Chrysler still quiet on the sales front
When Chrysler emerged from bankruptcy and formed a partnership with Fiat in June, the new automaker stopped its practise of hosting conference calls with analysts and the media to discuss monthly sales results.
For five months the company operated under a media blackout of sorts while it worked on a 5-year business plan and promised an era of transparency would begin once that plan was made public.
The plan is now out. It was disclosed Nov. 4. But Chrysler still will not join its competitors in hosting a sales call Dec. 1 to discuss its sales results.
Officials say the calls remain a sensitive issue and resumption will continue to be debated on a month to month basis. The decision has not been made to stop them permanently, but management still hasn't given the OK to start up again.
We recognize this is only the second month since Fred Diaz took over as sales chief and he was preoccupied preparing the 5-year plan in his first month on the job.
And a discussion of November sales may not be a cheery conversation with forecasts Chrysler sales could be down as much as 30 percent from a year ago.
But the hope is Chrysler finishes the year on a high note with the decision to publicly discuss December and full-year 2009 sales.
Chrysler operations have garnered government money and public interest.
Repayment includes accountability and it should entail the opportunity to question executives about the sales figures they release.
