Wow - Ford Is Terribly Insulting

[AtlasBlue350]

Today in my email I received the following message from Ford about my F-350. Right now I'm just seeing red because I'm so pissed off. Really, to ensure my complete satisfaction it's being delayed from being delivered until March? How F'ing insulting that is. I know exactly why my truck is being delayed:

 

"In Transit - Delay- Conveyance Mechanical Failure (Burlington Northern Railroad )    Minot, ND    Jan-09-2022, 16:07 CT."

 

This is from the VVR for my truck. If Ford really wanted to "ensure my complete satisfaction", they would get off their ass and find out why my truck has been sitting in Minot over the last two weeks or so instead of sending me condescending emails like that for gods sake. They really need some better people in customer relations because to send out something like that is just inexcusable. I'm still pissed, but at least I got it off my chest.  

 

 

[IUEC135ELEVATOR]

Better to vent here than at home!?

 

Sucks to hear that about your truck. Mine sat on a hauler for two weeks in SC...I went as fast as to tell the dealership I would pay extra to send a guy down there to pick it up and drive it or trailer it up here...

 

They told me "NO" I just had to wait!??? (I bugged the hell out the poor saleguy everyday or two)

is it here yet

is it here yet

is it here yet???

[Quigs]

Seems silly to get mad over a computer generated email.

[HotRunrGuy]

Got a similar robo-email this morning.  Long story short, started working with a dealer in MI to "get in line" for a '23 Lariat Hybrid, once the ordering window opens back up later this year. They were even willing to accept X-plan.  Dealer responds that they had a cancellation for a Hybrid, so they would use that build "slot" for mine, so we could still get a '22.

 

A day or so later, the Sales Rep responds that we need to circle-back in a couple of months to look at the opportunity to order.  Then, after a couple more exchanges, we get the "we're done here, we will not be placing this order for you" email.

 

This morning, this is in my mailbox,,,,

 

HRG

Edited January 26, 2022 by HotRunrGuy

[Denao_53]

1 hour ago, Quigs said:

Seems silly to get mad over a computer generated email.

 

I agree. I’ve been waiting since August and not even sniffing a build date yet, much less a scheduled delivery. I was originally told December, but now I’m hearing March or April. I’d love to complain to Ford, but what good is it going to do. 

[AtlasBlue350]

4 hours ago, Quigs said:

Seems silly to get mad over a computer generated email.

 

I didn't get mad over the email, I got mad because of the wording of the email. At least they could have tried to be somewhat honest by starting it out like this: "Dear Mr. XXXX. Due to transportation issues, we regret to inform you that the delivery of your F-350 has been delayed......". I can handle the truth, especially now where transportation issues seem to be the norm. But to start it off "To ensure your complete satisfaction.....", someone at Ford needs lessons in proper customer relations.

[akirby]

2 hours ago, AtlasBlue350 said:

 

I didn't get mad over the email, I got mad because of the wording of the email. At least they could have tried to be somewhat honest by starting it out like this: "Dear Mr. XXXX. Due to transportation issues, we regret to inform you that the delivery of your F-350 has been delayed......". I can handle the truth, especially now where transportation issues seem to be the norm. But to start it off "To ensure your complete satisfaction.....", someone at Ford needs lessons in proper customer relations.

I can’t believe that Ford didn’t give you personalized individual service.  After all they only sell and deliver 2 million vehicles every year which is roughly 5500 every single day.

[AtlasBlue350]

30 minutes ago, akirby said:

I can’t believe that Ford didn’t give you personalized individual service.  After all they only sell and deliver 2 million vehicles every year which is roughly 5500 every single day.

 

Did I ask for individualized service? I don't remember stating that anywhere. Surely the robots at Ford can look at the VVR, and automatically generate a better response than what they give. It's not that hard to generate a script.

[CaptainKopper]

I think what Atlas is saying, isn't he wants anything special or individualized... Just not to have his (or anyone for that matter who receives this type of email) intelligence insulted. We all know it has nothing to do with "your complete satisfaction". A little revamping of the auto email generation wouldn't take much and be more truthful. 

[akirby]

2 hours ago, CaptainKopper said:

I think what Atlas is saying, isn't he wants anything special or individualized... Just not to have his (or anyone for that matter who receives this type of email) intelligence insulted. We all know it has nothing to do with "your complete satisfaction". A little revamping of the auto email generation wouldn't take much and be more truthful. 

I get it, but the point remains that situation is relatively rare in the grand scheme of delivering 2M+ vehicles every year.  
 

I’ve done this kind of software and it’s easy to look at the eta date getting pushed out which usually means something is being fixed in which case the email is accurate.  It is MUCH harder to interpret the many many specific reasons and try to come up with individual tailored responses.

 

Is it possible?  Sure given enough time and resources.  But is it worth that much effort for something that may happen to a few dozen vehicles a year out of 2 million?  Especially when the content of the email doesn’t change anything and the important Information that most care about is the ETA got pushed out.

 

This is also a new program and Ford is learning how to do this as they go with WAY more special orders than they’ve ever had in the past.  I’m sure they’ll get better over time.

[AtlasBlue350]

5 hours ago, akirby said:

I get it, but the point remains that situation is relatively rare in the grand scheme of delivering 2M+ vehicles every year.  
 

I’ve done this kind of software and it’s easy to look at the eta date getting pushed out which usually means something is being fixed in which case the email is accurate.  It is MUCH harder to interpret the many many specific reasons and try to come up with individual tailored responses.

 

Is it possible?  Sure given enough time and resources.  But is it worth that much effort for something that may happen to a few dozen vehicles a year out of 2 million?  Especially when the content of the email doesn’t change anything and the important Information that most care about is the ETA got pushed out.

 

This is also a new program and Ford is learning how to do this as they go with WAY more special orders than they’ve ever had in the past.  I’m sure they’ll get better over time.

 

I've done this kind of software myself and it's fairly simple to do a bit of php or rails code to query a database and send out a response based on a field that would indicate a transport delay, damage in shipment, etc. But you are right, they will probably get better over time.

[PKL131]

@Atlas….  You’re not alone. I got the same email on 1/10, 3 days after is was supposed to be delivered. No more notifications from Ford since then but near the end of each week the tracker pushes the date out another week. It just pushed out again this morning.  

[akirby]

8 hours ago, AtlasBlue350 said:

 

I've done this kind of software myself and it's fairly simple to do a bit of php or rails code to query a database and send out a response based on a field that would indicate a transport delay, damage in shipment, etc. But you are right, they will probably get better over time.

With all due respect it’s not anywhere near that simple because you’re dealing with 20+ yr old corporate systems with bad data and no api interfaces.  It’s easy to point to one use case but to implement something like that you have to cover all the cases.  Obviously it can be done but it’s not as simple as you think.

[AtlasBlue350]

3 hours ago, PKL131 said:

@Atlas….  You’re not alone. I got the same email on 1/10, 3 days after is was supposed to be delivered. No more notifications from Ford since then but near the end of each week the tracker pushes the date out another week. It just pushed out again this morning.  

 

Just curious, was your truck shipped by rail, and do you have the VVR showing the current status?

[PKL131]

2 hours ago, AtlasBlue350 said:

 

Just curious, was your truck shipped by rail, and do you have the VVR showing the current status?

Yes shipped by rail via CSX. I called the dealer today and told them I wanted to know where it was.  They said they have the rail car number and it states the truck is still in Kentucky.  Then I told them I wanted the rail car number so I could check on it myself. They gave it to me (assuming it’s correct) and I called the CSX automated line -  it told me that rail car arrived in Clinton SC  25 days ago.  Informed the dealer and they said they will have to have a Ford rep do some more research. 

[PKL131]

Oh - and no I don’t have an actual screen shot from their VVR system.  

[AtlasBlue350]

3 hours ago, PKL131 said:

Yes shipped by rail via CSX. I called the dealer today and told them I wanted to know where it was.  They said they have the rail car number and it states the truck is still in Kentucky.  Then I told them I wanted the rail car number so I could check on it myself. They gave it to me (assuming it’s correct) and I called the CSX automated line -  it told me that rail car arrived in Clinton SC  25 days ago.  Informed the dealer and they said they will have to have a Ford rep do some more research. 

 

Well at least you are lucky that you have a dealer that's actually willing to help. Mine has refused to give me the rail car number stating that information on the VVR is "Ford Confidential".

Edited January 28, 2022 by AtlasBlue350

[road turtle]

12 minutes ago, AtlasBlue350 said:

 

Well at least you are lucky that you have a dealer that's actually willing to help. Mine has refused to give me the rail car number stating that information on the VVR is "Ford Classified".

As a party to this particular order, you are permitted to receive the data.  They can't provide me with the data, because I'm not a party to the order, but you most certainly are.  Tell them to go look up the official definition of "classified", and yes it's defined for the dealerships

[AtlasBlue350]

Well I sent the following email to my salesman a couple of hours ago, being as nice and diplomatic as I could:

 

"Hi XXXXX. I was wondering if you would be willing to approach your sales manager one more time to ask him if I can get the rail car number off the VVR. If I can get that, then I can track the rail car myself using the BNSF automated system to get a better idea of it's actual status.

I know in the past you were hesitant about giving the rail car number because of the "Ford Confidential" that's stated on the bottom of the VVR. However, in chatting with other dealers on the Internet, they state that the clause is mainly to protect Ford from competitors, and that the information can be shared with the customer if you so desire, and many of them do. Perhaps a call to the Ford Regional rep might give more clarification?

Anyway, I'm just getting bummed by this whole thing. It took 4 months to get the truck built, and now we are looking at another 2 to 3 months just to get it shipped? I think from now on, I'll never order another car or truck ever again. If the dealers don't have it on the lot, then I won't buy it. That's the way I'm feeling about it now.

Thanks!
XXXXXXXXXX"

 

He wrote back shortly after and said the GM said No. So that's it. No matter what I try, they are not going to give me the rail car number. However, on a positive note, he did state that the VVR now shows my truck in Montana. If that's the case, then at least it finally left the Minot, ND rail yard and finally making progress again.

[mfiggs22]

34 minutes ago, AtlasBlue350 said:

Well I sent the following email to my salesman a couple of hours ago, being as nice and diplomatic as I could:

 

"Hi XXXXX. I was wondering if you would be willing to approach your sales manager one more time to ask him if I can get the rail car number off the VVR. If I can get that, then I can track the rail car myself using the BNSF automated system to get a better idea of it's actual status.

I know in the past you were hesitant about giving the rail car number because of the "Ford Confidential" that's stated on the bottom of the VVR. However, in chatting with other dealers on the Internet, they state that the clause is mainly to protect Ford from competitors, and that the information can be shared with the customer if you so desire, and many of them do. Perhaps a call to the Ford Regional rep might give more clarification?

Anyway, I'm just getting bummed by this whole thing. It took 4 months to get the truck built, and now we are looking at another 2 to 3 months just to get it shipped? I think from now on, I'll never order another car or truck ever again. If the dealers don't have it on the lot, then I won't buy it. That's the way I'm feeling about it now.

Thanks!
XXXXXXXXXX"

 

He wrote back shortly after and said the GM said No. So that's it. No matter what I try, they are not going to give me the rail car number. However, on a positive note, he did state that the VVR now shows my truck in Montana. If that's the case, then at least it finally left the Minot, ND rail yard and finally making progress again.

 

Have you tried the vehicle locator forum on this site?  They may be able to help you there.  Make sure you follow the rules before posting

[AtlasBlue350]

17 minutes ago, mfiggs22 said:

 

Have you tried the vehicle locator forum on this site?  They may be able to help you there.  Make sure you follow the rules before posting

 

Yep, I know all about cyberdman's service here on the forum, and that's where I got the initial information I posted at the top of the thread:

 

"In Transit - Delay- Conveyance Mechanical Failure (Burlington Northern Railroad )    Minot, ND    Jan-09-2022, 16:07 CT."

 

However, for his own reasons, he has also decided not to share the rail car numbers and that's in the rules. I can respect that, and just appreciate the info he does provide.

[fuzzymoomoo]

So if I understand this correctly, the railroad has a mechanical breakdown and this is somehow Ford's responsibility?

 

Once that vehicle leaves Ford's lot its on the shipping company, there's nothing Ford can do about it.

[AtlasBlue350]

23 minutes ago, fuzzymoomoo said:

So if I understand this correctly, the railroad has a mechanical breakdown and this is somehow Ford's responsibility?

 

Once that vehicle leaves Ford's lot its on the shipping company, there's nothing Ford can do about it.

 

Wow, it's amazing how much stuff can read into something that I never said anything about. Perhaps you should re-read the original post, and subsequent posts thereafter to get a better idea on the true context rather than just making things up.

 

"Once that vehicle leaves Ford's lot its on the shipping company, there's nothing Ford can do about it."

 

I don't believe that for a second. Ford IS the customer of BNSF, CSX, Union Pacific, and other transportation companies across the US, not the other way around. I'm sure that someone at Ford could call one of their carriers asking WTF is going on with this shipment, they would probably get some action. If nothing else, just information like "Yeah, that rail car is broken down waiting for a new brake line but we expect it back on the track within the week." That sort of thing. I don't think anyone expects Ford to force a carrier to do something, but they can exert pressure on them if they wanted to.

Edited January 28, 2022 by AtlasBlue350

[fuzzymoomoo]

Not making anything up,  I read everything

 

You're mad because your truck is stuck in BFE Montana due to a mechanical failure with the railroad. You clearly stated in your original post, and I'm literally copy and pasting it, "If Ford really wanted to "ensure my complete satisfaction", they would get off their ass and find out why my truck has been sitting in Minot over the last two weeks or so instead of sending me condescending emails like that for gods sake."

I'm here to tell you that there really isn't anything Ford can do about it beyond what they have told you. Your issue is with BNSF, not Ford.

[AtlasBlue350]

And I just edited my reply to you. Read that in response to the "Ford can't do anything about it."

Edited January 28, 2022 by AtlasBlue350