Ford Unveils New Dealership Design and Sales & Service Experience

[JonP_Maine]

I agree with most here. I don't care about the showroom. Typically, when I buy a car, I have done my research having worked in the financial industry more than 30 years before I retired. Locally, I'm they guy who was at the bank giving dealers the rates and terms for the loans they make to customers so I am very familiar with every aspect of where they make money.

Most recently when I went to purchase my Maverick, I tried a different tactic. I simply stated what I said here to the young salesman I met and I had an existing offer for my trade-in from Carmax. I also knew the retail sales numbers locally for my trade-in (2016 Tacoma, 59K miles, added options 4WD, towing etc.) Always negotiate for the out-the-door price, i.e. "Will you be trading in? Will you be financing? Me: Maybe. Let's see what you can come up with for a price."

The long and short of it? He was great. Got the price I wanted. Did a trade in, albeit slightly below what I had been offered from Carmax after countering him with that offer. ( He bumped up their price.) I paid cash for the balance which dealerships hate. (They miss participation in the loan and typically a spiff payment) He was friendly and no BS. Very refreshing. Wish I could say that about every car-buying experience. ( In the past, I have literally gotten up and walked out)

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[sajohnson]

There was a big thing about this with Toyota a number of years ago, going to a no haggling model. Dealers don't pay any attention, most dealers charge over MSRP for almost everything. I don't see it making any difference with Ford either.

For those who don't recall Ford had an offical policy during 2021-2023 vehicle shortage, no charging over MSRP. Yeah, that worked real well.

We may have been the exception, but while the sales experience was horrible, we did get MSRP, minus the $1,000 rebate for ordering, in December 2021.

Off the lot sales were completely different. Many dealers were charging $4K to $5K over MSRP.

 

[sajohnson]

bunch of fluff. If you really want to make it a better experience make it mandatory that if you order a vehicle directly the price on the contract is the price you pay and the dealer doesn't get to pretent it's his vehicle and when it arrives you will pay him whatever he wants. You'd also ensure that they don't lump on worthless overpriced options that nobody would ever voluntarily pay on their own. You'd also make them be professional and not act like a bunch of 60s 'used car dealers'.

Well said.

 

[sajohnson]

Quote from OP:

"The design delivers on Ford’s global brand strategy by offering ways for customers to explore Ford’s exciting products while building trust and community with the dealership."

<Cough> Marketing bs <cough>...

As others have said, the only way for car dealers to build trust is to completely change how they do business -- which is borderline fraudulent in many cases.

They must stop looking at customers as the enemy -- suckers to be taken advantage of.

Making a profit is necessary and expected, but that can be accomplished without: lying to customers; tacking on all but worthless dealer accessories without asking if the buyer wants them; claiming Ford's "price protection" does not apply to ordered vehicles when it absolutely does; making the buyer find the $1,000 rebate offer (for ordering) online to 'prove' it exists and applies; attempting to scare buyers into purchasing grossly overpriced extended warranties by claiming (essentially) that the vehicle is a POS and the warranty will pay for itself many times over...

The list of sleaze goes on and on. Dealers have operated this way for decades. It will be next to impossible to get them to change their ways and operate in an ethical manner.

Car dealers should do business the way other retailers do, with fixed prices. Sometimes the mfr will insist all stores/dealers sell for MSRP -- which is the case with Stihl, Bose, and Tempur-Pedic for example. Others have a minimum advertised price (MAP), but regardless, the price is FIXED. A consumer can browse the internet and/or local stores and compare -- not only prices, but reputation, return policies, customer reviews, and value added services like customer/tech support that is actually available and helpful.

That's how car buying should be, but change must come from the top. ALL dealers must be forced to adopt the new honest, transparent business model or have their franchise yanked.

 

[icegradner]

We may have been the exception, but while the sales experience was horrible, we did get MSRP, minus the $1,000 rebate for ordering, in December 2021.

Off the lot sales were completely different. Many dealers were charging $4K to $5K over MSRP.

Yeah I didn't pay over either for my Maverick, but I know others who were not so lucky.

 

[84IM]

Dear Ford:
Just focus on making a higher quality, more reliable product.
Do that and they will come.

 

[sajohnson]

Yeah I didn't pay over either for my Maverick, but I know others who were not so lucky.

Just to clarify, did they place an order or buy off the lot?

If they ordered, the dealer should not have charged them over MSRP.

The policy might have changed since we ordered our BS Badlands in Dec. 2021. At that time anyway, Ford dealers were not supposed to charge over MSRP, and there was a $1,000 rebate that was an incentive to order.

 

[scottjl]

Funny, a few months ago my local dealership moved to a new location, looks just like this one. Big, airy, roomy, much friendlier than the cramped smaller building they used to be in. The service waiting area is much nicer. Whole space is better lit and roomy. The service area is huge. I don't remember how many bays they said they had now, but they have a 3 lane intake area, many more service bays and a nice automated car-wash they take your vehicle through when they are done so you get back a nice clean car.

At least for me I'm happy with the improvement over their old space. I know my sales guy is much happier with it too. I didn't realize Ford was pushing this out across the US.

 

[dochawk]

Speaking as a retired lawyer, but not offering legal advice (pay me for that! I'm not that retired . . .) . . .

There are serious restrictions regarding control of dealer pricing by manufacturers, particularly from antitrust law.

Most of the cases I recall involve minimum pricing requirements. These have generally been slapped down--hard. The logic is that it's a restraint on trade. The counterargument (slapping on my Economics professor hat) is that by enforcing the minimum price, dealers would have to to compete on service, to the benefit of the (luxury) brand.

Generalizing again, manufacturers can have a "co-op" advertising program, in which a percentage of sales are available, with the restriction the the ads not offer below the price.

Maximum pricing, though, also has antitrust problems. The Mariopa County Medical association price found that the fee "caps", enforced as an ethics requirement, were actually pricing floors.

the big point is that manufacturers have limited ability to control pricing, but they can have policies that help sell at MSRP.

 

[Optimus]

• Hospitality First:  Dealership staff serve as brand ambassadors with dedicated hospitality spaces for conversations. Food and beverages are accessible from the showroom and service area.
  on

Well, I’m glad food and beverage are listed first as priorities. Skinny Pop and granola bars are game changers for me! Who cares about product quality when crappy snacks are easier to get. Guess I better get a man bun going too.

Cheap snacks are job one!

 

[Cherokee]

So this is why they keep raising prices.

:’P

 

[Bradley]

Ford Unveils New Retail Experience to Deliver Enhanced Customer Journey

November 6, 2025

Words by Elena Ford


At Ford, we understand that how you explore, purchase, and service your vehicle is constantly evolving.

Today, we're introducing a new, unified global retail experience, developed with Ford dealers around the world, to meet these needs.

This approach offers seamless options, whether you prefer browsing online or a hands-on dealership visit, ensuring each step of your journey with Ford is effortless — from considering a vehicle to every service appointment thereafter.


Like always, we're putting our customers at the heart of everything with this experience. We've created the new design standard, Ford Signature 2.0, with our global dealers, building on years of learnings and pairing behavioral science with human-centered design to foster lasting relationships

The design delivers on Ford’s global brand strategy by offering ways for customers to explore Ford’s exciting products while building trust and community with the dealership.


To support dealership associates in delivering on this promise, Ford also provides guest experience training for dealership staff globally, focusing on service, communications, and anticipating customer needs.


This new retail experience is built on four core principles:

• Hospitality First:  Dealership staff serve as brand ambassadors with dedicated hospitality spaces for conversations. Food and beverages are accessible from the showroom and service area.
  
  
• Sales & Service Anywhere:  Flexibility for customers to choose which environment, a traditional purchase room or hospitality space, is their preferred space to conduct business.
  
  
• Operations Excellence: Efficient design to optimizeflow and functionality and enhance the experience for guests, with a focus on employee spaces.
  
  
• Discover Ford:  Immersive brand experiences for customers to see, touch, and learn about products, accessories, and technology.

We're also ensuring that you can easily blend your digital and in-person interactions. Currently available for all Ford nameplates in the U.S. and in 15 European markets, customers can build, price, and continue their purchase online or offline with their local dealer.


You can start your journey from your phone and finish it in person or complete the entire transaction digitally.

Convenience remains paramount for service customers. With Ford Pickup & Delivery, the dealership will pick up the vehicle, take it to the dealership, and return it once the work is complete. For routine services, Ford Mobile Service dispatches certified technicians to a customer's preferred location.


Through the third quarter, Ford has offered 3.8 million remote experiences around the world, including Pickup & Delivery and Mobile Service.


This year, more than 20 dealerships in 10 countries will open with the new retail experience, including stores now open in Brazil and the U.S.


By the end of 2026, we'll have 110 stores open from Michigan to Missouri, from Vietnam to South Africa, all ready to help our customers embark on an exciting new chapter.


Elena Ford is the chief customer experience officer at Ford Motor Company.

Looks great. I do however wish there was a Ford/Lincoln dealership closer to me but a quality experience is worth the drive.

 

[CD_SM]

Maybe focus on teaching the service advisors how to communicate - how to return calls, how to send a status email or DM when the fix will take longer than predicted (especially on a Friday afternoon). And maybe teach the techs not to be cranky....

 

[Finnster]

Ford Unveils New Retail Experience to Deliver Enhanced Customer Journey

November 6, 2025

Words by Elena Ford


At Ford, we understand that how you explore, purchase, and service your vehicle is constantly evolving.

Today, we're introducing a new, unified global retail experience, developed with Ford dealers around the world, to meet these needs.

This approach offers seamless options, whether you prefer browsing online or a hands-on dealership visit, ensuring each step of your journey with Ford is effortless — from considering a vehicle to every service appointment thereafter.


Like always, we're putting our customers at the heart of everything with this experience. We've created the new design standard, Ford Signature 2.0, with our global dealers, building on years of learnings and pairing behavioral science with human-centered design to foster lasting relationships

The design delivers on Ford’s global brand strategy by offering ways for customers to explore Ford’s exciting products while building trust and community with the dealership.


To support dealership associates in delivering on this promise, Ford also provides guest experience training for dealership staff globally, focusing on service, communications, and anticipating customer needs.


This new retail experience is built on four core principles:

• Hospitality First:  Dealership staff serve as brand ambassadors with dedicated hospitality spaces for conversations. Food and beverages are accessible from the showroom and service area.
  
  
• Sales & Service Anywhere:  Flexibility for customers to choose which environment, a traditional purchase room or hospitality space, is their preferred space to conduct business.
  
  
• Operations Excellence: Efficient design to optimizeflow and functionality and enhance the experience for guests, with a focus on employee spaces.
  
  
• Discover Ford:  Immersive brand experiences for customers to see, touch, and learn about products, accessories, and technology.

We're also ensuring that you can easily blend your digital and in-person interactions. Currently available for all Ford nameplates in the U.S. and in 15 European markets, customers can build, price, and continue their purchase online or offline with their local dealer.


You can start your journey from your phone and finish it in person or complete the entire transaction digitally.

Convenience remains paramount for service customers. With Ford Pickup & Delivery, the dealership will pick up the vehicle, take it to the dealership, and return it once the work is complete. For routine services, Ford Mobile Service dispatches certified technicians to a customer's preferred location.


Through the third quarter, Ford has offered 3.8 million remote experiences around the world, including Pickup & Delivery and Mobile Service.


This year, more than 20 dealerships in 10 countries will open with the new retail experience, including stores now open in Brazil and the U.S.


By the end of 2026, we'll have 110 stores open from Michigan to Missouri, from Vietnam to South Africa, all ready to help our customers embark on an exciting new chapter.


Elena Ford is the chief customer experience officer at Ford Motor Company.

Put this in your pipe and smoke it Ford!
https://fordauthority.com/2025/11/ford-ranked-10th-in-2025-u-s-sales-satisfaction-study/

 

[sajohnson]

Speaking as a retired lawyer, but not offering legal advice (pay me for that! I'm not that retired . . .) . . .

There are serious restrictions regarding control of dealer pricing by manufacturers, particularly from antitrust law.

Most of the cases I recall involve minimum pricing requirements. These have generally been slapped down--hard. The logic is that it's a restraint on trade. The counterargument (slapping on my Economics professor hat) is that by enforcing the minimum price, dealers would have to to compete on service, to the benefit of the (luxury) brand.

Generalizing again, manufacturers can have a "co-op" advertising program, in which a percentage of sales are available, with the restriction the the ads not offer below the price.

Maximum pricing, though, also has antitrust problems. The Mariopa County Medical association price found that the fee "caps", enforced as an ethics requirement, were actually pricing floors.

the big point is that manufacturers have limited ability to control pricing, but they can have policies that help sell at MSRP.

A Google search brought up the following, which backs up what you said:

• Dealers set their own prices: A dealer's franchise agreement does not prevent them from charging more than the MSRP. They consider factors like local market conditions, demand, and their own business goals when setting a final price.
• Manufacturers have indirect influence: Manufacturers can use incentives, holdbacks, or other financial models to influence dealer profitability, which in turn can impact pricing decisions, but they cannot directly dictate the final sale price.
• Antitrust concerns: Manufacturers are prohibited from price-fixing with competing manufacturers or colluding with dealers to enforce prices, which would violate antitrust laws.

Those incentives and holdbacks worked very well back in December 2021 when we ordered our BS Badlands. Every dealer I called (except Granger) was charging MSRP. Dealers were getting ~$5,000 over MSRP for Bronco Sports in their inventory. It must have pained them to sell the ordered ones for MSRP. I wonder what Ford did to get them to fall in line?

Some dealers would claim ownership of vehicles that were ordered by a customer and attempt to extort thousands of dollars over MSRP from them. I should add that to my list of sleazy dealer behavior in the other post.

Also, Granger was selling the BS for some crazy low price, like $3,000 under MSRP. I wonder why that made sense for them?

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