You can't assume reservations came in at a constant rate since March. There has to be some ups and downs there. You would think, however, that confirmations would be requested at a more consistent rate, in keeping with factory production.
Not that I am upset, but responding to someone who is upset by telling them to 'chill' is a good way to make them more upset.
This doesn't really affect me. Not having the car until late summer/fall makes some things easier for me.
Here is my issue: Despite what may make sense as far as distribution, I think that it is unfair for people who "reserved" a car to get it weeks after someone who reserved it after they did without being given any option to get their car earlier.
As a matter of fact, the "official" word from Smart on the reservation process is "Please be patient as the smart USA team will be contacting reservation holders based upon the date the reservation was placed." Don't see any mention of "based on location" in there.
This contributes to the uneasiness that I have with Smart USA.
My reservation letter says that I will be contacted by a dealer in the second half of 2007. Is that gonna happen? Nope. I won't even be able to "confirm" by then.
When were the dealership announcements supposed to be made? At the Road Show, I was told September.
How many more e-mails will I get from Smart with the subject "smart USA Newsletter, vol. 10"?
Here is my issue: Despite what may make sense as far as distribution, I think that it is unfair for people who "reserved" a car to get it weeks after someone who reserved it after they did without being given any option to get their car earlier.
Are we talking "fair" or "efficient distribution." Usually not the same thing.
The delay in the confirmation process is usually only a couple of weeks. Delivery won't be for over 6 months from time of confirmation. There are enough more hiccups that can happen over that length of time, including floods, fires, railway strikes, bridges going down, ships sinking. Adding a complication of moving around delivery points would only add more time, not shorten it.
Are we talking "fair" or "efficient distribution." Usually not the same thing.
The delay in the confirmation process is usually only a couple of weeks. Delivery won't be for over 6 months from time of confirmation.
Since the deliveries are more than 6 months out, why can't they a) just do confirmations in reservation order (like they said they would) and b) base their distribution on orders in hand? If they push forward the confirmation and purchase order process so that they have more firm orders in hand (rather than $99 reservations that people can easily back out of), they should be able to figure out an efficient distribution scheme in 6 months.
You can't assume reservations came in at a constant rate since March. There has to be some ups and downs there. You would think, however, that confirmations would be requested at a more consistent rate, in keeping with factory production.
Exactly, however I wasn't talking about reservations rates, but confirmation rates, which appear (to me at least) to be occurring at a rate faster then the estimated production rate can deliver. The bottomline is that I'm not actually concerned about all of this - in fact I'm a little worried that my "call" may come earlier then expected!
(I'm hoping to glean more info on the cabrio from you lucky 1173ers, before making my decision!)
Since the deliveries are more than 6 months out, why can't they a) just do confirmations in reservation order (like they said they would) and b) base their distribution on orders in hand? If they push forward the confirmation and purchase order process so that they have more firm orders in hand (rather than $99 reservations that people can easily back out of), they should be able to figure out an efficient distribution scheme in 6 months.
Confirmations are not really "firm orders" since its still just $99 with full refund. Confirmations are built to your specifications knowing full well that you may cancel your custom order at any time. So smart is still taking a risk there (granted the risk of selling all their cars seems kind of slim, now!)
Creating confirmations too early in the process would lead to additional cancellations since humans are inpatient beings. We would hope that the efficient distribution scheme includes putting out requests for confirmation as close to factory line production and distribution logistics as possible to cut down on the attrition caused by a long backlog.
Dealers can handle only so many cars at once, and the orders seemingly came in grouped in geography due to the road shows. For example Los Angeles was first stop, and they got most of their first orders from Southern California. Perhaps that is why SoCal has five dealerships within an hours drive opening next month.
I've now heard of as many as 50,000 reservations in hand. Nobody at Penske is talking about sales projections or production levels. But my dealer now tells me he's getting 65-75 cars per month, earlier they thought around 50. So something is happening at smartville. Perhaps we'll all be delighted when sales and production estimates finally come out of Smart USA.
Confirmations are not really "firm orders" since its still just $99 with full refund. Confirmations are built to your specifications knowing full well that you may cancel your custom order at any time. So smart is still taking a risk there (granted the risk of selling all their cars seems kind of slim, now!)
Did you even read what I wrote? I never implied that a reservation or confirmation was the same thing as a firm order. In fact, what I wrote implied that a firm order and a reservation/confirmation were different things ("firm orders in hand (rather than $99 reservations that people can easily back out of)").
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Creating confirmations too early in the process would lead to additional cancellations since humans are inpatient beings. We would hope that the efficient distribution scheme includes putting out requests for confirmation as close to factory line production and distribution logistics as possible to cut down on the attrition caused by a long backlog.
Creating confirmations too early? Smart USA told me that I would be talking to a dealer at this point. Excuse me for having my expectations set so high that I actually thought that the company would follow through on what they said they would do.
BTW, when I was considering buying a Mini (the BMW variety), I had to make the down payment and wait about 10 months. This was a car that had been selling in the US for a couple of years at the time.
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Dealers can handle only so many cars at once, and the orders seemingly came in grouped in geography due to the road shows.
Then they should give the purchaser the option to go to another dealer who can handle the order.
If Smart USA was going to do confirmations based on reservation date AND distribution issues, then they should have said that. If they started off with the intent of doing it based on reservation date and then changed it to also factor in distribution issues, then they should say it. Part of keeping your customer happy is communicating with them and managing expectations.
Did you even read what I wrote? I never implied that a reservation or confirmation was the same thing as a firm order. In fact, what I wrote implied that a firm order and a reservation/confirmation were different things ("firm orders in hand (rather than $99 reservations that people can easily back out of)").
Creating confirmations too early? Smart USA told me that I would be talking to a dealer at this point. Excuse me for having my expectations set so high that I actually thought that the company would follow through on what they said they would do.
BTW, when I was considering buying a Mini (the BMW variety), I had to make the down payment and wait about 10 months. This was a car that had been selling in the US for a couple of years at the time.
Then they should give the purchaser the option to go to another dealer who can handle the order.
If Smart USA was going to do confirmations based on reservation date AND distribution issues, then they should have said that. If they started off with the intent of doing it based on reservation date and then changed it to also factor in distribution issues, then they should say it. Part of keeping your customer happy is communicating with them and managing expectations.
Sorry, thought you were using "firm order" in the same context Roger Penske did when he said 90% of the registrations were turning into "firm orders." As far as all of know, nobody has made a "firm order" yet.
Smart USA is behind schedule, I admit. Perhaps by about 4-6 weeks, forgivable IMHO, not forgivable by the impatient.
Good thing you haven't put any "real money" down yet on the car or you'd be hitting the ceiling by now.
I think all the fuss about confirmations coming a bit out of sequence is a lot about nothing. Perhaps they should make everyone else wait until they can fill the orders for you at your dealership first? Seems to me that would be the best for you.
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