US Communication

[TXEMIRA]

Lotus America said we’d be first to know about important updates and orders would be taken in the Fall.

Last communication I received was 60 days ago.

I am so glad this forum exists as it is 99% of the communication I’ve received. Thank you all so much!

 

[TomE]

One of the points in my feedback to Lotus HQ yesterday. I hope I get a response on this and the other topics I’ve raised - most of them are about communication in one way or another.

 

[freefall_junkie]

One of the points in my feedback to Lotus HQ yesterday. I hope I get a response on this and the other topics I’ve raised - most of them are about communication in one way or another.

I am sure everyone on here is very appreciative of the effort you are making or our behalf. Very interested to hear what Lotus come back with!

 

[Lankan]

One of the points in my feedback to Lotus HQ yesterday. I hope I get a response on this and the other topics I’ve raised - most of them are about communication in one way or another.

Indeed, I do hope you receive a response and a positive one at that. Thanks for your efforts in trying to keep everyone informed.

 

[Eagle7]

Here's a nice video from Matt wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, and you can see behind him (a bit blurry) the Lotus production line in action.

 

[TomE]

I am sure everyone on here is very appreciative of the effort you are making or our behalf. Very interested to hear what Lotus come back with!

Indeed, I do hope you receive a response and a positive one at that. Thanks for your efforts in trying to keep everyone informed.

I have an assurance from senior people at Lotus they will respond to my written feedback. Might be this week, might be early Jan. I might not be able to share all of it, but that may be because Lotus are going to respond themselves and don't want me pre-empting it.

There was already due to be a big update in January, so hopefully some of my feedback will result in that being revised to make it even more useful.

 

[Porter]

One of the points in my feedback to Lotus HQ yesterday. I hope I get a response on this and the other topics I’ve raised - most of them are about communication in one way or another.

I gave some very specific feedback on this to Camille Landry (the Lotus USA marketing person) when I saw her at the last US roadshow event. I basically begged her to communicate with the community of reserved buyers (depositors) in a more active and proactive way.

Tell us about the roadshow events in advance (they didn't). Do some updates on where the car is in the homologation process, or the prep for production, or what kind of testing is going on. Anything, just show people that Lotus knows they exist and give them some feeling that they are buying into an ownership experience.

You can't take purchase deposits from people and then leave them entirely in the dark for a year... but that does seem to be the current game plan. Right now it's a giant void of nothing and it definitely leaves new owners feeling as though the company is asleep at the switch, even if that's not true. I don't understand it at all. The total lack of communication erodes confidence in both the brand and the competency of the team.

 

[TXEMIRA]

I gave some very specific feedback on this to Camille Landry (the Lotus USA marketing person) when I saw her at the last US roadshow event. I basically begged her to communicate with the community of reserved buyers (depositors) in a more active and proactive way.

Tell us about the roadshow events in advance (they didn't). Do some updates on where the car is in the homologation process, or the prep for production, or what kind of testing is going on. Anything, just show people that Lotus knows they exist and give them some feeling that they are buying into an ownership experience.

You can't take purchase deposits from people and then leave them entirely in the dark for a year... but that does seem to be the current game plan. Right now it's a giant void of nothing and it definitely leaves new owners feeling as though the company is asleep at the switch, even if that's not true. I don't understand it at all. The total lack of communication erodes confidence in both the brand and the competency of the team.

61 days. No communication.

7/7 deposit
10/21 email

 

[TomE]

The frustrating thing is, as we've all said, this kind of thing isn't difficult. You could map out a programme of regular emails and sketch out likely content for each. Then write some text, take a few pictures and for some do a quick video. We all enjoy hearing direct from the Lotus project team about things.

You can set up automation so new depositers get a welcome email and a series of follow ons, without needing a huge team.

Publish and maintain some FAQs. Simply Sports Cars are giving that a decent go, but Lotus could easily do that.

I'm looking forward to hearing what Lotus are going to do to address all this.

 

[Porter]

The frustrating thing is, as we've all said, this kind of thing isn't difficult. You could map out a programme of regular emails and sketch out likely content for each. Then write some text, take a few pictures and for some do a quick video. We all enjoy hearing direct from the Lotus project team about things.

You can set up automation so new depositers get a welcome email and a series of follow ons, without needing a huge team.

Publish and maintain some FAQs. Simply Sports Cars are giving that a decent go, but Lotus could easily do that.

I'm looking forward to hearing what Lotus are going to do to address all this.

Based on the conversation that I had directly with Camille, they do have a marketing automation platform of some kind. When I mentioned I hadn't received any email from them in quite some time (since the Type 132 announcement, specifically) she was surprised and wanted to make sure that I was on the correct list in their system.

Based on the context clues, I don't believe there is a technical barrier that prevents Lotus from doing this, either from HQ or at the national level. The limitations will be staff time and resource capacity, and strategic priority. I can't imagine intentionally not-communicating being a strategy, though maybe I am missing something.

 

[Eagle7]

You guys aren't getting ANY emails from Lotuscars? I got one on the 15th and the 20th of this month. Are you sure you signed up for updates and notices?

 

[TXEMIRA]

You guys aren't getting ANY emails from Lotuscars? I got one on the 15th and the 20th of this month. Are you sure you signed up for updates and notices?

0
I get them for the Type 132 but not Emira.
7/7 deposit

 

[Porter]

You guys aren't getting ANY emails from Lotuscars? I got one on the 15th and the 20th of this month. Are you sure you signed up for updates and notices?

I had the discussion with her on the 11th of December, after not receiving anything since the pricing announcement on October 1. Subsequently I did receive an email from their automation platform on the 15th of December which was a look-back at their roadshows, and then a second email on the 20th of December was from "Lotus Aftersales" and contained a snippet of general winterizing advice and and advert for some Evora accessories.

The post-roadshow email is a great example of closing the barn door after the horses have left... sort of a weird thing to send out to all the deposit-holders for the Emira when you had previously very intentionally kept the information about when and where the roadshows were happening away from the eyeballs of the same list of people. Depositors were only able to learn about the existence of the roadshow dates via word-of-mouth, and from journalists who leaked the list of dates and locations to the public.

The story from Lotus on this is that they didn't want to overwhelm the tour dates so they left it up to the (very) few involved dealers to notify their own depositors about the existence of the event and invite them if they so chose. My own dealer didn't even know that the roadshow was occurring, and thought it was something Lotus UK was doing without Lotus USA's involvement, because he just couldn't imagine his own position (being left in the dark) otherwise. The whole scenario is weird. It's a bizarre way to segment your depositors into first-class and second-class tiers, and certainly makes the folks in that second category keenly aware of it. Not a great way to build brand loyalty.

 

[TXEMIRA]

“It would not surprise me if I ended up with a RHD shipped to my home at this point.” - US Lotus Customer

 

[Mike-engel]

At this point I just don’t see the situation changing, which is really a shame. Comms issues relevant to the owner experience, brand identity and market growth have been being discussed on this forum for months with no impact. The team has been invited to read what’s being posted and either haven’t done so or don’t care to. We even have a mole (sorry for using this descriptor, @TomE) feeding concerns from the group to Lotus executive leadership, and to put it mildly, the response has been glacial. So here we are. Everyone has to make their decision about sticking with Lotus or not, and balancing the disappointment about poor comms, moving goal posts and delays with their excitement about the car itself.

 

[TXEMIRA]

#ForTheForumReaders

Maybe we will wake up in 2022 with some good news. Just 9 sleeps…

 

[TomE]

At this point I just don’t see the situation changing, which is really a shame. Comms issues relevant to the owner experience, brand identity and market growth have been being discussed on this forum for months with no impact. The team has been invited to read what’s being posted and either haven’t done so or don’t care to. We even have a mole (sorry for using this descriptor, @TomE) feeding concerns from the group to Lotus executive leadership, and to put it mildly, the response has been glacial. So here we are. Everyone has to make their decision about sticking with Lotus or not, and balancing the disappointment about poor comms, moving goal posts and delays with their excitement about the car itself.

Bear in mind the breakthrough I had with Lotus seniors requesting detailed written feedback was only on Monday. Since then there has been an internal meeting about it and a further small sample of customers are being approached for their feedback too.

There is due to be a major update to customers in January, which I hope is now being reviewed in light of feedback and the content tweaked accordingly. Let's give Lotus a few weeks and see how they respond.

...and I'd prefer the word "advocate" or "champion", but I guess mole isn't too derogatory

 

[Mike-engel]

Bear in mind the breakthrough I had with Lotus seniors requesting detailed written feedback was only on Monday. Since then there has been an internal meeting about it and a further small sample of customers are being approached for their feedback too.

There is due to be a major update to customers in January, which I hope is now being reviewed in light of feedback and the content tweaked accordingly. Let's give Lotus a few weeks and see how they respond.

...and I'd prefer the word "advocate" or "champion", but I guess mole isn't too derogatory

I didn’t know about the others being contacted for feedback. That’s great! It was late at night when I posted after being in clinic getting both a flu shot and a covid booster and then some last minute holiday shopping. “Mole” was the best I could come up with. Sorry! 😜. Your choices are better. If I could add one thing to the advocating mission it would be to suggest regular communication as important. The one time dump is far less desirable. A weekly email, some interesting pictures, maybe a live webcam or videos of the production process. Just some regular content for those of us who are likely going to be waiting a while. We need a fix after all. Thanks @TomE for keeping us informed.

 

[TomE]

No problem, water off a mole's back

One of my 6 feedback topics was on comms channels and content. We've had some semi-regular emails, like the recent one with the video of Gav on track at Hethel talking about the drive modes. I think weekly is probably unrealistic. But a simple thing to do would just be for them to set expectations, so either say it'll be monthly or in each email say when the next update will be.

 

[TXEMIRA]

1. @TomE can be called a champion mole - as long as he’s called, by Lotus!

2. The UK will lead the way on communication, etc. and I’m 100% good with that. If something doesn’t pertain to the US we should still get to see it. Just let us know what’s happening.

3. You all are awesome. Love hearing all you know about Lotus and all you can stand to share about Emira. It’s absolutely incredible to have this forum.

4. Just tell us how the line works in the US.

5. #ForTheWaiters #ForTheConfigurators