Enhanced Order tracking

[usedboxman 6]

Please Ford, I would like to see an updated vehicle tracking system.  It would be great to get  updates  emailed to buyers for each step in the ordering , Ordering confirmation ( showing all options ordered , so buyers can correct any mistakes or omitted items with the dealer )   Vin assignment , scheduling  build week  ,  built , shipped, rail car #  Etc... 

This would save a great amount of phone calls to dealers from buyers for information that is available to dealers but not directly available to  the buyers of  retail custom orders.

 

[ice-capades 1,816]

9 hours ago, usedboxman said:

Please Ford, I would like to see an updated vehicle tracking system.  It would be great to get  updates  emailed to buyers for each step in the ordering , Ordering confirmation ( showing all options ordered , so buyers can correct any mistakes or omitted items with the dealer )   Vin assignment , scheduling  build week  ,  built , shipped, rail car #  Etc... 

This would save a great amount of phone calls to dealers from buyers for information that is available to dealers but not directly available to  the buyers of  retail custom orders.

 

 

This has been a topic of discussion for a long time. The best source for information is your Dealer as dealerships have 24/7 access to the Vehicle Visibility system that provides the most up-to-date information for all order status, scheduling, production and shipping updates. Unfortunately, not many dealerships are good at communicating with their retail customers.

 

Below is the information on a pilot program that Ford started with the 2020 Mustang EcoBoost & 2020 Mustang GT retail orders.  

 

INFORMATION
GOTD - Built To Order Automated Email Pilot

 

ACTION REQUESTED

• Input Customer Email Address Information For 2020MY Retail Mustang Orders in the WBDO Order Input Screen
• Providing the Customer Information Will Enable the Customer to Receive Automatic Status Updates Pertaining to Their Order

SUMMARY

• Vehicle Status Updates Will Be Automatically Emailed to US Retail Mustang Customers and Dealership Personnel
  • Includes: 2020MY Mustang GT & Mustang EcoBoost Variants
  • Does Not Include: Shelby GT350/GT350R or Shelby GT500 Variants
  • Includes Retail Order Types: #1, A, X, & Z Plans
• Vehicle Status Updates That Will Be Automatically Emailed:
  • Order Confirmed
    • Vehicle Visibility Status = Unscheduled
  • Week of Vehicle Production Scheduled
    • Vehicle Visibility Status = Scheduled to Week
  • Vehicle Built (Inc. ETA Range estimate)
    • Vehicle Visibility Status = Released
  • Vehicle On Its Way (Inc. ETA Range estimate)
    • Vehicle Visibility Status = Shipped

• Customer Information “Pop Up Box” Has Been Added to WBDO Order Input Screen
  • Information Collected Will Be Used to Email Vehicle Status Updates to The Customer

You'll never see Ford give customers direct access to modifying retail orders, scheduled or not. 

[usedboxman 6]

I do not think that  the customer needs to modify orders directly but if there was a way to check the order online ( like a virtual VOC ) after it was placed, mistakes and omitted items could be corrected at the dealer before being surprised and disappointed  at delivery. if i did not visit these forums , I would have never known  to ask for a VOC,  and after receiving it  found a mistake and had it corrected on my order.  Would not have been real happy at delivery  if the mistake was made.

[ScottK1 5]

Tesla has proved that online access can work just fine.  Ford does need to catch up, as does everyone else.  He who is first (or second) will get public credit.  Imagine if Ford made it as easy as Tesla?  Consumer Reports would be all over it.  The customer should be able to make corrections without pestering the dealer.  I agree that dealers would disagree with that, but but most people want to avoid dealers, with regards to sales.

[ice-capades 1,816]

On 1/9/2021 at 9:29 AM, usedboxman said:

I do not think that  the customer needs to modify orders directly but if there was a way to check the order online ( like a virtual VOC ) after it was placed, mistakes and omitted items could be corrected at the dealer before being surprised and disappointed  at delivery. if i did not visit these forums , I would have never known  to ask for a VOC,  and after receiving it  found a mistake and had it corrected on my order.  Would not have been real happy at delivery  if the mistake was made.

 

The dealership should have given you a copy for approval prior to submitting the order to Ford. Our dealership not only provides a copy to the customer but requires them to review it and sign their approval of the vehicle specifications before the dealership will submit the order to Ford.

[ice-capades 1,816]

7 hours ago, ScottK1 said:

Tesla has proved that online access can work just fine.  Ford does need to catch up, as does everyone else.  He who is first (or second) will get public credit.  Imagine if Ford made it as easy as Tesla?  Consumer Reports would be all over it.  The customer should be able to make corrections without pestering the dealer.  I agree that dealers would disagree with that, but but most people want to avoid dealers, with regards to sales.

 

You can't compare Tesla's direct sales to franchised dealers. Ford's actual customers are the dealerships that orders vehicles. 

[Izzy Mandelbaum 3]

1 hour ago, ice-capades said:

 

You can't compare Tesla's direct sales to franchised dealers. Ford's actual customers are the dealerships that orders vehicles. 

 

I think that is Scotts point.

 

The MFR - Dealer model is really a terrible one for the modern age.

 

I am not pretending that it will change, or would be easy to change, but it is not efficient any longer.

[ice-capades 1,816]

1 hour ago, Izzy Mandelbaum said:

 

I think that is Scotts point.

 

The MFR - Dealer model is really a terrible one for the modern age.

 

I am not pretending that it will change, or would be easy to change, but it is not efficient any longer.

 

The franchise laws are well established and protected by the many court decisions upheld to date. 

[akirby 11,406]

3 hours ago, Izzy Mandelbaum said:

 

I think that is Scotts point.

 

The MFR - Dealer model is really a terrible one for the modern age.

 

I am not pretending that it will change, or would be easy to change, but it is not efficient any longer.

Ford has 3000 dealers and at least 60K dealer employees doing sales and service.  Centralizing that much work is not only expensive but logistically challenging.  Tesla can get away with it due to low volume.

[ScottK1 5]

6 hours ago, akirby said:

Ford has 3000 dealers and at least 60K dealer employees doing sales and service.  Centralizing that much work is not only expensive but logistically challenging.  Tesla can get away with it due to low volume.

That is exactly my point.  Get a single point of contact for all orders.  Parse the credit out to the local dealer.  And the local dealer gets the service part.  Customer service scores on orders would be much higher with only a centralized pool of experts handling all of them.  Look across the forums and  you see so many people annoyed with their dealer-ordering process and lack of transparency.  There is no excuse for that. Some local dealers are inept and/or blocking transparency on purpose.  I don't know what this dealer allocation thing is about, but custom orders should be first, across the system, and regardless of dealer.  And apologies to dealer reps on this thread, but you guys are the excellent ones.  Some of your peers are the worst.

[usedboxman 6]

12 hours ago, ice-capades said:

 

The dealership should have given you a copy for approval prior to submitting the order to Ford. Our dealership not only provides a copy to the customer but requires them to review it and sign their approval of the vehicle specifications before the dealership will submit the order to Ford.

 

I wish all dealerships would take such care in placing customer orders.  However from the many complaints on various forums, sadly  it seems like your dealership is the exception.  

[OffRoadRN 2]

On 1/18/2021 at 5:07 AM, ice-capades said:

 

The dealership should have given you a copy for approval prior to submitting the order to Ford. Our dealership not only provides a copy to the customer but requires them to review it and sign their approval of the vehicle specifications before the dealership will submit the order to Ford.

 

I got a copy of the order preview which I was asked to sign and return, even still the order was submitted incorrectly after I signed off on it. I did not find a way of reviewing the order myself until almost a month after submitting. I was never provided a copy of the DORA/VOC, although I did get my VIN a week after the order was submitted. 

 

By the time I figured out the order was incorrect it was so close to the "in production" period that my dealer felt it necessary to place a second order with the correct options. My initial order was corrected and the window sticker I eventually got showed this, but all of this could have been avoided with a little more transparency and communication through the ordering process. I know a lot of dealers are great with transparency and communication, but plenty are not.

[Flying68 70]

When I ordered my 2012 Explorer, I had them send me a copy of the order.  Glad they did as it was completely wrong.  I had wanted an AWD, they ordered a FWD.  There were several options that were missing as well.  They corrected it.  The last two vehicles I got were dealer stock, our MkC they found from another dealer to match our exact specs.  The Expedition I found myself on the internet.

[Skitime 1]

I order a 2021 Escape back in October, luckily got built the first week of January before the chip shortage. The order tracking site still shows in production, my dealer is expecting it 1/25. AND, the 2021's still are not on the Ford website. Could be better....

[akirby 11,406]

On 1/18/2021 at 8:22 PM, ScottK1 said:

That is exactly my point.  Get a single point of contact for all orders.  Parse the credit out to the local dealer.  And the local dealer gets the service part.  Customer service scores on orders would be much higher with only a centralized pool of experts handling all of them.  Look across the forums and  you see so many people annoyed with their dealer-ordering process and lack of transparency.  There is no excuse for that. Some local dealers are inept and/or blocking transparency on purpose.  I don't know what this dealer allocation thing is about, but custom orders should be first, across the system, and regardless of dealer.  And apologies to dealer reps on this thread, but you guys are the excellent ones.  Some of your peers are the worst.

Allocation is how Ford ensures each dealer gets their fair share of vehicles to sell.   Ford has in the past waived their normal allocation process and given customer orders priority and automatic allocation (e.g. Bronco).  I think they should do that on all retail (special) orders but I’m not sure the dealers would like that.

 

Ford cannot set transaction pricing - it’s actually against state laws in almost every state.  So is selling directly to customers.   The only reason Tesla gets away with it is relatively low volume and not much direct competition with normal automobile dealers.   Once the normal dealers start to compete directly with Tesla you better believe they will sue Tesla and win.

 

Also you’re talking about a tiny fraction of overall sales so the investment needed by Ford probably wouldn’t pay for itself nor would it have a significant effect on overall customer satisfaction.

 

Great idea from a consumer standpoint but a non-starter for Ford.

[Izzy Mandelbaum 3]

I think some of the folks defending the dealer model in this  thread don't get that we understand how any why it exists, but don't think it has to exist.

 

For example the laws, just like those preventing theatre ownership by movie studios.  Times change, so can business models, regulations, behaviours, etc.

 

Anyway -  good discussion by all.

 

 

[jkpearson29 8]

I really wish this would become a reality. In the ideal world the dealer would provide timely updates to the customer. Unfortunately, many times that is not the case. My dealer for example, I have called and called for a VIN and every time I am told there are no updates. Problem is, I know there is a VIN. I ran into a Ford employee at my job and we got to talking and he looked it up and gave me a VIN. I even see my truck on my dealers website with my vin as on order. I know they have it. What motivation they have to withhold it is unclear to me but here we are. If the customer had some direct transparency they wouldn't have people in my situation. 

 

I have been a loyal Ford customer for years and I am feeling so put off by this dealer. That reflects on Ford unfortunately. I have no information other than what the tracker provides which we know is inconsistent at best. As far as my dealer knows I don't even have my VIN, I keep asking hoping they'll volunteer it but it never happens. A more transparent process would be very welcome.

[akirby 11,406]

The solution is to go to another dealer, just like any other business.  Ford can’t force dealers to treat customers well.

[jkpearson29 8]

5 minutes ago, akirby said:

The solution is to go to another dealer, just like any other business.  Ford can’t force dealers to treat customers well.

I totally understand, and I don't blame Ford itself but it is a bad look if I weren't a Ford loyalist and understood how dealers work. I emailed the sales manager today and we'll see where that gets me. Anyway, I don't want to get off track. Just giving an example as to why more transperancy would ne nice.

[akirby 11,406]

11 hours ago, jkpearson29 said:

I totally understand, and I don't blame Ford itself but it is a bad look if I weren't a Ford loyalist and understood how dealers work. I emailed the sales manager today and we'll see where that gets me. Anyway, I don't want to get off track. Just giving an example as to why more transperancy would ne nice.

 

Well of course it's a bad look because Ford's name is on the building.  Blame state legislators for protecting dealers with antiquated franchise laws.