Any contracts signed in 2023?

[grenadierboy]

There has been a “hold fire/STOP” on sending contracts out for the moment.



The central team and production plant is working out a plan to address the situation as we speak to see exactly what can be produced ad shipped.


We’ll have a clearer idea earlier next week.



In addition to this there will be a direct communication sent to customers next week so they are clear on the situation.

Dave - I am not massively concerned about the constant contract delays because sending them out and getting them signed shouldn't directly impact the date of production (I mean originally there was a 60 day period before production anyway right?).

I assumed the contract delay is due to various legal issues etc. that needed to be addressed.

My concern is growing that the whole contract issuing issue could be more emblematic of a larger picture - that the whole show is very bespoke and either under resourced, rather disjointed or not working as efficiently as we assumed it would be.

But regardless - why on earth, (over the past 8 weeks) can't INEOS get their "ducks in a row" on this; why has INEOS customer services and agent been consistently telling customers that contracts will be issued and then the day/time comes & head office can't deliver them, over and over again!!

 

[Jean Mercier]

Dave - I am not massively concerned about the constant contract delays because sending them out and getting them signed shouldn't directly impact the date of production (I mean originally there was a 60 day period before production anyway right?).

I assumed the contract delay is due to various legal issues etc. that needed to be addressed.

My concern is growing that the whole contract issuing issue could be more emblematic of a larger picture - that the whole show is very bespoke and either under resourced, rather disjointed or not working as efficiently as we assumed it would be.

But regardless - why on earth, (over the past 8 weeks) can't INEOS get their "ducks in a row" on this; why has INEOS customer services and agent been consistently telling customers that contracts will be issued and then the day/time comes & head office can't deliver them, over and over again!!

Angry not on you of course, ... I understand completely your point

 

[DaveB]

Dave - I am not massively concerned about the constant contract delays because sending them out and getting them signed shouldn't directly impact the date of production (I mean originally there was a 60 day period before production anyway right?).

I assumed the contract delay is due to various legal issues etc. that needed to be addressed.

My concern is growing that the whole contract issuing issue could be more emblematic of a larger picture - that the whole show is very bespoke and either under resourced, rather disjointed or not working as efficiently as we assumed it would be.

But regardless - why on earth, (over the past 8 weeks) can't INEOS get their "ducks in a row" on this; why has INEOS customer services and agent been consistently telling customers that contracts will be issued and then the day/time comes & head office can't deliver them, over and over again!!

Yes it is extremely disappointing.
Normally the car manufacturer or importer creates a local contract to meet that country or regions laws.
They only have to satisfy one set of rules
Ineos is trying to write a global contract and possibly then adapt it to meet all countries needs.
And I assume do this in the relevant languages.
That is a huge and I don't think achievable task.
Every time there is a change they would need to see how it impacts every country and if it translates corrrectly.

 

[grenadierboy]

Agree Dave. - complex issue to plan, execute and maintain going forward
However, I would also think that INEOS has a large internal legal dept. and, anyway, there is a wide selection of international law firms, with automotive practices, that would eat this challenge for breakfast.

 

[Nocrays]

I have told them that

Perfect.

An informed group is far more content and builds trust.

 

[beanohallett]

Im assuming most have had the e mail from Ineos ^0 30 day conformation of build specification with the final PDF version of their order, I received that in November with an e mail shortly after saying "your grenadier is heading for production"

 

[Davman]

Errr. -Hell no

 

[marko]

Im assuming most have had the e mail from Ineos ^0 30 day conformation of build specification with the final PDF version of their order, I received that in November with an e mail shortly after saying "your grenadier is heading for production"

Nope, not received anything.

 

[grenadierboy]

Im assuming most have had the e mail from Ineos ^0 30 day conformation of build specification with the final PDF version of their order, I received that in November with an e mail shortly after saying "your grenadier is heading for production"

No.

In November I requested a few changes.

Agent sent an email confirming the changes were accepted, attached an updated pdf configuration & requested me to confirm as final.

I confirmed via email and that locked in my order.

Then agent confirmed build month.

 

[tartan shepherd]

Yes it is extremely disappointing.
Normally the car manufacturer or importer creates a local contract to meet that country or regions laws.
They only have to satisfy one set of rules
Ineos is trying to write a global contract and possibly then adapt it to meet all countries needs.
And I assume do this in the relevant languages.
That is a huge and I don't think achievable task.
Every time there is a change they would need to see how it impacts every country and if it translates corrrectly.

I would not be surprised if the change of CEO has impacted these delays.
Probably undertaking a full review of processes and personnel, and likely uncovering a few things that require changing. Teams who innovate and create are not always optimal for running operations on a day to day ‘steady state’ basis.

 

[bemax]

I would not be surprised if the change of CEO has impacted these delays.
Probably undertaking a full review of processes and personnel, and likely uncovering a few things that require changing. Teams who innovate and create are not always optimal for running operations on a day to day ‘steady state’ basis.

This could of course be the case.

 

[JohnHeagney]

Im assuming most have had the e mail from Ineos ^0 30 day conformation of build specification with the final PDF version of their order, I received that in November with an e mail shortly after saying "your grenadier is heading for production"

Not to me either!

 

[Jean Mercier]

I would not be surprised if the change of CEO has impacted these delays.

I don't think so! Way too early!

 

[To]

Im assuming most have had the e mail from Ineos ^0 30 day conformation of build specification with the final PDF version of their order, I received that in November with an e mail shortly after saying "your grenadier is heading for production"

Same here. As of 09.01.2023 my car is "In production". Email from Ineos and change in my account.

 

[Tazzieman]

One thing life has taught me is that the Speculatoscope is not as powerful or reliable as the Retrospectoscope.
Hang in there chaps!

 

[JohnHeagney]

Thinking a bit deeper, I feel very sorry for the Ineos Dealers, especially the smaller ones who don’t have the deep pockets of the larger groups, who have invested massively in premises, signage, workshops, service engineers and their own time and who are not earning a single penny but they are at the coalface having to talk to and pacify customers who have placed orders and are at the mercy of the lack of communication from Ineos.
They are the face of Ineos on the ground and they are in my opinion doing a great job under difficult circumstances while earning nothing but watching the money flowing out of their businesses on all of the very considerable costs associated with running a dealership and workshop service operation and still being positive!

 

[marko]

Thinking a bit deeper, I feel very sorry for the Ineos Dealers, especially the smaller ones who don’t have the deep pockets of the larger groups, who have invested massively in premises, signage, workshops, service engineers and their own time and who are not earning a single penny but they are at the coalface having to talk to and pacify customers who have placed orders and are at the mercy of the lack of communication from Ineos.
They are the face of Ineos on the ground and they are in my opinion doing a great job under difficult circumstances while earning nothing but watching the money flowing out of their businesses on all of the very considerable costs associated with running a dealership and workshop service operation and still being positive!

Spot on!

 

[@nd]

So, here we are at the end of yet another week and the promised contract has still not arrived.
I had a call from my helpful Dealer on Monday with the “Heads up” that it wasn’t going to arrive that day but should be here this week.
The time now in the UK is 18:45 and no contract…
Has anyone received a contract in 2023 yet? The production system seems to be running, there are comments that vehicles are being built regardless of contract, if so the time between contract and delivery may be short - if so many of us will be happy!
Ineos have achieved so much is a relatively short space of time and must be congratulated on all that they have achieved but one point that they haven’t managed to do well is Communication…

had the same from my allocated dealer

 

[marko]

Text of my live chat with INEOS Automotive customer services Friday lunchtime......

Q: Hi, are you still planning on issuing me with my contract this week? Thanks.

A: Thanks for your question. I would like to say Yes, but we have experienced a bit of a delay with this and unfortunately we have no further update on when contracts will be sent. I can assure you that it will be sent very soon, hopefully by the end of the month. I understand the frustration. I do apologise for the confusing communications. We have also been expecting the contracts to for out for a while now, but for some reason we are still waiting. We believe this has been a knock on effect from general delays the automotive industry has been facing the past year.

"Laura" was very helpful and polite but clearly doesn't have the full picture to be able to provide an informed response. I wouldn't want her job (dealing with us lot!) right now!

 

[JohnHeagney]

Text of my live chat with INEOS Automotive customer services Friday lunchtime......

Q: Hi, are you still planning on issuing me with my contract this week? Thanks.

A: Thanks for your question. I would like to say Yes, but we have experienced a bit of a delay with this and unfortunately we have no further update on when contracts will be sent. I can assure you that it will be sent very soon, hopefully by the end of the month. I understand the frustration. I do apologise for the confusing communications. We have also been expecting the contracts to for out for a while now, but for some reason we are still waiting. We believe this has been a knock on effect from general delays the automotive industry has been facing the past year.

"Laura" was very helpful and polite but clearly doesn't have the full picture to be able to provide an informed response. I wouldn't want her job (dealing with us lot!) right now!

This demonstrates that Ineos are not even keeping their own Comms team in the picture based on Laura’s comment “We believe this has been a knock on effect…”, she seems to be guessing at the reason. Therefore I have great sympathy with their own Comms team as well as the Dealers!

Hopefully while all of this is going on, production continues and we are actually closer to receiving our promised Grenadiers, let’s be optimistic and hope for an early delivery - the contracts shouldn’t slow anything down as whatever vehicles they build, regardless of specification, will be highly saleable!