StomperBlog

Although there is no guarantee that block exemption will be outlawed, manufacturers are concerned that any change in the legislation may cut off their all-important channel to the customers, which is primarily through the dealer network.

“The dealer network is the manufacturers’ interface with the customer. If the legislation changes, it could become extremely difficult for manufacturers to keep that tie with the customer,” Alfredo Filippone of the Association of European Automotive Manufacturers (ACEA) explained.

Stefano Chmielewski, vicepresident of sales and marketing at Renault VI, confirmed that the portal, which is designed to build a direct relationship with customers by allowing them to configure their vehicle online, was set up in direct response to the expected end to block exemptions.

Aimed at people in the transport industry, the site allows customers to access an online version of Renault’s entire product range of 350 models, and 13,000 different configuration options, from which. they can configure a truck to their exact specifications.

Once the configuration is completed, an e-mail is sent directly to the nearest Renault dealer, who will make contact

RULE 1

Understand the when and why of change

Basic site administration, such as updating phone numbers and contacts or posting press releases, requires little or no strategic consideration, but almost every other site change calls for evaluating why you need the change and then mapping it back to original business goals. The beginning of any solid e-business initiative is rooted in a marriage of business goals and user needs, and any change must meet those same criteria.

Answering the question of why any change is necessary demands an understanding of user behavior, new corporate priorities, and/or how current business initiatives can be better served, and how they relate to overall objectives.

RECOMMENDATION: Here’s a simple method for evaluating change requests. If you can’t identify whom the audience is that will benefit/use the changed information, how it will benefit them, and how it will relate to other information on the site, then don’t make the change.

Consider the platinum partner program example. Marketing and sales want to use the program as a way to reward the most productive channel partners