GM Vehicle Tracking Is A Major Problem: Opinion
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In the age of instant gratification, General Motors’ dealer-centric business is out of step in certain respects. Rather than providing the sort of on-demand information and clarity that modern customers expect, the current GM vehicle tracking system is cumbersome and vague, failing to connect customers with the info they want time and again.
Let’s set up a hypothetical. Let’s say a GM customer decides to order a vehicle, rather than pick one up off the lot. Maybe they want a specific option or configuration not in the dealer’s inventory. It could be something as simple as a paint color. Either way, the dealer doesn’t have it and can’t find it from another dealer to trade, so an order is placed. We estimate that at least 10 percent of new vehicle purchases are through orders like this.
After placing the order, the customer makes a down payment, then receives an order number. It’s at that point that the customer is basically thrown into a murky abyss with regard to the status of their order, and the current system of GM vehicle tracking simply isn’t up to task.
Unsure where to turn for more info on their order, perhaps the customer turns to the various GM brand websites, starting a chat with some faceless rep at the other end of the wire. However, no new info can be gleaned, so instead the customer goes back to the dealer.
Unfortunately, the dealer is more or less in the dark as well. The current GM vehicle tracking system is set up around a long list of event codes, most of which are ambiguous and less than helpful. To make matters worse, the dealer is more focused on selling cars than it is tracking orders, so even getting that less-than-helpful info in-hand can be an exercise in futility as the customer tries to get a hold of someone to actually help them.
The lack of tangible, helpful information in GM vehicle tracking is particularly troublesome in an era where you can literally track a package via GPS as it approaches your house. This isn’t lost on GM’s competitors – BMW, for example, has a system where customers can not only view their vehicle order build date, but can watch a live online video stream of their vehicle being built at the factory.
The cumbersome GM vehicle tracking system becomes even more problematic when dealing with incentives, which are based on when the customer takes delivery of the vehicle. For example, if a customer buys a Cadillac CT6 in February to take advantage of some new incentive, they can coordinate with the dealer to have it register as “delivered” that month, then sign all the paperwork and start payments. However, if the vehicle is delayed for quality control, it might not show up for a month and a half. That is very frustrating for a customer paying money for a vehicle they don’t even have
The problem is that the current GM vehicle tracking system is geared towards getting the vehicle to the dealer, where the customer can then take delivery. As such, transparency for the customer is more or less nonexistent.
There have been some efforts to rectify situation. GMAuthority, for example, once offered GM vehicle tracking services for free to our community, but eventually, the lack of data made it impossible.
GM certainly has the capability to make a digital system that works for the customer. Cadillac Live, for example, will provide an interactive tour of a given model for interested buyers – just set up a time, and sit back as a product specialist answers question in real time while live streaming video of the latest vehicles.
So why not something like that for GM vehicle tracking after the purchase is made?
Do you agree that GM vehicle tracking is a major problem? Let us know in the comments, and make sure to subscribe to GM Authority for ongoing GM news coverage.
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TOTALLY RELATABLE AND TRUE, I ORDERED A SIERRA IN JANUARY TO THIS DAY I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT IS GOING ON, NOOR DOES THE DEALER.
Speaking as a dealer in Canada, the system is not that complicated for a dealer – who should be able to relay to their customers. There is a period while the vehicle waits for a production date, but once a build date is assigned we have a pretty good idea of when vehicle will arrive and can monitor shipping status via the rail company. While not a one click process, its not as “in the dark” as described. Even incentives can be held from order date to delivery date. In fact the customer can choose the better of the two options. Except for Lease residuals – those are date of delivery only. The only real challenge is orders not picked up by GM for production due to factory constraints or other factors. At that point you don’t know when GM might be able to build the vehicle.
Don’t know how GM does it in Canada, but in the US the customer has to take “delivery” of the vehicle during the incentive period to take advantage of the incentive. It could be a paper delivery if the vehicle is not on the ground but it has to be produced and invoice to the dealer in order to be reported as delivered. And the customer gets the incentives in place on date of delivery, not when ordered, so they could be better could or worse. But there’s no holding Incentives for two months or whatever.
And the status codes often mean nothing since the information often isn’t updated in a timely fashion. Plus a vehicle could be at event code like a “ 4B00” bayed status for a long time Which means it’s been built but is sitting someplace with no explanation at all why it’s not moving towards the dealership
Also shipping is a real headache. Vehicles can take a month and a half after being produced to come in or you might be there in two weeks.
The system is not a dealer or consumer friendly at all.
But you do know. I just told you how they do it. And yes a vehicle can stay in an event code for a period of time – but it is a fairly consistent amount of time. Shockingly, when moving large items by rail there are going to be waiting periods when transferring lines, on and off loading vehicles and shipping by truck to the dealer. GM provides guidelines on how long these usually take and it turns out those are usually pretty accurate barring outside forces such as rail blockages, unusual weather etc.
Why is this even an issue or a story? All the manufacturers transport the same way and would have the exact same process and timelines.
As long as GM has been in business one would think the system would be almost perfect.
GM’ s CEO needs to start considering the Customer and the Dealer so GM’s image could improve.
They first need to better do the dealer inventory. I just saw GMC has opened their search up to 2000 miles. Kit makes finding a vehicle so much easier.
I always wanted to order a vehicle but with so few combinations anymore you generally can find what you want on the lots.
Maybe some day. I want to do the a Museum puck up on a Vette.
This conversation makes little sense. You’re complaining that a system designed for manufacturing and delivery is not consumer friendly. It was never meant to be. It is an internal system that works rather well for what it’s intended to do. If you want something for the customer to use, say that. Don’t just bitch for the sake of bitching.
They suck at it all around. Having ordered 3 vehicles between 1996 to present nothing has changed in this span of time
This is interesting as I recently came across an old film on YouTube about GM’s logistics efforts/struggles from the 1970s. Same complaints about lack of clarity then, so it’s not a new issue at all. If you have a few minutes, I highly recommend checking it out, just search 1970s GENERAL MOTORS RAILROAD LOGISTICS from Periscope Film.
1st world problems…..
Tell me about ordering frustration! I ordered an AT4, had a vehicle ID, and GM could not find the vehicle for a month! They had no idea where the vehicle was. Seventeen weeks later, I finally got my truck. Not a happy customer.
This is an issue.
I was talking with my salesman at the dealer recently. I had noticed earlier on the dealer website that a certain CT5 was “in transit”. He looked it up on line and explained the event codes etc. The particular car was, he explained. “Somewhere” between the factory and the dealer, likely at the local rail yard. That’s as specific as he could get.
He then told me a story of a car a good customer had ordered. The “codes” showed it was at the rail yard. Trying to locate it, he called the yard every morning for a week and still couldn’t get a definite answer. Finally, he drove to the yard and demanded to know. It was there, and finally trucked to the dealer a few days later.
I guess the lesson is that most of the trouble here starts when the car leaves the factory and “disappears” into the vast chasm that is “in transit”.
They really should apply the incentives for when the vehicle was ordered. I looked into ordering specific vehicle but wasn’t ok not knowing what I would pay until it arrived. I almost switched brands because of this. By chance the specific vehicle was available when incentives were good. GM basically got my 50k because I was lucky. Not a good business model.
The reason they have incentives is to help clear dealer stock/move certain models/trims you are lucky if you get the incentives when it gets to the dealer some say must take delivery from dealer stock. If they gave rebates the day of order dealers might reduce their inventory they have to pay for or pay interest on there stock
Nobody “demanded” anything from the rail company. If someone did, that car would sit there for two more months. You DO NOT demand anything from those folks.
The main purpose for incentives is to move iron off the dealer’s lot. Not to order vehicles.
GM did not get you’re $50 K. The dealer did.
On a car forum last week i read that a guy in Canada has ordered several vehicles from GM last several years. He said he was always received the best incentives there was on that vehicle through the order and delivery period.
I had a family member in Iowa that has just taken delivery on a Dodge Ram that he ordered and the same process was in place. He was told he would get the best incentives Dodge had during the same period.
I have ordered most of my vehicles, most being GM, and GM has never treated me that good.
Now when I build a truck online and search there are no trucks in 1500 miles that fit that build.
I think GM REALLY NEEDS TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND DO A BETTER JOB TAKING CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS WHEN ORDERING A VEHICLE.
I have never put a down payment on a vehicle when ordering and never will until it comes in.
Please GM fix this problem and fix the tracking problem also.
Please be more customer friendly when ordering a new vehicle.
The customer should not be penalized for buying a new vehicle that they want to purchase from your company. That is another good way to push customers to other brands.
A few thoughts…
– GM has incentives in place that change monthly and are largely geared toward helping their dealers sell their ground stock of inventory. These incentive do change frequently, and if the dealer is doing a good job, they’ll convey to the customer that there is some risk to them should an incentive go down between the time of order and the time their vehicle arrives at the dealership for delivery.
– Although subject to disagreement, GM’s breadth of product and build complexity is seen as a customer advantage, especially when you’re talking pickup trucks. I’ve always said that, with the exception of HD pickups, GM could follow the Honda lead and smash the majority of their build complexity, and likely not lose a single customer. All that said, GM dealers don’t stock generic widgets, and having 20,000 build combinations does create challenges. I remember back in the early/mid 90’s when GM experimented with their Blazers/Jimmy’s and Cadillacs with a logistics/ordering system called CXD (Customer Express Delivery)… geometrically fewer build combinations, 3-5 day order fulfillment, etc. It worked, but GM bailed on it when they werent confident enough in their own ability to NOT build too many units.
– $#!+ happens between the time of order and time of delivery to the dealership. It doesn’t mean GM is a bad company, but sometimes its best NOT to know what goes into sausage…while the majority of ordered vehicles come through the process without an issue, does the end consumer of the anomaly order benefit from transparency?
I do believe that with GM’s move toward electrification and advanced mobility, you’re going to see most of the bad manufacturing/logistics issues vaporize. Build simplicity will be critical in terms of hitting cost/margin goals, and whatever the dealer/retailer process looks like, the days of going down to the Chevy store to see 900 units in stock will be gone.
Just my three cents worth…
Thanks for this article on the GM tracking system. Last month I ordered a 2020 GMC Sierra Denali crew cab. Once the order was in my salesperson was useless. Mater fact he was useless from the very beginning. After all the dust settles, I will tell the manager I need half his commission because I did all the work. He was justing hanging on my coat tails. After the dealer was no help I got on line and found your forum. I learned I could go to GM.com with my order number and chat with a person and found small bit of information which was better than nothing. Thanks for your information.
Tracking by the customer would be a great service. We need to make plans, like having a trip planned,
lease ending considerations, repair current car, etc.
Ordering has it pros and cons, to get what you want. Sometimes we might miss an incentive, but also
avoid some options we don’t want, so we break even.