Automotive Retail Solutions, Polk (07.09.2010)
As an example, did you know that communication is 55% body language, 38% tone of voice and 7% words according to Kristina Evey, our seminar leader? Body language is especially important. Kristina spoke about the importance of keeping an open stance (ie. no arm crossing), eye contact and delivering a firm (but not crushing) handshake. We spent some time on a "mirroring" exercise for rapport building by copying the actions (in a subtle way) of the person we were listening to. She also recommended that when you have bad news to relay that you position your body sideways to the person you are communicating with.
A confident and certain voice is essential too. Which words you stress can completely change the meaning of your message. As an example, we read the aloud the sentence, "I did not make you dinner last night." and said the sentence over and over emphasizing a different word each time. Another great reminder was to smile when speaking.
Clearly, choice of words can affect the result of your communication. We learned about the use of negative versus positive statements. Saying "no problem" or "no worries" can actually be perceived as being negative. Instead use words such as "absolutely", "I'd be happy to" or one of my favorites "it's all good."
Kristina addressed communicating when you are using email or texting. With these methods, there is obviously no body language or tone of voice, so all you have to rely on are the words. Her suggestions were to re-read your message before hitting the send button, use spell check and start with a rapport building sentence. With texting, her advice was to be engaging with your words.
Lastly, how many of us use the following sentence at the end of a presentation or an email, "Do you have any questions?" Just to hear "crickets?" Replacing it with, "What questions do you have? I have the time to answer them." can make a significant difference by demonstrating that you are expecting questions, while opening up the door for feedback and productive dialogue.
Posted by Lois Yeats, Account Representative, Automotive Retail Solutions, Polk (07.09.2010)
Vehicle license plates -- can't live without them! This is a topic that I hadn't given much thought to until I attended a regional American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) conference last week.
Did you know that:
Posted by Alice Miles, Regional Director, Polk Government Relations (06.22.2010)
Did you know that:
- Most states offer various groups distinctive license plates to identify citizens as members of a unique group, or to commemorate a historical event. Generally the plate requires a pre-sale of 1000 plates before it actually moves to the manufacturing stage but some commemorative plates are printed for much smaller groups.
- As baby-boomers move to the retirement stage we apparently like to reflect our status in our license plates! Most states offer plates reflecting various service careers including retired police, firefighters and veterans.
- Mississippi seems to lead the states with over 200 distinctive plates. My personal favorite is the Elvis Presley commemorative plate but don’t forget the Mississippi Blues Foundation plate or the Martial Arts plate!
Posted by Alice Miles, Regional Director, Polk Government Relations (06.22.2010)
I would like to throw a question out to this community – does the automotive marketing "discipline" lack focus? Let me give you some background for my question...
Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to attend and also speak at the Thought Leadership Summit (TLS) 2010 Automotive Customer Centricity Summit. The topics included:
So, to restate the question, what should be the focus of all these billions of dollars that are spent on automotive marketing, assuming all players – OEMs, dealers, agencies, and vendors -- are working together? (I know it is a huge, somewhat unrealistic assumption, but just go with it for now...) I am not asking which media is more effective or how should we approach social networking -- I want to know what, in the whole process of driving consumer interest and sales, at all levels from the OEM to the dealer, is the most important activity, maybe what is next most important and why. If this could be discussed, understood, and validated, then those that execute guided by that discipline would win.
Posted by Mike Spadafore, Manager, Consumer & Commercial Portfolio, Polk (06.17.2010)
Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to attend and also speak at the Thought Leadership Summit (TLS) 2010 Automotive Customer Centricity Summit. The topics included:
- The Near Term Future in the Auto Space (Thilo Koslowski, Gartner)
- Integration of CRM Data and Transactional Information (Chris Cawston, SCI)
- Hyundai Motor America Positioning and Growth (David Zuchowski, Hyundai)
- Localized, Data Driven Marketing (Lucette Mercer, Comcast)
- The Evolution of Lead Scoring (Yours truly!, Polk)
So, to restate the question, what should be the focus of all these billions of dollars that are spent on automotive marketing, assuming all players – OEMs, dealers, agencies, and vendors -- are working together? (I know it is a huge, somewhat unrealistic assumption, but just go with it for now...) I am not asking which media is more effective or how should we approach social networking -- I want to know what, in the whole process of driving consumer interest and sales, at all levels from the OEM to the dealer, is the most important activity, maybe what is next most important and why. If this could be discussed, understood, and validated, then those that execute guided by that discipline would win.
Posted by Mike Spadafore, Manager, Consumer & Commercial Portfolio, Polk (06.17.2010)
What's the first thing that pops into your mind when you think of a visit to the local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office in your state??? Most of us think of long, long waits and uncomfortable plastic chairs! I just returned from a regional American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) conference and was surprised to learn of all the effort that states are putting in to make DMV visits more efficient.
First off, the DMV offices are working hard to apply technology to reduce wait time. Many tasks that previously required in-person visits can be done on-line including driver's license renewals. The state of Georgia has even launched a Smartphone application for Driver License Knowledge practice tests!
Using technology reduces the number of people that must actually visit the DMV offices. However, the DMV folks are also trying to provide a better experience for us once we are in the office. Use of information screens to advise of wait times and answer frequently asked questions while we wait have proven to be effective communicators. Some states are retraining displaced workers to act as lobby hosts to answer questions and to help review paperwork before your number is called.
I left the meeting impressed with the work the DMV staffs are putting in to give us a positive experience in their offices – now, if we could only find more comfortable chairs!!!
Posted by Alice Miles, Regional Director, Polk Government Relations (06.15.2010)
First off, the DMV offices are working hard to apply technology to reduce wait time. Many tasks that previously required in-person visits can be done on-line including driver's license renewals. The state of Georgia has even launched a Smartphone application for Driver License Knowledge practice tests!
Using technology reduces the number of people that must actually visit the DMV offices. However, the DMV folks are also trying to provide a better experience for us once we are in the office. Use of information screens to advise of wait times and answer frequently asked questions while we wait have proven to be effective communicators. Some states are retraining displaced workers to act as lobby hosts to answer questions and to help review paperwork before your number is called.
I left the meeting impressed with the work the DMV staffs are putting in to give us a positive experience in their offices – now, if we could only find more comfortable chairs!!!
Posted by Alice Miles, Regional Director, Polk Government Relations (06.15.2010)
Hello! I've just attended a webinar titled, "Innovative In-Vehicle Electronics with IBM's Rational Software Platform" which discussed innovative electronics for current and future automobiles. Sponsored by Automotive News and IBM, the presentation focused on the ideas that our cars are instrumented, interconnected and intelligent. There has been a huge increase in electronics and embedded software during the past several years. Did you know there was only one computer onboard a vehicle in 1977 and now there is an average of 30 computers?
Cars are getting smarter every day. Current electronics are being expanded to include emergency services (e.g., GPS and diagnostics), entertainment (e.g., surround sound systems, video and PC's), intelligent navigation, driver assistance and safety alarms.
These systems make the car safer, more enjoyable and flexible, but there is a downside. Hackers can infiltrate any electronic control unit (ECU) and create unsafe conditions. The ease of how hackers can infiltrate an ECU can be a cause for alarm. But manufacturers are creating newer software that will be encrypted for security reasons.
In the meantime, IBM has developed a rational software platform for automotive systems. It uses best practices, collaboration, scalable, open standards and integration.
The future of automotive electronics is nearly unlimited and will provide room for a loads of innovation. Stay tuned.
Posted by Sam Okimoto, Account Representative, Automotive Aftermarket Team, Polk (06.11.2010)
Cars are getting smarter every day. Current electronics are being expanded to include emergency services (e.g., GPS and diagnostics), entertainment (e.g., surround sound systems, video and PC's), intelligent navigation, driver assistance and safety alarms.
These systems make the car safer, more enjoyable and flexible, but there is a downside. Hackers can infiltrate any electronic control unit (ECU) and create unsafe conditions. The ease of how hackers can infiltrate an ECU can be a cause for alarm. But manufacturers are creating newer software that will be encrypted for security reasons.
In the meantime, IBM has developed a rational software platform for automotive systems. It uses best practices, collaboration, scalable, open standards and integration.
The future of automotive electronics is nearly unlimited and will provide room for a loads of innovation. Stay tuned.
Posted by Sam Okimoto, Account Representative, Automotive Aftermarket Team, Polk (06.11.2010)
For the first five months of this year, the production of cars in Germany rose by a remarkable 26%. It was just a few months ago that the German OEMs reported a 10% decline in their production volumes for 2009 due to strong export reductions (-17%). Only the European scrappage schemes prevented the automakers from an even sharper downturn. These trends intrigued me, so I took a closer look at the significant comeback the German auto industry is making so far in 2010.
Given the German OEMs were impacted by the worldwide economic crisis, especially between the fourth quarter of 2008 and the second quarter of 2009, it is difficult to make a direct comparison with past car production trends. Nevertheless, the output of the first five months of 2010 is only 6% below the record car production level seen in 2007. As for the exports, the May YTD figure shows a 50% increase over last year. While this is a large increase, exports were extremely low during the first few months in 2009.
Exports are currently the only component to give impetus to the production in Germany. The domestic car demand is expected to fall 25% this year due to the expiration of government incentives. For 2010, we expect that 77% of the cars produced in Germany will be exported, as opposed to a 69% export rate in 2009. Incoming orders from foreign markets make the industry look quite optimistic in the medium term. Polk predicts that exports will reach 4.25 million cars in 2010, the second best year ever. Production is currently expected to be 5.5 million units, which would make 2010 the third best year in history — not bad for the first year after the most severe automotive industry challenges ever faced.
Click here to see the latest forecast for German Passenger Vehicle Sales.
Posted by Thomas Mawick, Manager, Automotive Studies, Polk, Essen, Germany (07.09.10)
Are flying cars in our future? Perhaps so. Several companies have developed flying car prototypes in recent years and while some of these projects may seem fanciful, others are at an advanced stage, and some may even be marketed shortly. In fact, one of the companies involved in this race announced their marketing for 2011. Here is a brief overview.
Xplorair - A French Project
The project is currently on the drawing board only. It has been designed by Michel Aguilar, who creates a new propulsion system that allows a vehicle to take off and land vertically. Dassault Systèmes and EADS should invest in his research.
Transition® de Terrafugia - One of the Most Promising
The American company, Terrafugia, is well placed to market the first flying car in history. The Transition Roadable Aircraft would need only 30 seconds to make the plane/car transition, and it is capable of both flying and riding. The manufacturer expects last authorizations and approvals for going into production as early as 2011. Its selling price would be $195,000 (approximately 162,000 Euros).
The Moller International M400X Skycar Volantor
The Moller project has also been under development for several years. The first tests of their prototype date back to 2003. The uniqueness of this project is the ability for the vehicle to take off and land vertically (VTOL Vertical Take Off and Landing technology).
And Why Not a Flying Motorcycle?
The Switchblade has been imagined by Samson Motorworks, a company based in North Carolina (United States) and they hope this vehicle is on the road next year. The company’s website even lets you pass a pre-command by paying a deposit of $2000! Not really a car but not really a motorcycle, this is indeed a tricycle.
My Polk colleague, Greg Hathaway, posed the question, "How do you beat the traffic?" in his recent blog entry. I think these new flying cars might be one possible solution. Get ready to re-apply for your driver's license!
Posted by Léonce Doussaud, Business Analyst, R. L. Polk France, Europe Operations (06.07.2010)
Ten years ago, if anyone had told me I would spend a good portion of my day writing/editing blogs and "tweeting" or "digging" them on the web, I would have thought they were nuts! Isn't that the dilemma of the new era? Social Media has hit the world like a ton of bricks. It's not just for kids anymore. It's not just for finding out what your favorite entertainer is doing. It's not just for showing off pictures to friends and mere acquaintances after a long day at the office. AND it's not just for B2C anymore. Still don't believe social media works for B2B? You can find hundreds of stories, webinars and blogs to tell you differently. It's happening and it's going to be part of our day-to-day jobs now, not just something we do when we find the time.
All of this makes me think of the fascinating Google "Did You Know" videos that share facts about how fast our world is changing. I went out in search of another good video and stumbled across an interesting one about Social Media. If you're brain wasn't already a-buzz with all the change and excitement on the web, this video should do the trick!
(And yes, as a big fan of Google, that was a little play on Google Buzz...) Watch for it, I’ve heard it's going to play a big part in the very near future of Social Media!
Want to know more about B2B and Social Media? Marketo has a lot of great learning materials on the subject.
Posted by Kristina Kacy, Web Manager, Polk (06.02.2010)
All of this makes me think of the fascinating Google "Did You Know" videos that share facts about how fast our world is changing. I went out in search of another good video and stumbled across an interesting one about Social Media. If you're brain wasn't already a-buzz with all the change and excitement on the web, this video should do the trick!
(And yes, as a big fan of Google, that was a little play on Google Buzz...) Watch for it, I’ve heard it's going to play a big part in the very near future of Social Media!
Want to know more about B2B and Social Media? Marketo has a lot of great learning materials on the subject.
Posted by Kristina Kacy, Web Manager, Polk (06.02.2010)
In a recent interview about how scrappage and other vehicle trends are affecting the independent aftermarket and dealer service marketing, I was asked "What is the new normal?" Well, of course working for Polk, I instantly talked about the new "normal" as being new vehicle sales in the neighborhood of 11 to 13-million per year. And how the normal is not the 15 to 16 million units that the industry thought it was as recently as two years ago.
However, recently at the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS), I started to question what the new normal really means. I'm considered one of the young guns that is supposed to be tech saavy and in touch with my social media side; however, I still have an "old" way of thinking. I immediately started thinking about how average vehicle ownership length has increased by 21% over the past 9 years, how the average vehicle age at 10.2 years is now higher than it ever was before, how vehicle warranty is increasing and favors the dealers, and many more traditional metrics. Is this the old way of thinking? Should we also be thinking about how the consumer demographic is changing and decisions are being made through social media? How do we incorporate the new way of thinking into our every day operations and make it work for businesses and the consumer? Should we think more about how to get to the Facebook generation (everyone under the age of 65) and talk to them about underperformed maintenance and how it affects their vehicle life, stability and costs?
I think the new normal is not that normal at all, and that we all need to change our focus. Yes, the key indicators will always be there, but we probably need to create new "key" indicators. At GAAS we heard about the new generation of customers and how they are integrated into the "NOW" world more effectively than in any other time in the past. We learned that they are loyal, smart consumers until a product fails or another promises greater functionality. Then they hightail it to the next brand, and leave a trail of comments, status updates and tweets in their path. As an industry, we can capitalize on it. We have the resources to educate our consumers through tools like YouTube. We can contact them proactively about maintaining their cars properly and cost effectively. Knowing the leading indicators such as scrappage, new vehicles sales, length of ownership and average vehicle age is just scratching the surface of being able to plan and be successful in the aftermarket. Maybe it's time to start focusing on the new normal as well.
Posted by Bryan Funke, Director, Sales & Client Services, Aftermarket & Commercial Vehicle Teams, Polk
However, recently at the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS), I started to question what the new normal really means. I'm considered one of the young guns that is supposed to be tech saavy and in touch with my social media side; however, I still have an "old" way of thinking. I immediately started thinking about how average vehicle ownership length has increased by 21% over the past 9 years, how the average vehicle age at 10.2 years is now higher than it ever was before, how vehicle warranty is increasing and favors the dealers, and many more traditional metrics. Is this the old way of thinking? Should we also be thinking about how the consumer demographic is changing and decisions are being made through social media? How do we incorporate the new way of thinking into our every day operations and make it work for businesses and the consumer? Should we think more about how to get to the Facebook generation (everyone under the age of 65) and talk to them about underperformed maintenance and how it affects their vehicle life, stability and costs?
I think the new normal is not that normal at all, and that we all need to change our focus. Yes, the key indicators will always be there, but we probably need to create new "key" indicators. At GAAS we heard about the new generation of customers and how they are integrated into the "NOW" world more effectively than in any other time in the past. We learned that they are loyal, smart consumers until a product fails or another promises greater functionality. Then they hightail it to the next brand, and leave a trail of comments, status updates and tweets in their path. As an industry, we can capitalize on it. We have the resources to educate our consumers through tools like YouTube. We can contact them proactively about maintaining their cars properly and cost effectively. Knowing the leading indicators such as scrappage, new vehicles sales, length of ownership and average vehicle age is just scratching the surface of being able to plan and be successful in the aftermarket. Maybe it's time to start focusing on the new normal as well.
Posted by Bryan Funke, Director, Sales & Client Services, Aftermarket & Commercial Vehicle Teams, Polk
Traffic. Me. Ugh.
Like most people, I believe time is a precious commodity. Very precious indeed. And if I can save a minute or two here or there, I'll do it in a heartbeat – especially when it comes to beating the ever-present traffic jam.
I live in southeastern Michigan and my daily commute is around 100 miles round-trip. Certainly not a really long daily commute compared to many, but certainly a bit longer than the average drive. And nothing frustrates me more than to be stuck in traffic. Especially in the summer-time, when it's say 90 degrees or so and muggy outside. Add in the fact that it's a Friday, a Friday before a long holiday weekend and I'll do just about anything to get home on-time. Maybe it's just me, but have you ever noticed how the Friday before a long holiday weekend seems to bring out certain crazies on the road who will eventually wind-up in a traffic incident? Lucky us.
Sure, I try to do my homework before I leave in the early morning and again in the late afternoon or early evening before I head home. I check the traffic reports on radio or television if they are available. I even check the skies and carefully listen for the rumble of a traffic helicopter nearby. Show me a traffic helicopter circling in the area and you'll see me headed in the opposite direction. And quickly.
But the techniques I've used in the past are probably considered "old school" to say the least. Lately, I've been using 'Beat the Traffic', an iPad app that shows traffic conditions around major cities. I really like the look and feel of it and how it shows the roadwork, incidents and highway speeds on the local expressways in the Detroit area. It works well for me and I especially like the forecast feature. I'd like to see something similar become an optional telematic feature in an average priced vehicle. Hopefully one day the OEMs will make this happen.
My colleague, Cenk Hepaktan, has blogged about telematic features. Be sure to check them out, but in the meantime, help me understand, how do you beat the traffic?
Posted by Greg Hathaway, Manager, Communications, Polk (05.28.10)The April YTD data shows that increased demand in Asia and the NAFTA region helped push global automotive sales.
- Automotive sales increased approximately 13% year-over-year in April due to several incentives and an improving economy
- All regions had a significant (double digits) sales increase for the first four months except for Central and Eastern Europe
- For the rest of the year, the growth rates are forecasted to decline based on the expiration of several scrappage programs in Western Europe and lower overall demand
Find out more by downloading the free Global Passenger Vehicle Market Monthly Forecast Report.
Click here for the latest analysis and predictions for select markets around the world. Polk's Global Automotive Forecasting Dashboards are updated regularly. Be sure to check back often to ensure you have the most updated information. You can also click here to subscribe to receive our Knowledge Center and Forecasting updates.
Posted by Ulrich Winzen, Chief Analyst, Polk, Essen, Germany (05.27.2010)
Technology...technology... technology... that was the overriding theme as we listened to a number of industry professionals speak at this year’s PCI Joint Marketing and Underwriting Seminar in Orlando, FL. Technology has always been important in the insurance market but never more than in 2010!
Unlike other years where technology has been focused on how to improve underwriting or claims, it is more apparent that marketing is now king and insurers must quickly enhance their marketing strategy and their use of technology. The social media craze has gripped the insurance industry which was clearly evident as almost every professional at the PCI seminar attended the special social media session.
Karlyn Carnahan, from Novarica, was on hand to present some amazing statistics on how social media is changing the landscape of how everyone should communicate with their customers. A whopping 74% of adults (18+) are using the internet to buy, bank, research and communicate.
Sites like Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and LinkedIn are changing the face of communication. They provide unprecedented access to customers' likes and dislikes and continue to change the marketing landscape. Since hearing how much the insurance industry is using social media, I have added my customers to my personal social media pages. This provides great insight into how my customers are communicating and how Polk might be able to help them. How are you using social media today?
Posted by Matt Safran, Account Manager, Business and Insurance Group, Polk (05.21.10)
Unlike other years where technology has been focused on how to improve underwriting or claims, it is more apparent that marketing is now king and insurers must quickly enhance their marketing strategy and their use of technology. The social media craze has gripped the insurance industry which was clearly evident as almost every professional at the PCI seminar attended the special social media session.
Karlyn Carnahan, from Novarica, was on hand to present some amazing statistics on how social media is changing the landscape of how everyone should communicate with their customers. A whopping 74% of adults (18+) are using the internet to buy, bank, research and communicate.
Sites like Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and LinkedIn are changing the face of communication. They provide unprecedented access to customers' likes and dislikes and continue to change the marketing landscape. Since hearing how much the insurance industry is using social media, I have added my customers to my personal social media pages. This provides great insight into how my customers are communicating and how Polk might be able to help them. How are you using social media today?
Posted by Matt Safran, Account Manager, Business and Insurance Group, Polk (05.21.10)
Here are several highlights from the second and final day of the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS).
This year's GAAS event was truly outstanding. Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Polk booth this year. It was a pleasure seeing you!
Posted by Sam Okimoto, Account Representative, Aftermarket Team, Polk (05.20.2010)
- John Watt of Petro-Canada provided an interesting insight into why aftermarket service providers leave billions of unperformed maintenance on the table. It seems there is a lot of unsold business that can be corrected with just scheduling appointments regularly and consistently.
- A Shop Owner Panel followed and was moderated by Bill Haas, Vice President – Educational and Training, ASA. This panel provided an informative look at how connecting a driver with their vehicle, other vehicles and the roadside infrastructure will impact aftermarket companies.
- Jeff Henning of Ernst & Young discussed the impact of the OEMs on the aftermarket. It seems car dealers will look at doing more business in the aftermarket because of profitability concerns and lack of warranty work.
- Tony Cristello of BB&T Capital Markets provided a detailed look at the economy and the aftermarket. He commented on the strength of the aftermarket and how the aftermarket stocks outperformed the general stock market. The economy is still in recovery mode and the forecast is optimistic for the aftermarket.
This year's GAAS event was truly outstanding. Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Polk booth this year. It was a pleasure seeing you!
Posted by Sam Okimoto, Account Representative, Aftermarket Team, Polk (05.20.2010)
This year's Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) has started off strongly with speakers discussing a variety of topics including the economy, automotive repair chain growth, the Chinese aftermarket and how to grow your business.
The highlight of the first day was the presentation of the Polk Inventory Efficiency Award which was won by Tenneco, Inc. They developed a system of managing inventory for their distribution centers, WD's, Jobbers and sales personnel. The system works extremely well across all levels of the supply chain and has significantly increased customer satisfaction for Tenneco.
Later, a presentation detailed the Generation Y shift away from cars. Also included was an interesting discussion of the social media and mobile technology. Additional topics included succeeding through innovation, and innovations in branding and marketing.
The first day ended with a networking reception hosted by the AAIA and Ernst & Young.
It has been a great start to a wonderful industry event. I'll keep you posted about Day #2 activities very soon.
Posted by Sam Okimoto, Account Representative, Aftermarket Team, Polk (05.19.2010)
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