Tom Stephens, Group VP of GM Powertrain, posts to GM's Fastland blog today. Tom reports on more JD Power honors for GM vehicles, this time, top dependability rankings for the Silverado heavy duty full-size pickup, and third place for the GMC Sierra. Not bad.
Tom then goes on to tell a great story that raises "durability" to an emotional level, which is what all brands try to do today.
In this story, Tom recounts the experiences of Emily Wiles and her husband, Gary, who use their Silverado pick up to haul auto parts all over the Midwest. Wiles Enterprises has run their three trucks for hundreds of thousands of miles; one of them is closing in on half a million.
Terrific. Why do I care?
Well, I care about great design, and great design is about more than pretty metal and bright colors. Great design is also about great functionality. In fact, designers of the very best products expertly integrate three different kinds of product characteristics: technical, functional and emotional.
Technical characteristics are the materials that make up products. In GM's case, engines must be made of the kinds of materials that are appropriate to their usage; same with handbag manufacturers.
Functional characteristics are the uses to which the product will be put. GM's heavy duty pickup isn't meant to just ride around mall parking lots on Saturday night; it's meant to haul heavy stuff long distances. Everyday handbags have different functional requirements than opera clutches.
Emotional characteristics are those that solidify the connections the other two types have with the customer's life. The way the heavy duty engine sounds is one of the emotional characteristics that make the truck "feel good" for the customer. Likewise, the sound an Hermes Kelly bag closure makes is a moment of deep satisfaction for its owner.
Great products are those in which the three types of characteristics are seamlessly integrated with each other. Start with functional. If an Hemes bag or a GM truck can't get the job done, nothing else matters. And technical aspects go a long way to determining successful functions. Figure out what you want the product to do, use the right materials, and put them together via a process that ensures quality, and functionality is pretty well guaranteed.
But the magic comes with the emotional. That's where the money is made. Looking at and carrying that Hermes bag creates moments of reverie for its owner; the Silverado is not just a truck for Emily and Gary, but a reliable business partner. Emotional connection lifts the object beyond its technical and functional aspects to entirely different levels of meaning.
Tom Stephens did a nice job today of getting beyond quality rankings and bringing out the meaning that GM's trucks can have for their owners.
And he did it with a great little story.
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