汽车营销类外文文献翻译英文翻译汽车行业渠道的转变文档格式.docx

汽车营销类外文文献翻译英文翻译汽车行业渠道的转变文档格式.docx

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Whowillbethewinnersandlosersintherevolutionthatisradicallyreshapingthemarketing,distributionandsellingofautomobiles?

Willthevehiclemanufacturersandtheirfranchised-dealernetworksbeabletoovercomeyearsofinertiaandcomplacencytopioneerandexecutenewconceptsthatwillstrengthenandextendthevalueoftheirbrands?

Orwillnimbler,moreimaginativeretailersorsoftwarecompaniesgettherefirst?

Thetransformationofthebusinessofsellingcarsandtrucksishappeningbeforeoureyesatanincrediblepace--promisingtochangeforeveranindustrythathaslongbeennotedforitshighcosts,poorserviceandextremelyunpleasantsellingprocess.Automanufacturershavecompetedfiercelyamongthemselvestodriveoutcostandmeetconsumerneedsforcheaperandbettercarsandtrucks.Nowthesurvivorsfacenewthreatsfromoutsidetheindustrythatmightthwarttheirrenewedinterestinbuildingstrong,lastingrelationshipswiththeircustomers.

Entrepreneurshavedissectedthecost-valueequationandcomeupwithnewretailconcepts.Theirstorieshavebeenpersuasiveenoughtoattracthundredsofmillionsofdollarsinpublicequityinvestmentandpersuadedozensoffiercelyindependentcardealerstosellout.Internettechnologyhasloweredentrybarriersforotherentrepreneurswithnewideasabouthelpingcustomersfind,evaluateandbuynewvehicles.Thesepatternsareconsistentwithrevolutionsinotherconsumerdurablesmarketsthateffectivelytransferredmarketpowerfrommanufacturerstoretailers.

Consumersaretheonlyclearwinnersinthisbattle.Whilewearenotsurewhichvehiclemanufacturerswillsurvive,weareconfidentthatwinningwillrequireabetterunderstandingofthelife-cyclevalueequationsofbothcarsandbuyers,andthedevelopmentofinnovativestrategiestocapturethatvalue.

FORCESOFCHANGE

FromthedaysofHenryFord'

sproductionline,theautomobileindustryhasbeenbasedona"

supply-push"

philosophy--astrongbiastoward"

fillingthefactories"

tocoverhighfixedcosts.

Dealernetworkswerecreatedaslogicalextensionsofthe"

model.Thenetworksweredesignedtoholdinventory,leverageprivatecapital（withoutthreateningthemanufacturers'

control）andserviceandsupportwhatwasthenalessreliableandmoremaintenance-intensiveproduct.Thosenetworksgenerallywerebuiltaroundentrepreneursfocusedonadefinedgeographicarea,sellingoneoratmosttwobrands.

Despiteitslongevity,thetraditionaldealerchannelleavesmanypeopleunhappy.Highcustomeracquisitioncostsmotivatedealerstoconvertstoretraffictosalesusingaggressivetacticsthatextractdifferentialmarginsbasedoncustomers'

willingnesstopay.Frequentwell-publicizedrebateshavetaughtbuyerstomistruststickerpricesandnegotiatefromcostup,ratherthanstickerdown.Asaresult,dealersoftenfindthemselvescompetingnotagainstanotherbrand,butagainstasame-makedealeracrosstown.ThisacutecompetitionhasalmostbidawaydealerprofitonthesaleofnewpassengercarsintheUnitedStates（withsomeprofitsstillavailableonsalesoftrucks,sportutilityvehiclesandluxurycars）.

Shrinkingdealermarginsdonottranslateintohappycustomers:

Mostcustomers（approximatelyfouroutoffive）dislikethepurchaseprocess,andmanystillcomeawayfeelingcheatedandmistreated.ThisstrongantipathyislargelyresponsiblefortherapidgrowthofInternet-basedservicesthatofferalternativemeansofgatheringinformationoncars,solicitingpricequotesand,insomecases,conductingtransactions.

SURFINGTHENETFORPROFITS

ObviouslytheInternetisamajorenablerofchangeinautodistribution.ManyofthemostimportantautoindustryinnovatorstodayaredevelopingWeb-basedservices,leadingsometopredictthatthemostimportantautomotivecompanyofthenextcenturywillbeasoftware-basedcompany.RepublicIndustries,forinstance,expectssalestoreach$1billionontheWorldWideWebbytheyear2000.Estimatesvary,butsomestudieshaveshownthatwithsomecars,asmanyas40percentofcustomersgatherinformationfromtheInternet.Asmallerbutgrowingpercentageofcustomersdemonstratewhatiscalledshoppingbehavior,orsolicitingpricequotationsandavailabilityinformationpriortotheactualpurchase.

ThedramaticgrowthandpowerofInternettechnologyhavegreatlyreducedthecostofobtaininginformationonfeatures,priceandavailability.Consequently,customersarebetterequippedtoextractwhattheywantfromdealerships.OneofthepioneersofInternetmarketing,AInc.,isworkingtospeedresponsetimefromitsparticipatingdealersbecauseithaslearnedthatastaggeringlyhighproportionofitscustomers--64percent--buywithin24hoursofusingitsservicetogetpriceandavailabilityquotes.TheInternetoffersnewandbetterwaystoperformmanysalesandmarketingfunctionsandmakesitpossibleformanufacturerstohavemoreandrichertwo-waycommunicationsdirectlywithconsumers.Ithasalsoprovided,fortheresttime,thecapabilityforchannelmarketingonanationaloreveninternationalscale,attackingfurtherthevalueofthetraditional,geographicallydependchannel. 

DEALERSSTILLPARTOFEQUATION

Nooneissuggesting,though,thatautodealerswilldisappear.Ironically,changesincarsandtrucksthemselvesaremakingdealersmoreimportant.Consumershavemorechoicesofbrandsandmodelsthaneverbefore.Improveddurabilityandreliabilityandfasterdesigncycleshavenarrowedthedifferencesamongcompetingproductsinthesamecategory.Brandloyaltyincreasinglyderivesnotfromtheproductitselfbutfromthetotalpurchaseandownershipexperience.Numerousstudiesshowthatcustomersatisfactionhasbecomeamuchmorecriticalcompetitivedifferentiatorandagreaterinfluenceonrepurchaseloyaltythanthecaritself.Anditisthedealerthatcontrolstheseleverstoday.（SeeExhibitII.）Thisexplainstheintenseeffortsmanyvehiclemanufacturershavemadetosetstandardsfor,measureandevenbasesomedealercompensationoncustomersatisfactionscores.

Asaresultofthehigh-cost,low-satisfactionpropositionprovidedbythetraditionaldealerchannelingeneral,manyplayershaverecentlymovedtocapitalizeonopportunitiesaffordedbyimprovingthechannel-valueequation.Entrepreneurswithaccesstopubliccapitalhavestrategicdesignstomodernizeautodistribution.SixdealergroupsintheUnitedStateswentpublicin1996-7.Collectivelytheysoaredpastthe$4billionmarkinrevenuein1997,upbymorethan30percentfrom1996,withmostofthegrowthcomingfromadditionalacquisitionsofexistingdealers.

ThemostprominentnewautomotiveindustryentrepreneurintheUnitedStatesisH.WayneHuizenga,chairmanofRepublicIndustries.Mr.Huizengahasaproventrackrecordasaninnovatorwhohasrevolutionizedthewastedisposalandvideorentalindustries.Republicownsthenation'

slargestgroupoffranchisedautomotivedealerships,operatestheAutoNationUSAused-vehiclemegastorechainandownsandoperatesseveralcarrentalbusinesses.Republiciscurrentlyonanextraordinaryacquisitioncampaignfornew-carbusinessdealerships.EventhoughRepublichasalmostsingle-handedlydoubledthemarketpricefordealerships,itdoesnotappeartobeslowingdown.

Nonetheless,manufacturersseemtobefollowing,notleading,therevolution.Manyarestillbeingpushedorkickedalongthepathofchange.Therearerealquestionswhethertheirlate--andinsomecaseshalf-hearted--responseswillbeenoughtoprotectthetraditionalpositionofthevehiclemanufacturerasthecallerofshotsintheautoindustry.

VISIONFORTHEFUTURE

Nowthatweseeseriouscracksinthewallsprotectingthetraditionalautomotivedistributionmodel,whatwillthefuturebring?

Boththeunderlyingdriversofchangeinautomotiveretailingandthetrendsalreadyunderwayhelpanswerthatquestion.Inaddition,itishelpfultocomparetheautomobileindustrywithotherindustriesthathaveexperienceddistribution-channelevolutionandlookatthelessonstheylearned.

Most　consumer-durableindustrieshaveundergonesubstantialdistribution-channelevolutionresultingfromchangesineconomics,regulationsortechnologies.Eachonehasuniquecircumstances,butwecanseethreerelativelycommon,distinctstagesinthesechannelrestructurings:

StageOne:

Thisismarkedbymajorimprovementsinvaluedelivered,mostlyreductionsincost.Usuallythecostreductionsstemfromconsolidationandrationalizationinthechannelasbetterconceptsorbiggerplayersdriveoutmarginalorsmallplayers.Thebiggerplayersusetheircostadvantagetoreducepricesandoftentoimproveservice,varietyandconvenience.

StageTwo:

Herechannelevolutionisfocusedonmeetingtheneedsofspecificcustomersegments.Channelfunctionsareunbundledandrestructuredintomoreefficientormoreappealingformatsfordefinedgroupsofcustomers.Customervalueisfurtherenhancedthroughlowerprices,betterserviceorgreatervariety.

StageThree:

Thisbringsdramaticnewparadigmsnotjustfordistributionbutfortheentirevaluechain.Full-serviceleasing（"

powerbythehour"

）intheheavy-duty-truckmarketisanexampleofthistypeofgame-changingconcept.

Weanticipatefivemajorchangesinfutureautomobiledistributionpatternsandpractices:

FORMINGASTRATEGICRESPONSE

Giventhisviewofthefuture,whatshouldamanufacturerormajorchannelplayerdo?

Appropriateresponsesaretosomeextentsituation-dependent,ofcourse,butwebeli