Hollywood_North GT

It sounds like Ford products are a perfect fit for you.

Sonic Boom NH

Americans buying foreign vehicles is NOT the problem nor is it the reason Ford and other American vehicle manufactures are in the condition their in. Also, Americans buying foreign vehicles is NOT the reason any American has lost a job nor will it ever be.

It’s much more complicated then that and truly anyone with some simple logic, a little time to think clearly, and are willing to face reality can, if they are brave enough, come to a decent conclusion, or at least a respectable argument, as to what the problem really is.

I would submit some of the basic problems, and this is extremely basic as I do not want to write a book here, are as follows:

- Perception
- Managements lack of focus, vision, and long term planning
- Unions
- Customer service


That’s just a few and let me briefly explain each:

Perception – It is key to everything, are foreign vehicles truly superior to American vehicles? That’s debatable but the perception is out there in the public that it is and therefore it is until that perception is changed, that is reality. Also note there are very few “foreign” vehicles. Toyota for example is an American vehicle, its built here and built by Americans so you can’t call it foreign anymore then you could call Ford an American vehicle since many are made in Mexico and many parts are manufactured overseas, so there is truly NO American vehicle today…

Managements lack of focus, vision, and long term planning – This could take many chapters but lets just say Ford is seriously lacking any real focus, vision or long term planning. Had they done that then perhaps they would have a much better selection of vehicles with better build quality. Let’s not forget F150’s capable of burning houses down and Explorer roll-overs. When you have a problem and it is a serious problem dealing with it correctly helps to set the right perception, see there’s that word perception again.

Also I would like to note that any dealership that sells new Ford vehicles IS INDEED an extension of Ford Motor Company. Rather Ford likes that or not that is the perception and one they need to zero in on and correct immediately.

That is where the first customer service should take place and stop with all the stupid surveys. They do NOT give you real information, not when a tech or service managers tells you that unless they get all 5’s or excellent marks it means nothing.

Ford’s service technicians who are there to correct the quality issues that escaped Ford and their UNSKILLED assembly line help need to be paid right and paid FULL amount for warranty work which is just another name for UNSKILLED labor at Ford missing quality issues that should have never left the factory.

These dealership technicians also need to be schooled in manners and professional work ethics which means they would treat every customer vehicle as if it were a prized show vehicle. Clean their hands before touching, do NOT lean on the vehicle, do NOT treat it like a rental vehicle. You see their lack of professional work ethics are a reflection, or more correctly, a “perception” of how Ford truly thinks of their customers.

Unions – Again, this could take a few chapters so to briefly explain to many overpaid workers. Assembling a vehicle does not take any particular skill and just about anyone from 16 to 99 could do it. There are processes and procedures in place so people don’t or should not have a need to make a decision. It’s like working at McDonalds and therefore should be about the same pay. Someone on an assembly line really shouldn’t be making more then $10.00 an hour because it is an UNSKILLED labor. Paying someone $18 - $36 an hour is the reason why jobs go overseas and to Mexico, don’t blame the company but rather blame the public because quite frankly I don’t feel like paying for overpaid labor…

Customer Service – This one will not take a chapter because it is very simply. Ford does not have Customer Service. Sure they have something they call Customer Service and they employ people to work at a place and job called Customer Service but it’s all a front, it does not really exist. Until companies like Ford understand that your FIRST priority should always be to KEEP current customers first before getting new ones they will continue to lose market share to other manufactures. It don’t matter if the other manufactures have customer service either because again it’s all about “perception”. Perception is so key to being successful in today’s business world…


And, for the record I own a 2006 Mustang GT Premium, 2005 Ford Ranger and my daughter owns a 2005 Ford Focus. I recently sold my 2003 Ford Lightning to purchase the Mustang.

So, it’s not as if I hate Ford but rather giving an honest unbiased opinion something that is hard for so many people who just want to believe the 15 second sound bites on TV or what they read on the web. It is not foreign vehicles that have caused job loses or jobs to move overseas but rather ALL OF US…

hk2006

there is a new episode in the web site
http://www.fordboldmoves.com/

jcopin

its the mentality that people have that if it came from far away it is superior with EVERYTHING

it is not foriegn cars that ruin an economy it is people relying on other countries for everything ... as we learned works out really well with oil

soon we wont make anything here because that other model is from north whatthehell and they pay their workers 4 cents a decade so we sell out..

sad ..you dont fix your neighbors house and neglect your own because he lets you play poker there right?

Hollywood_North GT

I guess it depends on whether or not he's letting you "service" his wife, too.

Or was that a trick question?

Tony Alonso

I believe they are both contributing factors but not the reasons, as you mention further.



Agree

Very good!


I believe that is the NUMBER ONE reason that continues to fuel the decline in market share. The definition of American vehicle has changed from "100% designed by US designers, 100% engineered by US engineers, 100% parts from US, 100% built by US workers in US factories" to the various states we have today. That is the current reality and will be ongoing, never to turn back.

Agree - in North America, there is the heavy dependence on trucks. I would say Ford has been slow to do this, rather than lacking it all.



Agree - to us, the ultimate purchaser, the dealers = Ford



I've often asked myself "What value does a dealership add during the purchase process?". I know what value they add afterward.

I would not wholesale call assembly technicians unskilled. I think it is more complex than that. I would say there are fit and finish issues that processes are not catching, which might be from sloppy execution, a broken process, or both. I would also say that some workers might not have either the attitude, skills, or knowledge which work their way into catching things early. I also might say the culture of "zero defects" is not rewarded properly in the HR systems at Ford manufacturing. I have met a number of assembly line workers from Ford who I would definitely not call unskilled.

And also have their pay systems changed to encourage that ethic...right now, it's the volume of work they do.

Again, I would not simplify this to unskilled because while there may be processes and procedures in place, I would argue they are more complex than ever because of the quality checks that have to be in place for the end product to be defect free. Doing repetitive labor for multiple hours without the proper ergonomics is difficult. I speak from my father and grandfather's prior experience working in GM stamping plants. I would not call people unskilled simply because they do repetitive labor. There definitely is decision making that comes into play when the quality checks show something is out of spec.



It depends on your definition and expectations for customer service during the purchase process and after the sale. I think some dealerships, where we see customer service most, are better than others. However, I would agree that 'focus on the customer' has to be in the overall company culture in order to get products that we like, at the price that is competitive, with sales and service processes executed consistently so that perception changes.

I've owned vehicles from Chevrolet, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Dodge, and Ford. I have seen a shift in "The Big 2.5" but it seems they continue to be behind. With so many vehicles to choose from now, we are definitely seeing the shift of many years of the facets of the problem you mention coming home to roost. Ultimately, we the consumer, who keep demanding more for the same or less money, are a big factor in this shift as well.