GM Turns Workers into Test Drivers

General Motors understood how important the employees’ enthusiasm is, so the automaker decided to launch a program which gives the workers at its Renaissance Center headquarters the chance to drive some of its recently launched vehicles.

“The Company Vehicle Ambassador Program” is targeted to the non-management employees, which are now able to take home one of the vehicles for a few nights. Its aim is to give employees "the opportunity to promote the quality and features of GM products by taking home a GM vehicle," according to a company memo sent to workers that was obtained by the Free Press.

The program has the aim to get employees excited about their products, and it seems to work. According to Tom Miller, director of GM company vehicle operations, about 500 employees have already taken the chance and drove home in one of the cars from the program.

The idea for this program is not new, as last summer GM organized events where its employees where invited to test drive their vehicles. Such programs have been running for years, but only for the managers and executives. This time, the non-management employees are getting the attention.

“If you're not a company vehicle driver - unless you have an assignment that takes you outside of your facility during working hours to borrow your manager's cars - you have no opportunity to drive the vehicle unless you go to a dealership on your own," said Amanda Halabou, 25, an investigator in GM's global security group who owns a Saab 9-3.