Lucid’s opportunity to create brand ambassadors

[Drendino]

I don’t think that there is any debate that yesterday’s earning call was anything other than bad news. The double digit drop in the stock price speaks for itself. Peter cited a lack of brand awareness for the revised numbers. What I found interesting is that there was no mention of the actual owners, all of which could be considered early adopters and possible brand ambassadors. There is not a day that goes by that somebody doesn’t ask me about my car and I know that this is true for most of us. There has been a lot of talk on this forum about people loving their car, but not being able to recommend it to friends and family because of the software and EA issues. I would venture to bet that if Lucid started meaningful communications with their customers, a lot of us would be happier to recommend the car to others. None of us need to know trade secrets or anything that could be detrimental to the company by sharing info. We want to know what’s going on with things like CarPlay, DD releases, rental car policies, software bugs, EA issues, etc. We are tired of relying on rumors from a guy who knows a guy.

Lucid guards all information like it is Colonel Sander’s special chicken recipe. I’ve always had the feeling that they were paralyzed by fear of making news that would affect the stock price, so the company line has been to say nothing about virtually everything, which has caused frustration for many present and future customers. I don’t think they need to worry about the stock price right now, which is freeing in its own way.

In my opinion, Lucid is at the point where it has nothing to lose. This is an opportunity for them to make fundamental changes in their communications department and work on creating brand ambassadors. If Lucid chose to be more collaborative and less secretive, many of the 7,000 owners would probably help to sell more cars than any national campaign add.

As an example of good communication, software version 1.0 was so bad that by the end Lucid had to communicate with us. We even knew the exact day that they intended to release 2.0 and were told on this forum about a short delay when they couldn’t get it out on a Friday. We were showed some key features before the release and the direct communication from Lucid got us excited and brought us into the process. That should have been a starting point for Lucid’s communication with their customers, but sadly it was a one off communication effort. I believe that Lucid is now in a similar position, where they can no longer afford to keep their possible brand ambassadors in the dark on many of our questions and concerns. If they are going to succeed, they need us to be their best salespeople and in my opinion this is only going to happen if they fundamentally change their communication practices. I’m hopeful that we will see some changes soon.

 

[idiot900]

If you Google just about any question related to owning the car, this forum is probably the top result. We are probably their single biggest source of positive PR to the audience willing and able to buy their product (unlike social media, which is full of LCID speculators). I spent a lot of time here before plunking down $100k+ and suspect many of their customers have at least lurked.

 

[Tim-in-CA]

Lucid should probably institute a referral program. They don't have to go crazy with the perks, maybe extra swag or some amount off on a Gravity, but anything to help incentivize sales.

 

[Steveinarizona]

I don’t think that there is any debate that yesterday’s earning call was anything other than bad news. The double digit drop in the stock price speaks for itself. Peter cited a lack of brand awareness for the revised numbers. What I found interesting is that there was no mention of the actual owners, all of which could be considered early adopters and possible brand ambassadors. There is not a day that goes by that somebody doesn’t ask me about my car and I know that this is true for most of us. There has been a lot of talk on this forum about people loving their car, but not being able to recommend it to friends and family because of the software and EA issues. I would venture to bet that if Lucid started meaningful communications with their customers, a lot of us would be happier to recommend the car to others. None of us need to know trade secrets or anything that could be detrimental to the company by sharing info. We want to know what’s going on with things like CarPlay, DD releases, rental car policies, software bugs, EA issues, etc. We are tired of relying on rumors from a guy who knows a guy.

Lucid guards all information like it is Colonel Sander’s special chicken recipe. I’ve always had the feeling that they were paralyzed by fear of making news that would affect the stock price, so the company line has been to say nothing about virtually everything, which has caused frustration for many present and future customers. I don’t think they need to worry about the stock price right now, which is freeing in its own way.

In my opinion, Lucid is at the point where it has nothing to lose. This is an opportunity for them to make fundamental changes in their communications department and work on creating brand ambassadors. If Lucid chose to be more collaborative and less secretive, many of the 7,000 owners would probably help to sell more cars than any national campaign add.

As an example of good communication, software version 1.0 was so bad that by the end Lucid had to communicate with us. We even knew the exact day that they intended to release 2.0 and were told on this forum about a short delay when they couldn’t get it out on a Friday. We were showed some key features before the release and the direct communication from Lucid got us excited and brought us into the process. That should have been a starting point for Lucid’s communication with their customers, but sadly it was a one off communication effort. I believe that Lucid is now in a similar position, where they can no longer afford to keep their possible brand ambassadors in the dark on many of our questions and concerns. If they are going to succeed, they need us to be their best salespeople and in my opinion this is only going to happen if they fundamentally change their communication practices. I’m hopeful that we will see some changes soon.Exce

Excellent post. The Lucid lack of communications is what, reluctantly, drove me to cancel and go elsewhere. Waiting for the car is one thing. Waiting for the software to improve is another. But, at least, I expect the company to keep me informed.

It took until last week for Lucid to announce the HP and torque for the RWD Pure. The company still hasn't provided any more details about any other changes that might be in that model. I was willing to wait for #1 above and for #2 above but I wasn't willing to wait any longer to find out if it was a car I even wanted.

As an aside, putting the 360 cameras into the DD Pro package is a simple money grab. Even economy cars today have 360 cameras. But putting it into DD Pro would have forced me to go for DD Pro even though there was really nothing else there that I cared about (to the extent that I know...again...communications issues).

 

[victoryroad]

Branding and market positioning probably account for the lack of orders, aside from the Beta aspects that may be offputting to traditional luxury buyers. Obviously, questions about range are an impediment to many who are not familiar with still embryonic EV's and charging networks and who do not want to be bothered with learning.

We know that the Air is a remarkably capable car to drive compared to any other luxury sedan extant. The suspension and power are brilliant and the cruising experience is very impressive and quiet. I am not at all sure that the typical A8, MB S Class, or BMW 7 Series buyer thinks first about the dynamic capabilities of their cars. They clearly want reliability, luxury, high service level, no questions asked loaner cars, and safety. The Air has too short a history to gauge the reliability part. We know that it has gotten better but still is not at the level of the models against which Rawlinson wants to be compared. The luxury part is subjective. It is, after all, a new design concept, not the evolved legacy designs of the competitors so is not familiar or perhaps attractive to those who expect the A8, S Class, or 7 Series interiors, or even exteriors. We know that the Lucid staff is respectful and wants to please, but has had limited resources to address service issues. The lack of decent and accessible loaner cars is unforgivable and probably a deal breaker for many. I wrongly assumed that loaners would be readily available if mobile service could not answer. Regarding safety, I have not seen crash test results from our government, but the Euro tests were positive. It is my belief that the Air is a very strong structure and withstands impact as well as the three competitors so I am not concerned about the safety aspect.

Lucid should try to reach the market that values the dynamic capabilities of the Air. Let's face it; there are only so many M5, AMG, or S8 buyers out there, so maybe Rawlison should recalibrate his market sector expectations. As I have suggested in other posts, there is no substitute for the various versions of the Air. It is one of a kind and so are we--and the PIF, which holds the marbles.

All that said, I love the AGT and would be delighted to offer a testimonial about my experience with it so far. Nobody has asked but maybe they should ramp up their advertising and PR campaigns to include real-world early adopters' testimonials or even interviews. Yes, such a campaign would be radical but so is the Air. Zak Edson is a super engaging guy and should be highlighted in Lucid media. It is after spending an hour with him at the Boston studio last April that I made my decision to buy the AGT.

 

[Snafu]

I had received a call from LUCID in Texas asking me about referrals or testimonials on the car, but at that point I said I could not do so - out of the 5+ months I had the car, it has been in the shop for more than 3 of them, and I had no idea how the car operated since the subsequent freshly-rewritten software and 10+ OTA updates.

That being said, there is more than one person in my town who has been fascinated by the car and has asked many questions. Yesterday, one was thrilled to see I had my car back and could be seen around town. When talking about it, I mentioned there were other car levels, with the PURE starting at $87K, and when the roads clear up, I'll be bringing him out for a ride. He has since cursed me that there is a version of the car that might be in his price range. I've been extremely impressed with the progress in the software and functions since last September, and I've told him the pros and cons, but said I have no regrets on buying the car. I'm hoping maybe a PURE might be available somewhere for him to test drive also to compare.

 

[WildRide47]

Lucid should probably institute a referral program. They don't have to go crazy with the perks, maybe extra swag or some amount off on a Gravity, but anything to help incentivize sales.

The last few posts above should have Lucid considering what has been said. I strongly agree. The present owners are a potential gold mine for increasing sales.

As far as a referral fee, if Lucid does not wish to give cash or swag, maybe it would help if they added 1 year of additional free charging to both the buyer and the owner that did the referral. Yes I know EA is horrible, but I still feel that this will help spur some sales that are possibly undecided.

 

[Drendino]

The last few posts above should have Lucid considering what has been said. I strongly agree. The present owners are a potential gold mine for increasing sales.

As far as a referral fee, if Lucid does not wish to give cash or swag, maybe it would help if they added 1 year of additional free charging to both the buyer and the owner that did the referral. Yes I know EA is horrible, but I still feel that this will help spur some sales that are possibly undecided.

I think most of us just need better communication from Lucid in order to be comfortable making a recommendation.

 

[NoseyReporter]

Honestly, I think owners driving the car and willing to talk about them is what will make Lucid successful. Nothing and I mean nothing goes further than a referral, it is the absolute best kind of way to make a sale.

But for referrals to happen, all the pieces of the puzzle have to come together. The product must be awesome, the buying process smooth as silk, the warranty/service exceptional, everything. And unfortunately, that is not the case for Lucid.. yet. They are young and there are many growing pains in all aspects of the business. It is how Lucid choose to prioritize improving on the QA/QC, buying process, communication pre/post sale, service, etc will really define how successful the company ends up being.

I truly believe if you nail all of those things, truly show progress and commitment to doing those aspects of business well, the brand recognition will follow.

 

[HariK]

The last few posts above should have Lucid considering what has been said. I strongly agree. The present owners are a potential gold mine for increasing sales.

As far as a referral fee, if Lucid does not wish to give cash or swag, maybe it would help if they added 1 year of additional free charging to both the buyer and the owner that did the referral. Yes I know EA is horrible, but I still feel that this will help spur some sales that are possibly undecided.

Actually I don't think free charging is what we want. Free charging is motivating us to use it instead of charging at home and freeing up the DC Fastest chargers to those in apartments or going long distance. In fact, I will be ready to give up free charging if I am given a bi-directional charger to use the car to power the home and I think most of us would. If that is too far away, I will accept a CCS to CCS DC charging cable right now so that we can use any EV to charge out cars and vice versa.

 

[HariK]

I think most of us just need better communication from Lucid in order to be comfortable making a recommendation.

However, given the current charging infrastructure, I will not refer anyone without a garage or access to L2 charger at night to buy any EV.

 

[Ampere]

I agree with all the posts in this thread. (I certainly don't need more free charging.) I'd be happy to be a brand ambassador for Lucid. I don't even need any swag. All I want is *respect.* All they have to do to win my support and recommendation is promptly respond to my emails and phone calls. I've already given two friends demos of the Touring and they are impressed. The more I sit in it, the more I enjoy it. I haven't driven it far enough (barely 200 miles) for the gremlins to appear. So far, so good. I am getting impatient to receive the 2.055 update, but Joe said that could take a week. Since I've never had an interest in a Mercedes (or a Tesla for that matter), I don't compare my Lucid Touring with those. I think it's a wonderful car in and of itself. Sure, there are several features I'd like to see, some of which may be incorporated in future updates. But you're all so very right, Lucid needs brand ambassadors who truly appreciate these unique vehicles and want to share their enthusiasm.

 

[WildRide47]

However, given the current charging infrastructure, I will not refer anyone without a garage or access to L2 charger at night to buy any EV.

I doubt that anyone living in an apartment without a garage or access to a L2 charger at night would buy any EV even with a referral.

My recommendation was to those with the access. I thought that those on the cusp or undecided might be swayed with an extra free year of charging.

Yes, I understand that better communication is the ideal goal, but since we don't have that, then I was just throwing out some additional what if's. A bidirectional would be great, though I am not sure if it would be cost effective for Lucid to offer this.

 

[HariK]

I doubt that anyone living in an apartment without a garage or access to a L2 charger at night would buy any EV even with a referral.

My recommendation was to those with the access. I thought that those on the cusp or undecided might be swayed with an extra free year of charging.

Yes, I understand that better communication is the ideal goal, but since we don't have that, then I was just throwing out some additional what if's. A bidirectional would be great, though I am not sure if it would be cost effective for Lucid to offer this.

Actually I do see a lot of people in apartments driving EVs who depend on DC Fast chargers and met some of them at EA station I was at. Also many think that they can depend on L2 charging at work but that is a risky thing to do.

 

[WildRide47]

Actually I do see a lot of people in apartments driving EVs who depend on DC Fast chargers and met some of them at EA station I was at. Also many think that they can depend on L2 charging at work but that is a risky thing to do.

I'm surprised to hear this.

Right now one of my bridge partners is weighing which brand of EV to buy. She is comparing the Lucid vs BMW vs Volvo.(not sure why-3 completely different vehicles)

I brought this up because she asked me why the Lucid Pure only offers 1 year of free charging while the other brands offer multi years. I explained the higher trims offer 2 years. She was not happy with my response as she stated she was not prepared to raise her budget to the Touring.

 

[hydbob]

I'm surprised to hear this.

Right now one of my bridge partners is weighing which brand of EV to buy. She is comparing the Lucid vs BMW vs Volvo.(not sure why-3 completely different vehicles)

I brought this up because she asked me why the Lucid Pure only offers 1 year of free charging while the other brands offer multi years. I explained the higher trims offer 2 years. She was not happy with my response as she stated she was not prepared to raise her budget to the Touring.

Why do people put so much emphasis on free charging? It's barely anything in the scheme of things and no one was expecting free gas before?

 

[OldAg]

I have one thing that has to happen before I could ever recommend Lucid to anyone other than wealthy buyers that can use the car for fun only and have spare cars to use if problems occur.
Improved service response and Lucid loaners when it needs to be serviced. I have had the car for 4 months and put 1600 miles on it. I have had almost zero operational isssues and only a few minor fit and finish issues.
That being said Lucid has scheduled my car to be either worked on by a traveling tech or to be picked up and taken to the South Florida service center. All 3 times nothing happened. No communication. I eventually call and they schedule again. I now believe the only way I can get anything done is drive 300 miles to the service center and get a hotel to avoid having to drive 10+ hours to get home in a rental. This type of issue has to be solved before Lucid can sell cars anywhere that they don’t have service centers.

 

[Steveinarizona]

Why do people put so much emphasis on free charging? It's barely anything in the scheme of things and no one was expecting free gas before?

I don't know. I have had my BEV for three months and only used a fast charger once and that was only to plug it in and see if it worked (it did after a nice lady in an Ionic 5 told me what to do). I just charge at home.

I anticipate using a fast charger only for long trips.

 

[CLTGT]

I agree. Lucid needs to communicate better, but they also need to communicate differently. They need to avoid vague words like "compatible" and quit using words that might imply something that is not quite true.

My take on the EA issue is that it is an issue for every EV owner other than Tesla owners. I did not even consider Tesla. My alternative to Lucid would have been another ICE vehicle. I have only used EA once, and that was just to see if it worked. I actually elected not to drive my Lucid on a recent trip due to my worry over access to charging. Free charging is not something that swayed my decision, one way or another.

As far as us acting like brand ambassadors, I will answer any and all questions people ask as completely and honestly as I can. I recently even met with a potential customer, that contacted me via DM here, at a mall close by to show him the car, answer questions and even took him for a drive.

The biggest issue was the access to a Service Center. He was from South Carolina and drove an hour+ to Charlotte just to see the car.

 

[TCGT]

All of the above comments are very well said, and have clearly hit on points shared by many owners. As a fan of the design, engineering and performance, I too would like to be able to recommend the company for the aspects of ownership (communication, follow up, service access) being pointed out as less than confidence building. I have friends buying other EV's due to their assumption a legacy company will provide better service (Lucid Mobile van service really needs to be prioritized), and the fear of whether Lucid is strong enough in managing the after purchase experience. The car by itself wins in nearly all other aspects.

Would really like to hear one of the Lucid reps weigh in on these questions.