TO FORD: To Dealer:

[stevhorn]

Ford's biggest portion of blame in all this is the stupidity of following their outdated & non-applicable allocation system for paid customer orders. Inexcusable ignorance. Everyone understands the supplier constraints, production issues, high demand, yada yada yada. Most reasonable people can accept, and deal with, delays based on (mostly) uncontrollable circumstance. Unfortunately, Ford is largely responsible for creating all their bad press from their own ignorant actions. Could've been 99% avoided had they followed the simple FIFO-based-on-constraints production model FROM THE BEGINNING.

And the greedy unethical dealers are just adding fuel to the fire with their shady actions on customer orders. It's obvious the games many are playing, jacking up prices when a customer Mav finally arrives.

Add these two together, and it's a BIG public perception hit, mostly deserved.

As a shareholder, I'm embarrassed, and pissed off, and that was reflected in my proxy.

And even more disappointing, it seems the Lightning intro will be a bigger shit-show than the Maverick.

These are valid points, especially "the greedy unethical dealers". Ford really has to confront this issue.

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[atomguy245]

Ford has always had the dealer as the direct contact with the customers, but now Ford is trying to develop the whole factory order program, and frankly they aren't that good at it yet. Since Ford is forced to rely on dealers for final pricing and delivery, they really shouldn't be trying to create a direct customer experience when in reality they don't have control over it.

As for the Maverick, Ford clearly screwed up the market research as far as which options would be the most popular. Ford had to have known in advance about supply constraints, yet developed trim levels and options that don't seem to take that reality into account. So now there are countless ready buyers waiting endlessly.

 

[Dochatley]

Dear ford... I'm extremely disappointed in how you have handled the introduction of the Ford Maverick, the customer service provided, the lack of communication, the smoke and mirrors, the confusion, the extremely lengthy wait for a vin# (which I'm still lacking from an October 2021 base model order with NO constraints)... I completely understand supply chain issues and our ongoing problems related to Covid (that's another topic all together) As a business owner, I know first hand how supply chains have broken down. I know how some things are either hard to get, and some things are just not available. However, through all of this, I managed to keep my doors open. More importantly I've managed to keep my customers informed with complete honesty and basic communication. I've used Facebook to keep them updated on pricing, as well as products that we can't get. I've explaimed face to face and apologized with sincerity that i couldn't.... ... Ahhhh fuck it the rest of this preaching is useless. I'm convinced Ford just doesn't give a shit ...
To cut the TO Dealer: portion of this post short, I can say the same. You have been extremely difficult to deal with and again I'm convinced you just don't give a shit. FORD dropped the ball introducing the Ford Maverick. My local dealership definitely dropped the ball in the Customer service realm

Great letter. I’m sure Ford will have to empty their trash can after tossing it in there. You really think they give a rats ass about a few customers? I only wish.

 

[RonR1959]

If you paid over MSRP. Your just feeding to problem!

Nope, I didn’t, but don’t be surprised when yours comes in and the dealer adds a market adjustment now. It’s a sign of the times for almost all car dealers.

 

[pxpaulx]

I think you wrote into the quote - asking if Ford invested in chips instead of Rivian? They did. A business can operate on multiple fronts at the same time, that is typically how a business grows. Here is the link:

literally titled Ford and GM getting into chip development

 

[Old Ranchero]

Ford has always had the dealer as the direct contact with the customers, but now Ford is trying to develop the whole factory order program, and frankly they aren't that good at it yet. Since Ford is forced to rely on dealers for final pricing and delivery, they really shouldn't be trying to create a direct customer experience when in reality they don't have control over it.

As for the Maverick, Ford clearly screwed up the market research as far as which options would be the most popular. Ford had to have known in advance about supply constraints, yet developed trim levels and options that don't seem to take that reality into account. So now there are countless ready buyers waiting endlessly.

would it make any difference in your reasoning that Ford started the Maverick program internally a good 1-3 years BEFORE COVID? When there was no such thing as global shutdowns of factories, cities, countries- and of course no supply chain issues with a robust global economy and supply of goods uninterrupted. Then the world as we knew it turned upside down and changed everything. I don't see how Ford or anyone else could have foreseen the resulting chaos and prepared for it to keep launching multiple new innovative products like business as usual. And they are not alone in this dilemma.

 

[pxpaulx]

These are valid points, especially "the greedy unethical dealers". Ford really has to confront this issue.

They can't. Dealers have massive government lobbying, the only recourse Ford has is held in the bounds of whatever their contractual obligations dictate. I guarantee if Ford could cut them out and sell direct it would happen overnight.

 

[willows72]

Dear ford... I'm extremely disappointed in how you have handled the introduction of the Ford Maverick, the customer service provided, the lack of communication, the smoke and mirrors, the confusion, the extremely lengthy wait for a vin# (which I'm still lacking from an October 2021 base model order with NO constraints)... I completely understand supply chain issues and our ongoing problems related to Covid (that's another topic all together) As a business owner, I know first hand how supply chains have broken down. I know how some things are either hard to get, and some things are just not available. However, through all of this, I managed to keep my doors open. More importantly I've managed to keep my customers informed with complete honesty and basic communication. I've used Facebook to keep them updated on pricing, as well as products that we can't get. I've explaimed face to face and apologized with sincerity that i couldn't.... ... Ahhhh fuck it the rest of this preaching is useless. I'm convinced Ford just doesn't give a shit ...
To cut the TO Dealer: portion of this post short, I can say the same. You have been extremely difficult to deal with and again I'm convinced you just don't give a shit. FORD dropped the ball introducing the Ford Maverick. My local dealership definitely dropped the ball in the Customer service realm

I wholeheartdly agree with you I have had same issues with Ford and the dealer Order 6/16/21 No one knows what the staus of an order

 

[RonR1959]

There are very few car manufacturers that produce their own parts.

 

[BBQin]

would it make any difference in your reasoning that Ford started the Maverick program internally a good 1-3 years BEFORE COVID? When there was no such thing as global shutdowns of factories, cities, countries- and of course no supply chain issues with a robust global economy and supply of goods uninterrupted. Then the world as we knew it turned upside down and changed everything. I don't see how Ford or anyone else could have foreseen the resulting chaos and prepared for it to keep launching multiple new innovative products like business as usual. And they are not alone in this dilemma.

How they are handling

Great letter. I’m sure Ford will have to empty their trash can after tossing it in there. You really think they give a rats ass about a few customers? I only wish.

I believe you are dead on in your assumption
Just curious when you ordered and the status of your XL? I only ask because I noticed almost all other posts are from XLT and Lariat orders.

 

[Dochatley]

How they are handling I believe you are dead on in your assumption
Just curious when you ordered and the status of your XL? I only ask because I noticed almost all other posts are from XLT and Lariat orders.

I haven’t ordered yet. Right after I joined and started reading about all the issues everyone was having and I decided to wait. I have my name on about 5 dealers lists if someone decides they don’t want theirs. I’ve gotten several calls but as most of you have found out they want more than MSRP and I refuse. I’m in no hurry so I’ll just wait and probably try to order in August if they open it up again. I just love coming on the forum and seeing what others have done to their Maverick’s and learning as much as I can about the order process and how to deal with issues that might come up. This is a pic of my current XL.

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