| Your almost there!!!!!!!!
Dear Cadillac Manager
I’m a new to Cadillac owner (been a BMW owner in the past). I would like to congratulate your organization for finally providing a quality vehicle that is well on it’s way to competing with the best the world has to offer. I have grown tired of driving foreign vehicles (wanting to be proud to own an American car again), and had been looking for a new vehicle for several months. In reading reviews in Autoweek, Motor Trend, Car and Driver, etc I couldn’t help but notice that Cadillac was finally getting good press. I compared many vehicles and found Cadillac finally making a package that completes well with BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, Jaguar, etc.
Since my purchase of a CTS (I have received more positive comments about it from friends, co-workers than I ever received about my other vehicles) last Monday, I have visited two Cadillac Dealerships in the area where I live (Richmond, Va.), to enquire about the purchase of several accessories (a simple set of sever weather floor mats and exhaust tips) for my new Caddy. I offer a few impressions about my visits to these dealerships.
As I drove into the first dealership, the first thing I noticed was there is no large signage directing me to the parts department and customer parking. As I drove around the dealership looking for parking, the first thing I noticed was several older Cadillac vehicles parked across from the service department entrance with flat tires, damaged grills etc (not a great conveyer of Cadillac quality upon entry to the dealership). These vehicles should be parked in the rear of the dealership out of view until they are repaired.
Once I located a parking space, I entered the showroom and was directed to the parts department in the rear of the dealership. As I passed through the showroom I noticed a large amount of the showroom had empty sales cubicles which could have been better utilized either for car, accessory, or demonstration space. I also passed by the service waiting area, and found the area to be lacking good comfortable furniture, no framed pictures depicting future Cadillac cars, etc.
At the parts department, I was very surprised to discover that I could not see or direct purchase the aforementioned items without ordering and waiting 5-7 days for delivery, but I could direct purchase a hat, license plate frame or a Dub scale model.
I then went to the second dealership and found they had signage that could easily direct me to the different areas of the dealership. The dealership was well designed, the vehicles awaiting service were not seen as I drove to the parts department, parking was ample, and the dealership was cleaner and cheerful. This dealership provided a better experience when service or parts were needed, but I was again disappointed to discover that I could not direct purchase the accessory items that I desired.
I’m sure that Cadillac has a benchmark design or attempts to get dealerships to comply with a minimum remodeling standard when expanding or remodeling. I would offer a few suggestions to improve your customer experience such as:
a. Make sure there are parking spaces in front of the parts department for customers instead of vehicles awaiting service or employee parking.
b. Improve the signage both on the storefronts and entry’s for visitors.
c. Locate vehicles like the new XLR inside the showroom and not outside in the weather.
d. Provide better seating, displays such as framed pictures, sales brochures, free telephone, cable TV with a good quality TV, snack and beverage dispensers for people who are waiting for service.
e. Provide display items for interior vehicle accessories (exhaust tips, floor mats, vehicle history books, and other popular accessories along with the hats, models, license plate frames) that can purchased while at the dealership. Why should customers have to order general items that are at all other manufactures dealerships?
f. Owning a Cadillac is special. Make the customers feel special. Make all the dealerships clean up the entire (outside/inside) facility. Cadillac is top of the line for GM, so don’t let it look like another Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, dealer. MAKE IT SPECIAL!
I really want to stay in the Cadillac line. The Cadillac motor division is really starting to make a statement again. Don’t let the ball drop. Many people like me want you to succeed. Continue to improve both your vehicles and your entire ownership experience. Don’t let dealerships that don’t understand there’s only one chance to make an impression remain in their present operations. You can become the standard of the world again! | 
