Porsche 2004 Annual Report Download - page 43

There is an increasing trend toward individualization of Porsche vehicles,
by selecting items from a large number available from the manufacturer.
receive the necessary knowledge concerning Porsche vehicles as
soon as they become available.
Successful Start for New Sales Department
With the aim of further improving long-term relationships with cus-
tomers, a new department was established during the review year
within Sales to perform tasks relating to Customer Relations. The
central inquiry and complaint management department (Customer
Commitment) was also enlarged. The associated development of
process and communication standards helps to ensure that Porsche
approaches customers in a unified, coordinated manner.
Following introduction of suitable software, it is now possible for
all matters raised by customers to be dealt with simultaneously and
with no information loss. In addition, a preliminary survey on the
build-up of “Customer Care Centers” for various subsidiary companies
was completed during the review year, with the aim of bringing them
closer in touch with customers’ wishes.
The project devoted to the introduction of a central Customer Re-
lations Management system made considerable progress. The “CRM
at Porsche” system defines Porsche’s unified approach to the inte-
gration and optimization of all customer-related marketing, sales and
service processes, using a joint customer database. Within only a few
months of the review year it proved possible to complete the require-
ment and conceptual phases for the seven participating markets.
A prototype was installed successfully in the USA. By the end of 2007,
the first stage will have been introduced step by step in the selected
markets.
Porsche Leipzig as a Center of Attraction
With 50,000 visitors and almost 400 events, the Porsche plant in
Leipzig was once again a popular venue in the year under review.
Well over 10,000 customers and guests drove the Cayenne on the
plant’s own breaking-in and proving-ground track or left the beaten
track and took this sporty off-road vehicle around the company’s
six-kilometer long off-road circuit, which provides every facility for
intensive testing of the vehicle’s rough-terrain capabilities.
Whereas it is particularly at weekends that the Porsche plant in
Leipzig attracts potential customers who wish to try out their driving
skills in safety training sessions on one of the various test tracks,
customers wishing to collect the vehicles they have purchased from
the plant that has manufactured them tend to arrive on weekdays.
This provision for collecting a new Cayenne or a Carrera GT directly
from Porsche is especially popular because of a feature that Porsche
has introduced in Leipzig: “dynamic vehicle familiarization” is under-
taken on a vehicle with approximately the same specification, and
the handling limits deliberately explored in order to demonstrate the
technical assistance devices that the car has available in such cir-
cumstances and how the driver himself or herself should best react.
Increasing Vehicle Customization Trend
With its Exclusive and Tequipment programs, Porsche offers its
customers an opportunity of customizing their cars in an individual,
exclusive manner, either ex factory or by retrofitting. Both these
business areas uphold Porsche’s classic brand values: innovation,
sports character, design and individuality. They bear out the com-
pany’s competence as a supplier of sports vehicles that are notable
for an unsurpassed degree of individual character.
In the 2004/05 fiscal year the trend toward individually equipped
vehicles was once again significantly greater than before. Products
for the customization of the new 911 and the Boxster were in particu-
larly strong demand, but the wide range of products available for the
Cayenne also contributed significantly to the most welcome business
progress made in the Exclusive and Tequipment business areas.
In order to be able to satisfy this continuing strong demand and
offer customers the maximum level of exclusivity and individuality,
the Exclusive and Tequipment business areas were combined in
the review year and now form a single unit within the Sales division.
Exclusive offers Extensive Scope for Customizing
Porsche Exclusive offers a large number of opportunities for vehicles
to be supplied ex factory with modified or additional technical and
visual features, both inside and externally. The Exclusive program
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