Browse over 9,000 car reviews

Ford picks up its service game

Ford is already seeing results with a month-on-month increase in the number of scheduled services.

The blue oval brand is building a much greater commitment to anyone who buys into the brand, from long-haul capped-price servicing to extra technicians and a new warranty system that puts the power with dealers and cuts the red tape to head office in Melbourne.

The new approach is being driven right from the top by Ford Australia's president, Bob Graziano, and comes after a long investigation into customer complaints including significant feedback from Carsguide over the past 18 months. "At the end of the day, it's about satisfying our customers," the president of Ford Australia, Bob Graziano, reveals exclusively to Carsguide.

"We're trying to be more proactive. We've done a full review, wanting to make sure any change we make is a positive one." Graziano talks enthusiastically about everything from a seven-year service program to a new customer-loyalty program, a training program called 'Dipped in blue' and even the appointment of former motorsport chief Steven Kruk to head a revitalised customer service division.

He says the new moves drill down to the foundations of Ford and have required a buy-in at all levels. "We have universal dealer acceptance. We haven't made a big promise we cannot deliver," Graziano says. 

Ford is already seeing results from the Graziano plan, with the cost of non-schedule repair works falling, a month-on-month increase in the number of scheduled services - which are now up from 6000 to 10,000 a month - and a positive customer reaction to vehicle health check reports that rate jobs at red-green-yellow from fix now to future work and all-clear.

"We're also seeing a big increase in fixing things right the first time," Graziano says. He admits Ford is still working hard to improve things and says the payback to the company is coming from repeat service business, as well as owners are more than twice as likely to continue with Ford at changeover time.

"We're empowering people to make decisions on the ground, instead of having to go back to head office. It reduces the lead time and customer inconvenience."