range Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 DETROIT -- Four cars (almost) in 40 minutes. That's the Alan Mulally sales tally at Village Ford in Dearborn, Mich., where the Ford Motor Co. CEO dropped by last week. In what could be considered a trial run for a planned stint working at a dealership, Mulally dropped by Village Ford on Monday, March 19. He got right on the showroom floor, asking customers what kind of vehicle would suit their family size. "I'd say 'Hi, I'm Alan. I'm from Ford. I'm just helping out here today,'" Mulally recalled in an interview with Automotive News. "I got so close to one family." ... "She was down pretty much to a Camry and the Fusion. So I told her all about the Camry because I've had every Camry, I've had Lexus cars, I know all about Japan," Mulally said. "I told her about the (Fusion), asked what her needs were. The Fusion was really for her." Miner bought the Fusion and drove it home to New York. Village Ford dealer principal Jim Seavitt also credited Mulally with the sale of another Fusion and a Ford Escape. A third Fusion sale is pending, if the customer can get his trade-in deal worked out, Seavitt said. source: automotive news Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 And there you have it. The man obviously missed his calling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark B. Morrow Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 And there you have it. The man obviously missed his calling. Iacocca was an engineer turned sales guy and he did pretty well by Ford. Maybe having a guy at the top who can actually sell a Ford is a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Iacocca was an engineer turned sales guy and he did pretty well by Ford. Until about 1970. From the Pinto on, it was all downhill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxman100 Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 I hope he is at my local Ford dealer when I go in to test drive a Ford in order to get my $75 gift card for test driving a Ford that I signed up for at the auto show. When I ask to drive a Crown Vic, I want to see what song and dance he uses when he tried to shove me towards a Five Hundred/Taurus. Hey, Al, just sign my test drive card and I'll be on my way!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armadamaster Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 (edited) I hope he is at my local Ford dealer when I go in to test drive a Ford in order to get my $75 gift card for test driving a Ford that I signed up for at the auto show. When I ask to drive a Crown Vic, I want to see what song and dance he uses when he tried to shove me towards a Five Hundred/Taurus. Hey, Al, just sign my test drive card and I'll be on my way!!! HA! Edited March 28, 2007 by Armada Master Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Three cars in 40 minutes, and he just walked in to "help out"? I call bullshit. Of course, the DP might be crediting Mulally with the sales so he doesn't have to pay commission. Sounds about right for some of the DPs I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g48150 Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 VILLAGE FORD!!! Wow, the last time I was in there I was getting worked over by one of the sales guys hem hawing over the price of a used Explorer Sport. That place sucks!!! He's lucky anyone came in there in the first place. Lucky for him though that its close to world headquarters. That's too bad that no one could have seen it coming and gone down and started a fight with another salesman for being too pushy, that would have been priceless!!! Lesson learned, oh well, but Village Ford? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LincolnFan Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Why did he go to a dealer in Detroit? He should have gone to a dealer in say... California and see why the hell Fords aren't selling there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-150 Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 (edited) Until about 1970. From the Pinto on, it was all downhill. Lido was ahead of his time. All of those crap 70's cars at Ford were resurrected as Chryco cars in the 80s to great commercial success. Pinto +Omni/Horizon Granada=K-Car MustangII=Laser/Daytona Edited March 28, 2007 by J-150 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
range Posted March 28, 2007 Author Share Posted March 28, 2007 Why did he go to a dealer in Detroit? He should have gone to a dealer in say... California and see why the hell Fords aren't selling there. The article says this was a practice run in preparation for his big sales debut at a undisclosed location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 If only he sold 4 Five Hundreds. He would have doubled the March sales numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherminator98 Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 If only he sold 4 Five Hundreds. He would have doubled the March sales numbers. Well it is his favorite car now :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanh Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Why did he go to a dealer in Detroit? He should have gone to a dealer in say... California and see why the hell Fords aren't selling there. hear hear....cudo's for him doing it though....but have a feeling it was pretty easy when the person selling you a vehicle has his title.....be kinda like Pamela Anderson being a bra salesperson for a day in Victorias secret.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomServo92 Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 hear hear....cudo's for him doing it though....but have a feeling it was pretty easy when the person selling you a vehicle has his title.....be kinda like Pamela Anderson being a bra salesperson for a day in Victorias secret.... You're assuming that the person buying the car actually knows who the hell Alan Mulally is. If they didn't outright tell them, I doubt they had a clue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanh Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 You're assuming that the person buying the car actually knows who the hell Alan Mulally is. If they didn't outright tell them, I doubt they had a clue. would be intersting if the store advertised he was there...." Come buy a car from...." and I don't doubt at all there was some frivilous Name dropping..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomServo92 Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 would be intersting if the store advertised he was there...." Come buy a car from...." and I don't doubt at all there was some frivilous Name dropping..... Maybe but I would like to think that Mulally wanted it anonymous in order hear legit feedback from a potential customer. That was whole point of this and similar future exercises, was it not? If they went around telling everyone that he's the CEO then it would be pretty pointless IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanh Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Maybe but I would like to think that Mulally wanted it anonymous in order hear legit feedback from a potential customer. That was whole point of this and similar future exercises, was it not? If they went around telling everyone that he's the CEO then it would be pretty pointless IMO. Agreed...but BET they knew afterwards..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomServo92 Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Agreed...but BET they knew afterwards..... Yeah, that I would believe... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanh Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Yeah, that I would believe... Still...admire the guy for rolling up his sleves and doing some grunt work....next up...assembly line? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomServo92 Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Still...admire the guy for rolling up his sleves and doing some grunt work....next up...assembly line? That would be a good one. But what I would really like him to do is go into a random Ford dealership as a customer or as someone with a warrantly issue. Seeing things from the other side would be a valuable experience for someone with the goal of turning an ailing company around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanh Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 That would be a good one. But what I would really like him to do is go into a random Ford dealership as a customer or as someone with a warrantly issue. Seeing things from the other side would be a valuable experience for someone with the goal of turning an ailing company around. That would be interesting...but I think his focus is more product than service oriented...and in all sincerity service parameters are set at the Dealership level...not corporate...that said there are both good and bad dealers.....and as much as I hate to say it..the same can be said about customers....NOW I've opened up a real thread can of worms...hahahaha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomServo92 Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 That would be interesting...but I think his focus is more product than service oriented...and in all sincerity service parameters are set at the Dealership level...not corporate...that said there are both good and bad dealers.....and as much as I hate to say it..the same can be said about customers....NOW I've opened up a real thread can of worms...hahahaha! While that's all true you can lose a customer just as easily from a bad dealer experience as you can from lack of exciting products. I would like to think that Ford Corporate has some influence on their dealer network. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanh Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 While that's all true you can lose a customer just as easily from a bad dealer experience as you can from lack of exciting products. I would like to think that Ford Corporate has some influence on their dealer network. unfortunately that only comes into effect when the $hit hits the fan and Ford can step in and cut back allocation etc....the real problem isn't so much the dealership per-say...it is the odd bad egg with ZERO people skills and lack of tact...that said I have heard some absolutely OUTRAGEOUS demands by customers in service so there is another side and some will NEVER be happy, BUT I will also admit we have a couple in OUR service dept that should be drawn and quartered......came close myself to taking on jackass out back....for the way he treated MY customer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomServo92 Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 (edited) unfortunately that only comes into effect when the $hit hits the fan and Ford can step in and cut back allocation etc....the real problem isn't so much the dealership per-say...it is the odd bad egg with ZERO people skills and lack of tact...that said I have heard some absolutely OUTRAGEOUS demands by customers in service so there is another side and some will NEVER be happy, BUT I will also admit we have a couple in OUR service dept that should be drawn and quartered......came close myself to taking on jackass out back....for the way he treated MY customer... There is a local Ford dealership that I flat refuse to do business with. I bought my SHO from them but never again. Worst experience ever. They also own the only Mazda dealership in about a 100 mile radius so when I bought my Mazda6, you know what I did? You guessed it...I drove a 100 miles! EDIT: Sorry...I left out that they were only Mazda dealership in a 100 mile radius in the original post. Edited March 28, 2007 by TomServo92 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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