Dive Brief:

• Hyundai Motor America appointed Michel Poirier VP of after-sales and customer experience, the company announced Monday. Poirier began his role Monday and reports to CEO Randy Parker.
• After-sales and customer experience is a new division at Hyundai that combines its retail and after-sales functions in an effort to streamline CX.
• "Michel joins Hyundai Motor America from Hyundai Auto Canada where he was able to deliver great results growing the parts and accessories business and improving customer satisfaction leading their customer experience and aftersales team there," Parker said. "He will add immense value to this newly structured team at Hyundai with his 30 plus years of experience in the automotive industry."

Dive Insight:

Poirier will oversee efforts to improve customers' experience buying a car at Hyundai dealerships as well as any after sales service they might require. The changes come during a time when car buyers have expressed more frustration with the process.

Consumers’ satisfaction with the car buying process declined for a second year in a row, according to a Cox Automotive study released in January. Shoppers expressed irritation with the time spent on the process, limited inventory and high prices.

Hyundai has put renewed focus on its customer experience this year. Last month, it partnered with Amazon to sell its cars on the platform in an effort to improve the car-buying experience and provide its customers the convenience for which Amazon is known.

Hyundai and Kia have also faced harsh criticism from consumers for their cars' vulnerability to theft in recent years. The 2023 Highway Loss Data Institute Insurance Report found that the theft of Hyundai and Kia models — many of which lack electronic immobilizers — has risen significantly over the past several years.

The automaker’s newly created CX division will include “dealership training and customer satisfaction for sales and service” as well as “dealer service programs and operations, parts and accessory sales, owner marketing, technical assistance, and warranty administration,” Hyundai said. 

Poirier takes on his new role after the recent retirement of Dave VandeLinde, former VP of after-sales at Hyundai Motor America. In addition to his time at Hyundai Auto Canada, Poirier previously held roles at Industrial Alliance Dealer Services and General Motors of Canada.