Influx

VW are serious about doing something different in the US market. The company lost over $1 billion last year, so it’s taking action. It has sent a team out from Germany to investigate and report back to HQ.

It seems interesting that the German HQ wants to send its own team over, rather than relying on the expertise and experience of its US office. However, there’s a real benefit to the head office understanding the extent of the brand’s problems in the US first hand. This is especially important given the various reports of disputes between the US and Germany over the Phaeton and Touraeg naming.

The group, who’s been in the US since April, appear to learning.

“I didn’t discover the real urgency of the situation until we experienced the market firsthand once we got here and talked to Volkswagen dealers,” Arne Harms of VW’s quality assurance department.

The project team, codenamed “Moonraker” is based outside Malibu. The teams plans include; research with dealers, prospects, customers and conversations with leading US brands including; Apple, Nike, 3M and Starbucks.

VW’s approach seems intelligent for a number of reasons;

1. Not relying on the US office or third parties to tell them the situation, instead they are going out and discovering it for themselves

2. Going beyond their core franchise and talking to brands that have achieved success in the marketplace

3. Spending time to understand the issues. The Moonraker project will last 13 months, not 13 weeks.