Description This activity is a “roll-playing” exercise, where you are a prospective buyer for a “large luxury sports-utility vehicle (SUV).” To be an informed buyer, we are providing you with the following information about the product and what buyers look for when they purchase a large luxury SUV. Two of the most popular large luxury SUVs include the Cadillac Escalade and the Land Rover Range Rover. Large SUVs typically have a relatively boxy shape, with an upfront engine compartment followed by a combined passenger and cargo area. This design is unlike a sedan, which has a separate trunk compartment in the rear of the vehicle. Some but not all SUVs have off-road capabilities, such as raised ground clearance and an all-wheel-drive platform. However, they generally operate on city streets or highways as a family vehicle. Land Rover Range Rover Cadillac Escalade Large SUVs generally have enough room for six or seven adults plus cargo space, where the third row of seats in the rear of the vehicle can be folded down to substantially increase cargo capacity. The vehicle’s design affects the comfort of passengers in the middle and rear of the vehicle, as well as the amount and usability of the cargo space. Prices for these vehicles begin around $70,000 and increase to more than $100,000, depending on which optional features are selected by the buyer. Some luxury SUVs are known for their attractive appearance both inside and outside the vehicle, whereas others have a more modest appearance. For some luxury SUVs, the interior design emphasizes a large infotainment display, an extremely quiet cabin, very comfortable seating, and opulent interiors, while others fall short in this area. Some come equipped with heated front and rear seats, leather upholstery, a power-adjustable steering column, three-zone automatic climate control, navigation, and adaptive cruise control, whereas others have fewer options. Ride comfort for the large luxury SUVs varies from being relatively soft to stiff and somewhat harsh. Maneuverability and responsiveness around tight corners also vary, depending on the vehicle’s size and suspension. During sharp turns, body lean varies from being mild to somewhat cumbersome. Most large luxury SUVs have ample power, but there is variation in both acceleration and top speeds. From zero to sixty mph, their acceleration ranges from 6.2 to 9.1 seconds, and their top speeds vary from 100 to 130 mph. Combined city and highway gas mileage for large SUVs varies widely from less than 14 to more than 20 miles per gallon (MPG) and most drivers of these vehicles operate them daily. The range in towing capacity also varies for large SUVs ranging from moderate (6,000 pounds) to high (8,000 pounds). The visibility for large SUVs is mixed. Even though most of them have large upright windows, some have blind spots created by a wide roof and windshield pillars. Safety features from advanced warning technologies also vary, with some luxury SUVs offering forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assistance, lane departure warning, rear collision warning, blind-spot, and rear cross-traffic warning. Large SUVs typically come with a four-year bumper to bumper warranty, with coverage up to 50,000 miles. For some brands, however, the warranty for the drivetrain extends to six years, for up to 70,000 miles. Now that you are familiar with large luxury SUVs, your task is to decide which customer requirements are most important to you as a buyer. Given that most buyers are not college students, consider yourself a “typical buyer” of a large luxury SUV, and that you have the following demographics:

• You are 45 years old, married with three children, and you live in the suburbs of a large metropolitan area.

• Your highest degree is an MBA from a well-known university.

• You are an investment banker with an annual household income of $350,000.

• Your status and reputation are important to you.

• You enjoy driving and consider yourself adventurous.

Therefore, based on the above demographics, work with your group to list and rank the relative importance of customer requirements for the buyer of a large luxury SUV.

* Imagine yourself as a “typical buyer” of a large luxury SUV, where you will list and rank the relative importance of each customer requirement. Please note that the rankings should not reflect your own personal preferences. Instead, they should reflect the preferences of a buyer with the same demographics as listed under the large luxury SUV description. Your task is to assign a relative importance percentage to each customer requirement.

** Summing the customer requirement percentages should equal 100%.