GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY 
2015-05-04
General Motors CEO Mary Barra spoke to customers, employees, dealers and government officials at GM's Fairfax Assembly on Monday to celebrate the global production of 500 million GM-branded vehicles. The prepared text of her remarks is below. As always, the speaker's words are definitive.
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Good morning, and welcome to all of our guests today - employees, our union partners, our local dealers, government officials, our media guests - and a special welcome to our loyal customers and retirees.
It's great to be at Fairfax Assembly to celebrate a landmark achievement for our company. General Motors recently passed a significant production milestone: 500 million vehicles built globally from brands like Chevrolet, Cadillac, Opel, Vauxhall and others.
For me, this is much more than a number - it represents 500 million stories in GM's rich history.
It's about earning customers for life and providing our customers with exceptional ownership experiences.
Think about your family road trips…
Daily commutes to work…
The places we've visited…
The songs we've sung with the windows down and the sunroof open…
The relationships we've made because we drove somewhere…
It is a privilege to play such an important role in our customers' lives.
As I consider the significance of this 500 million production achievement, I think about the generations of hardworking, talented women and men who have built the best possible cars, trucks and crossovers for our customers.
I think about the incredible innovations by our designers and engineers that made our cars safer and more reliable… with the latest technology:
· Things like inventing the first electric starter - in 1912 - making it possible for women to drive without first turning a heavy crank.
· Just over 50 years later, in 1966, GM introduced the industry's first energy-absorbing steering column, which helped reduce the force of front impact collisions.
· In the early '70s, seventies, GM was the first to offer cars that ran on unleaded gasoline, a major breakthrough in reducing exhaust emissions.
· Fast forward to more recent times, we've become a leader in electrification with the introduction of the Chevy Volt in 2011, and the soon-to-be released Chevy Bolt EV - our new affordable, long-range electric vehicle.
These are just a few of the inventions and innovations that have shaped our industry and the lives of many around the world.
Most of all, I'm grateful for the loyal customers who have put their trust and faith in us… 500 million times.
When you think about it, 500 million vehicles really represent all of the milestones our customers have had with our vehicles. To give you a glimpse of some of our customer stories from around the world, let's take a look at this [play video]
These stories, and millions more, illustrate why GM means so much to so many. We don't just build cars ... we build memories.
As I said earlier, it is a privilege to play such an important role in our customers' lives.
During 2015, we expect to sell more than 1,000 new vehicles per hour, 24 hours per day. This adds up to nearly 10 million vehicles, the most in our history.
I look at this extraordinary volume as 10 million more opportunities to prove what kind of company we are … and to say thank you.
In the U.S., we've already begun thanking our customers for their loyalty and their trust in our products - in big ways and small.
Chevrolet is giving customers free tickets to local auto shows and hosting exclusive owner events.
Also, during the busy holiday travel season, Chevy expanded subscription services such as OnStar.
Chevrolet also made April 1 a day of thanks - instead of pranks - with "Best Day Ever" surprise and delight moments across the country.
With help from some of our friends, customers enjoyed free gas cards, free lunches, impromptu concerts and even visits to Disney World for 100 deserving children in a Big Brothers/Big Sisters program in Florida.
Our global employees are excited about participating, too.
Soon, we'll be giving them tools - like digital and traditional thank-you notes - so they can show their gratitude for our customers around the world. It's an important and heartfelt gesture.
Also, every U.S. salaried and represented employee can say thanks from May 18-25 by giving a special Customer Appreciation Discount to a new or existing customer.
Equally important, we're taking care of our customers every single day by listening to what they say and using their feedback to continually improve our products and our service.
Since 2009, trained specialists in our Social Media Customer Care program proactively support about 5,000 customers each month, seven days a week.
They answer questions, address concerns and, if needed, quickly connect customers with a solution.
They do this by monitoring GM's 25 owned social media channels and 90 automotive enthusiast forums.
It's one more way we are putting our customers at the center of everything we do.
Our focus... the reason we exist... is to serve customers so we can earn their business for life.
Here at Fairfax, this is what you do. You want to know that when a vehicle leaves this factory, it's not just the best we can make, it's the best anyone can make.
With the new Malibu, which will start coming off the line later this year, I can say the same thing about this facility and all of you that I say about GM as whole... the best is yet to come.
Thank you for allowing me to share in this moment of celebration with you.
Now I'd like to invite Alan Batey up to talk more about the Malibu and to share some great news.
Thanks, Alan. As we have said throughout the morning, for all of us at GM - it begins and ends with our customers.
I'd like to recognize a number of outstanding, loyal customers here today… some from the Kansas City area and from other parts of the country, including Tennessee.
To all of you, we thank you for choosing to be a part of the General Motors family. We wouldn't be here celebrating our milestone without you.
As May is National Military Appreciation month, we would also like to thank all of our active military and veteran customers with us today. We are grateful for your service to our country.
In fact, we have one veteran here that I'd like to tell you about. Trent Brining is a retired Army corporal and Purple Heart recipient. He's also a grandson of a Purple Heart recipient. Trent was seriously injured in 2005 after being struck by a rocket-propelled grenade during his second deployment in Iraq. He has since undergone 23 surgeries to his arms and legs.
Both he and his wife Samantha are also loyal Chevy customers. In fact, Samantha will tell you she credits Trent's Chevy Silverado for getting the couple together. She says that she just HAD to meet the owner of the truck.
Trent, if you would, please join us on stage.
For all that you have done for our country… and for yours and Samantha's loyalty to Chevy… we would like to present you with a gift.
Out of gratitude and recognition of your young and growing family…
Here are the keys to an all-new, 2016 Chevy Malibu… soon to be built by the proud UAW Local 31 / GM team here at Fairfax Assembly.
On behalf of the entire GM team, please accept our sincere thanks.
Like Trent, over the next 48 hours, one loyal customer in each our four global regions will receive a free vehicle.
With that, I'd like to again thank the outstanding UAW Local 31 and GM team here at Fairfax for hosting us, and for delivering for our customers each and every day.
And, thank you to all of our guests for joining us as we kick off our global customer celebration event.
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