If I wrote the specs for Ford future order tracking system

[Cobra427]

So if I were writing the specs for the future Ford order tracking system, it would include:

• Customer-selected tracking level and frequency. You would be able to specify how precisely your car would be tracked, and how frequently you would be sent updates.
• Customer-specified method of communication, do you want updates by text, email, DM, on FordPass, or through Ford.com
• Tracking could be as precise as the ability to follow the car through the production process - body shop, paint shop, final assembly, quality check, shipping - or just the major dates, as it is now
• Schedule predictions on demand - based on your order position in the queue, and current rate of production, your car is forecast to be built on xx/xx/2022
• Schedule delays posted in real time, with details and forecasted length of delay

I spent most of my working career inside auto manufacturing, so am aware that the systems exist for tracking at this level, so all Ford has to do is share it with customers in a manner of the customer’s choosing. Besides, other businesses are already doing tracking at this level, so why not Ford?

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[agoldman]

Someone at palsap told me that one reason that the auto industry doesn't use detailed tracking is that they fear that general knowledge of the exact transit of such a high dollar load would not be in their interest. seems a bit like bs to me, but maybe that sort of thinking goes into this.

 

[scoopman]

All they would have to do is open up some customer-friendly version of VVR -- as you said at this point the logistics tracking is there. I think Ford just hasn't had its user experience when you "order" a car match up with customer expectations.

We all expect that if we can see where our Amazon package, or where our DoorDash food delivery is, we should certainly be able to track where our $60k+ custom-ordered car is.

It's this gulf between customer expectations and Ford's current experience that is producing anxiety and frustration, instead of excitement, engagement, and anticipation. I wish they would focus more on this experience.

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