My letter to Tom LaSorta

[Mcloud1]

Can amod please move this to the most approiate forum? Thanks!

I wrote a letter to Tom LaSorta, CEO of the Chrysler group of my new Idea to create a new brand to fight the imports. It want like this:

[removed for privacy reasons]


[removed to protect DaimlerChrysler and Mr. LaSorta


Feb 20, 2007


Dear Mr. Thomas W. LaSorta,

I have recently been hearing about the troubles going on with your company, Chrysler group. I have heard that sales have been falling, and that you are working hard to return your company back to profitability. Well, last night, I came up with this idea for your company, that may bring back some of your lost buyers. Many I have talked to have said that they are turned off by your company because of the high prices of your products. While the prices themselves may be similar to the competition, the competition (mostly referring to GM, Ford, and Toyota) offer more features for the price. Both Ford and GM seem to outdo Dodge when it comes to value for the price. I have also noticed that many of Dodge’s vehicles cost one or two thousand more than the competition.

I also think that the Dodge division is being spread too thin. Ever since the cutting of the Eagle and Plymouth divisions, Dodge has had to fill a huge role, as it has to be Chrysler’s entry level, performance, import fighting, and bread-and-butter brand all in one. I think that Dodge being so diverse may be adding more to buyer confusion, and may possibly be driving them away.

Thus brings me to my reason for writing to you. I think that possibly creating an entry level brand could help simplify your company to your buyer base, and offer a product line similar to Ford or GM’s where they have separate brands that move in steps, as one is a step up from the other. I am thinking that if you create an entry level brand, you can do the same, and have Dodge slotted as the middle brand. This will make your products less confusing to customers. I think with the new brand, you can have Dodge slotted as a middle brand, stopping south of Chrysler, and the new brand will be like Plymouth was, stopping just south of Dodge. Dodge’s models will be moved upmarket, or more, cutting the base models, and making the first upper model the base model, with the new brand’s models replacing Dodge’s entry level models. This new brand should offer cars in the teens, with prices stopping just south of $20,000, and equipment stopping south of Dodge. And as said above, Dodge’s base models will be moved upmarket, such as eliminating the base models, and making the SXTs or the second up trim the base model.

I think doing this will make your company’s products more clear to potential buyers, mostly by making the Dodge brand cover less ground. I know that having an entry level marque didn’t work out in the 90s, mostly because Plymouth’s vehicles were too similar to Dodge’s vehicles. But, I think that since the Dodge brand has been moved upmarket since the merger, the tables are set for an entry level brand for Chrysler, and as I said above, having Dodge as a mid level brand, instead of an entry and midlevel brand will help make your products more accessible to potential buyers. Another thing that fueled this idea was hearing about your plans to sell a $9,000 ranged car produced by Chinese automaker Chery, which would also be a perfect fit for this new brand.

This brand, offering economy cars, could also bring back sales ground being lost to Japan and Korea, ie Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, and Kia respectively. It could also be somewhat youth targeted, competing with brands like Scion, targeting Generation X and Y buyers. Dodge is trying to target more youthful buyers, but ultimately, they are priced out of reach from their budgets.

All in all, creating this entry level brand will make your product line more diverse, accessible, and clearer to potential buyers, as well as friendly to new customers of Chrysler. Also, I think that having a lower priced brand on showroom floors could also increase awareness of Chrysler’s products, like how Mercury’s presence on Lincoln’s showroom floors raise awareness and sales out of their dealers. Since Chrysler is sold with Jeeps, this new brand could be sold along with Dodge in their showrooms, and may subsequently increase Dodge’s sales, and vice versa. I know that with the current situation of the US auto industry, the imports are beating your company in terms of low price and value. With this new brand, you can beat the Japanese and Korean imports at their own game, by offering low priced, value packaged vehicles.

I just wanted to write you to send you this idea, which could possibly bring back old buyers, as well as bring in new buyers to the Chrysler group. I think this new brand will help you along in your attempt to turn around the company. I wish you the best of luck in your future business endeavors, and in your plan to turn around Chrysler, and I am holding out for you as you attempt to nurse Chrysler back to health. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to read this letter, and take notice of my idea.

Sincerely,




[removed for privacy reasons]

I hope that he will take my idea into consideration. I think that may be what Chrysler needs to bring back it slost buyers. What do you say?

[Oz]

Moved

[Mcloud1]

Thanks.