portero23

Ford bans competitors' vehicles from lot

Wow... how bullshit is that? I wonder if Mazda vehicles and other Ford family brands are affected? Either way it's still a dumbass move. I can only see this ending badly for Ford...

1) Physically divides factory employees between Fords and non-Fords
2) Increases pressure on the non-Ford employees
3) Practically puts the blame for Ford's miserable performance on that population of employees
4) Gradeschool behavior towards said employees
5) Further degradation of employee morale and factory culture
6) Could ultimately lead to decreased prodct quality

This makes no sense - there's absolutely no basis for this move. It's not going to increase sales because it's not like factory employees are going to buy a new car so they can park closer to the factory! Maybe a few, but it's incremental at best.

Discuss.

-P23

Jedi54

iTrader: (7)

Sales often come down to a few simple thing:

Image and Morale.

By only allowing the employees to park their Ford's at the plant, this presents a strong visual image for anyone passing by. I live only a few minutes from Hyundai's National Headquarters in OC and it is quite awe inspiring to drive by and see that many Hyundai's.
I remember once uttering, "Wow, I know those employees must get a good deals on cars but to have THAT many...hmm...maybe their cars are getting better"

Also, how discouraging can this be for employees...Here you are with your branch new '06 Eddie Bauer Explorer and you see a new Escalade parked right next to you! Doesn't exactly make you feel good about your company or what you drive, does it?

snizzle

And cue Bascho right about.....

snizzle

I seem to remember him saying something to the effect that employees were encouraged but not FORCED at his building lot

bascho

This is not a Ford mandated change.....this is one assy plant in Michigan that will enforce this rule starting Feb 1, 2006. The parking lot effected is only the one next to the building which can only hold 15% of the employees cars anyway. There is an employee lot across the street where employees may park non-Ford family vehicles. By ' Ford Family' they mean any Ford, Mercury, Lincoln, Mazda, Land Rover, Jaguar, Aston Martin and Volvo. I think this new rule is a great idea. Here Ford is in a climate of decreasing market share do to the foreign competition. You have a parking lot next the building that holds 15% of the employees of that facility. The people in that lot need to have a special voucher to park there. Starting 2/1/2006, in order to get a voucher, you will have to drive a 'Ford Family' vehicle. Is that really so unfair? Hello, employees contributing to the decreasing market share should not be rewarded with a parking voucher at a Ford facility. That would be like letting the Pepsi trucks park in the Coca Cola parking lot.

TownDrunk

If they built cars people wanted to buy, maybe they could sell some.

bascho

You knew I would chime in on this one

bascho

It is a quiet rule around the company. The Dearborn Truck Plant Manager is just making it a written rule at his facility. I for one applaud him for doing this. And a lot of people are correct in saying that Ford did not have the greatest selection over the last few years......but Ford employees have other Ford Family brands to choose from. A ford employee is hard pressed to explain that the vehicle they needed was not represented in the 8 brands available to them.

tiltmode43

iTrader: (15)

It seems fair enough, not really that big of a deal - they aren't doing anything extreme like firing anyone for not owning ford-family

bascho

Believe me....there are a lot of people that feel that way though. The last round of cuts (2 years ago) was tied directly to market share.....so a lot of people wanted the cuts to be owners of competitive vehicles. I can kinda understand that thought process......when people around you are being let go it's sad. When they tell you it's because market share has dropped you can understand the motivation....but then when you go out into the parking lot and see a bunch of Toyotas or Hondas.....it makes you think, "why aren't those people the first to go...they are contributing to the problem." I don't know how it is in other industries, but I assume it's the same. If I worked for Dell computers and they were letting people go because of decreasing sales.....and then some jerk-off that gets to keep his job walks by with a Gateway laptop under his arm...I would be pissed. I doubt you see too many people drinking Pepsi in the break rooms of the Coca Cola factory......or Subway execs buying their lunch at a Quiznos.

Spin9k

Sorry bascho, I don't buy your rationale for this. It's juvenile and degrading to employees, even if they say they agree with it. Granted, it's a small lot, a small number of cars, but it's indicative of a corporate culture gone rancid.

Companies in this century don't give a hoot about employees when it comes to layoffs, why should employees be forced to 'bow and sweep' by owning the company's product to receive even the smallest favor in return outside of their employment contract? Was this made know to them when they got hired?

Ford might get an education (and certainly better press) if instead of banning employees 'other' cars in certain places, they lined up management and product designers as employees drove in with these "renegade cars' to ask "Why did you by this?" and then really listen.

Improvements in feature, styling, and engineering resulting in increased sales should be a collaborative effort between manufacturer and the consumer. Employees are consumers and should be allowed free choice without censure of any form from their employer.

Nemesis8

iTrader: (3)

I was at the Mustang / Mazda6 plant last year, and right there in the back parking lot was a White Pearl RX8. One of the techs asked what I drove, and I said a Titanium one of those and pointed at the RX8.

This has always been a bed of controversy for auto makers. GM did it in KC while I was there. They had separate lot for other makes at the old Leeds plant. That plant has been torn down and there is nothing there now.

dova

i think what they are doing is ok... im pretty sure that they get a good discount and deals when buying a new car... im with bascho is not like they are getting fire. for example big companies have selected parking lots for the gm, manager employee of the month, etc. etc. thats the way i see it if ur drive one of their cars u get better parking lot for supporting the company///

lourx8

This policy is ridiculous, but I guess desperate times call for desperate measures

Blue87Sport

Boeing has the same policy. No Airbus planes allowed in the employee parking lot.

ASH8

IMO if the parking lot holds 15% of employee's cars and is visible to the general public, then I think its a excellent idea to only allow Ford/Family cars in the lot.

Its another necessary step in being more professional and showing the corporate image which is extremely important, you have to take every advantage you can.

If though the general public cant see the lot, I don't see the point.

s13lover

This really isn't anything new. Franchise agreements for decades have included stipulations about selling direct competition vehicles form other manufactures on the same property. Some places this is more true than others, but the general idea is an old one.

globi

My question would be, why wouldn't you a drive a car from the Ford family in the first place?

I would always want to work for a company with products I can be enthusiastic about. Unless someone is driving some special oldtimer (s)he's attached to, I don't see why this person would not want to drive a car from the manufacturer (s)he's working for. After all this is a free country no-one is forced to work for Ford.

Most of the cars I've owned were Mazdas and I don't even work for that company.

BunnyGirl

BunnyGirl

It seems perfectly fair and reasonable to me. It's like requiring a certain dress code and a lot of places have that. It's good for the image, helps people connect, kind of like everyone on a team wearing the same uniform. I wouldn't think very highly of a company whose own employees won't buy their products. I don't think the parking ban for one lot next to the building is a problem. They are not saying the employees absolutely have to drive a Ford family vehicle to park on any of their parking lots, just the most visible lot. I can't see why this should be such a controversy.

Hornet

If they had said that the other lot was somehow inconvenient and it was a real hardship to park elsewhere then I would have a problem with this! If they threatened to fire or layoff people based on their choice of vehicle I would have a problem with this! Since it is simply they have to park across the street it's not even worth this much media coverage! As far as all of the buying into what your company makes...it's a job! I'm pretty sure if a Ford plant closed leaving the population there without jobs and a Chevy, or Chrysler plant popped up in it's place those same people would jump to the competitions plant anyway (might I add more than likely driving Ford products). Imagine someone sitting at home (if they still have one) and saying they will not work at this plant because dammit I built this Ford that I own and I will only work for Ford.....not going to happen!

rodrigo67

[QUOTE=globi]My question would be, why wouldn't you a drive a car from the Ford family in the first place?
QUOTE]

So, what's fords' alternative to a porsche? How about a mini cooper? Where's fords 2 seater roadster? How about a 400hp 4 dr lux sedan? Where's fords entry level sports car? How about fords awesome handling sports car? Where's fords minivan with stowaway seats and roll down rear windows? Where's fords awd rally car? Where's fords alternative to a bmw?

I'd have a big problem with this, as ford does not even offer any of these, as if they are telling us that the company knows what we want and they offer what they offer and thats that. This attitude is the reason that Ford is in the situation it's in. If honda, mitsu, toyota, BMW, Saab, or even chrysler offer something that ford has no alternative for, then ford should be looking at thier marketing and engineering to fix the problem, not trying to coerce it's employee's into buying something that they have to settle for instead of something they want.

therm8

[QUOTE=rodrigo67]"Ford family"

Want a Porsche competitor: Aston Martin (at least for higher end Porsches)
Want luxury: Volvo, Jaguar, Lincoln, Aston Martin
Want luxury performance: Volvo S60R/V70R (not 400hp, but handle better than any Lexus, not to mention looking better)
Want a luxury SUV: Land Rover, Lincoln, Volvo
Want a 2 seat roadster: Miata/Mx-5
Want a great handling sports car: Miata, Rx-8, Mustang
Want an entry level sports car: Miata, Rx-8, Mustang
Want an awd rally car: import an Escort Cosworth (I'd rather have one of those than the so called rally cars from Mitsubishi or Subaru)
Want a Mini Cooper: buy a Mini Cooper and park across the street

At least, that's my understanding of "Ford family"

Imidazole

Two words:

Screw Ford.

bascho

Well done therm8....I was just going to respond with the same list.