Today everyone well knows the importance of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) for any company in the market: a regular follow-up with all types of customers is crucial to target, acquire, retain, and understand prospective and sold Customers.
But in the 60’s this was not the model nor the standard, and CRM was pratically unknown for carmakers and dealers (… but even today…).
The Alfa we love has always been in the vanguard of the field, and in that period some of Alfa Romeo’s illuminated managers well understood the importance of creating a community, a family, with their sold customers!
So, they created a totally new and never seen hi-profile house organ.
Published quarterly from October 1966 (date of the launch of the GT junior) continously until December 1974, this “bulletin” was named “il Quadrifoglio” (the four-leaf clover): a sign of good fortune and glory that has long characterized Alfa Romeo’s sports cars.
Owners of vehicles with the four-leaf clover began to become more numerous in the world. To Alfa Romeo, this demonstrated the need to have an easy and pleasant means of contact; continuous information that would allow the company to feel close to the customers of the brand and additionally, update all the ‘Alfisti’ about the goings-on of the company: The ‘mother’ – of the cars that they had chosen with confidence.
This publication was not a magazine, but strived to be a ‘bulletin’: a quarterly newsletter with which the Alfa managers of the time would bring to the attention of their friends and Customers facts, data, news, and information on the production, orientation of engine, technology and service.
Additionally, Il Quadrifoglio gave practical advice on the security and maintenance of Alfa Romeo vehicles, news on sales results and prospects for the future. As well as the above, the contents of the 80 pages encompassed style
and fashion, drive tests, art, painting, advertising, sports, interviews with racers and races, and every event or piece of information that could interest the pioneer Alfa Customers of that era.
The publisher was Giuseppe Luraghi, President of the company. The art director was Leonardo Sinisgalli, one of the more influent Italian poets and art critics active from 1930s to the 1970s.
Race car drivers, designers, engineers, artists, dealers, customers, celebrities and models wrote for the
bulletin. The best of the best for the ‘Alfisti’!
After 8 years, hundreds of articles and 28 stunning editions, Giuseppe Luraghi resigned from his position and the new management of Alfa Romeo decided to discontinue the publication of the “cloverleaf” of which – fortunately – someone preserves the memory!
Luraghi and his managers were well aware that Alfa had an important role; and the Alfa Romeo of today continues to respond to the needs and demands of the most demanding driver, those who consider the car a ‘friend’ from which to command the highest fidelity and the greatest satisfaction.
Similarly, almost half a century ago Alfa created this useful contact with the family of ‘Alfisti’, creating a deeper understanding and better cooperation.
Since then no one – at Alfa Romeo – has maintained contact with Customers, fans and ‘alfisti (without ulterior commercial purposes other than to create a stunning community), with the exception of a few willing enthusiastics and some fantastic Fans Clubs all over the World!
Hey, managers of Alfa Romeo, if you are still there, please ‘knock once’ and come back to speak with all your Customers and friends!
Maurizio Sala
Making Customers feel welcome in OEMs’ world and empower mutual knowledge, respect and strong relationships. This is my focus, designing and producing social-media content for automotive Facebook pages. “Il Quadrifoglio” was an “analogic” social-media. Good article, Maurizio Sala!
Ricardo.
Thanks for your contribution.
It’s interesting to know that in the 60’s someone has developed a “analogic” Social Media… but I’m perplexed to know that in 2013 in the automotive the leads management, the CRM and the Social Media are still in a primitive state: in Italy 40% of the salesmen don’t even know the name of those who have made an estimate for a new car.
Back in the future with CRM and… Customer relationship?
https://www.automotivespace.it/toyota/crm-the-waterloo-of-the-dealers/
@ maurizio sala:
A very interesting article.
In English language, neglecting CRM is very aptly described in a single word – ‘Complacency’.
Alfa Romeo may have ‘ruled the roost’ due to lack of competition or because of
limited knowledge of the Customer.
During the decades of 30’s & 40’s, there was very little information sharing &
limited accessibility to media.
Purchasing decisions were mostly guided by ‘word-of-mouth’ recommendations.
It is heartening to note that even at that time someone had the foresight to create
& publish “il Quadrifoglio”, to generate awareness in the Customer & make him
feel ‘wanted’.
In Automotive Industry, competition catches up very unobstrusively & you become
aware of it only when your ‘bottom line’ slips & you wonder what has hit you.
Brand name & Image will always have support of the die-hard customer but the
initiative to make him come back & feel ‘wanted’, will have to be the onus of the
manufacturer.
OEMs who fail to support CRM, will eventually guide their own product to ‘Vintage’
catagory.
Over all it was a wonderful article & one must remember that the Customer is
supreme.
Look forward to more such articles from you.
Ranjan Banerjee – Delhi – India – 10th.May 2013.
@ Ranjan, thanks for the time you dedicated to read and comment this article.
YES, I agree with your conclusions: the automotive distribution chain should always remember that the Customer is the… KING of the market.