Chevrolet marked a milestone as it celebrated 100 years of Chevy pickups on December 16 for a centennial celebration. At the Texas Motor Speedway, the brand invited loyal owners for exclusive access to the event, and even showed off the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado for the first time.
Loyalty was a common phrase tossed around after 100 years of Chevy trucks, and executives believe it will propel the Silverado to continued success in the future. Automotive News spoke with a couple of Chevrolet executives who provided their thoughts on the Silverado’s loyal customers and what it means to be a “Chevy guy or gal.” Ask owners and they conjure a few thoughts on Chevy pickups: it’s tradition, family and a disdain for Ford.
Alan Batey, GM North America President, phrased the blunt owner comments a different way.
“The loyalty is really at the heart of everything we want to do,” he said. “Everything we’re doing is to build the most loyal customers we can in the industry, because it’s just the right thing for our business.”
And GM has everything to lose in the pickup truck segment. The vehicles are a major source of profits for the automaker and accounted for more than 30 percent of its U.S. sales in 2017. Combining GMC Sierra and Chevy Silverado sales, the figure strips Ford of its best-selling truck title, and GM is on track to sell over 900,000 pickups this year alone.
One of the small tokens of appreciation Chevrolet introduced for its loyal customers is the Truck Legends program. The program launched nationwide earlier this year and allows owners of Chevy trucks with more than 100,000 miles—or owners who have bought or leased more than two trucks in their lifetime—to gain exclusive access to events and merchandise. According to Sandor Piszar, Chevy trucks marketing director, the program has over 30,000 members now.
“It’s really surpassed our expectations,” he said. “There’s certainly a business aspect to it … but it’s a great opportunity to hear their voice, what are they interested in … and just to recognize their loyalty to the brand. That’s really invaluable for us.”
Comments
Yes brand loyalty here is what supports the stability of the Chevy truck brand. It is a given GM will sell 2 million trucks no matter what.
But to grow the brand it takes careful pricing, new features and improved quality.
Ford plays hard on features and Ram discounts the price to a large degree and both pick up the unloyal to anyone sales.
I am a 3rd generation GM truck owner. All of my family own GM trucks. I am on my 4th Silverado. There is no comparison between a F-150 and a Silverado in my book. I don’t believe in purchasing rice burning trucks.
I am looking forward to see the new 2019 Silverado. I hope it can knock the F-150 off it sales crown.
Personally, I think the reason for Fords high sales #’s, are due to fleets, the F150 is the cheapest truck, but not so much anymore with the Aluminum and stuff. If Chevy does keep the “old” Silverado around, Ithink they will severely dent Ford’s market share.
Ford does a ton of low profit fleet sales.
I would wager if you took the profit numbers of each truck GM makes more money on trucks than Ford.
Might note the stock prices and it is telling who has done a better job on profits and controlling cost.
Only in your dream f150 is the king of the roads
I have been driving Chevrolet pickups for over 42 years, as well as many other brands of GM products for over 50 plus years. When you got a great product you stick with it. I have also used GM Medium Duty products in business. I’m retired now but I think many fleets will be looking forward to the new line of Chevrolet Medium Duty Trucks.
In both Personal & Business I’m a loyal GM Customer there won’t be any brand in my garage.
One Satisfied Customer.
I certainly do not fit in to the category of blind loyalty! I buy the vehicle that I find (through objective research) serves my purpose best. I currently drive a Silverado (company work truck) but of current offerings I would buy the F-150.
Having said that I’m impressed with what I’ve seen so far of the new Silverado! I do hope it has rear AC in crew cab, one touch up/down windows, a new 8 or 10 speed auto, steering wheel position centered, and better grade leather in LTZ trim.
That f150 really isnt for me… oh wait. Thats a gm?
I drove Chevrolet before then real quick traded in for f150 no more Chevrolet for me that’s for sure
May I ask why and what if anything that chevy can do to change your mind? I like GM trucks but I think they could do better. it’s good to satisfy your loyal customers but they should also make it hard for the non loyalist to ignore them.
Being a loyal GM owner should mean something to the leaders of GM. They should put them in promotions and make commercials about them. Also give big huge discounts for people how have been life long GM owners! Give people a real reason to never cross that enemy line and buy from a competitor.
I come from a GM only family, I am 44 years old and I have only owned chevys in my life! This type of loyalty should be praised inside the walls of GM. I love talking to men and women who have similar stories about being a life long GM customer! I have the up most respect for these people who actually know what the word loyalty means! And to the people who don’t have a loyal bone in their bodies, I have zero respect for you. Have some back bone for once in your life!
I have a 1970 C10 that my dad purchased when I was 5 days old, that was the start of my passion and love for chevy and therefore GM and it still exist today. I would never walk across that line and buy from the enemy I mean competitor!
Long live GM! Better days are coming! Get on the train now or get left behind!
It’s all been done many times by all brands.
Chevy has used customers in the past and they often give loyalty discounts.
But in today’s market they want to try to gain all the buyers they can. Hence Employee pricing or even the $10k incentives.
The funny thing is, those who are blindly loyal to any brand including a F150 owner simply wouldn’t even go to a competing dealership to test drive another automakers truck…If you’re an Android person, when the iPhone comes out, do you run to the Apple store to check out the latest competition? Nope, you simply don’t care…I have never owned a ford, have owned 2 Cadillacs and 6 Chevys including the vehicle I drive now; two Chevys were trucks, I test drove the big 3 trucks and even Toyotas, I simply liked Chevys offering at the time so I bought them…
Yes but there are people like yourself who will try the competition. Some of those people who are willing to try another brand might change their mind given a good enough reason. What I am saying is that GM should leave no stone unturned to be the best choice for your money. Who knows with a few minds changed her and a few there they could steal Ford crown and become the best selling Pickup on the market.
I won’t step into a Ford dealer! I don’t even care to hear about what the competition is doing with their cars and trucks! It’s called loyalty for a reason! There’s Nothing the competition could do to make me stop being a Chevy Guy/GM guy!
The only thing that could force me to change is if GM went out of business! And hopefully that never happens!
Loyalty must be earned, and earned again and again. Automakers are after all asking consumers to buy and then buy again and again. Loyalty must therefore be reciprocated! And when automakers build mediocre products (as they sometimes do) they really shouldn’t be surprised when many consumers purchase or lease elsewhere.
Thankfully most seem to be more aware and considerate of this today and are building better vehicles.
Like any discernible consumer I’m going to buy based on value for my hard earned money, as a $50,000 truck / car is a big ticket item!
Loyalty must be earned, and earned again and again. Automakers are after all asking consumers to buy and then buy again and again. Loyalty must therefore be reciprocated! And when automakers build mediocre products (as they sometimes do) they really shouldn’t be surprised when many consumers purchase or lease elsewhere.
That’s not the definition of loyalty! That’s the definition of trying to fit in! Following what the rest of the industry is doing! That attitude makes me sick to my stomach and I lose all respect for that person!
Picking a car or truck brand is like picking a team to be a fan of, once you pick your team that’s your team for life. A automotive brand should be no different. Do I have respect for a guy that is a redskins fan this week or year and a cowboys fan the next week or year after? None! In fact that guy would and should get laughed out of the building for doing so!
Saying your a Chevy guy or a GM guy should mean something these days like it use to. I am proud to know that I live by those principles and values weather other people like of dislike them.
Loyality is not about jumping from what’s in or what’s hot in the world, loyalty is about knowing that there are ups and downs and you go along for the ride knowing that the bowtie will never go away and will always be part of my life!
When I hear about people moving from one make to another it makes me question a person’s character! Makes me wonder if I can trust this person! And trust is very important to me. But I guess we live in a time when these principles of life are not are important to people which is sad!
Loyalty, trust, back bone, integrity, not running when things get difficult, fighting threw the tough times, not taking the easy way out. These are things i believe in. I guess other people seem to live by different standards!
Now you know why I don’t have any respect for them!
I guess something said must have hit home there eh? Lots of people don’t respect you either! Get over it!
Football teams often trade or sell players – so by your definition they are not that loyal either 🙁
And Calm down – you’re sounding like Tammie Wynette in “stand by your man”.
I was going to write a long winded response but settled on this oversimplification; you do realize not everyone cares if one individual has respect them or not?
Things always change, it’s possible what made one fall in love with something in first place could be forever gone…For whatever reason GM may need to build the Silverado in China…China and many European countries have already placed future bans on ICE vehicles and California has stated they want to pass a ban in 2040 and once California passes something other states will follow…A Silverado loyalist may have fell in love driving a manual and loud V8 Silverado, but by 2050 the Silverado may have evolved into a silent self-driving EV without a steering wheel built in China…
By then it won’t matter to me. If I am still alive I will be well over 100 and not likely driving anything.
In this case (vehicle purchases) I don’t see loyalty in that way. You sound like you’re describing a marriage / family relations or business partnership. I’m very passionate about vehicles, always have been and always will be. But I’m also out to spend my money wisely (like many need to be – especially in these days) so I’m open minded and prefer learning what the other automakers have to offer (GM does this also!) and so I will continue to purchase based on objective research.
I have owned many GM vehicles and will continue to. But I will own others too (currently own VW Touareg Wolfsburg, Mustang GT Premium coupe and Jaguar XK convertible).
When I replace my Mustang by 2020 it may well be for the Camaro SS. Or maybe the Lexus RC F.