[ajmat]

Dear workers, please buy BMWs ...
By Daniel Schäfer in Frankfurt

Published: June 17 2009 21:06 | Last updated: June 17 2009 21:15

BMW has resorted to unusual methods in an attempt to boost flagging sales by targeting its employees who do not own one of the luxury German carmaker’s vehicles.

The Bavarian group has started targeting about 7,000 workers caught driving Audis, Mercedes – or other rival brands – in an attempt to revive its rapidly falling sales by coaxing them to drive a BMW.

“What is wrong here? You like working for us. You are fond of your workplace and salary. But you are driving a competitor’s car,” is the message on postcards put on the windscreens of cars in car parks at BMW’s German factories.

The postcards, which have been signed by two executive board members as well as the head of its works’ council, can be returned to BMW’s sales department requesting a test drive, a sales talk or the details of how to swap a rival car for a new BMW.

The company said on Wednesday that it had received less than 100 responses so far.

The move underscores just how desperate carmakers, hit by the worst industry crisis since the second world war, are getting in their efforts to increase sales.

European car sales have fallen by almost 14 per cent in the first five months of the year, according to data from IHS Global Insight.

Last year, BMW sold 1.4m cars but less than 8,000 of those were bought by its 100,000 global workforce.

BMW’s campaign follows similar pleas for staff loyalty by other companies. In Japan, large companies such as Panasonic and Toyota have urged staff to buy the company’s own products.

These tactics are particularly common among carmakers, which usually give large discounts to their workforce.

Observing the traditions of St Nicholas’s Day (celebrated in many countries in Europe in early December), when naughty children are threatened with a beating, while well-behaved children receive presents, workers at Ford’s Saarlouis factory who drove a rivals’ car once found a stick, in mock punishment, behind their windscreen wipers .

Ford drivers received chocolates.

In the US and Germany, many carmakers ban rival cars from car parks and forbid suppliers delivering goods using rival vehicles.

Oriiginal article available here

[prince_pervez]

Desperation indeed! But this was followed by a well known company in India as well.
A very well know automobiles maker here, said somethings on similar lines:
"Vehicles that bring raw material or processed material to xyz location have to be of the abc brand"

Though this was not known to the general public/media, but employees were discussing the state of affairs everywhere else.
This was in the late 90s and the company was in a desperate cost cutting drive.

[bblost]

I once visited a motorcycle factory.
They have segmentation in the parking.

Bike manufactured by them are parked in this nice parking lot.

Bike manufactured by other stand under the sun with debris for company.

[Gagan.js]

I would do the same if it were my company.

Exception would be the workers receiving low salary but then they wouldn't be driving a merc or Audi would they?

I don't get why you would drive around in public in a rival brand

[bblost]

^
so If I work in Parle I must only eat Parle Biscuits.
If I work in bomay dyeing, only wear clothes they make.

Nonsense.

As a wise man once said.
Love your job, not the company.

[himanshugoswami]

If I am "forced" by my company to drive the car they make, I would expect a fat discount as an incentive to start with. Most companies in India do that, and in fact a Chennai based auto major has an employee purchase plan that effectively knocks off 15% of the price over and above trade discounts.

[Gagan.js]

Originally Posted by bblost

^
so If I work in Parle I must only eat Parle Biscuits.
If I work in bomay dyeing, only wear clothes they make.

Nonsense.

As a wise man once said.
Love your job, not the company.

1) I said driving in public, so if you want to eat your biscuits in your house its perfectly fine. But don't tell me the office canteen would stock a biscuit brand that isn't parle.

2) You can drive the same car everyday, you can't wear the same clothes everyday.
Different fitting and different styles would make wearing the same brand impossible. Unless they are all suits.

Edit, you would be getting a discount on your car anyway and as said by BMW they are also "exchanging" cars which is good for the person as he can let go of his old car.

[bblost]

Originally Posted by Gagan.js

Different fitting and different styles would make wearing the same brand impossible. Unless they are all suits.

That Sir is precisely the reason there are so many different cars and bikes available.

Just because I work in say Honda, does not mean I will like all bikes made by them.

At best they can tempt me by giving very good discounts. But to try and nag me into buying that product. No way.

Leaving notes on a car saying, why do you choose Audi over me.
It sounds so much like my college when girls would leave notes for me saying why her instead of me.

(yeah I know, the first thing you said to yourself was; "Yeah Buddy, You wish")

[Nitronium]

From what I've heard Pepsico and Coke employees won't even touch bottled water from each other's brands

With respect too cars though, i believe that's fair. It projects a negative public image if an employee of a company drives around in a competitors car. Lack of confidence, insider knowledge on shoddy engineering? Whatever.

[Technocrat]

Damn they surely sound desperate.

One of my friend in Maruti had bought a Hyundai Accent few years back, when I asked him why, he said there are so many Maruti's around that it gets boring & monotonous.

And I agree driving the same company's cars would be like wearing a uniform (which is anyway a norm in most big factories)

[prince_pervez]

Originally Posted by Nitronium

insider knowledge on shoddy engineering? Whatever.

Thats is absolutely correct. I know a few guys, personally, who will not even think of buying an abc branded product, even when they work for the same company. The reason being they know the insides. The people and companies from where the parts are sourced, the fitment quality, complaint registers etc..
Out of the people I know work or used to work as assembly line managers and superviors. They swear by it.

[Dante]

Originally Posted by bblost

^
so If I work in Parle I must only eat Parle Biscuits.
If I work in bomay dyeing, only wear clothes they make.

Nonsense.

As a wise man once said.
Love your job, not the company.

I don't think that's a wise man my friend.
Love your job, but love and respect your company.
Any man just loving his job is only working for money, working is not just about money its beyond that. Its like living in a house just for surviving.
Its the company which gives you your designation.
No offence, don't take it personal my friend.

Originally Posted by Nitronium

From what I've heard Pepsico and Coke employees won't even touch bottled water from each other's brands

With respect too cars though, i believe that's fair. It projects a negative public image if an employee of a company drives around in a competitors car. Lack of confidence, insider knowledge on shoddy engineering? Whatever.

You are right nitronium. Although its a personal choice of using cars, but driving rival brand cars creates a bad impression on the company. Driving around in city is a compeletly different matter, but while entering the company, an employee should use the same brand. Well that mite create a "feel good factor"

[prince_pervez]

Originally Posted by Dante

Driving around in city is a compeletly different matter, but while entering the company, an employee should use the same brand. Well that mite create a "feel good factor"

No offences, but going by what is written, GMs and Directors should come in company branded cars instead of Mercs and other impoted cars.

It would be very interesting to know what the owners and big wigs of the Automobile manufacturing companies drive to work.
E.g.
Ratan TATA and ilk.

[Dante]

Hey i meant "but while entering the company, an employee should use the same brand" means the company brand car as in if it is BMW then BMW car should be used by person employed.

Well you'd be surprise to know that Ratan tata travels in his Tata safari sometimes when he goes to office. He believes in driving atleast to his office in the cars which comes out of his stable.

[Technocrat]

Hmm what about those companies who dont make premium Cars\Bikes. Would their Top Bosses Travel in the company car?

Also in case of premium Cars, can all the lower level employees afford buying the company's cars even after discount?