Cadillac is Cutting Dealers Some Serious Slack Over Project Pinnacle
Cadillac’s rollout of Project Pinnacle has been, let’s face it, a categorical mess. The program faced an immediate backlash from dealerships when General Motors explained it would categorize them based on sales projections and require an adherence to a higher standard of customer service. This was followed by smaller dealers refusing to take Cadillac’s buyouts, forcing the company to delay Pinnacle’s launch on two separate occasions.
The most recent postponement was so dealers could have more time to understand the program’s finer details — or so Cadillac claimed. However, now the automaker is altering portions of the incentive program so that dealers receive payments sooner and are eligible for partial bonuses even if they fall as much as 15 percent short of monthly sales goals. Caddy is also easing on some of those high standards it demanded of dealers and eliminating the appeals process for those deemed noncompliant.
According to Automotive News, brand executives announced the changes Saturday morning, after discussing them the previous evening with Cadillac’s National Dealer Council.
“We want to make the program work,” said Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen. “The program succeeds when we put money into the pockets of our dealers. It fails if we don’t.”
Will Churchill, chairman of the dealer council, said Pinnacle might see further alterations before it takes effect on April Fool’s Day too. That being the case, the council says it won’t be giving the program its endorsement. “Our goal is to 100 percent be able to support it,” Churchill said. “When it’s finished, we’ll be able to look at it and then we can say, ‘Yes, we’re 100 percent supportive, or we’re not.”
[Image: Cadillac]
Consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulations. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, he has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed about the automotive sector by national broadcasts, participated in a few amateur rallying events, and driven more rental cars than anyone ever should. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and learned to drive by twelve. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer and motorcycles.
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1. Because he could do it; I could imagine Ross Perot telling his EDS employees to leave some really nasty code in GM's electrical systems. Then laughing when Esclades came in with electrical issues. It's not like GM would have tested for it. 2. Cadillac was never in favor with the "NOKD" (Not Our Kind, Dear) crowd. German iron and for unknown reasons, Jeep Grand Cherokees; are in favor with them. So Caddy's got that going against them. 3. I humbly await our Jedi Master against the Sith Lords of Cadillac; Obi-Wan DeadWeight-Kenobi to unleash his blue light saber against project pinnacle. 3a. Or at least a really good rant that will make me LOL at work tomorrow.
I'm a five-time Cadillac owner. Today's Cadillacs have zero appeal to me because it feels like they're trying to be like everyone else, instead of themselves. They abandoned loyal customers like me to chase after the BMW crowd. I've driven a few new Cadillacs...I get the "minimalist luxury" theme that they're going for, but it doesn't feel special. If I'm dropping that kind of coin on a vehicle, it should feel special. They need to go back to being themselves. On the flip side, the Lincoln Continental is pretty awesome. I'm glad that Lincoln is getting back to offering traditional luxury. I can see myself being a three-time Lincoln owner in the future.