From the point of view of the BMW Group, it can be said: Only a company that can offer 'premium' through the entire value creation chain can be a premium brand manufacturer.
BMW's claim has always been: whenever and wherever customers and potential customers come to us, we want to meet them at premium level.
This starts with the product substance. It continues through complementary services relating to the product. And it applies also, and in particular, for every personal contact, letter, telephone call and e-mail.
BMW's philosophy is: Customer Relationship Management is an important means of approaching customers and potential customers actively and building up and intensifying business relationships in a positive way.
The dealer network will always remain an important factor within customer relationship. The sales process is supported by presales and aftersales activities, also on the Internet, to strengthen customer loyalisation.
Examples of these activities are the VirtualCenter with modules such as CarConfiguration, Dealer Locator, the used car market offerings, or personalised Web pages such as 'My BMW'.
The basis for successful CRM
The basis for successful customer relationship management (CRM) in the BMW Group is the excellent product substance of its brands. In recent years, the BMW's production plants have repeatedly won prizes for the first-class quality of their cars.
In addition, the BMW has worked hard in recent years to make its production and ordering processes as flexible as possible and to draw closer to its customers as far as possible.
With its customer-oriented sales and production process, known as KOVP, BMW can react quickly and flexibly to developments in the market and to meet customers' wishes in the best possible way, thus improving the company's performance as perceived by the customer.
All this together - the superb product substance, the outstanding processes and extremely high level of flexibility in dealing with customers - forms the basis for excellent CRM ate BMW.
BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce - complete performance promises
Complementary services relating to the products are particularly important in the BMW Group's CRM. In concrete terms, it is a question of offering customers a complete brand world at premium level, above and beyond the outstanding product substance: this means additional services, accessories and extra products, high-quality financial services, special offers in the area of leisure and much more.
The BMW Group wants to offer its customers a very special BMW atmosphere or a very special MINI world. With this in mind, the BMW Group is working all the time with its dealers all over the world on turning every contact with the BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands into a truly special experience for customers.
The intent of the BMW Group goes well beyond the normal objective of "customer satisfaction". For a premium brand manufacturer like the BMW Group, the goal is "customer enthusiasm".
It aims to continually surprise its customers in the most positive sense of the word through CRM.