Ford bad bad bad customer service

[Erict]

Hey here's a good one...

If some of you have been following my saga, in trying to obtain some concrete information on why my vehicle VIN 7641 has yet to be delivered, you will get a kick out of this one.

I placed a call at the Ford customer relationship 800 number and spoke to one of the supervisors "Richard" on December 11th 2001 After explaining to him the "BS" I had been given by the dealership regarding delivery dates, Richard said he would get back to me, and quote "But I won't be able to get back to you before Friday". One month later, and without any call back from "Richard" I decided to call the 800 number again. I left a message to Richard who promply called back 48 hours later and left a voice message on my answering machine.
"Mr xxxxxxx, this is Richard from Ford customer service, I know I have not called you back in some time, but I frankly dont know what to do with your request".
Amazingly I called "Richard" to insist that he escalate my call to his superiors, after a long discussion about, how my problem was not a Ford problem but a dealership problem... I finally convinced "Richard" to take my complaint to his superiors....

Amazing how Ford can have a Customer Relationship 800 number and decide that my problem is not a Ford problem...

I consider myself a Ford customer, should Ford consider my business "12 Ford vehicles purchased in the last 15 years" a sign that I am actually a Ford customer....

Lets you ponder on what really "customer service" has come to.

On a scale on 1 to 10 this whole TBird purchase is now rated in my "Bad customer experiences" as a -4... P.S. That rating obviously is not recognized by Ford as I not considered a customer of Ford.

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[joelja]

EricT, I truly empathize with you. Idiots like Richard are all over the place. He has no concept of what his job is. Meanwhile, his is contributing to making what should be, for you, one of life's most pleasureable purchases, a very frustrating experience.

But soon you will have your 'Bird and Richard
will still be bungling through his menial low paying job.

As a wise man once said, "life is tough...but it's tougher if you're stupid". Poor Richard. And poor Ford Motor Company if they don't get their act together.
Good luck and here's hoping you get your car soon.

 

[RedBirdDlx]

Sorry to have to tell you this but it is not the 800 number responsibility to give you status on your vehicle. It's the dealers'.

I'm sure Richard wanted to help and decided to try, but when he found that his available systems don't have the ability to track production and shipments, he had to give up.

You are a customer of a Ford Dealership. Ford Motor Company is the wholesaler of vehicles to the dealership. Their systems are set up to support the dealers relationship with you. The 800 number Customer Assistance group can help with limited issues. Generally they direct your concern back to the dealership to handle.

The dealership must interface directly with the Ford production and scheduling system to get status on their orders. These systems get updated at different times and the status they get may be dated or changed by the time it gets to you, but it's still the only system there is so dealers learn to live with it.

I'm not sure if you think your situation is more important then the rest of us who are waiting, but trying to escalate and push through people to get to the "Truth", just creates situations that are unwarranted. I'm sure when your dealer got your comments back from your Ford contact, they wondered where you were coming from.

Why don't you ask your dealership to provide you with updated status when they get it?

Do not badmouth the Company because you don't understand the system, and I think Richard got a bad rap here also. Why don't you review this thread with your dealer and get their reaction?

 

[yellowwing1]

I think it is Ford's fault, not Richard"s.
He is probably a low payed contractor of Fords with no training in his field. He was probably given a phone and a book with responses in it. Its not their fault that they know nothing. The main company does no training(probably)and just wants someone other that them to interface (take complaints)with the public. It is a shame and embarrassing, that all big companys seem to be going this way.

 

[Erict]

Thx Redbird for the suggetions. I already have exausted enough energy with the Dealership. And their final word is the problem in communication comes from Ford.

I tend to agree with that fact as other manufacturers, Porche, Audi, Volvo (I own one) and others are now turning to innovative ways to serve what they consider customers, "The actual vehicle owner".

Good thing Ford has announced a major restructuring... Hopefully they will also restructure their definition of a customer.

I agree with you "Richard" may look like the guy that was just following the rules... But people that follow don't change or break stupid rules, end up looking as stupid as the rule itself...

And no I am not trying to be more important that other customers... I am only asking to get the service "that includes communication" that I deserve as a customer.

In any other business where a VAR (Value Added Reseller)/Dealer is involved, manufacturers recognize the real customer is the end user.... Ford will come to realize this....

 

[Tbird eh]

Erict:

I try to stop by as many dealers as I can to see if they have any info on delivery of there next bird. Had the owner of a dealership tell me there was a 60 day freeze on vin# and deliverys on cars to Canada after alot of the first cars went back to the U.S.to be sold at auction & ebay.Ford Canada was taking the time to check out buyers. All I know is I`m getting no info on my bird and have not seen any birds delivered since the first lot, late Oct./Nov.

Deposit,Jan. 27 2001

Triple black, #2 of 2 Vin Less.

 

[redbird]

Erict

7641 does not show up as a built VIN number, the factory is now building the 9000s. If this is truly the correct VIN number, get your dealer to call the 800 number and speak to an analyst to find out what happened to your order.

 

[Erict]

I personally called the VOPC analyst line, and what they are telling me is that some vehicles were on production hold due to some part shortages or production scheduling issues, no more details are available.

I have a Blue/Blue accent, I wonder if there is not a shortage of the Blue accent.

Or as a friend has told me, it seems they lot the Canadian orders for production

There may have run out of seats...

If someone has a blue accent vehicle in the same VIN range 7641, it would be nice if they could post their build/delivery date, so we can compare notes.

 

[jodrod]

Erict,

I have 107729 Kentucky Partial blue interior softtop only build 12/10 delivered 12/26, 107567 California blue interion build 12/10 delivered 1/7, 107420 California blue interior build 12/10 delivered 1/8 and 108405 Florida blue interior build 12/17 delivered 1/8.

 

[tbird]

Originally posted by Erict:

I tend to agree with that fact as other manufacturers, Porche, Audi, Volvo (I own one) and others are now turning to innovative ways to serve what they consider customers, "The actual vehicle owner".

[/B]

Not a fair comparison on Ford vs. Porche, BMW etc. A small franchise like BMW US will be much easier to manage than one with 3,000 franchises like Ford. If you want to buy a Porche, you must go to the closest metropolitian city, if you want to buy a Ford or Chevy, you must have a population of over 5,000 in your town. ;-)


Tbird

 

[Erict]

Management of a franchise has nothing to do with the manufacturer's attitude twards its definition of a customer.

 

[whvt01]

Erict --- This why Mom and I have sort of
given up on talking with the dealership.
She doesn't even go down anymore. Followed
a lead by a member here just see if anything
pops up on the voice system.

It will show when it shows, if too close to
2003 will decide if want to take it.

2 years for a car, excitement long gone,
enthusiasm gone, like a long illness want
it over with so can get on with other things.

 

[FDCAPTAIN]

The experience I had yesterday with Ford Customer Assistance was very bad.

I called to inform, complain and seek resolution to the accessory front "bra" that Ford has produced for the new Bird.

It is not made for Birds with front license plates and it will need professional cutting and reworking of the plastic clamps to fit correctly.

The woman said she registered my complaint. When I asked her what Ford would do, she said that I had an accessory and Ford would do nothing.

I informed her that this was not a Toyota but a 40K top of the line, most expensive car Ford ever built, and if Ford was going to blow off the improper marketing of accessories for this car, I might not buy another Ford. I would like Ford to pay for the work needed to make it fit, or send it back to the supplier to make them rework it for the front plate vehicle.

I'm sorry board but the people at the Customer Assistance are hurting an already devasted company.

One side story with a better ending. My NM Bird was delivered with a damaged top. Some caustic oil substance had eaten through the paint.
The dealer tried to spot paint it, but the more they tried the deeper the damage.

Yesterday the Ford Division Regional Manager authorized a replacement top for the fix.

If only the the phone reps could get their act together.