Mary Barra’s first couple of months as CEO of General Motors have been anything but easy. The career long GM employee has been and will continue to be under the close watch of customers, investors and industry analysts while GM deals with the recall of 2.5 million of its small cars over faulty ignition switches and the resulting swarm of lawsuits and government investigations.
GM released five online videos last week addressing customer concerns in regards to the recall. The Detroit Free Press says Barra’s personable nature, which is evident in the videos, will be an asset to the company as it attempts to move forward from the recalls.
“We intend to make this recall as smooth as possible for you so we will not let it ever happen again,” Barra pledged. “We will learn from this, and we will be a better company.”
Barra is set to testify before Congress on Tuesday and Wednesday as to why GM failed to address the faulty ignition switches earlier, after an internal investigation revealed the company may have known about the issue as early as 2001. She is looking to appease any uncertainties customers have about the defect through a publicity campaign, which included the online videos, a press conference with reporters and an Op-Ed in USA Today.
“If you look at the average car buyer in America, they are expecting a General Motors CEO out of central casting,” Matt Friedman, a member of the Michigan-based strategic communications firm Tanner Friedman told the Free Press. “Mary Barra does not fit that profile. I think that will be a pleasant surprise to car buyers who today don’t know what she is. But next week they will.”
“There is some comfort the public has in seeing humanity,” Friedman added.
Barra has ordered an internal review to discover why it took so long for GM recall the affected vehicles. She has hired the same bankruptcy examiner who was appointed to investigate the now defunct investment banking firm Lehman Brothers, Tony Valukas.
Comments
Lets’s hope that she drives a Cadillac ELR or a Chevy Volt for her meeting with Congress.
Follow the link to the Fast Lane page and watch the videos. This shows how serious Mary Barra is taking this issue, and how believable she is as the new CEO. I wish her all the success in the world because GM had many past problems that she must follow, but she is taking the new ones head on!
Let’s face it, the Old GM was Fools & Idiots all about market share and getting whatever out there for the sake of just that. The New GM is about making great cars despite market share, this New GM is Owning this Issue even from the past and not only just owning it but unlike Toyota who still says “There’s No Problem with their cars” because they know people will keep them #1 regardless, but GM is showing everyone that they will recall Everything they believe that will potentially Harm or cause Stress to the consumer regardless of Public Opinion or Reaction…………..How can you not like this direction they’re going!!!!!
While I agree that the new GM is doing everything right here and even going overboard on the recalls is a positive thing at this point.
The problem with old GM is was not fools and idiots for market share as much as many other more serious issues that we are just now hearing about.
The real issues were that they have been nearly broke for a very long time and only survived on volume and stock prices.
They also had a very damaged culture inside GM that so many parts of the company had no idea what the rest was doing.
GM was like a human body with heart, Kidney and Reparatory failure due to one not working with the other. Bob Lutz book only pointed out a few issues and we will see and hear about more as they fix things.
This recall pointed out a failed system inside GM to make sure problems were taken care of and that people who were responsible would make the call. Mary has taken a broken system and fixed it so this should only make GM a much more responsive company in the future. What damage this has done will pass in time and these changes will make for better products.
I believe that the old CEO Dan Akerson of GM left because he knew what was going on and did not want to deal with the problem. Mary Barra’s was put in her position on January 15, 2014, and she became the 1st women CEO of GM. That made her the person whom would have to deal with the problems of all these cars on recall, and the deaths of all of these people. Why should she be put on the HOT SEAT when she was not the CEO responsible for what had happened, and why has Dan Akerson the CEO before Mary Barra not having to testify before Congress? Was Mary Barra given the CEO position because she was a woman whom has a heart and feelings?
Dear Ms. Barra,
I would like to go on record, to let you know that I admire the way you handle yourself during the grilling episodes from our so called government. I was a Republican and am no longer a one sided voter.
I have been related to the GM family since by Grandfather CARL V MICHAEL, worked in Buick, as a line man in the 50’s . My father CARL EDWARD MICHAEL, worked in Buick, up to a Foreman, in the 70’s. My brother, Carl Douglas Michael, worked in Buick, up to a Foreman in the 90’s.
My own husband WILLIAM ROBERT CROMWELL, worked the line for 31 years in the ChEVY V-8 Engine. I have been witness to the shady dealing of GM and I have also lived the rewarded life of a GM provider.
I want you to know that I back you 100%, and that the way you conduct yourself in those hearings make me, as a woman proud. Our government is due for a major overhaul and I for one will support all who deal with them, in their own truth findings.
I truly want you to know that I am watching and cheering for you and your responses to the deaths and hope that you will not feel alone.
Sincerely, Carolyn Michael Cromwell
She nailed it.
Thanks for the rental, Mary!