ABSTRACT
The automotive industry has been a leader in managing complexities in technologies, product development, global supply, production, distribu tion and sales and marketing.
However, the industry has largely failed to deliver at the customer end of the supply chain: in the critical areas of sales, service and support. Customers today are expecting high levels of service, ample information and open, honest pricing. Their rising dissatisfaction with the traditional car-purchasing experience is forcing change. This chapter describes how the industry can make the break from its production-driven push-based sales, marketing and distribution traditions and redesign its customer service and supply chain activities around a pull-based system. By putting the customer firmly in the driver’s seat in the supply chain, man ufacturers will be able to respond more quickly and cost effectively to customers’ needs.
