Cadillac Customer Experience

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DETROIT – The fierce competition between luxury automotive brands extends beyond artfully designed, high-tech new products. It’s about capturing the hearts and minds of affluent customers before product or price enter the equation.

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“While we’ve performed fairly well in customer service, we sensed a bigger opportunity,” said Kurt McNeil, vice president of Cadillac Sales and Service. “We call the approach Defining Moments – the fact that every interaction with a customer can potentially define our brand.”

Spurred by the brand’s ongoing momentum in product and marketing, Cadillac gained insights from outside the automotive space to enhance its approach to customer experience.

“Cadillac is the real thing when it comes to the products, and its approach to the cultural aspects of the luxury customer experience,” said Milton Pedraza, founder and CEO of the Luxury Institute,

The institute conducts extensive research on affluent consumer behaviors. One of Pedraza’s key findings is that today’s luxury consumers have countless options for desirable products, placing more value on experiences.

“To earn credibility among luxury customers, brands not only have to offer the best products, but they must also be kind and provide an overall positive purchasing experience,” said Pedraza. “The opportunity for luxury brands not only lies in out-performing the competition, but also out-behaving the competition.”

Cadillac began “Defining Moments” training for internal and dealership staff was co-developed with the Ritz-Carlton. Famed for excellence in customer service, Ritz-Carlton team members maintain a consistent global culture at all levels devoted to earning guest loyalty.

“The training was important because it showed that luxury customer experiences are built on the culture and the behavior of people,” McNeil says. “It’s not about programs or discount offers. Great service comes from ordinary people delivering excellence at all levels.”

While emphasizing new cultural approaches, Cadillac has supported that with upgrades to what can be seen and experienced physically. Hundreds of dealers are rebuilding or renovating dealerships. Cadillac has redesigned consumer websites and instituted specific standards for local dealer advertising. For example, Cadillac Shield is a set of ownership benefits that includes complimentary roadside assistance from a Cadillac technician, and Cadillac courtesy transportation programs for cars being serviced.

“With Cadillac expanding in 2012 with two all-new products, it’s a perfect opportunity to prepare to welcome new guests,” says McNeil.

Cadillac has earned steady increases in consumer and industry satisfaction surveys, ranking among the top brands in many measures of customer satisfaction.

The brand was recently recognized as a 2012 Customer Service Champion by J.D. Power and Associates. The luxury automaker was one of only 50 companies out of 800 studied to earn the distinction. The 2012 Champions were identified based on customer feedback, opinions, and perceptions gathered primarily from J.D. Power’s syndicated research in 2011.

Cadillac STS-V Intercooler cooling – gathering more parts

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Tim C keeps working on his STS-V — he has done a turbo kit then returned it to stock at this point.  His product offerings include a front mounted heat exchanger, an upper supercharger pulley service, and a new product on the way, a cold air intake.  He has a new website coming for sales and info; stay tuned.

As the next experiment in my intercooler cooling quest I have decided to try the ZZP S3 front mounted heat exchanger.

ZZP S3 Intercooler Front-Mounted Heat Exchanger

Here is the ZZP info on this part:

Intercooler heat exchanger (radiator) for your liquid to air intercooler system. This HE is the largest most well thought out radiator we’ve produced to date. With a 1.8 liter fluid capacity, it holds more liquid than any HE in the Redline/Cobalt market and with 4000 sqare inches of fin area it cools better than anything currently available!

  • All aluminum construction
  • Drill 4 holes into existing bumper support
  • Overall measurements of 32.5×6.5×2.25
  • Core measurements of 28×6.5×2.25
  • 2 row, dual pass
  • Maximum cooling, minimum weight, fully tig welded and pressure tested
  • 2 stainless bolts and nuts
  • Includes 2 fittings and 4 hose clamps
  • 49″ of 3/4″ hose
  • 6.4 pounds

Here is a link to a tech article ZZP did on the S3 comparing to OEM and a competitor.  Their conclusion was that almost any 2nd HX works about the same, but it is a nice write-up nonetheless.

A different popular choice would be the Frozen Boost 101, but I really like the ZZP info and research, and I like that Tim is doing so much experimentation on what works for these cars, so I would like to test out the S3 on my STS-V.

I’ll have to decide whether to put the OEM HX back in and then use the S3, or stay with the 45321 and S3.  Best would be to test each set, but I am not sure I am up for those installs; we’ll see.

My current tests suggested the system is at a higher equilibrium temperature with the 45321 than it was with the OEM HX.  This week I am continuing to monitor the fluid level and then hope to retest after it has burped air for the week.

Capless Cadillac XTS is a gas

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DETROIT – The new Cadillac XTS luxury sedan features many technologies that are noticed the instant the vehicle’s ignition button is pushed. But some advancements, like a new capless fuel filler assembly, hide literally behind closed doors.

“This new system has advantages for both the car and the driver,” said John Hamilton, Cadillac fuel fill systems design engineer. “It helps keep hands free of dirt and fuel, paint free of scratches caused by a swinging cap, and the engine running smoothly.”

Because fuel systems must be fully sealed, a loose cap can trigger a “check engine” light and lead to service visit.

The 2013 XTS doesn’t have a traditional twist-off cap hidden behind its fuel door. Because of this, the door itself doesn’t need to accommodate a hand and was designed to be smaller and less noticeable on the XTS’ sheet metal.

Despite having no cap, the system meets all fuel system sealing regulations. When a fuel nozzle is inserted, it pushes aside a set of two doors, each locking fuel in with a rubber seal around its edge. The two doors are designed to assure the system will remain air-tight through years of ownership.

“Some capless systems on the market have just a single door, making them vulnerable to leaks,” said Hamilton. “Unlike competitors, Cadillac’s system also has no internal drain, something that can also lead to inadvertent dripping.”

Moving beyond capped systems has further advantages for car owners. It eliminates the risk of leaving a gas station with a dangling cap, which can lead to paint damage and messy fuel dripping.

Because the XTS uses an advanced V-6 engine with direct-injection and lightweight innovations like exhaust manifolds integrated into the cylinder heads and a next-generation six-speed transmission, fuel stops will also be less frequent.

“We ignored no detail in making XTS the most advanced Cadillac sedan yet,” said chief engineer Sheri Hickok. “Even things taken for granted, like a fuel cap, deserved and received a full rethink.”