Doug Miller

GM's decision to replace Apple CarPlay with their own Ultifi system is a bold move, but will it pay off? In-car tech is deeply personal and revolves around ease and familiarity. Forcing customers to switch may cause alienation, especially for the massive number of Apple users out there. As a loyal Apple user, I wouldn't purchase a car without CarPlay. Brand loyalty in automotive is no longer just about the car itself, but about the entire digital ecosystem of a person. GM, beware of the risks you take when tampering with customer experience and brand loyalty. #GM #Apple #CustomerExperience #BrandLoyalty #BrandStrategy

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Wondering how to revamp your Product Experiences (PX)? From pre-purchase engagement to in-person sales and post-purchase support, Carparts.com revolutionized their customer experiences using Akeneo - read here for actionable PX strategies. #CarParts.com #Akeneo #PIM #ProductExperience #PX #PXM #digital

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Cars play a big role in shaping a driver's identity, and they can reveal a lot about their owners. @AnalyticsIQ’s research shows surprising connections between vehicle ownership and behaviors. For example, Tesla owners are 56% more likely to invest in stocks, while Republicans are 120% more likely to drive a truck. Meanwhile, charitable givers often align their car choices with their causes—Tesla drivers are 52% more likely to donate to environmental organizations. These insights help marketers better connect with car owners, using data-driven strategies from AIQ to understand their audience. #B2CData #ConsumerData #ConsumerBehaviour https://lnkd.in/escbEBRx

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Absolutely Unacceptable Treatment from GM - Customer Experience FAIL Two months ago, the engine in my 2023 Chevy Tahoe High Country catastrophically failed while I was driving down the highway with my family. We were stranded, frustrated, and shocked that a premium vehicle would fail so dramatically. But what’s even worse? How General Motors and @Del Chevrolet in Paoli, PA have handled the situation. Here’s what I’ve endured: • No loaner vehicle to get my family back on the road. • Manufacturer buyback denied without explanation or a chance to appeal. • No compensation for the massive depreciation in value caused by the need for a replacement motor. As a lifelong GM fan and loyal customer, this is a slap in the face. I’ve supported GM for years, but the complete lack of accountability, support, and basic customer service is unbelievable. @Chevrolet @GM, how do you justify this? I paid for a top-tier vehicle and have been left with nothing but frustration and financial loss. This isn’t just bad customer service—it’s a total betrayal of trust. The part here is that really speaks to the importance of the customer experience is that I’m in shock and awe over the way I have been treated and the way this has been handled not the actual event and failure of the machine… Fix this. Now. #GM #ChevyTahoe #CustomerServiceFail #DoBetter

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Ready to stand on the shoulders of giants when it comes to your used car strategy? Check out this latest episode of DKWN where I talk to industry expert George Magda about what the big dawgs are doing in the space. https://lnkd.in/eXkN7TiT

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As a the owner of digital marketing agency Agency 8200 and as someone in the branding and marketing space for decades, it's fascinating to witness major shifts in the automotive industry, especially when it comes to in-car technology. General Motors decision to remove Apple CarPlay from their dashboards is a bold move that could significantly impact their brand perception and customer loyalty. In this insightful article from #BusinessWeek, we see the potential implications of GM's strategy. Will this decision alienate loyal Apple users, or will it pave the way for innovative, proprietary systems that enhance the driving experience? As digital marketers, we understand the power of user experience and brand loyalty. It's crucial for companies to balance innovation with consumer preferences to maintain a strong market presence. #DigitalMarketing #BrandStrategy #UserExperience #CustomerLoyalty #AutomotiveIndustry #Innovation #Technology https://lnkd.in/dGdXGEis

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"There's a lot of gold in #customer #conversations." - Strolid, Inc. Founder and CEO Vin Micciche #Strolid's #vCons power the new #StrolidPortal with #StrolidSearch to increase #automotive #dealers' vehicle #sales and #service income — and improve sales productivity — from providing #autodealerships with a better understanding of their #customers. 🚗✨ #BDC #SalesBDC #ServiceBDC

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Closing out the week, David Boyle joins me on the FixedOps UX talk about electric bikes. Here's a fact - consumers own more than one type of transportation. Yes, we're in the car business, but a shift to being a "transportation partner" opens up more touchpoints, right? Thank you Dave for keeping us on our toes! #fixedopsux #fixedops #dealership #dealerships #customerexperience #coaching #customerinsights #customerloyalty #customerreview #userexperience #employeeengagement #technicians #mechanics #autodealers #autoindustry #culture #organizationalculture #teambuilding #efficiency #innovation  

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How are #autodealerships using the power of #Strolid's #vCon-powered #StrolidSearch on the #StrolidPortal right now to unlock customer #conversations? They’re Googling their dealerships! Don't miss Edwin R.'s demo! 🥳 #BDC #SalesBDC #ServiceBDC

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As one who interacts with CMOs all the time I can tell you this topic is at or near the top of their collective priority list. And while I am skeptical of those who espouse best practices when it comes to generative AI - only because it is so nascent - I felt compelled to share this particular piece from my fellow CMSWire scribe, Tiffany Holland Why? Glad you asked. I felt compelled for the simple fact I agree with everything Tiffany opined on, which she breaks down into four truths, which are below along with my brief commentary. Do yourself a favor and read her piece. ➡️ Truth #1: Inaction With Generative AI in Marketing Is the Greatest Risk Yes, yes and YES. If I could climb the highest mountain I would and bellow this to the masses below. This ain't the time to "sit this one out" whilst the rest of the world, AKA your competition is taking full advantage. ➡️ Truth #2: Generative AI Offers More Value Than Just Operational Efficiency Tiffany deftly writes of the "narrow view" many CMOs and marketers have of Gen AI, which "offers only short-term benefits and overlooks the true power of machine learning." Dating myself big time here but this reminded me of the late 70's campaign professing that orange juice is not just for breakfast anymore. https://lnkd.in/e95uWbex ➡️ Truth #3: Generative AI Solutions Fails in the Traditional Marketing Model "Generative AI won’t deliver its full potential if organizations try to plug it into outdated operating models." Full Stop! Read and re-read that over and over and over and then, for the love of all things Holy, do NOT blame Gen AI if you do not adhere to this sage advice. ➡️ Truth #4: Ethical Governance of Generative AI in Marketing Is Critical I love that Tiffany saved this one for last because it is THE most important truth, by far. Gen AI and AI in general, is very much akin to the wild west right now; no rules of governance other than those self-imposed. Brands MUST self-govern the way they use Gen AI if for no other reason, it is the ethical thing to do. Please share your thoughts on all of this. I love a good conversation and yes, a debate if need be. Jeanniey John Aakansha Srota Manny Shelly Lou Jeff Raja Ted Lee David Alma Dom Rhonda #ai #GenAI #cmo

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Last week, as part of Tesla's layoffs, the 40-person growth marketing team in the US was cut for what Elon Musk labeled as "generic" advertising. "The ads were far too generic – could've been any car." The move is a friendly reminder that understanding the market landscape and translating your brand's differentiators into unique messaging will save your campaigns and make you indispensable, regardless of company size. https://lnkd.in/g-CQVs3N #marketing #growthmarketing #advertising #brandstrategy

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https://lnkd.in/gH_8jamq An alternate view would be the need to maximize revenue on a high series vehicle, to spike exclusivity, while they can only produce it at lower than expected volume.

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Attention Dealership Sales Managers: Unlock the Power of Video Marketing! Did you know that 40% of car shoppers discover new vehicles they weren’t previously considering, thanks to compelling video marketing? Video content is transforming the automotive industry, capturing the attention of potential buyers and showcasing the unique features of your inventory in a dynamic and engaging way. Why Video Marketing Works: - Visual Appeal: Videos bring your cars to life, highlighting their design, performance, and technology in ways that static images can't. - Emotional Connection: Engaging videos create an emotional connection, making it easier for customers to imagine themselves behind the wheel. - Informative Content: Educational videos about car features, maintenance tips, and customer testimonials build trust and inform your audience. - Broader Reach: Videos are highly shareable and can reach a wider audience across multiple platforms. Action Steps: - Create Walkaround Videos: Showcase new arrivals with detailed walkaround videos, highlighting key features and benefits. - Customer Testimonials: Capture and share satisfied customer stories to build trust and credibility. - Maintenance Tips: Offer valuable maintenance advice to keep your audience engaged and coming back for more. - Live Streaming: Host live Q&A sessions to interact with potential buyers in real-time. Tap into the potential of video marketing and drive more traffic to your dealership today! #CarDealership #VideoMarketing #SalesStrategy #AutomotiveIndustry #CustomerEngagement #DigitalMarketing

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Dumping your CMO as a scapegoat for lost sales? Think again. In many cases, they're not responsible. As the shortest tenured executive at most companies, CMOs are an easy target. But cutting them may not be the right answer if other leaders are making all the client-side decisions. Perhaps it's time for more companies to consider a Fractional CMO and reevaluate who really owns sales decisions, sales leadership, and client relationships. Often, it's not the CMO's responsibility at all. #CMO #MarketingExecutive #MarketingLeader #CreativeLeader #CreativeExecutive

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Does your CEO really want to know how many MQLs and SQLs your marketing produced this month? Probably not. Today's marketing playbook vastly differs from the one that worked so well two years ago, including what gets reported internally. I was recently invited to speak to the Arizona Innovation Marketing Association, and I chose to discuss how my marketing playbook has changed. In my talk, which I titled, "The Rebellion of ROI: Why It's Time to Throw Out Traditional Marketing Playbooks," I shared five game-changing shifts forcing a complete rethink of the playbooks we used two, even five years ago. And the first big shift is to admit your CEO doesn't care about MQL's or SQL's. I call it a shift because they used to care about them. Not that long ago, marketing teams were being told Sales needs more "top of funnel LEADS." So Marketers created a bunch of gated assets and threw a gazillion "Marketing-Qualified Leads" over the wall to Sales. Except they quickly learned that someone downloading an eBook is almost never ready to book a sales demo. And in the end, while Marketing could claim success by generating thousands of leads, CEO's and CFO's were focused on driving revenue, not leads. This led to questions like "so how many leads do we need to produce $X in revenue?" In Q2 of last year, I stopped reporting lead numbers. The traditional "MQL" was simply too disconnected from revenue. At the same time, we also took the radical step of ungating all of our assets, which naturally caused our lead count to plunge. Instead, I shifted to reporting inbound pipeline and outbound pipeline produced through marketing outreach efforts (our SDR sits in Marketing, not Sales). The only leading indicator we report is inbound demo requests. Guess what? I've not been asked for MQL or SQL counts in more than a year. The reality is investors are no longer funding growth without profitability, so aligning our marketing efforts to revenue helped prove that our modest marketing investments are producing pipeline. Reporting on pipeline also enables us to report Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) tied to pipeline and revenue (10X and 29X respectively for last year). How has your marketing reporting changed in the last two years?

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"With BMW’s “The Ultimate Driving Machine” campaign, you immediately knew why the brand was special and what it stood for. Also, the ads arguably started the trend of challenger branding when it positioned itself against Mercedes to make clear what it was not. You see this today with Apple versus Microsoft and T-Mobile versus AT&T." Looking for inspiration for your next ad? Check out the latest Forbes Agency Council article for other ideas from fellow industry leaders: https://lnkd.in/ddFRbVi9

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It was great to talk to MarTech Series on debunking the most common B2B marketing myths, how CMOs can partner effectively with sales, why leaders need to be thoughtful with AI, and some of the marketing strategies we use at HashiCorp. Read the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/gEmyJk3u 

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https://lnkd.in/gcuTqrry This shows just how far the market has changed in just 3 years with the proliferation of excellent product from legacy OEMs. Fresh product, in the right segments, and fast cycles are what is required to remain competitive.

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