"Ford on a good day is always about the people," declared Jim Farley, group vice president of Ford marketing and communications. Like many of these pre-digested pronouncements, Farley’s seemingly innocuous, feel-good assertion is fraught with unintentional meaning. What does Farley mean by “Ford on a good day?” What’s Ford about on a BAD day? Is Ford bi-polar? Manic depressive? Does it forget to take its meds? And what about the contradiction between “on a good day” and “always?” And, most damning of all, Ford is NOT about the people. It’s about the product.
I know: cars don’t build people, people build cars. I have consistently and persistently argued that corporate culture ultimately determines an automaker’s success or failure in the marketplace. A public declaration of respect for your workers is never a bad thing. And there’s nothing inherently wrong (or innovative) with Farley exhorting FoMoCo’s extended family to move the metal; the alleged point of his “Drive One” marketing campaign. The problem is, once again, one of subtext and nuance.
Drive One’s underlying assumption: Ford has won– or at least drawn level– in the battle to build desirable products. Hence the recently launched national ads trumpeting the fact that Ford’s initial build quality is now “as good as Toyota’s.” This may be true, but it’s not particularly motivational. In fact, the statement does more to draw attention to and underline Toyota’s reputation for quality than give potential Ford customers a unique and persuasive reason to switch to The Blue Oval. For this, Ford relies on Microsoft’s SYNC gizmo, whose exclusivity is set to expire.
Ford’s Drive One campaign is based on the same “chip on our shoulder” attitude that’s bedeviled the domestics’ thinking for the last decade or more: our vehicles don’t suck, people just THINK they suck because they're American products (excluding the Mexican, South Korean, Belgian and Australian thing). But don’t take my word for it. "It's a marketer's dream to be here right now because the reality doesn't match up with perception," John Felice, Ford-brand general marketing manager, told Automotive News. "It's that gap between reality and perception that this whole thing is designed to close."
Unfortunately, Ford dealers are down with that. "It's incredibly frustrating to be a Ford dealer and know we have the best showroom we've had and yet we don't have people coming in to consider us," says Ford-Lincoln-Mercury franchise owner Jeff Robberson. "The need for this campaign was huge." Robberson’s contention that Ford has the best showroom they’ve ever had completely ignores the other guys’ product lineup, and fails to provide a compelling reason for customers to darken his doors.
So here we are again. Rather than concentrating on making their products unassailable, or at least choosing a unique selling point and sticking with it, Ford’s marketing efforts are once again [still] focused on its customer’s supposedly ignorance, perceived bias and, let’s face it, stupidity. If anything, the Ford campaign’s stridency– “Drive One” as opposed to “Have you driven a Ford lately?”– indicates a hardening of the automaker’s indefensible, defensive position.
The “get your ass behind the wheel of one of our cars and then you’ll see why you should buy one” marketing strategy completely ignores important buying considerations: long-term build quality, depreciation (i.e. total cost of ownership), dealer service and, of course, comparative product excellence. Ford made a stab at this crucial component with its rigged Car & Driver pimpatorial comparo, then abandoned it for… this. Which is what? A farrago of ad messages wrapped-up in a command to take a test drive.
The wider, ultimate question remains unanswered: why? Why should anyone test drive a Ford? Even more crucially, what exactly is a Ford?
It doesn’t really matter how Farley’s followers implement the Drive One campaign (human viral marketing is, if nothing else, cheap). It doesn’t even matter if more people take a Ford for a spin in the next month than the previous six. When considering Ford’s chances of survival, the central and damning fact is that [ironically enough] Drive One focuses on four product areas: quality, safety, environmentally friendly initiatives and technology. That’s three too many.
You don’t have to be a professional branding guru to know you shouldn't market a product based on four disparate selling points (at least not without a single unifying concept). But it was my understanding that Jim Farley answers to that job description. Ford poached Farley from that most focused of car companies (Toyota) at tremendous expense, presumably to apply his proven expertise to Ford’s sagging fortunes. And yet it seems as if Farley’s new employer’s lack of focus (both figurative and literal) has infected his thinking.
Not to put too fine a point on it, “Drive One” is the same old shit in a different wrapper.
I’m always willing to reserve judgment until I see the actual launch of a vehicle or a campaign.
There were folks in the remarketing and dealer side of the business who thought that GM’s ’employee pricing’ campaign was a scam that most consumers would see through and ignore. They thought it re-enforced the perception by some out there that GM was pretty much incapable of moving metal and had to use a hokey advertising campaign to even get their metal considered.
They were wrong. But then again, a lot of folks thought the ‘Bold Moves’ campaign would help Ford. In reality, it was probably the worst advertising campaign in the industry. I still think to this day that the advertising agency looked exclusively at upper management ego instead of the prospective customers.
The words ‘Drive One’ are really the force behind this campaign. It’s a direct and brief statement. But the question will really be whether consumers will remember the words, and remember Ford when it comes time for consideration. Once they get in the car it’s the product, the dealer experience, and the value proposition that will determine the outcome.
As far as traffic at the dealerships, they’re absolutely right. Everybody is getting hit hard right now and I wouldn’t be surprised if dealer traffic is off to an even greater extent than sales. Unlike the days of yore, a lot of dealers today invest several millions of dollars just in their showrooms and front lots, and Ford has wisely consolidated the number of dealers throughout the country. Chances are if someone goes to a Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealership today, it’s an upscale environment. This is especially the case in the metropolitan areas.
Anyhow, good rant. I look forward to the next Ford focused editorial that will come from an obscenely gifted writer who is having trouble finishing this sentence ;)
Your Friend
Frank Williams (jk!)
Just found this re: Farley’s view of comparison ads in Brandweek:
BW: At the auto show in Detroit last year, Ford was running challenge ads where the Ford Fusion was compared to Toyota.
JF: And I said, ‘Thanks for the free ad.’
And yet Ford’s still comparing itself to Toyota under Farley? Go figure.
Recently I drove by one of Ford’s largest SoCal dealers (located in Buena Park) at 10:30 Sunday morning. The dealer was open, no customers were in sight on the lot or in the showroom. The only ppl I saw were a coupla salesmen by the front door.
Drove by the same dealer at 3:30PM, there wasn’t one customer visible anywhere. All I saw were the bored salesmen hanging around the front door.
PATHETIC.
It’s not like the dealer isn’t trying…This dealer runs full page color ads in all the local newspapers every Saturday & Sunday.
Meanwhile just down the street, the Honda and Toyota dealers lots were crowded with ppl…..both times.
How does this dealer justify the costs of running these expensive weekend ads? Maybe it’s because he also owns a huge Honda dealership in an adjacent city!
OTOH with Ford I see movement. It may not be the most coherent message but with all their other moves it shows that Ford is paying attention and at least trying!
You know that at GM they’re “staying the course” just like usual, right over the cliff and Chrysler doesn’t have a plan, an idea or a clue. Of the 3 I’d give the props to Ford.
And another thing…
I have only seen one challenge ad work and I don’t know how they pulled it off, every other one has fallen flat on its face. The tendency is to overreach, make a comparison to something that is ridiculous though the Ford/Toyota pairing isn’t too extreme. Like the negative political ads it’s just better not to go there in the first place.
BTW, the ad I thought worked? Old Volvo sport wagon comparing itself to a 911. SO extreme, it worked.
“Quality is Job 1.”
People burned by earlier false representations, atrocious products, and abominable customer care are unlikely to rush back for more.
Ad guru gets phone call from FoMoCo:
“You say ‘Drive One’ involves three too many product areas? OK, how about this:
Drive Four!
Doesn’t work for you? Try:
Get your hands on a Ford, you’ll never let go!
Oh, you’ve heard that before. Check this:
Try it, you’ll like it!
Not that one either, eh? Hey, I’ve got it:
Test drive a Ford. You’ll love our showrooms! The quality is as good as the competition! And resale values are going to get better!”
[click]
Perceptions are slow to change. I’m not sure Ford has enough time. A longer warranty is probably a lot more convincing than advertisements.
I realy hope this doesn’t degenerate into a “Toyota quality Vs Ford quality” debate, but here I go:
Let’s put aside paid for surveys, plenty of initial quality surveys but a distinct lack of long term quality surveys and just plain, dubious surveys. Ford are claiming to have equal quality to Toyota, but still I don’t believe them. I’m sure they’ve actually decided to build a more durable product, but as far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t count for jack until they put their money where their mouth is. If their quality is that good, lay a 5 year warranty on me. What’s to lose?
Now I do keep bringing up the case study of Hyundai and their 5 year bumper to bumper warranty, but now a new company has stepped up to the plate.
FIAT are now selling their Bravo with a 5 year, unlimited mileage warranty. For years, FIAT were dogged with unreliable engineering and now they’re doing something meaningful to dispel that image.
Why can’t Ford do this? Let’s look at this logically:
If a person sold you a TV for £1000 and it gave you nothing but problems and the salesperson didn’t care, you’d be annoyed.
Now 10 years down the line, the same salesperson is desperate for a sale and said to you, “Look, I’ve made a more reliable TV, this survey says so.” and you say “Sod the survey, I want a 5 year warranty from you. If your product is that good, you won’t mind, will you…?” and the salesman said “No.”, how confident would you be of that TV if the salesperson won’t stand behind the product…..?
Now times the value of the product by 15 and ask yourself whether customers are willing to take a risk, that they DON’T NEED DO because Toyota and Honda are willing to sell them a car with a proven track record.
Ford do make some good looking cars (Ford Focus Cabriolet is lovely) but I’d never buy a Ford ever. I don’t trust the company and if they aren’t willing to win customers back (i.e a decent warranty with no loopholes), then why should I bother? They don’t seem too bothered to get my custom and, as I pointed out earlier, it’s a risk I don’t need to take as Toyota and Honda are willing to sell me a car with a proven track record, not a bunch of empty, vapid adverts……
N.B: I agree with Dimwit that out the big 2.801 at least Ford is forming some sort coherent plan and we should give them credit.
Comparing themselves to Toyota or any other company is a losing proposition. Without any compelling differentiation, customers will just buy the real thing.
Robert Farago:
Just found this re: Farley’s view of comparison ads in Brandweek:
BW: At the auto show in Detroit last year, Ford was running challenge ads where the Ford Fusion was compared to Toyota.
JF: And I said, ‘Thanks for the free ad.’
And yet Ford’s still comparing itself to Toyota under Farley? Go figure.
The hypocrisy is ironic isn’t it? This also obviously outlines that Toyota isn’t about one man or one individual; Toyota is about ALL workers in the company sharing the same philosophy and the same focus.
Farley was just one man at Toyota, and he certainly was given more credit than he deserved while being at Toyota. Without Farley or without Press, Toyota is still Toyota. That’s because Toyota’s corporate culture and philosophy is deep within company ranks, and Toyota has plenty of talented individuals to replace Farley or Press.
What’s even more ironic about this whole situation is that Farley has put himself in the same situation as Press. While still working for Toyota, Press told Congress that Toyota had absolutely no help from the Japanese government for the research and development of the Prius and of it’s hybrid technology. Now that Press works for Chrysler, he’s saying the opposite, sort of like Farley.
This will surely sour the reputation of both Press and Farley. It still surprises me that they left Toyota, but we don’t know the full story. Perhaps Toyota no longer wanted them there. One thing is for sure; Toyota was likely not sad or dissapointed to lose those two.
This brings me to another point; all the hype that Toyota critics were making months ago regarding the loss of several key executives. People were chanting from the rooftops that it would affect Toyota for the worse. Toyota still remains Toyota, arguably even more focused than ever.
It seems clear to me now that many “enthusiasts” and Detroit supporters on the internet spend far too much time thinking of ways to criticize Toyota (since it’s become the “cool” thing to do these days for internet arm chair enthusiasts) and spend far too little time actually paying attention to reality and what’s actually going on in the industry.
Drive One
Bold Moves
American Innovation
Built For the Road Ahead
Look Again
Ford on Ford
No Boundaries
Global Anthem
Have You Driven a Ford Lately
Quality is Job 1
Just throw things at the wall and see what sticks I suppose.
Most people loathe car dealerships so much, they won’t get near one of those places unless they absolutely have too. And even then; it’s still not a likeable or pleasant experience. It’s just not fun being there. There are more people there on Sunday’s(when they are closed in this state), then any other day of the week.
Key to the issue is the people who work there aren’t on your side. They don’t have your best interest in mind. They aren’t there to get you a good deal or save you some money. They are going to try and hustle every last dollar out of you. It’s like dealing with the enemy or a scammer or a con artist.
And why even bother to go when one already knows the prices are too high and there are no good deals, let alone, a must have compelling car.
It’s only been about forty years since they had something a lot of people really wanted(and could afford): http://youtube.com/watch?v=MBot2MAewpY
Whens the new Camaro come out(ain’t nothing but a G8?)? How about the new Challenger? What’s Ford got? What’s Ford going to have? Volt’s coming out. You got anything like that Ford?
Escape, Explorer, Expedition are some tired models. Edge is just a bigger, rounder Escape. Costs more too. So much so I see very few of them on the streets. Flex? You’d better chop that top. Sport Trac? As long as it doesn’t cost anymore money to make vs’s standard Explorer’s. Can’t imagine it making any money and surprised the model hasn’t been dropped. Focus could sell. It has potential. But not in it’s current form. A high mileage diesel model. A hybrid model. A high performance model. Any “performance” model of it in the past was hardly any more performance then the base model. It needs to be able to dust most cars on the road for anyone to take any notice of it’s performance potential.
Fusion seems like an upgrade from a Focus but competes with and is similar to a Taurus(500). It’s just not enough. No excitement. No compelling reason to get out and drive to a dealership. Not on price, performance, or economy. Got to have a reason.
People drive dull and boring Civics, Accords, and Camrys because they need something dependable and reliable to get them to work everyday and those cars are known to be that. Anything else and one feels like they are taking a chance. No guarantees and a whole lot of uncertainty based on previous personal experiences. If a Focus or Fusion is “just as good”, it will take a lot of time for that to be known as true and fact and become accepted common knowledge. Right now though, no one is willing to take a chance. It might be “just as good”, but it’s going to take “better then” or “best” to change things. A better car for less money? More car for less money? Offers something others don’t?
“The Focus has set new recall records since its introduction.”
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/recalls04/2005/ford_focus.html
Best just to scrap a model entirely after it gets a reputation like that. Time doesn’t forget things like that. Pintos, and Mavericks, and Mustang II’s.
Ford could make the best cars if they cared too. But I don’t think they employ perfectionists or even car enthusiast. Average people making average cars?
How about: “Our cars are no longer ugly.” That’s a pretty good slogan.
I hate to say it, but styling would cover quite a lot of ills for me. The only attractive Ford vehicle is the Mustang, and even that could stand for shorter overhangs and some work around the back end. Everything else is ugly, pedestrian, and anonymous.
And that’s why I won’t buy one. Safety and quality are prerequisites to play the game; the differentiating factors are styling, powertrain, and handling.
Styling is a faceplant. Decent powertrains are limited to the 4.6L (which would benefit from updates) and the OHC Duratec (which still lags everyone else by 40 HP). Handling is decent on the Fusion and Focus, but not class-leading. And let’s not even talk about Mustang’s rear suspension.
But if they weren’t such odd ducks, I’d give them a much harder look despite all that.
Wabbout “We dont suck as bad as the competition”? Granted, only old cars interest me, so only 2 Ford products catch my fancy, Ranger and Crown Vic. But nothing recent of GM or Chryco does.
All this constant comparison to Toyota pretty much is free advertising for Toyota. It’s also an admission that you were never there in the fist place. I won’t be heading into their showrooms, period.
Great quote from Robert Prescott (look it up, great lesson in business and life):
“We’re unique, so let’s not imitate. Imitation lets you catch up to the guy ahead, but never lets you pass.”
Bravo for working “farrago” into this article.
KatiePuckrik :
I’m sure they’ve actually decided to build a more durable product, but as far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t count for jack until they put their money where their mouth is. If their quality is that good, lay a 5 year warranty on me. What’s to lose?
katie’s right, of course. people buy cars primarily based on word of mouth. more to the point, they notice the cars other people are driving. if they respect or admire those people, they will ask them how they like their car. if people tell them it’s great and it doesn’t break they think about buying one. if they buy one and are happy with it then they will probably buy another. it takes years to change these perceptions. when ford builds good cars for ten years in a row, like they did with the original taurus and f150, they will grow. their market share will grow. until then, they have to woo one customer at a time. the best way to do that is focus on what the customer is looking for right now. in a recession, that means saving money. not just on the purchase price but on the vehicles operation. they need to have the best warranty in class and the best gas mileage in class. that’s what they should be marketing.
postjosh: “When ford builds good cars for ten years in a row, like they did with the original taurus.”
You never worked as a mechanic or partsman for a Ford dealer did you?
The Taurus was a terd! The front disc brake rotors were so poorly ventilated, the calipers melted on the rotors – MELTED! There were cases where cars caught fire due to over heating red hot brakes. By 1994, Ford had changed rotors and calipers at least 4 times, the improvement was miniscule.
THE transmission! Average sales a month for sun gears, main control valves and planet assys, all under warranty of course: 60, and the dealers service dept. wasn’t open on weekends.
The transmissions were so bad, they fried on the test drives!
Explain this: Taurus was Numero Uno in sales for roughly 7 years. Despite high fleet sales to rental car companies, the Taurus was demoted to second place by the Honda Accord, a car with next to zero in fleet sales, then the Honda was passed by the Camry for the Numero Uno position.
What happened?
Simple…the public caught on.
Building CRAP like the Taurus (not to mention the second terd of the decade = the Tempo), cost Ford their large share of the passenger car market, which they’ll never get back = EVER!
I have only seen one challenge ad work and I don’t know how they pulled it off.
I’m guessing it wasn’t Ford’s 1978 ad comparing the Granada with the Mercedes 300SD.
I was only nine years old at the time, but I could tell for sure they had their head lodged in a location with minimal visibility.
I’m sure they’ve actually decided to build a more durable product, but as far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t count for jack until they put their money where their mouth is. If their quality is that good, lay a 5 year warranty on me. What’s to lose? – KatiePuckrik
I once thought the Detroit-3 could reverse their fall from grace by producing quality products and providing and honoring confidence inspiring lengthy comprehensive warranties. It was atrocious product quality and abominable owner care that caused customers to flee screaming.
It’s too late. A lengthy manufacturer warranty from a company with an uncertain future yields zero value-added.
I find it amazing that as bad as things have gotten for the domestics, they still seem to be observing some kind of marketing non-aggression treaty. If I was running Ford I would give up on trying to take business from Toyota or Honda (for all of the reasons cited and then some), and start trying to take business from GM and Chrysler. This situation reminds me of the old joke about Albert Einstein, Nils Bohr and a bear. Ford doesn’t need to outrun the bear (Toyota); they would do just fine by outrunning GM or Chrysler.
brownie—–best post of the string. At least you have offered up a cogent and interesting proposition that I kind of like.
I can’t recall – but immediately after posting their $12b loss, didn’t Ford vow not to cut their advertising budget? Just because you promote a product (to death) doesn’t really make that product any better.
I always think the big 2.8 miss the point when they claim ‘we are now competitive with the imports.’ Most consumers read this as “We are now not completely and utterly inferior to the imports”. Which is not a recipe to get people to switch. Particularly if they are satisfied with their current product.
“The best product we’ve ever had” is another old chestnut used by the domestics. Sure, you’ve improved…but are you really making as good a car as the competition.
To sum it up: Claiming not to be inferior to Toyota will not work. Claiming to have improved your product when the competition provides an equal or better product does not work.
Let me give you an example: There is no price, at all, where I would drive a domestic automobile. That is because I value a decades long history of longevity and reliability more than anything else. Even if a Toyota costs $5000 more for the car, it is worth it because I will have peace of mind about my purchase. GM, Ford et al have a decades long history, objectively, of poor quality and a reputation to match. Statistically, a ten year old Toyota has 0.7 serious problems. A ten year old Ford has 1.25 serious problems. A GM vehicle has 1.5 serious problems. (data from Consumer reports April 2008 “How Vehicles Age”) Can you really prove to me that a new Ford will be better than a new Toyota after 10 years and 120k miles?
BKW :
postjosh: “When ford builds good cars for ten years in a row, like they did with the original taurus.”
You never worked as a mechanic or partsman for a Ford dealer did you?
ok. you’ve got me there. i never worked on fords and truth be told i grew up in a family that gave up on domestics after the ford granada.
still, i see plenty of old tauri (taurus plural?) on the road even today. at least it was a design that appealed to people. i don’t think the camcord is the unassailable target that people believe it to be. give the public a better value proposition than the japanese competition and they will look at your product. hyundai is doing that successfully right now.
Postjosh: hyundai is doing that successfully right now.
I’ve wondered about this. Hyundai has gone from being viewed as simply a cheap and mediocre car to something far more than that. They are still less expensive than their competitors, yet every time I drive one, I’m struck that it is indeed a damned good car. I haven’t seen Hyundai adds trumpeting that they’re as good as Toyota, yet their progress in the last ten years, in both perception and sales has been quite remarkable.
Ford needs to look closely at Hyundai and realize that they have an opportunity to do the same thing, but it takes product consistency to do so. I recently rented a Mustang and was disappointed in the interior quality as well as the rather agricultural feel of the V6. There’s certainly no magic in a Toyota, Honda or even Hyundai V6, but they’re much smoother than the one in this Ford. It’s a shame as well, because in many respects the Mustang is a decent car. Ford just can’t decide if it’s an economy car or something a little nicer.
The Mazda6 clones which Ford is marketing today are decent, but inexplicably do not drive as well as the Mazda they started with. The Mazda3 is probably one of the best small cars in the business, yet Ford struggles on in the U.S. with the beyond-its-sell-date Focus chassis. Why?
It makes you wonder if the only light the big 2.8 (or whatever the decimal is today) is to go Chapter 11 so they can get out of their huge debt and union obligations.
brownie:
I find it amazing that as bad as things have gotten for the domestics, they still seem to be observing some kind of marketing non-aggression treaty. If I was running Ford I would give up on trying to take business from Toyota or Honda (for all of the reasons cited and then some), and start trying to take business from GM and Chrysler. This situation reminds me of the old joke about Albert Einstein, Nils Bohr and a bear. Ford doesn’t need to outrun the bear (Toyota); they would do just fine by outrunning GM or Chrysler.
During desperate times, people (and companies) will do desperate things.
Your post also points out the glaring lack of focus within the American automakers. Toyota is so successful and such a strong competitor in the market, the Detroit automakers spend loads of time and money on PR spin to try and appear equal to or better than Toyota.
Just so you know, Chrysler, Ford and GM ARE competing with each other. They’re failing to grab any meaningful numbers of import conquest buyers, so many buyers are simply coming from/at the expense of another American automaker.
I think it was over ten years ago that the domestics only compared themselves to the other domestics and the Asians car maufacturers to other Asians and the European models to other Europeans. When the dom2.8 started comparing themselves with the Asians, most people I know, as well as myself, thought they started digging themselves into a hole they could not get out of. Most people I know, and I live in an area that used to be dominated by the dom2.8 cars, knew they would lose customers because when you compare yourself to the best, people will research the best to see what makes them just that. When potential buyers looked at the companies the dom2.8 were comparing themselves with, and found out how much better they were in quality, reliability and reputation, they switched. Even around here, central Indiana, although the % of nondomestic cars are the minority, their numbers are growing. I would estimate that 10 years ago, the percentage of foreign cars was 5 to 15%; today it’s at least 40% and maybe higher.
rtz, I think you are right on the money. Joe Average (like me!) just can’t afford to take a chance on something that isn’t 99.5% dependable. My Toyotas have been that (currently ’03 Matrix w/ 132,000 + miles, NEVER had a breakdown of any sort). My Fords (I have three, a ’94 Ranger, ’89 full size Club Wagon, and 2000 Expedition are in the shop constantly. Yes, they have some age on them, but they weren’t any better when they were newer. Needless to say they aren’t driven to work. I need something that will take me an 80 plus mile round trip today and everyday. Not sure a Ford will do that.
tech98 :
I have only seen one challenge ad work and I don’t know how they pulled it off.
I’m guessing it wasn’t Ford’s 1978 ad comparing the Granada with the Mercedes 300SD.
What? That ad was GOLDEN. Two vehicles that were totally cross shopped at the time.
I’m not buying a Ford product until they bring back an ad like that. Or they have to cut diamonds in the rear seat on a bumpy road. Either one – their pick.
Gardiner Westbound :
April 13th, 2008 at 11:36 am
“Quality is Job 1.”
People burned by earlier false representations, atrocious products, and abominable customer care are unlikely to rush back for more.
Question: Why doesn’t FoMoCo use this line in their ads anymore?
Answer: Because quaity isn’t job one anymore.
Saving money is job ONE! Job #2 is trying to make consumers believe Ford is a creditable choice when it comes to buying a vehicle (P.T. Barnun said: There’s a sucker born every minute). Quality fell to job numbers 3,4 or 5 years ago. Is it any wonder they are losing customers in the numbers they are?
Ford’s descending spiral from “Quality is Job 1” to “Drive One” reminds me of Delta.
Delta Airlines’ slogans went downhill from “Delta is Ready When You Are” to “Delta Gets You There”…right before they went Chapter 11.
I still maintain that memories of head gaskets and bad transmissions from all three automakers are fresh in the mind of consumers, and it’s not the actual failure that sticks, it’s being told that either you caused the problem or being lied to about how then problem is not a defect in design and product but a normal event. Either way your stuck with a multi thousand dollar repair bill for a car with lousy resale to begin with. And thanks to the internet we all know about these issues in real time.
You really don’t get rid of the perceptions completely but you do mitigate them by doing the right thing next time. GM fought the dexcool situation for years, to the point that many of the affected cars are no longer on the road. Forget that, I’m getting a Toyota next time is what people think.
yeah, that’s a real marketing strategy:
“Hey, we stopped building crap!”
Am I the only one that found it ironic that the words “test drive” at the end of paragraph seven hyperlinked to a Corolla ad?
We have since found out the Ford Car & Driver comparo was rigged and that FoMoCo paid for the survey claiming that FoMoCo intial quality was “almost” as good as Toyota makes me wonder if anyone should trust let alone believe FoMoCo PR or buy a FoMoCo product.
In my totally unprofessional opinion, I think the objective of Ford’s “Drive One” marketing program is to get a buyer to add “test drive a ford” to their task list when buying a car. Then, they plan to hit the driver with the fact as to why it is so great.
They are right in one respect. Touting facts won’t do anything for someone who isn’t listening. They need to step back and ask you to listen int he first place.
I think that ford needs to personify their image, like Chrysler had with Iacocca. They need to back their product with the best warranty.
I’ve given some thought as to why they have not done this. I’ve concluded they they don’t want to get into a pissing contest with Toyota.
If Ford comes out with the best warranty, what is to stop Toyota from matching it? Advantage… Toyota.
I think that Ford and GM just don’t want to go there because they know that the Asians will just beat them at their own game. The Europeans won’t… they have terrible warranties.
Drive One…. Why?
Why would I even want to go look at a Ford, much less drive one? (Actually I did look at the Focus several months ago and saw that it just doesn’t compare to the Civic) But why would most people even bother?
Ford (and the other 1.8) lost this game a couple decades ago. Back then they didn’t want to make a decent small car, so I bought a Civic (As did a lot of other people). I’m no longer in small cars, but I keep returning to the Honda dealer. They’ve always made a product that satisfies me. I don’t have to put Ford on my list. I have no incentive to put Ford on my list.
Ford, you just havn’t got another 20 years to take corrective action.
I’m sure they’ve actually decided to build a more durable product, but as far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t count for jack until they put their money where their mouth is. If their quality is that good, lay a 5 year warranty on me. What’s to lose?
Katie, I see two problems with that approach:
First of all, one of the blackest marks against domestic dealers has been their long history of denying otherwise legitimate warranty claims on the flimsiest of pretexts. The domestics still operate under a business model where the dealer and the manufacturer are not only separate entities but are, in many cases, rivals and competitors.
Someone who has experience in ‘the biz’ can fill in the details, but from my understanding,
every shop hour spent on a warranty claim is reimbursed at a bare-minimum rate by the factory. Whereas non-warranty claims are charged the prevailing (i.e. higher) market rate. With that kind of setup, it’s obviously in a dealer’s short-term interest to try to deny warranty claims as it keeps low-paid warranty work out of the shop and leaves the shop open for higher-paying non-warranty work.
Apparently the domestics haven’t clued in to the fact that their service department is an integral part of their sales force (in fact, every part of the company is part of the “sales force.”) People who get shabby treatment from the service manager are going to have a bad taste in their mouth about the brand, not just that specific car.
To me this is one of the brilliant things about the Japanese imports. They realized early on that customers will forgive egregious errors by the manufacturer as long as they, the customer, are treated with respect by the dealer, which is the manufactuer’s only interface with the customer.
Your steering wheel came off? We’re sorry. We’ll fix it for you right away. Sit here and have a cup of coffee. Can I get you a donut?
Versus: Your hub cap fell off? Well, you must have been doing something stupid. It’s not our fault. Read the warranty. And get out of my shop.
Which one of those attitudes is likely to get repeat customers?
But that’s only the first problem. The second is more fundamental: If I believe the company is heading down the tubes, then any “warranty” they offer me isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on.
I used to think a longer warranty would help. But GM and Chrysler have already tried that (GM’s warranty now is 5 years/100,000 miles on the powertrain as opposed the standard 5 years/60,000 miles, and Chrysler now has a lifetime powertrain warranty), and both of their sales are still in the toliet. But then again, GM’s boost is minimal (only mileage), and Chrysler’s current product sucks so badly, that maybe if Ford (with a better product lineup than Chrysler) copied Chrysler and offered a lifetime powertrain warranty as well it might help. Maybe. A little bit. A very little bit.
postjosh: “When ford builds good cars for ten years in a row, like they did with the original taurus.”
You never worked as a mechanic or partsman for a Ford dealer did you?
ok. you’ve got me there. i never worked on fords and truth be told i grew up in a family that gave up on domestics after the ford granada.
still, i see plenty of old tauri (taurus plural?) on the road even today. at least it was a design that appealed to people. i don’t think the camcord is the unassailable target that people believe it to be. give the public a better value proposition than the japanese competition and they will look at your product. hyundai is doing that successfully right now.
The reason you see so many of them is because after the initial reliability woes were fixed, the cars were capable of lasting for many years. Our 92 Sable, now a station car, has 209,000 miles on it and is still reliable. The so called self destructing tranny did die – at 165K. With basic care, they simply last a long time, and when they need repair, they are easy to fix and parts are relatively cheap.
That said, Ford should do one better than Hyundai’s warranty. Perceptions take years to mend, and Hyundai’s finally reaping it’s just rewards. Ford sadly squandered their chance to do the same.
I don’t think these ads are made for anyone who would read this site.
I think Hyundai seems to be doing better than it really is. Their fleet average is high and they have the worst depreciation of any car on the market. The cars do seem nice and are full featured though.
Ford’s products are genuinely better, these ads are for the people who keep claiming that their Taurus, Tempo, Ranger etc… was a POS or hunk of junk that “was always in the shop” or “kept breaking down” It doesn’t take that long to improve quality so what you thought about your 1987, 1994 or even 2000 Ford doesn’t apply today.
From the Ford product development chief in February:
The company also has opted to bring some interiors development back in-house to retain the “Fordness” of a vehicle, Kuzak told reporters on the sidelines of the SAE International 2008 World Congress in Detroit.
“I like to call the interior the second home on wheels,” he said. “So we are very focused on making that second home on wheels completely Ford, improving the perceived problem in the choice of materials, the fit and finish and bringing in a lot of comfort and convenience.”
The automaker wants customers to know they are sitting in a Ford by the feel of the seat, the sound of a door shutting and an engine starting, even if they are blindfolded, Kuzak said.
“They will all be distinctively Ford and every Ford world wide will sound look and feel the same way,” he said.
Um….yeah. This guy clearly has absolutely no idea of the depths of the brand has sunk. Ford is toast.
I’d like to see some evidence of those melting brake calipers; I’ve never heard of that on any car, let alone a Taurus. I know about the transmission troubles, but those seem to be avoidable with the addition of an ATF cooler, and just not flogging the car constantly (it’s a family sedan after all). I’ve always been happy in my ’97 Taurus; at 132,000 miles, it’s never had a problem I haven’t caused, never left me stranded, hauled me in and out of dorms and apartments multiple times, and always gets me back and forth between Asheville, NC, Knoxville, TN, and Chattanooga TN, several times a month, and it typically gets 27-30 MPG on the highway.
The point I think I’m going for is that, just like fuel economy, unless there is some horrendous flaw, it’s just as much about how you drive and treat your car as it is about what you drive. My Ford has never let me down in the four years it’s been mine, while my sister’s Scion is throwing check engine lights at under 60k, the girlfriends Mitsubishi is doing the same, and the mom’s Nissan is starting to show electrical problems at 110k. I think with cars from the 90’s to present, once they started getting EFI right, if you’re good to them, they’ll be good to you.
I should add that the Mitsubishi, Scion, and Nissan, are a 2000 Galant, 2004 Xa, and 1997 Quest.
I just bought a new commuter car. I cross shopped the Accord, Camry, Malibu, and Fusion/Milan twins. I wanted a basic (base), 4 cylinder slushbox car for the task at hand. I wanted a local dealer for convenient service. I’ve owned a Ford product of one type or another for decades now. Fiesta, Escort, Festiva, Contour (SVT), Focus (SVT), Escape (for the wife…), Sable (terrific used value, and a good first car for my eldest).
I went into this really, really wanting to like the stretched Mazda6 chassis in the Ford. It’s not that I’m a rabid Ford fanboy, it’s just that I’ve always found good value under the blue oval. I’m sort of frugal (I think that’s what my friends mean when they call me a “tightwad”).
Camry – something went wrong there, Toyota. A new Camry shouldn’t feel cheap inside. The seat creaked in my test drive, weird lumpy feeling steering. Maybe it was just that one example. Maybe someone had beaten the living tar out of it on a test drive. I wasn’t impressed after I drove the Honda.
Accord? Superb, a strong contender for my dollars. But an inconveniently located dealership and the high-pressure puckered anus for a salesperson turned me off of the deal.
FoMoCo Fusion/Milan? Drive a Malibu with the 4, then try a Fusion 4 cylinder – I think you’d go back to the Chevy regardless of trim level. The Ford 4-banger transmits it’s valvetrain sounds through the dashboard with enough volume to be distracting. Wind noise intrudes. The handling was sharp, the transmission eager to provide the needed revs. That and a low price point was the redeeming value, even my meager budget could add a few options – and would have wanted to, at the very least to get a half-decent sound system.
The Malibu trounces the Fu/Mi in feeling like a higher quality item. The interior has more appealing lines. The base seats are more comfy. More points for the long-wheelbase, with its languid, controlled ride that still handles well. It’s damn near as quiet as a Q-ship. It won me over on the superb NVH control, smooth ride, and fit and finish fronts. Plus, it got the thumbs up from the family to boot (Apparently, style is everything to the under 18 crowd).
I look forward to many quiet miles of mindless, lemminglike commuting bliss in my new motoring appliance. Perhaps, in four or five years, when I’m ready to pass it on to one of my spawn, I’ll take a peek at rejoining the Motorcraft parts fold – but for this half-decade at least, my disposable income went to the General. And my wife was gazing longingly at an HHR while we were out tire-kicking……
Ford is committing the classic marketing blunder of trying to argue its way to success in an emotionally-driven market. It can work by increments, in the way Microsoft can be ham-handed about marketing yet overcome dolt messaging with sheer persistence, media ubiquity and repetition. Ford doesn’t have the resources for that inefficiency. I don’t give Farley much credit for Toyota’s success in the US either. He inherited an ascending market position, built from a niche over decades by constructing an onion out of layers of the conformist portion of the market. The hard work of transition from “cheap & cheerful” to “Oh what a feeling” had been done before him. Farley boarded a train already rolling. So his mien for marketing is exactly the wrong kind for Ford’s challenge.
Ford already has a template for clawing for traction in a market it neglected: the 2005 Mustang launch. Not only did they reconnect the car itself to its original appeal, the advance and launch marketing pinged the emotional resonance of the car’s purpose in life. How they could grasp that and then be so dim as to build the Edge campaign around….a modestly artful CUV…..driven on two wheels…..on ledges……is unfathomable. How does an organization nail marketing on one product and wander aimlessly on another?
Every Ford product has a connection to its past, and is a step on a roadmap to Ford’s future. In America Focus is connected to Falcon’s accessible simplicity, not Escort, and it’s informed by the company’s long-established expertise with small cars in Europe. Explorer is connected to family freedom and Country Squires. Edge is connected to Bronco (not in an off-road sense, but the beach sense); Fusion to 1980s Taurus; 2008 Taurus to 1960s/70s LTD. And decline in trucks or not, there’s still lots of money in F150. Then, Ford itself must be connected to the Ford of the “Have You Driven a Ford Lately” era.
Some will say that the emotional connection to past is irrelevant to young buyers. Well, there’s no choice. The company has to find its traction with the points of grip within its grasp. Ford cannot argue its way into the hearts of young car-buyers. It has to first regain the hearts of people who remember Ford’s emotional place as alternative to GM. The buying population that recalls an emotional link to Ford is the bridge to the rational market. Ford needs more street presence to make owning a Ford seem like a possibility to more people. People who own Fords now are the first group to be retained at all costs. Then pull in the marginals for whom some distant fondness still resonates. Then go for mavericks who just don’t like to buy whatever’s “in.” And finally pick and peel away at skeptics’ resistance to the idea that a Ford can be trusted. You can’t win back trust overnight from people who don’t trust you, but you can claw away at market share from people who buy on affinity and emotion.
Someone suggested a personal touch, in the manner that Lee Iacocca once sold America on doing business with *him*. This is correct as a tactic. Toyota is faceless. GM is diffuse. Honda is probably the brand hardest for Ford to pull customers from. They can’t out-humane Honda, nor out-simple that brand. But a lot of Toyota’s buyers are lightly committed and would enjoy something more engaging. Conformity breeds fatigue. Really, would it be so hard to make Ford products be perceived as more engaging than Camry’s, Ravs and Corollas? No, not even with the outward blandness of Ford’s current lineup. While product updates and upgrades come online, Ford’s only path out is to establish the human connection, person-to-person on behalf of the company, riding the rail of fond cultural memory into hearts of buyers. The collateral-appeal mavericks will deduce Ford’s fit to them, by themselves. Farley got his ears dried off learning how to argue his way to success in a data-driven sub-market. Wrong background and lessons for Ford’s near-term problem.
“Drive One” hopes to combine the brevity of “Quality is Job One” with the sentiment of “Have You Driven a Ford Lately.” Net result is it pings neither resonance. Its brevity leaves it difficult to interpret. Is it “Drive one,” or “Drive 1?” Stop. How about illuminating how Ford and its products relate to the way I live?
If I were a Ford dealer with no traffic, I’d have my staff up early on Thursday through Sunday mornings to fill curb parking spots, in front of my nearby Honda and Toyota dealers, with a string of Ford sheetmetal, doors unlocked, stocked with brochures, and staff keeping a respectful distance allowing the curious to choose when to engage. If I were at Ford itself, I’d be scrounging for cash-flow-neutral ways to put more new Ford sheetmetal on America’s streets and roads, under the butts of retail customers. I would boost customization services. Seek in-production upgrades to interior materials. Increase special order options and decrease time for delivery of such. I’d pay the differential fuel and depreciation costs for dealers to send idle staff out on the roads to make immaculately-clean new Ford vehicles more visible. I’d help dealers find more polished but gregarious field marketing people who can drive unscheduled to malls and get people interested in looking at my cars without holding out their hand for a prospect’s money. I’d put ombudsmen in every dealership, for onsite factory presence every hour a dealership is open, authorized to resolve problems, handle customer complaints and gain front-line insight about buyer state of mind now.
Advertising crystallizes marketing to most people, but it’s just a piece in an integrated initiative. But the message discipline advertising demands, in order to be effective, forces clarity and resolve that is transmittable to both the troops and the market at-large. So far, Farley seems to have no grasp of this, or if he does he moves too slowly. He has the Boss’ backing. Move the market with heart, not head, and get a move on.
Phil
I was shopping Foci for quite a while, especially when the rebates were high, why? Because the sticker on a loaded 2007 Focus SES 3-Door was over $19,000 with the “Street Appearance Package”. But, even at 16,000 (after rebates), I couldn’t get past the dull, uninspiring interior with a cramped feel, and the “old-ness” of the design.
Then I heard that a redesigned Focus was on its way, so I waited. And look what they gave us.
So, when I needed a car fast (my Camaro was going “Away”), I looked at the new Focus (and other small domestics). I also looked at a car that I was pretty ambivalent about, a Hyundai Elantra. But when they slapped a $1500 (+ $500 Internet rebate) on the hood of an Elantra SE (well-equipped) 5-Speed, it was a no-brainer (as in: “Duh”). If Ford had kept the hatchback, and used design cues from the Euro-Focus (as EVERYONE has been asking them to do), they may have had a sale…
But they would have had to do it for $15k.
So, I have no car payment, and I can wait for a plug-in hybrid in a couple of years (I wonder if it will be a Ford?)
Yup, I agree with everyone. The drive one campaign is a complete dud and is DOA just like most predicted the new Focus would be. Ooopppss…turns out the new Focus (despite its TWAT status) is doing OK.
Seriously though folks—lets let the plot (re: full plan) roll out before we claim failure. While I agree that singular focus via a simple and clearly stated single minded proposition is paramount for competitive trial and conversion—-I think the goal of this campaign is to retain CURRENT Ford user by giving them 4 good reasons for staying in the franchise and making them feel good about owning a Ford….call it tablestakes….call it share retention….call it Phase 1.
If they are able to convert a Toyota / Honda owner during Phase 1…great and call it gravy. But IMHO—-this type of conversion aspiration will have to wait until 2010 when the product line gives better permission to believe in the Ford message….call this Phase 2. As Robert said—its all about product. If the single minded proposition does not tighten once the new product comes—I’ll be the first to step up and call Farley out.
RF,
You make a really key point about all the reasons to buy that are beyond the test drive.
Only when we are sure of better reliability, dealer service, and depreciation will we all be back. My only Ford had to go to the shop almost quarterly, and I sold it before it hit 50k. For the brake job I had to go back three times to get it done right (the first time they gave it back to me with the left front brake not working and almost sent me into a curb a stop from no more than 35 mph).
Most of us are waiting for someone else we know to take the plunge and report back that all is safe before we head down the Ford (or other 2.8) path again.
We cannot depend on JD Powers because they measure too young cars. We cannot even hope to find a good dealer shop because THEY have turned their own quality surveys into a science of getting good grades at the expense of actually getting a proper review from their customers which would help them improve.
No, we wait for some brave, ignorant, or foolish souls to go buy one of their products and tell us that everything is now better. Latest report from my social network is still not good.
Landcrusher: I agree—the JD Power survey alone should bring skepticism. However if you trust Consumer Reports—-this may be a better source for you to document Ford’s quality improvement.
I don’t think fleet buyers care about ads anyway…
Umterp85:
I think the goal of this campaign is to retain CURRENT Ford user by giving them 4 good reasons for staying in the franchise and making them feel good about owning a Ford….call it tablestakes….call it share retention….call it Phase 1.
All i can say is GOOD LUCK! At the rate FoMoCo is going, they will be lucky if they retain their current customers let alone attract new ones or even more unbelievable is FoMoCo taking conquest buyers from the Asians. The thought of FoMoCo taking customers from Honda and Toyota is laughable at best! Honda and Toyota taking conquest sales from FoMoCo is more likely to happen. But, the way customers are jumping ship and buying better tells me the public is getting wise to how bad FoMoCo really is. They want quality, reliability, and resale value plus a company that will be around in a few years to honor and back up the warranty. How much lower can Ford go before it hits rock bottom? Should we line up someone to write the obituary now?
“The thought of FoMoCO taking customers from Honda and Toyota is laughable at best! ”
People said the same thing about Honda and Toyota taking customers away from Ford
red dawg:
All i can say is GOOD LUCK! At the rate FoMoCo is going, they will be lucky if they retain their current customers let alone attract new ones or even more unbelievable is FoMoCo taking conquest buyers from the Asians. The thought of FoMoCo taking customers from Honda and Toyota is laughable at best!… How much lower can Ford go before it hits rock bottom? Should we line up someone to write the obituary now?
I’m not quite that cynical. But Ford is losing U.S. market share to car companies with satisfied customers. Given Ford’s overheads, it’s unlikely they can downsize fast enough to “right size” enough to live off of existing Ford owners– assuming there are no more defections.
If FoMoCo wants to stay in business, they have to offer Honda, Toyota, Nissan, GM, Chrysler, Kia, Hyundai, etc. customers a reason to buy a Ford. Not four reasons. One. One good reason why people why they should drive one, as opposed to anyone’s else’s car.
Robert: As I said—that one good reason HAS to be product. 2010 will tell the tape on the product front and the resulting single minded proposition that drives home the message and gains trial. Right now—4 good reasons for retention is both reasonable and realistic IMHO.
Red Dawg: Quite frankly—I have no idea how to respond to your rant—-but then I am one of those idiots who actually buys Fords and have been satisifed by high quality product and great dealer service. Then again…I rode the short bus to school so what do I know ;)
But then I am one of those idiots who actually buys Fords and have been satisifed by high quality product and great dealer service.
No kidding. Between 1983 and 2006, I owned a total of 10 Ford vehicles at various times, bought and driven in three different widely-separated metropolitan areas. Every one of them was completely, utterly, anvil reliable, driven into six figures on the odo. Routine dealer service along with a smattering of minor recalls were handled with dispatch and a smile. No doubt some have not had the same experience, but all of the Ford dealers I’ve encountered have been excellent and fielded responsive, professional services.
Phil
How about “Buy A New Ford/We don’t Suck As Much Anymore”? Seriously, short term for Ford is that they should import more of their European cars. They are much better. Then, catch a breath and some market share, and design and build for the NA market.
No doubt there are and were “anvil reliable” Fords, but the statistics have not been made up to embarass Ford or anyone else. That they are crowing today about reliability equal to Toyota is simply an admission that they were not there before.
The ownership experience of the last Ford I owned, a decent if unremarkable Taurus, was damaged enormously by a don’t-give-a-damn dealer and zero follow-through from Ford. After a ridiculous attempt to have the car serviced by the local dealer, I took the time to send a letter to the then-President of Ford, copied to the owner of the dealership, suggesting that a decent car like this deserved better than the representation of this dealership. I received a no-action form letter from “Ford Customer Service” and no acknowledgement whatsoever from the dealership. While this is one issue, one person and one dealer, my experience with personal complaints to Mazda and Volkswagen dealerships (which were also elevated to management) was totally different from that with Ford. In both cases, the response was always consistent with the idea that my business was important to both the manufacturer and the dealer.
When I rented a Lincoln LS shortly after its introduction, I was very impressed with the car and wrote the head of Ford’s “Premium” division to say that it was a great move but just needed to have some niggling details addressed so that it would be cross-shopped with high-end German or Japanese cars. Even though my letter was 85% positive, the form-letter response I received said that they were sorry to hear of my complaints and hoped that I would once again look at Ford for my new car needs, period. Ford’s response did not suggest they were particularly interested in whether or not I liked the Lincoln or not. Their total failure to follow through on the LS (whilst pouring money into development of ever-more luxurious versions of the Excursion and Expedition)was punctuation that they simply didn’t give a damn about a market where they desperately need credibility. What they wanted was profit at the expense of future business. One can only compare the difference between Toyota’s entrance into the luxury market and their willingness to minimize profits as their superior product achieved recognition.
The problem at Ford is not different from that at GM. Each have a corporate accountant culture that believes the objective is to “market” a cost-engineered product as a means of establishing a successful market share. In fact market share is created through superior products.
Several months ago, Phil made the point that the Cadillac XLR was indeed a superior product and that we owed it to ourselves and our larger community to see if U.S. manufacturers could fit our needs when the time came to purchase a new car, and as importantly to leave behind our views of what our neighbors might think when we drove by in a Cadillac instead of a Benz.
In the end, however, I think many of us are going to have to hear stories from friends and colleagues about how their Ford/Chevy/Chrysler dealership has gone the extra mile in customer service. Personally, I’ve heard virtually no evidence in this regard, and the decline of each of the manufacturers says that it is probably not going to happen soon enough to save them. I totally agree with Phil that to reject a new Ford out of hand is neither serving our interest as individuals nor is it serving our interest as a national community. I agree that it is worth our time to look past old stories and take a fresh look at Ford assuming they have a product which meets our needs. After that, it is up to Ford and their dealership to demonstrate that they have provided a decent product and are willing to treat us as desired customers.
Ford has bought the franchise of yet another dealer around Pittsburgh, with no intention to renew. The area has lost several in the last year…
I wonder: Will the remaining dealers raise customer service and product knowledge to a new level, and will Ford products be reliable enough not to require a “Neighborhood Ford Store”?
For months now I have been reading about how bad dealer service is with Ford and for the life of me I just don’t get it.
In April 2000 I bought a 99 Taurus wagon at my local Ford dealer (she was a fleet throw off). As part of the deal they threw in free lifetime oil changes and filters. They only meant to include oil filters but when I pointed out to them in the contract it said filters, they sucked it up and have provided all filters as required. No problems.
Every time I go to the dealer they welcome me by name. My regular service advisor is good guy that both my wife and I trust.
A couple of months ago when I was in for an oil change I mentionned that we were shopping for a new vehicle. He (the servcie advisor) brought me into the showroom, introduced me to a saleperson and wished me luck. When I told the salesperson what I was looking at she had one warmed up and waiting outside the door in about 5 minutes. Except for my first name, she didn’t ask me for any other personal information, she didn’t even come with me on for the test drive. She said to go as far as I wanted to the tank was just filled.
When I got back she asked if I had any questions which she answered promptly and professionally. Then I said goodbye.
I don’t think I could expect a better dealer experience. Unfortunately for Ford, they just aren’t building anything that turns me on right now.
I don’t know, maybe Ford is just run differently up here in Canada. I wish I could find a reason to buy a car from my Ford dealer.
shaker : “Ford has bought the franchise of yet another dealer around Pittsburgh, with no intention to renew. The area has lost several in the last year. I wonder: Will the remaining dealers raise customer service and product knowledge to a new level, and will Ford products be reliable enough not to require a “Neighborhood Ford Store”?
Shaker: I bought and service my Mustang at Moon Township Ford near Pittsburgh International Airport. It has been an exceptional dealership—the service department has been great…I have nothing but good things to say about their operation. It certainly meets or exceeds the level of service I was getting at my BMW dealer.
Here is the thing about having a good experience or a bad one. It means nothing, even if it’s consistent over years.
The problem is that good service is now something better than 95% problem free outcome. That’s one in 20. You can easily go a long time without seeing a problem with one in twenty. At the same time, if they have a one in 1000 failure rate, you could be that guy. If you have more than one bad experience, it means something, but failing to have a bad experience means little.
It’s like how people assess risk. We have a good experience, and we think our action must be okay. We then repeat this a few times, and then we no longer feel any danger. The next thing is we do it again and find that the 1 in 20 chance of getting killed is for real – oops, too late. This happens to pilots who push into marginal weather too many times. It can happen to us as consumers if we rely simply on our own experience.
Use your network, and your gut to help make these decisions or you can lose the game.
Someone said “Every time I go to the dealer they welcome me by name. ”
IF you are having your car in the shop that often, you have the wrong car.
Every time I go to the shop, I have to sort through the new faces to find my guy!
umterp85:
I’m happy that you’ve had a good experience at your dealer’s service dept…
I had no complaints when I brought my 1990 Escort GT with 5k miles on it to John Coxon Ford (in Harmarville; now Shults Ford) for a valve lifter replacement under warranty. They were courteous and efficient; but that’s old news.
The new “Shults” Ford is one of the the last of several dealers of that name (two were closed last year); and now is a “Ford, Lincoln and Mercury” store.
If they hadn’t changed the Focus (for the worse, IMHO), I still would have had trepidations about the dealer being in existence through the warranty period — Ford’s restructuring has no contract with a customer that likes a “local” dealership.