The late novelist John Le Carré once said, “A desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world.” As it turns out, what was good advice for spies is equally good for manufacturing and design engineers.
Last year, General Motors began dispatching engineers to dealerships nationwide to meet with sales managers and service technicians. Engineers behind the Chevrolet Corvette, Cadillac CTS, GMC Sierra and Buick Enclave are learning firsthand what customers like and dislike about the cars and trucks they helped create. Some 90 engineers have already done tours, and more are expected to go out later this year.