The Gator thread

I'm interested in connecting with others who have taken delivery or have deposits with Gator Motorsport in Indianapolis. My car was in port being processed 6 weeks ago (a month before the bridge collapse, so that's not a factor), but I still can't get any real information from Gator about where it is, when I can take delivery, etc.

I chose Gator even though I live in North Carolina because of their reputation. Plus I have family in Indiana and my Dad in particular really wanted to ride in my Emira when I took delivery. Well, Dad passed away last month, so that won't happen. In fact, he was in hospice when the CARB dam broke and the first Emira were being delivered to customers.

So if you're working with Gator, please let me know what you've heard about your Emira. If you've taken delivery, please post a pic and share the date you took delivery.

This is Dad on a test drive in one of the dealer cars last year.

 

[KAR120C]

Congrats! FE 1 or 2? When did you place your deposit? Do you know when yours was manufactured, shipped, etc.? Inquiring minds want to know!

FE1 and final deposit was in '22 along with everyone else. It arrived in Baltimore in early December.

Luckily I don't live far from Gator so I can drop in and bug them in person. I'll echo what others have said, though. They are pretty swamped with a small staff and lots of cars coming in. Their strength in providing a personal touch can, in an unusual time of heavy deliveries like this, be a weak point.

Hang tight, it's worth the wait!!

 

[ameeriklane]

Deposit Placed: July 2021
Allocation given (FE2.0): July 2023
Car arrived in Baltimore: 12/29/23

No information so far on when I can expect to take delivery.

 

[ameeriklane]

I don't think you should expect them to provide you with details unrelated to your specific order.

I think the idea (I've suggested it also, in the USA/Canada thread a few days ago), is since Gator is so overwhelmed they can't field inquiries from depositors on status updates, then why not post the information online so no one needs to make such inquiries.

Just a spreadsheet showing the last couple digits of the VIN and the status would go a long way -- it's a lot better than having no information at all.

 

[Idalee07]

I think the idea (I've suggested it also, in the USA/Canada thread a few days ago), is since Gator is so overwhelmed they can't field inquiries from depositors on status updates, then why not post the information online so no one needs to make such inquiries.

Just a spreadsheet showing the last couple digits of the VIN and the status would go a long way -- it's a lot better than having no information at all.

I’d be absolutely delighted with an email that said we have x number of cars left to deliver and you’re approximately x on the list. Bonus if they can share approximately how many cars they’re getting through in an average week. I don’t expect specifics but a rough ballpark estimate would be wonderful

 

[Idalee07]

I’d be absolutely delighted with an email that said we have x number of cars left to deliver and you’re approximately x on the list. Bonus if they can share approximately how many cars they’re getting through in an average week. I don’t expect specifics but a rough ballpark estimate would be wonderful

Or if they wanted to keep it even more vague just let people know if they’re in the upper, middle, or lower third of the list waiting for delivery and how many cars per week they’re getting through. Even that would give people a very rough time frame.

 

[Porter]

I don't understand why there isn't transparency about whether the cars are at the port, at Lotus USA in Michigan, or at the dealer.

If the dealer doesn't physically have the car, they should say so. Don't just leave people guessing! Especially if it isn't the dealer's fault.

 

[@Life411]

Deposit Placed: July 2021
Allocation given (FE2.0): July 2023
Car arrived in Baltimore: 12/29/23

No information so far on when I can expect to take delivery.

It's cases like this where I just scratch my head. Lotus NA should be able to provide some information and if they won't, Gator should be on their case regularly to create some transparency to this process. Sorry you've been waiting in the dark for so long.

 

[@Life411]

I don't understand why there isn't transparency about whether the cars are at the port, at Lotus USA in Michigan, or at the dealer.

If the dealer doesn't physically have the car, they should say so. Don't just leave people guessing! Especially if it isn't the dealer's fault.

Absolutely! I've asked Gator more than once that very specific question which they have yet to answer directly.

 

[@Life411]

I think the idea (I've suggested it also, in the USA/Canada thread a few days ago), is since Gator is so overwhelmed they can't field inquiries from depositors on status updates, then why not post the information online so no one needs to make such inquiries.

Just a spreadsheet showing the last couple digits of the VIN and the status would go a long way -- it's a lot better than having no information at all.

Absolutely, I've said the same and even posted a very simple example in my response to Turner at Gator.

 

[@Life411]

Or if they wanted to keep it even more vague just let people know if they’re in the upper, middle, or lower third of the list waiting for delivery and how many cars per week they’re getting through. Even that would give people a very rough time frame.

Again, absolutely! I've suggested these stats too.

 

[@Life411]

Hey All, thanks for weighing in. I've read all the comments and many of you echo things I've suggested. In my career, I was an independent contractor and worked as a project manager. Delivering these cars is a project that's being mismanaged by both Gator and Lotus NA. I'll share some principles that would turn this around and helped me consistently deliver successful projects. Hopefully this will make its way back to Gator and Lotus NA either from this post or from some of you echoing it when you have the opportunity.

1. Ownership. Someone needs to take ownership of delivering these cars. That could be someone at Lotus NA or Gator or both. It shouldn't be someone like Tony who should be focused 150% on delivery.
2. Perception is reality. Every project hits snags and many fail to deliver what was promised, or go over schedule, or budget. That's a given. The big difference is in communication and transparency. With proactive, *useful* communication and transparency, the project can still be a success in the eyes of the customer. Many of you have echoed this.
3. Excuses only go so far. In any poorly run project, there is a tipping point at which the customers have "had it" and the excuses no longer matter. Most customers won't say anything directly because we humans don't like confrontation, but inside they're seething. We're way past that point IMO. Both Gator and Lotus NA share responsibility for how poorly this is being managed.
4. Squeak. Many projects fail because stakeholders or the PM do not push for what is needed. Don't accept, push for positive change. If Lotus NA isn't providing Gator with necessary information to put some predictability around this process, tell us, get on the phone Gator and push Lotus NA for it, escalate it, keep pushing...in the words of Winston Churchill "Never Give Up!"

Many of us chose Gator because of their Stirling reputation, but that's being tarnished by this. I will even offer to help if they will accept it. To improve the transparency and communication, to coach someone at Gator on what information to share. It can be a small investment of time for a huge perceived value.

 

[Porter]

Again, absolutely! I've suggested these stats too.

That would require them to know an order of arrival. It may be the case that Lotus is just delivering cars to them at random, and they have no idea what may show up next. If that's the case, they should say that too.

 

[Go Kart]

People are absolutely losing their minds…

 

[Lotustoronto]

Hey All, thanks for weighing in. I've read all the comments and many of you echo things I've suggested. In my career, I was an independent contractor and worked as a project manager. Delivering these cars is a project that's being mismanaged by both Gator and Lotus NA. I'll share some principles that would turn this around and helped me consistently deliver successful projects. Hopefully this will make its way back to Gator and Lotus NA either from this post or from some of you echoing it when you have the opportunity.

1. Ownership. Someone needs to take ownership of delivering these cars. That could be someone at Lotus NA or Gator or both. It shouldn't be someone like Tony who should be focused 150% on delivery.
2. Perception is reality. Every project hits snags and many fail to deliver what was promised, or go over schedule, or budget. That's a given. The big difference is in communication and transparency. With proactive, *useful* communication and transparency, the project can still be a success in the eyes of the customer. Many of you have echoed this.
3. Excuses only go so far. In any poorly run project, there is a tipping point at which the customers have "had it" and the excuses no longer matter. Most customers won't say anything directly because we humans don't like confrontation, but inside they're seething. We're way past that point IMO. Both Gator and Lotus NA share responsibility for how poorly this is being managed.
4. Squeak. Many projects fail because stakeholders or the PM do not push for what is needed. Don't accept, push for positive change. If Lotus NA isn't providing Gator with necessary information to put some predictability around this process, tell us, get on the phone Gator and push Lotus NA for it, escalate it, keep pushing...in the words of Winston Churchill "Never Give Up!"

Many of us chose Gator because of their Stirling reputation, but that's being tarnished by this. I will even offer to help if they will accept it. To improve the transparency and communication, to coach someone at Gator on what information to share. It can be a small investment of time for a huge perceived value.

@life411 - What your describing is a problem that ALL industries are facing at the moment. Many of us that grew up with a certain level of expected customer service or interaction in our professional fields. We need to understand that we are living in a changing environment that no longer values personal interactions.

I have lowered my expectations of service across the board in my day to day. Otherwise I would be walking around upset all the time lol. Call it the new generation, or the dependency on technology, lack of will, society in general having a lack of empathy for its fellow man. Probably a mix of all the above. It is an unfortunate side effect of increased productivity and cost reductions in today's business environment. Companies can no longer afford to offer this as it once was.

The only places I see a true level of CS is in the high end luxury world, and believe me the customer pays for it. Unfortunately, Lotus (both HQ and dealers) were never in this playing field and we are all experiencing what "normal" service looks like in the post covid world.(for Lotus) Perhaps in other parts of the world it is a little different, but North American business is more focused on delivering volume at the cost of customer relations. There may be a few outliers and I am generalizing, certainly Lotus falls on the far end of the scale in terms of customer interactions, but it is a common theme I see with every brand. I walked into my local bank yesterday and it was a stark difference in service compared to 10 years ago.

 

[FEGuy]

I heard Tony is having a well earned week off, and they are currently training a new salesman, so that would explain the delays.

This is a horrible look. Tony had three years off but chooses to take a vacation when there is finally work to be done and dozens of customers are waiting to take delivery of the cars they've been waiting three years for.

As a business owner, this is inexcusable.

As far as I can tell, Gator is the absolute worst kind of business; attentive and helpful when trying to get your money, but nowhere to be found when they have it. Shame on them.

 

[Go Kart]

This is a horrible look. Tony had three years off but chooses to take a vacation when there is finally work to be done and dozens of customers are waiting to take delivery of the cars they've been waiting three years for.

As a business owner, this is inexcusable.

As far as I can tell, Gator is the absolute worst kind of business; attentive and helpful when trying to get your money, but nowhere to be found when they have it. Shame on them.

Wow.
People deserve vacations. Some of you need to sit down and grow up. In the end this is just a car (it will not save anyone’s life)… and people can only do so much. It is not every businesses goal to cater to every whim when they are clearly swamped. They are delivering cars.

He shouldn’t go on vacation? Really? Is he allowed family time at home according to some of you people? Can he go to his kids baseball games? No?

This whiny behavior from grown men (mostly) is becoming truly annoying. This “everyone else is getting their car, where is mine!?” BS is so infantile.

Let me help some of you with your dealer delivery issues.

 

[Porter]

This is a horrible look. Tony had three years off but chooses to take a vacation when there is finally work to be done and dozens of customers are waiting to take delivery of the cars they've been waiting three years for.

As a business owner, this is inexcusable.

As far as I can tell, Gator is the absolute worst kind of business; attentive and helpful when trying to get your money, but nowhere to be found when they have it. Shame on them.

Not cool, man. These people have lives of their own, too.

If anything, the issue is the dealer owner not hiring in some temporary help to get these processes done efficiently, rather than dumping the entire load on a single poor sales guy who's probably stretched to the absolute limit trying to hustle this stuff around. And who, let me remind you, doesn't earn a dime from the sales of any of these cars until the unit actually leaves the lot with a new owner. So he's been doing customer support for almost 3 years essentially for free.

 

[Six Speed Stephen]

Muting this thread. Give betterhelp.com a shot.

 

[Lotustoronto]

agreed, ppl need a break sometimes. Don't blame employee's for the practises the owners place. One guy at Gator can't be blamed for everything that is going on... that is all for me on this thread... Good Luck to all and hope you get your Emira soon.

 

[KCMO68_510]

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