Ford Expands Mobile Service Capacity With Escape Vehicles To Offer Customers More Convenient Options

[ChasingCoral]

FORD EXPANDS MOBILE SERVICE CAPACITY WITH ESCAPE VEHICLES TO OFFER CUSTOMERS MORE CONVENIENT OPTIONS
MAY 30, 2023 | DEARBORN

• An estimated 1,000 Escape vehicles will enter Ford Mobile Service fleet nationwide by year end
• Escape vehicles will be equipped to provide light maintenance and repairs, software updates and the capability to resolve up to 69% of current recalls
• Customer use of Ford remote services has increased 45 percent since Q4 of 2022

DEARBORN, Mich. May 30, 2023 – With increased demand for remote services, Ford today announced it’s expanding its Mobile Service program to now include Escape SUVs, allowing customers at its smaller-volume dealers more convenient options for vehicle service.

Ford is targeting to have nearly 1,000 Escape SUVs to be used as Mobile Service vehicles by year’s end, giving smaller-volume dealers a more affordable way to deliver Mobile Service and larger dealers a way to supplement their existing fleets. The Escape also frees up service bays at dealerships and gives customers more convenient choices on how and where they want vehicle service.

Customer use of Ford remote services has increased 45 percent since Q4 of 2022.

“Adding the Escape to the mobile maintenance fleet now gives our smaller-volume dealers the ability to provide this convenient service to more customers,” said Todd Rabourn, North America Regional CX Director, Experience Implementation. “These Escape vehicles are hitting the road to provide everything from software updates to light repairs, plus offering the ability to accelerate how we resolve current recalls.”

Participation in Ford’s Mobile Service program is voluntary, and once enrolled, dealers can utilize a 22/23MY Escape they have in stock or order a unit. Exterior colors of Oxford White, Star White & Iconic Silver along with a specialized wrap will indicate that the vehicle is a Mobile Service unit. All vehicles in the program must have embedded Wi-Fi or have means for internet access.

Each Escape operating as a Mobile Service vehicle will be upfitted with a jumper cable charger, inverter and harness, and tools provided by the dealer.
“We already have one mobile service van in operation, and it’s on the road constantly, doing light repairs and recall work,” said Carm Scarpace, dealer partner, Westfield Ford. “Adding an Escape to our fleet is really helping us serve customers faster and more efficiently on their terms.”

Scarpace shared that providing mobile service has created a new culture within the dealership in how they approach customer experience. Their Escape mobile service unit is currently helping to resolve up to 10 recalls a day for customers.

Participating Ford dealers offer complimentary remote service including Pickup & Delivery and mobile service to customers.

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[Logal727]

the capability to resolve up to 69% of current recalls

Nice.

 

[Gullwingdmc]

Participation in Ford’s Mobile Service program is voluntary

dealers can utilize a 22/23MY Escape they have in stock or order a unit.

Each Escape operating as a Mobile Service vehicle will be upfitted with a jumper cable charger, inverter and harness, and tools provided by the dealer.

I wonder what the incentive is to a dealership to do this? It sounds like it costs them a lot and their tech has a lot of downtime driving from place to place.

 

[DevSecOps]

They can't fix shit when they have the car for months on end at a dealership, what makes one think they'll be able to fix it in the field?

 

[Logal727]

They can't fix shit when they have the car for months on end at a dealership, what makes one think they'll be able to fix it in the field?

I think by recalls, it's more like "new key fob programming", which would keep these people out of the dealership and hopefully free up for more important issues

 

[DevSecOps]

I think by recalls, it's more like "new key fob programming", which would keep these people out of the dealership and hopefully free up for more important issues

Well yes, I know they aren't going to be doing HVBJB replacements in the field but can't you just let me vent a little?

 

[Logal727]

Well yes, I know they aren't going to be doing HVBJB replacements in the field but can't you just let me vent a little?

I actually got an e-mail from a local dealership a couple months back offering this service, but it must be the one using the vans cause they offered tire rotation in my driveway as well.

 

[RickMachE]

I'd love to know the number of Ford dealerships offering van service, then what percentage of them do updates at your home / business...

One of my local dealerships has been unable to staff the courtesy van for a ride home. Several have only 1 certified EV tech. They sure aren't letting him drive around.

 

[Haydn12]

We've used the mobile service a couple times. Really convenient for getting recalls and updates installed. They also do basic servicing like oil changes.

 

[AlpaChino]

69%?

Nice.

 

[mdolan92869]

When I saw escape vehicles, I was thinking of something like escape pods from Star Wars. Your Mach-e warns you that you're about to have an accident when you jump into the escape vehicle to get away to Tatooine.

 

[heisnuts]

They can't fix shit when they have the car for months on end at a dealership, what makes one think they'll be able to fix it in the field?

I take it your dealer still has not fixed your MME yet?

 

[DevSecOps]

I take it your dealer still has not fixed your MME yet?

Correct. I swear they must think I'm the dumbest fool on earth. Each time I've gone to pick it up they say "we fixed it" when it takes me 10 seconds to show them it's not fixed.

If I had an employee that was than inept they would be gone immediately. I'm not sure how anyone can say something is fixed without actually testing if it's fixed. I've returned the car 3 times in a row for the same thing. It's extremely frustrating to return a rental car, take a shuttle, get the car back, just to prove to them it's not fixed, take the shuttle again, go through another rental process and rinse and repeat the next time they say it's fixed. This next time I think I'm just gonna drive the rental car to the dealership before I return it.

 

[Logal727]

Correct. I swear they must think I'm the dumbest fool on earth. Each time I've gone to pick it up they say "we fixed it" when it takes me 10 seconds to show them it's not fixed.

If I had an employee that was than inept they would be gone immediately. I'm not sure how anyone can say something is fixed without actually testing if it's fixed. I've returned the car 3 times in a row for the same thing. It's extremely frustrating to return a rental car, take a shuttle, get the car back, just to prove to them it's not fixed, take the shuttle again, go through another rental process and rinse and repeat the next time they say it's fixed. This next time I think I'm just gonna drive the rental car to the dealership before I return it.

What is it they are not checking? This still the oil pump?

 

[alexgorod]

They can't fix shit when they have the car for months on end at a dealership, what makes one think they'll be able to fix it in the field?

69

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