Automotive

Toyota Tackles an Audacious Goal

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

George Borst, president and CEO of Toyota Financial Services, had a daring plan for leading TFS through an expansion of its customer base and product line. But that required transformation in every aspect of his organization -- new people, infrastructure, knowledge, and skills. Some of the changes offered fresh opportunities, but others presented big problems. What's more, the expansion required Borst to discover new methods of leadership. Here's how he successfully transformed his organization -- and, in the process, himself.

Can the Toyota Way Be Transplanted?

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

In the second of a two-part interview, a longtime Toyota executive explains the world's best selling car manufacturer's methodology -- and how it creates loyalty. He also discusses matters such as why all the new cars look alike and why the market for luxury cars is expanding.

What Price Car Customer Loyalty?

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

There isn't much Bryan Bergsteinsson doesn't know about cars -- building them, selling them, and driving them. In an in-depth Q&A, this one-time Toyota executive draws on that knowledge to suggest that the automotive industry is being pushed too far too fast on environmental issues. More significantly for executives across industries, he questions the value of customer satisfaction ratings and explains why engaged customers are more valuable than merely satisfied ones.

The Four Drivers of Innovation

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Senior executives and management experts argue that innovation is today's most important driver of business success, not to mention global economics. That's why a group of company leaders gathered recently to discuss innovation, leadership, and the new economy of creativity, knowledge, and invention. They also explored how to translate these amorphous concepts into real business dollars. Their insights, distilled to the four drivers of innovation, are relevant to executives from businesses large and small, global and local.

A Caterpillar Dealer Unearths Employee Engagement

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Fabick CAT invested $500,000 in its people, and the payoff was enormous. Here's how the company made employee engagement a part of its culture, largely by becoming less bureaucratic and a lot more open.

Engineering a Friendly Workplace at DaimlerChrysler

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

This manager in India was faced with a poor-performing team and tremendous pressure to turn it around. To tackle this pressing problem, he took a surprising and totally unconventional approach: He fostered workplace friendships.

Managing the Value of Your Brand

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Many companies seek to enhance their brand value. But before they do that, they must first ask: Where does that value come from? The answer isn't as simple as you might think.

China's Car Craze Is Cooling

Thu, 12 May 2005 00:00:00 GMT

In an effort to recapture sales momentum, automakers in China are slashing prices. But will this approach build long-term brand relationships?

Why Satisfaction Isn't Satisfying

Thu, 11 Nov 2004 00:00:00 GMT

Car buyers and dealers are disenchanted with customer satisfaction ratings. It's time for the industry to measure what matters most: customer engagement.

Why Car Buyers Buy

Thu, 14 Oct 2004 00:00:00 GMT

The auto industry continues to ignore the enormous impact of consumer emotions. This despite the fact that research reveals that auto buyers are motivated not just by confidence in vehicle performance but also by real passion for the brand.

Toyota Applies Quality Management to People

Thu, 14 Aug 2003 00:00:00 GMT

Toyota is one of the best-run companies in the world. Much of its success is due to "lean thinking," a concept that aims to create additional value for the end customer, according to Mike Morrison, Dean of Toyota University. Morrison recently spoke with Gabriel Gonzalez-Molina, Ph.D., Gallup's Global Practice Leader of Path Management Practices and co-author of the book, Follow This Path, about his management discoveries.

Audi's Drive to Service Excellence

Thu, 10 Apr 2003 00:00:00 GMT

In 1996, Audi ranked dead last among luxury makes in the United Kingdom on traditional measures of owner satisfaction and loyalty. So the company developed an ambitious plan to reinvent Audi UK from the ground up. Audi's stunning success offers a model of how to drive growth and engineer a dramatic turnaround by creating a superior customer experience.

Killing the Brand

Thu, 13 Feb 2003 00:00:00 GMT

The first rule for building a great brand is "Don't make promises you can't keep." But companies fail to deliver on their promises. Why? And what are the consequences?

All Together Now

Fri, 15 Mar 2002 00:00:00 GMT

Team-building was a high priority when Toyota Motor Sales USA opened its parts center in California in October 1996. Toyota's concerted effort to create great teams -- and the productivity that resulted -- illuminates what makes teams truly effective.

The Human Side of Brand

Sun, 17 Jun 2001 00:00:00 GMT

Imagine meeting your car dealer for lunch just to catch up. Or imagine a mechanic at the dealership working late because he promised your car would be back to you on time. Sound like a fantasy? Not at Audi USA. So how has Audi transformed branding from a cut-and-dried marketing practice into a force that releases and directs human energy?