Ford dealers are in a bit of a flux these days as FoMoCo prepares to undergo a major reorganization that will ask those same dealers to specialize in one particular area as soon as next year, and perhaps even sell EVs at fixed prices as the automaker looks to improve its customer satisfaction scores. One way Ford plans to do that is by expanding its pickup and delivery service, which launched on Lincoln vehicles back in the 2017 model year, in Brazil last year, and will soon be supported by the majority of Ford dealers. Now, Wards Auto is reporting that all Ford dealers are expected to offer pickup and delivery services by next year.
The move is one of many that FoMoCo has planned to enhance its dealer experience, including special training on how to handle customers in a way that makes them “feel like family,” as well as developing a stronger connection between the automaker and dealer personnel. A new pilot program dubbed the Ford Guest Experience will also launch this month that invites dealer employees to travel to Detroit and receive special training on a variety of customer service experiences including pickup and delivery.
“We look at a lot of benchmarking, and we look outside of the (auto) business,” said Elena Ford, FoMoCo’s chief customer experience officer. “I spend a lot of time looking at companies like Delta and their customer experience. They are really doing extremely well. We look at companies like Chick-fil-A, their franchises and (how they took) their business to a whole new level.”
While Ford is also working on making it possible to complete all of the paperwork associated with purchasing a vehicle online, it isn’t discounting the important role that dealers still play in that process, particularly in terms of offering test drives. “People definitely want to test drive cars,” Ford said. “It’s a very big deal that they offer test drives on the customers’ terms when they are convenient for them. Our dealers are our partners in everything we do; keeping customers loyal keeps them at dealerships. It’s important they have great relationships with customers.”
We’ll have more on Ford’s efforts to retool its dealership experience soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for 24/7 Ford news coverage.
Comments
We ordered a 2022 Ford Maverick and a 2022 Lincoln Naulitus and Ford was great keeping upto date with the purchase process. Both units took about 12 weeks from ordering to delievery. Couldn’t be happier.
All well and good. Now, get the sales force to at least look up from their smart-phones or cups of coffee long enough to acknowledge the presence of people when they walk into the showroom.
I have “F-150 Lariat” written all over me, but, when I enter any of my local Ford agencies I am treated like Royalty. By that, I mean every single salesman on the floor averts their eyes, and NO one greets me. NO one. Chevy, GMC, and Ram dealers say hi, and find out where my interests are.
If Ford sales people ignore me, how will the (alleged) “service” department treat me?
LOLOLOLOLOLOL OMG THIS IS HILARIOUS OUS. Lincoln can’t even do this right virtually impossible to get a dealer to do pickup delivery and loaners as promised. Good luck!
Have they forgot about the very much anticipated Ford Bronco that some of us put down our $100 Deposit in July or August of 2020, and we still have no build date for our order, much less the actual Bronco!!! We changed our order to meet everything that was available, and now I could just cry. My husband got mad and bought something way cooler and he told me to change the order we have in to something I’d like. I want a 2 Door Base w/Sasquatch, Cyber Orange. That’s it. But I’m not getting ready to get rid of my Challenger for it. Maybe by the time my 2021 Bronco is ready, I’ll have my Hemi paid off. Or pushing up daisies 😞
As everyone one else that has ordered the maverick I am Still waiting, waiting and still waiting to get the email with a vin# and build date
I ordered mine July 9, 2021. Next month will mark 1 full year (assuming I don’t get it in the meantime). It is very disheartening.
I didn’t get one until I called Ford Customer Service. I ordered in August of 2021 and got my Hybrid XLT in May 2022. Currently getting 46 mpg and loving it! Hope you get yours soon!
My brother ordered a 22 maverick in July 21 he is still waiting . I was going to order one this August but now maybe not
I odered my Outer bank with Sasquad in Jan 2021,they said we pushed to 2022,we want to enjoy the new car,but too bad,still waiting ,i do not know why they take so much new orders and let the old order not fill it up,Ford should make a reform on that
I ordered a 2022 Escape Hybrid 6 months ago and every other week an email tells me the build date is pushed back again!