I Want More Control Of My Build

[TrailMaster]

I know it ain't gonna happen, but this is my biggest frustration with the order process.

I'd mentioned in another post that I initially had the splash guards and floor liners on my order. I contacted my salesperson to cancel them a full 10 days before I was notified by Ford of my truck being scheduled to build. She sent me a revised order sheet that I signed and returned the same day. I even verified that it was received on her end, and she said she got it and the changes were made. So, I ordered aftermarket floor liners and splash guards I'd been looking at. When I got the Scheduled To Build notification ten days later from Ford, the splash guards and floor liners were still on the order!

Now I apparently have no real option but to watch my build get postponed because of mud flaps I don't want and supposedly cancelled. Salesperson said I could cancel the whole order and start from scratch. Not cool!

Ford, WHY won't you let me, THE CUSTOMER, remove these add-on plastic pieces, especially since the build is not scheduled until the week of October 23? Having NO control over the build I want (and signed for) is not fair! Isn't the customer supposed to call the shots on their own build?

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[realshelby]

Third World Problem...compared to most Maverick orders the past couple years!

It is very possible the order in the system IS correct. Assuming the Dealers paperwork given to you is the official order readout. Don't bet your life savings on anything in the e-mails Ford sends during the order process.
I would double check with your salesperson, informing her of the e-mail from Ford showing the accessories were still showing in the build order.

Ford doesn't want too many changes to be made easily. By the Dealer....or even if they had a way of allowing the customer to do it. While it is done mostly by computer, so no real cost there, the problem is what it does to forcasting commodities. Too many changes, especially approaching the build date ( which is where you are now ) can cause issues with what parts are needed...or ones you have too many coming in.

 

[TrailMaster]

Third World Problem...compared to most Maverick orders the past couple years!

It is very possible the order in the system IS correct. Assuming the Dealers paperwork given to you is the official order readout. Don't bet your life savings on anything in the e-mails Ford sends during the order process.
I would double check with your salesperson, informing her of the e-mail from Ford showing the accessories were still showing in the build order.

Ford doesn't want too many changes to be made easily. By the Dealer....or even if they had a way of allowing the customer to do it. While it is done mostly by computer, so no real cost there, the problem is what it does to forcasting commodities. Too many changes, especially approaching the build date ( which is where you are now ) can cause issues with what parts are needed...or ones you have too many coming in.

Yeah, I did tell her the items were still on the order. She looked in to it verified they were still on the build, apologized, then shuffled the blame to Ford for missing the changes. That's when she said I could go with it as is, or cancel the order and start from scratch. I'm not canceling the order at this point.

 

[realshelby]

Ford didn't miss the changes. Ford might have shown removing them as not available, but she or whomever put in the changes would have known that.

 

[MM Mav]

When I got the Scheduled To Build notification ten days later from Ford, the splash guards and floor liners were still on the order!

Now I apparently have no real option but to watch my build get postponed because of mud flaps I don't want and supposedly cancelled.

If you're scheduled to be built WITH the typically constrained mud flaps and the not typically constrained floor liners, your scheduled build is not going to be delayed because they're still on the order.

You got lucky and got scheduled to be built in week two of 2024 builds with these constraints on the order. Ford would not schedule the build if they didn't have the mud flaps and floor liners for the build.

Did someone screw up by not removing them as requested; yes. Is it a problem now; no, other then you'll need to return the aftermarket items you purchased. Or if the return window has passed, sell the items.

 

[Teejman]

Yes, give us self service ordering and self checkout process. Dealer can collect standard margin with less staff and better customer experience for people like us here.

 

[Ozarkbeard]

Yes, give us self service ordering and self checkout process. Dealer can collect standard margin with less staff and better customer experience for people like us here.

Won't / can't happen. Too many state laws in place preventing this type of new car sales. Laws in stealerships' favor that were put in place by stealerships' good ol' boy relationships with state legislators over the years.

 

[Teejman]

Won't / can't happen. Too many state laws in place preventing this type of new car sales. Laws in stealerships' favor that were put in place by stealerships' good ol' boy relationships with state legislators over the years.

No argument here. This sounded like a dreamy thread so just adding to that
Realisticlty though, I would look for a compromise so that dealers still get a token amount that is much better than going out of business. My initial pitch would just be to divide high information customers from the walk-ins.

As an aside, I read that Tesla is planning a showroom here in NH so I wonder if our legislature is starting to crack.

 

[Bob The Builder]

Precisely why I ordered absolutely nothing on my Maverick that could not be added on later by me even if in the moment they were no listed as a constraint. I figured lots of things would and could change over the long process of ordering and too dependent on dealers to add / change things.

As a smart fellow once said, Keep it simple stupid.

 

[TrailMaster]

No argument here. This sounded like a dreamy thread so just adding to that
Realisticlty though, I would look for a compromise so that dealers still get a token amount that is much better than going out of business. My initial pitch would just be to divide high information customers from the walk-ins.

As an aside, I read that Tesla is planning a showroom here in NH so I wonder if our legislature is starting to crack.

I won't deny it's a bit utopian. I'm old school enough to remember when deals were done on a reputable word and handshake, and the customer was always right. Nowadays they're done on a wish and a prayer, and you just hope things turn out alright!

Rant over.

 

[ilikebike]

If the constrained items were an issue with your order you would not have been scheduled in the first place.

I predict your order will get built as scheduled. No use in getting worked up over something that hasn't happened yet.

 

[TrailMaster]

I get your point. I'm sure not complaining about having a build date! I just wish I could have went to a website and unchecked the boxes for mudflaps and floor mats myself, instead of relying on the dealer to do (or not do) it for me.

 

[TSAINTS1115]

Ford, WHY won't you let me, THE CUSTOMER, remove these add-on plastic pieces, especially since the build is not scheduled until the week of October 23? Having NO control over the build I want (and signed for) is not fair! Isn't the customer supposed to call the shots on their own build?

Fair is where you go for Ferris wheels and corn dogs. If they let every "customer call the shots" nothing would get built because of all the stoppages. People can't order McDonalds without slowing up the line.

 

[Esteban88]

I get your point. I'm sure not complaining about having a build date! I just wish I could have went to a website and unchecked the boxes for mudflaps and floor mats myself, instead of relying on the dealer to do (or not do) it for me.

Exactly. Ford tried to do this with EV's. Instead customers have to deal with one or more third party sales people, god bless 'em but often they don't know what's going on, sometimes they are new because the last guy quit or got fired.

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