Anyone received their 30 day notification yet?

[Scruff111S]

Looks like they were taking a dig at forum members... I am guessing they don't appreciate us at the moment ...
#notfortheforums

Cant think why. We are always very complimentary towards Lotus.

 

[Lotustoronto]

Cant think why. We are always very complimentary towards Lotus.

Well there is one reason.... How many forum members with a deposit? 1,000? That's around 85Mil Pounds in sales, they could be a bit nicer

 

[emiraspain]

That is terrible by LCC. You might not have been able to hold your spec open, but you should have had your spec committed into build and then been offered a test drive before the 30 day period, at which point you could cancel and get a refund or request a change with a possible delay.

thats what I would have expected / done

 

[Leonard]

I asked again for an explanation of my situation, having been given a generic "everyone is delayed and some more than others" response on the phone and then a week later by email. I asked why I was delayed more than others with similar specs, why pre-reveal depositors appeared more delayed, where I now stood in the delivery sequence, and could I delete or change whatever was causing the extra delay. I also asked for info on timing of test drives and how I could drive both suspensions if dealers only had one demo car, timing for publication of Base specs/pricing, and confirmation of the new emissions figures and other technical information.

Here is the response from Customer Care:

"As you know, we do not comment on the various online forums, as these are not Lotus official communication channels. We are focused on one on one customer communication. When we have information, our customer base will receive it as soon as possible.

We cannot give details on specific car delay causes but only that there are delays, each customer car is unique, and we are working hard to get them built and delivered as soon as possible. Due to the forever changing situation, we will not be commenting on build queues or customer order numbers. Specs and pricing for Emira Base and Eletre will be released in due course, again, when we have the information to share we will.

We are hoping to be able to share updates on test drives soon and look forward to getting customers behind the wheel of the Lotus Emira."

I don't want to act hastily but I'm not feeling as much excitement about the car when this is the customer "experience" involved in getting one. I'll hold on for a test drive before making a decision. Off to look at McLarens in the meantime. People posting about old Elans has also got me thinking.

That response sounds like it has been escalated and 'targeted' specifically at you.....

 

[emiraspain]

I asked again for an explanation of my situation, having been given a generic "everyone is delayed and some more than others" response on the phone and then a week later by email. I asked why I was delayed more than others with similar

YES I have to say in these last few days my interest is really dwindling too, but not just from our CS shared experiences (I have yet to ask why i've also dropped down the pick the longest straw queue). I am seriously starting to wonder now will the car be worth it, 85k is 85k, compared to what I have or what I and others could have, albeit probably used in most cases.
I am now also unsure about supposed resale values and popularity, the initial euphoria amongst car lovers / reviewers / potential customers is clearly waining (is that how you spell it, Ive never wained before....). I am sure others will try to convince us of the last ICE Lotus, the parts shortage, the rising prices inflation etc, but I insist, if the car does not set the world alite, maybe not on fire, but at least a hot water bottle on top of your feet on a november chilly night, then the orders will soon dry up next year (Im not going to argue the point).

I guess I would be more interested IF customer service made me feel any where near important and IF I felt the car was premium and IF I could have a half day driving it around on my lonesome .... doesnt seem as if either of these things are going to happen. I can add my main worry in terms of resale (one day ..sooner than later if I dont fall more in love with it) is more directed to EU market than UK, where there are more Lotusfiles and those that will buy it no matter what, where I am on the border of that group.

 

[emiraspain]

That response sounds like it has been escalated and 'targeted' specifically at you.....

I agree, thats not a "normal" CS response. I think Leonard is correct, unusually so, but he's got it in one.. haha.
This is partly why I have not contacted them to ask the same questions.... I think it will do more harm than good.
I am seriously considering asking the Spanish dealer what the conditions are re cancelling... just at least to know what my options are, I certainly wouldn't be throwing them the 10k I paid as an xmas present.

 

[JohnHoward]

That response sounds like it has been escalated and 'targeted' specifically at you.....

I was thinking the exact same thing. What a dreadful way to treat your customers.

 

[TomE]

That response sounds like it has been escalated and 'targeted' specifically at you.....

It clearly has. My questions made no reference to forums, just that I was aware of other people’s delivery timeframes and specs. We know Lotus people are on here and it’s easy to make a connection between my username and real name.

If Lotus can’t provide effective customer care, they have to take it on the chin when people criticise them online. I’d like to think all my criticism has been reasonable and fact based. I’ve said several times the LCC folks try to be helpful. It’s just that they are hampered by lack of info from the rest of Lotus and clearly the direction they are being given from seniors on approach.

If anyone from Lotus is reading this, taking a swipe at forum participants (generally and individually) is a pretty silly thing to do. Particularly when you’ve got no effective social media engagement with customers and are being criticised for poor comms.

What next? Pushing my delivery even later because you don’t like what I post? Or listening, engaging, getting my car delivered earlier and improving customer care for everyone. We’ve been waiting 7 months now to see the supposedly “coming soon” improvements.

 

[TomE]

Looks like they were taking a dig at forum members... I am guessing they don't appreciate us at the moment ...
#notfortheforums

And this is despite suggestions made at Goodwood by Lotus seniors that they would do more (and quickly) to engage with this forum and one other forum. Tumbleweed on that as well.

 

[TomE]

Cant think why. We are always very complimentary towards Lotus.

I will alway be very complimentary about the car and the work of everyone involved in designing, developing and producing it. And mean it wholeheartedly.

It’s all the other customer experience stuff around that which is not working and undermining the great work of those people.

 

[Leonard]

It clearly has. My questions made no reference to forums, just that I was aware of other people’s delivery timeframes and specs. We know Lotus people are on here and it’s easy to make a connection between my username and real name.

If Lotus can’t provide effective customer care, they have to take it on the chin when people criticise them online. I’d like to think all my criticism has been reasonable and fact based. I’ve said several times the LCC folks try to be helpful. It’s just that they are hampered by lack of info from the rest of Lotus and clearly the direction they are being given from seniors on approach.

If anyone from Lotus is reading this, taking a swipe at forum participants (generally and individually) is a pretty silly thing to do. Particularly when you’ve got no effective social media engagement with customers and are being criticised for poor comms.

What next? Pushing my delivery even later because you don’t like what I post? Or listening, engaging, getting my car delivered earlier and improving customer care for everyone. We’ve been waiting 7 months now to see the supposedly “coming soon” improvements.

Hate to say it, but reading this you have to think that you have been purposely targeted and bumped backwards for delivery.
Which is totally crazy considering your obvious POSITIVE passion for the brand. It can only be seen as payback for someone senior feeling slighted by THEIR lack of ability and/or willingness to sort their shit out.
Unbelievable really. Customers deserve better than this ridiculously outdated and arrogant you will get what you are given mentality.
This is not a company I want to be involved with.

 

[Lotustoronto]

YES I have to say in these last few days my interest is really dwindling too, but not just from our CS shared experiences (I have yet to ask why i've also dropped down the pick the longest straw queue). I am seriously starting to wonder now will the car be worth it, 85k is 85k, compared to what I have or what I and others could have, albeit probably used in most cases.
I am now also unsure about supposed resale values and popularity, the initial euphoria amongst car lovers / reviewers / potential customers is clearly waining (is that how you spell it, Ive never wained before....). I am sure others will try to convince us of the last ICE Lotus, the parts shortage, the rising prices inflation etc, but I insist, if the car does not set the world alite, maybe not on fire, but at least a hot water bottle on top of your feet on a november chilly night, then the orders will soon dry up next year (Im not going to argue the point).

I guess I would be more interested IF customer service made me feel any where near important and IF I felt the car was premium and IF I could have a half day driving it around on my lonesome .... doesnt seem as if either of these things are going to happen. I can add my main worry in terms of resale (one day ..sooner than later if I dont fall more in love with it) is more directed to EU market than UK, where there are more Lotusfiles and those that will buy it no matter what, where I am on the border of that group.

If your interest is waining, and you have driven an Emira, that's not good!! TomE looks to be targeted by the Lotus Gestapo. In all seriousness, that was an unprofessional way to respond to a customer that has had to deal with delay after delay.

 

[TomE]

"As you know, we do not comment on the various online forums, as these are not Lotus official communication channels. We are focused on one on one customer communication. When we have information, our customer base will receive it as soon as possible.”
.

On reflection, I read this as a direct reference to my posting the information I gather from interactions with LCC and the people I know at Lotus. The implication is they don’t like me publishing that information and have decided not to tell me any more because they think it is likely to get published.

I’m clearly not the only person to publish what they hear from LCC or LDA or factory tours etc.

It’s a funny coincidence that this week John got the link to the online handbooks and it was me who publicised it across Facebook groups and other forums, before Lotus pulled the links down. I guess they’re not happy about that.

How insecure are you about your own comms to feel it’s necessary to have a go at someone who has spent hours every day over the last year filling the huge void left by your inadequate comms, providing info to an audience eager to know more about this great car? It doesn’t look good.

 

[Leonard]

On reflection, I read this as a direct reference to my posting the information I gather from interactions with LCC and the people I know at Lotus. The implication is they don’t like me publishing that information and have decided not to tell me any more because they think it is likely to get published.

I’m clearly not the only person to publish what they hear from LCC or LDA or factory tours etc.

It’s a funny coincidence that this week John got the link to the online handbooks and it was me who publicised it across Facebook groups and other forums, before Lotus pulled the links down. I guess they’re not happy about that.

How insecure are you about your own comms to feel it’s necessary to have a go at someone who has spent hours every day over the last year filling the huge void left by your inadequate comms, providing info to an audience eager to know more about this great car? It doesn’t look good.

The worrying thing is that they dont see any of your forum activity as positive.
It's simply the behaviour of individuals that are soooo incredibly out of touch with modern ecommerce and insecure in their own abilities.
I hope they are reading this.

 

[Lotustoronto]

On reflection, I read this as a direct reference to my posting the information I gather from interactions with LCC and the people I know at Lotus. The implication is they don’t like me publishing that information and have decided not to tell me any more because they think it is likely to get published.

I’m clearly not the only person to publish what they hear from LCC or LDA or factory tours etc.

It’s a funny coincidence that this week John got the link to the online handbooks and it was me who publicised it across Facebook groups and other forums, before Lotus pulled the links down. I guess they’re not happy about that.

How insecure are you about your own comms to feel it’s necessary to have a go at someone who has spent hours every day over the last year filling the huge void left by your inadequate comms, providing info to an audience eager to know more about this great car? It doesn’t look good.

In all honesty Tom, you have done more to lift Lotus branding than anyone else here. This includes Lotus themselves. I did not know about the bike that won gold at the olympics and history behind it. The history behind the Elan and how Gordon Murray regards it etc. You have done a fine job as a Lotus ambassador in my opinion. Shameful really. Not the behaviour you would expect from a company with a storied history.

 

[Leonard]

In all honesty Tom, you have done more to lift Lotus branding than anyone else here. This includes Lotus themselves. I did not know about the bike that won gold at the olympics and history behind it. The history behind the Elan and how Gordon Murray regards it etc. You have done a fine job as a Lotus ambassador in my opinion. Shameful really. Not the behaviour you would expect from a company with a storied history.

Lotus have made it clear that they dont want anything to do with their old historical customer base. And yet they dont want to engage with their new customers either. AND they have destroyed their dealer network and have put nothing in place to support a successful D2C business model. The arrogance is outstanding. Or incompetence if I'm being kind.
Anyway not letting this wind me up anymore. Just feel sorry for everyone else that has continuously supported Lotus no matter what.

 

[Hedge]

Just cannot believe the response to you @TomE from Lotus.

I find it very sad. We all want Lotus to succeed.

I wrote a long post but decided it’s not worth it as Lotus wouldn’t be interested.

Lotus need to think about what has made them special. Build on that and do what they need to do to get more customers.

If a sub-Skoda level infotainment system at the expense of real heritage (ie dumping the dealers and replacing them with agents for example) is what they reckon is needed to sell cars then that’s their call.
*I had a Skoda as my holiday car rental recently.

 

[Hedge]

We would all be over the moon if Lotus took Tom for a day out in an Emira. Then to the pub. Then he wrote a glowing drunken post about it.

 

[Pugwash]

I asked again for an explanation of my situation, having been given a generic "everyone is delayed and some more than others" response on the phone and then a week later by email. I asked why I was delayed more than others with similar specs, why pre-reveal depositors appeared more delayed, where I now stood in the delivery sequence, and could I delete or change whatever was causing the extra delay. I also asked for info on timing of test drives and how I could drive both suspensions if dealers only had one demo car, timing for publication of Base specs/pricing, and confirmation of the new emissions figures and other technical information.

Here is the response from Customer Care:

"As you know, we do not comment on the various online forums, as these are not Lotus official communication channels. We are focused on one on one customer communication. When we have information, our customer base will receive it as soon as possible.

We cannot give details on specific car delay causes but only that there are delays, each customer car is unique, and we are working hard to get them built and delivered as soon as possible. Due to the forever changing situation, we will not be commenting on build queues or customer order numbers. Specs and pricing for Emira Base and Eletre will be released in due course, again, when we have the information to share we will.

We are hoping to be able to share updates on test drives soon and look forward to getting customers behind the wheel of the Lotus Emira."

I don't want to act hastily but I'm not feeling as much excitement about the car when this is the customer "experience" involved in getting one. I'll hold on for a test drive before making a decision. Off to look at McLarens in the meantime. People posting about old Elans has also got me thinking.

I will be at Silverstone Classic on Saturday if you want to see a yellow Elan in the flesh. Actually there will be quite a few Elans there, we are doing an Elan parade lap at some point.

 

[NicolasB]

I feel like I am hanging by a thread with this car lately, and none of this is helping. I could very easily purchase something faster and better sounding and maybe almost as good looking, but was hanging on to the idea of this car because it would be unique in my area, and it had a manual transmission. I'm starting to wonder if those things couldn't easily be replicated by something different...