[DTM]

I wonder how many BMW designers read this forum.

How many of them are snooping around this site?
Reading our complaints?
Chris Bangle?

If they are, all the more reason to bitch about the issues of the E90.

[E90Fleet]

Well , seeing as the design of the facelift is already completed it would help much for the E90.

[poldim]

I dont think the designers care. The eningeering department is one that should be concerned. But I doubt that they are doing any snooping either. Maybe BMW hires people as part of their customer relations department to do some snooping....but its still doubtful.

[SCA]

I seriously doubt it. I bet BMW NA surfs here. It is well known that they do surf Bimmerfest.

[JamieA]

Gorilla Marketing tactics. Get people to infiltrate groups to opinion lead and to gather customer attitudes and concerns to feed back into product design and development. Many large companies do it.

Marketing departments also have media monitoring. They would be looking for the mention of the BMW brand in predominantly mainstream media like radio, press and television. However I am sure smart companies would now be looking for blogs and authorititive forums like this one.

So my vote - Yes there would be some element of BMW staffers looking at this forum to keep a temperature check on their customers. I mean why wouldn't you? This site would be an absolute goldmine, they would just have to back up theories and ideas they get from this qualitative information with proper customer research, but hell, half the problem with doing market research is getting the question right in the first place. Here is where you would get your questions.

Apart from marketers, I bet some designers are reading. We are driving their baby that they worked long hours to develop and perfect. They want to see what the audience thinks of it. Some of them probably love the car as much as if not more than we do.

[stressdoc]

This seems to pop up every once in a while; Mark responded to me off-list, in response to a post of mine detailing what a goldmine of info this list is, that he thought it would be great if it was being used, but the consensus was that BMW AG employees have too much other stuff to do to worry about our little posts. IMO, this list is doing a world of good for BMW AG, mostly because of the brilliant advice that contributors like E90fleet provide, saving tons of service time and generally promoting good will in the Bimmer community.

Looking over the number of hits that different threads receive, it is astounding how much interest there is on topics like the 335.

[MonacoBlueNJ]

Guys, of course BMW employees see these and other BMW forums. Don't you guys surf the internet all day at work? Whether it is thier specific job or not, there has to be some BMW employees looking at BMW forums and then bringing that info back to the appropriate people.

[stressdoc]

OK, time for a poll: who do we think is a BMW AG mole?

[Tine]

Originally Posted by JamieA

Gorilla Marketing tactics. Get people to infiltrate groups to opinion lead and to gather customer attitudes and concerns to feed back into product design and development. Many large companies do it.

Marketing departments also have media monitoring. They would be looking for the mention of the BMW brand in predominantly mainstream media like radio, press and television. However I am sure smart companies would now be looking for blogs and authorititive forums like this one.

So my vote - Yes there would be some element of BMW staffers looking at this forum to keep a temperature check on their customers. I mean why wouldn't you? This site would be an absolute goldmine, they would just have to back up theories and ideas they get from this qualitative information with proper customer research, but hell, half the problem with doing market research is getting the question right in the first place. Here is where you would get your questions.

Apart from marketers, I bet some designers are reading. We are driving their baby that they worked long hours to develop and perfect. They want to see what the audience thinks of it. Some of them probably love the car as much as if not more than we do.

Hahahaha! LOL. Sorry, dude: it's guerilla marketing, not gorilla. But you've made me laugh like crazy.

That apart ... LOL ... yes, BMW (and all the other big companies) do monitor the press, radio, TV and even internet (forums, blogs, news sites etc). They are infiltraded in the forums as well - even posting.

They do that to get their message along. Spreading rumours, creating a buzz, unofficially collecting impressions, complaints, etc.

The opinions / complaints posted on BMW owners forums provided an information of a good pre-pilot gruop. Then a true pilot group is made, and than a complete research is done (survey, analysis, interpretation). But - believe me - they do not care what adolescents think about 7er's design. They are interested in potential buyer's opinion - but not about design. Quality, ergonomical & technological issues are more important.

As BMW employees are humans too they do surf & post on the net - privately, not officially as BMW employees. You just have to find them.

Btw, mind the facelift design is already chosen when the pre-facelift original car is launched. Only few tweaks here and there and that's it. But they do address some interior issues as I said: quality, ergonomy etc.

[DTM]

I have to say that some of them read these forums.

They spend THOUSANDS of hours designing that car, who wouldn't want to spend an hour or two finding out what people think about it?

[ben1364]

BMW does monitor some forums and might pay some to this one as it matures.

[LEDZEP]

Originally Posted by ben1364

as it matures.

That'll never happen. It's going in the opposite direction.

I don't think BMW watches this or any other forum. They don't even care what we say on the surveys when THEY call US. It's all about attracting new customers. They have our money, we are no longer of use to them. They want the Lexus and Acura owners.

[ben1364]

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

That'll never happen. It's going in the opposite direction.

I don't think BMW watches this or any other forum. They don't even care what we say on the surveys when THEY call US. It's all about attracting new customers. They have our money, we are no longer of use to them. They want the Lexus and Acura owners.

_________________________________________________
Hey LEDZEP, I was trying to be kind! <g>

[Tine]

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

They have our money, we are no longer of use to them. They want the Lexus and Acura owners.

Partially true.

They do monitor BMW car forums - to use comments as a pre-pilot group: especially when addressing quality and ergonomical issues.

It's also true they are infiltrated in other manufacturer's forums monitoring responses, and even agitate subtly for BMW.

It's quite effective and cheap method.

[parafrog]

[QUOTE=JamieA]Gorilla Marketing tactics. Get people to infiltrate groups to opinion lead and to gather customer attitudes and concerns to feed back into product design and development. Many large companies do it.

too funny. i'm not the spelling nazi but i think you mean guerilla. right now i picture a big furry gorilla typing a new post. you know, you're probably not too far off. i bet a few of our posters have some nasty back hair with a limited lexicon. gotta go now, i'm gonna grab a banana and take a shit on the floor.

-frog

[parafrog]

Originally Posted by Tine

Hahahaha! LOL. Sorry, dude: it's guerilla marketing, not gorilla. But you've made me laugh like crazy.

That apart ... LOL ... yes, BMW (and all the other big companies) do monitor the press, radio, TV and even internet (forums, blogs, news sites etc). They are infiltraded in the forums as well - even posting.

They do that to get their message along. Spreading rumours, creating a buzz, unofficially collecting impressions, complaints, etc.

The opinions / complaints posted on BMW owners forums provided an information of a good pre-pilot gruop. Then a true pilot group is made, and than a complete research is done (survey, analysis, interpretation). But - believe me - they do not care what adolescents think about 7er's design. They are interested in potential buyer's opinion - but not about design. Quality, ergonomical & technological issues are more important.

As BMW employees are humans too they do surf & post on the net - privately, not officially as BMW employees. You just have to find them.

Btw, mind the facelift design is already chosen when the pre-facelift original car is launched. Only few tweaks here and there and that's it. But they do address some interior issues as I said: quality, ergonomy etc.

damn tine, you beat me to it. i was too lazy to read the whole thread and had to post right away when i read that. we were thinking the same thing. kudos to you.

[lux.sh]

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

That'll never happen. It's going in the opposite direction.

I don't think BMW watches this or any other forum. They don't even care what we say on the surveys when THEY call US. It's all about attracting new customers. They have our money, we are no longer of use to them. They want the Lexus and Acura owners.

Hate to go against you, but I kinda disagree.

Not sure about BMW watching forum, but we do know they WILL care about us.
They will have to listen to what we say, so that we become dedicated BMW customers. In order for them to do that, they have to listen to our complaints, compliments, and make improvements on next model so we buy BMW again.

Of course, attracting new customers(lexus, acura fans) is VERY important, but keeping current customers to come again is just as important in my opinion.

[DTM]

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

That'll never happen. It's going in the opposite direction.

I don't think BMW watches this or any other forum. They don't even care what we say on the surveys when THEY call US. It's all about attracting new customers. They have our money, we are no longer of use to them. They want the Lexus and Acura owners.

And when your replacing your 3? Wouldn't you want to see your complaints addressed? Wouldn't that make you want another 3. BMW values customer retention.

[LEDZEP]

You are both making my argument for me. We all agree on those points, but I'm yet to be convinced that BMW is putting enough effort into listening to customers.

It's not that I don't love my cars - I do, very much. And I prefer to be brand loyal... but when it comes time to shop again, who knows. I think once they have your money they're done with you.

[RichReg]

Originally Posted by Tine

Partially true.

It's also true they are infiltrated in other manufacturer's forums monitoring responses, and even agitate subtly for BMW.

It's quite effective and cheap method.

You raise quite an interesting point.

I think that your theory works in another way. Think about all of the "trolls" we've encountered on many of these forums. Especially those blatant posts that are straight out flamers. I'll bet my 330 that the OTHER car manufacturers' employees (like Lexus & Acura) are actually doing just what you said;;they infiltrate these forums and agitate us, but not for BMW, for themselves. They want to see what subjects of controversy, etc. they can obtain feedback from us on about BMW and then use that to their advantage.

[JamieA]

OK you spelling Nazis I will cop it sweet.

For the BMW AG peeps this is the car you have to worry about.I'll get one if sold in the states.Alfa romeo is talking about coming back to the states.