[Vid6639]

Ford launched a new initiative today "Quick Lane" that offers express after sales service in Bangalore. The pilot dealer for this new service option is Metro Ford for which they have opened a new facility in Yeshwantpur area. John Cooper, Head of Customer operations for Asia Pacific had come down to inaugurate the facility.

Highlights:

- Facility has 7 bays and can handle 35 cars per day.
- Target is 2 hours in and out express service.
- Can be used for scheduled maintenance/service and minor work.
- Labour/service rates match with regular service centres.
- Has a Wi-Fi enabled customer lounge where you can see the work being carried out on your car.
- Features a "Digi-board" monitor that displays the prices of services offered.
- Unique Quick wash facility that washes the entire underbody without having to lift up the car.
- Open 6 days a week (Mon-Sat) from 7:30AM - 7PM.


With the Figo, Ford realised that 60-65% of their customer's are first time car buyers that prefer to get their car serviced themselves rather than pickup/drop and neither do they have chauffeurs. Many customer prefer to wait at the service centre while their car is being serviced rather than coming back. Quick Lane allows them to do just that. You can watch the car being serviced right in front of you from the customer service lounge.

Quick Lane will carry out only regular servicing and tasks that can be immediately attended to. Any diagnostic work that involves identifying a problem and trying to fix it, will have to be done at the regular service centres. Quick Lane stocks only the most common parts required for regular service.

Regular Ford service facilities already offer a similar "Quick Service Bay" that performs express service but most of the dealers only have 1-2 bays for this. Being a dedicated express service outlet they can focus better on getting the car in and out within 2 hours.

Ford plans to open more Quick Lane centre's depending on the response from the one in Bangalore. After 6 months they will decide on the number of centres and their locations.

Quick Lane is also a pilot store that will offer Tyre sales. They have a few tyres on display that customers can choose from.

Also on display in the customer lounge are accessories and common parts which are usually in the parts store. Example, air filters, lubricants, wipers etc.

Address:
Metro Ford Quick Lane
Yeshwantpur Main Road,
Opposite Yeshwantpur Railway station and next to the bus stand.

[HighOctane]

Ford India today launched their first "Quick Lane" service centre in Yeswanthpur, Bangalore. This servicing is done keeping in mind of Bangalore's Busy Customers.

The customers can just walk in without prior appointment and can get routine vehicle maintenance or minor repairs. It includes oil change, brake systems, suspension system, tune-ups and alignment. The service centre can service 35 cars a day. The Quick Lane service centre offers benefits like extended operating hours during weekdays and saturdays and cutomers can wait in air conditioned lounge with wi-fi access.

These days the car buyers are concerned about car service with cost and convenience and hence Ford India wants to offer some sort of new service in India. But already other service centres has some sort of so called "Quick Service" where customer has to take prior limited appointment.

[Vid6639]

It looks like a good initiative from Ford and even though they claim "No appointment necessary", with only 7 bays, I'm sure one will need to book an appointment shortly.

The other drawback is the location. It's located in one of the most congested places in the city. It's right opposite to a railway station and next to a bus stand.

Since they are targeting owners a.k.a the IT crowd in Bangalore, the location should have been a no brainer i.e. Electronics City or Whitefield. Definitely not north Bangalore.

It's a good option which I would have used had it been closer to home or office. It's usually a pain to go to Metro Ford regular service facility since they are so crowded and even a simple oil change can take more than half a day. This allows you to get a regular oil change done way quicker.

[BinFord]

A good Initiative by Ford. Really it is high time for other manufactures to replicate the same and care their customers well.

I wish they can start something similar in Kerala too. We (Ford Owners) are actually fed up with the monopoly of Kairali ford here and their pathetic service (Trust me ,this is from my own experience. Not to offend anyone from Kairali Ford.)

[condor]

I thought that the Yeshwantpur facility sports a Metro Ford hoarding ?

[HighOctane]

Originally Posted by condor

I thought that the Yeshwantpur facility sports a Metro Ford hoarding ?

I do not know either Metro Ford or Cauvery Ford has taken the Quick Lane Service. Here is the source:

http://www.business-standard.com/ind...ndia/193317/on

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...w/17003928.cms

Last time when I gave my car for first service, I wasted one whole day ! Just for quick checkups and car wash Cauvery Ford took 6 hours.

With the increasing number of cars on road, how is it going to help the actual customers?

As said, they can service upto 35 cars in a day. How come its going to be differnt from a normal service centre?

Any customer who comes for 1/2/3rd free service, what any *** does is that, changing the Oil, check all nuts and other minor stuff, wash the car and hand it over. Nothing else is done. This is a regualr service. How come this service differs from the Express service?

Why does any customer wants to come in the meanwhile?
If there are any problems, then the customer does, This effectively means the product needs attention in between the regular service durations. This is raising doubts in my mind. Unless the product is not reliable, there wouldnt be any niggles. Agreed that there might be minor rattles but yes, No owner is really interested in getting them fixed on high priority basis.

I am happy that, this would be an addition to the existing service centres. which effectively means, more cars could be served in one or the other way. other than this, I dont see any significant advantage.

[HighOctane]

Originally Posted by gemi_kk

With the increasing number of cars on road, how is it going to help the actual customers?

This is useful when there are few minor issues arises with the car. For example: If Brakes are weak and needs service for drums lining or service of brake pads, if Steering is hard and needs fluid topup, suspension service, when there are few rattles to be fixed, we can just walk-in without prior appointment and get it done. It will be just like going to your neighbour hood garage and get the car fixed for minor issues. This is the only usefulness and of course we need to wait for 1-2 hours.

Originally Posted by gemi_kk

I am happy that, this would be an addition to the existing service centres. which effectively means, more cars could be served in one or the other way. other than this, I dont see any significant advantage.

with you that addition of another service centre would certainly help for Ford customers in Bangalore.

[akshay4587]

Nice Initiative.
When I had an Accent,at this particular Company Owned After sales,It never took more than 60 mins to Service my Car.
Infact,a general service hardly takes more than 30 mins,but the way the mechanics keep loitering around for no reason,makes me go.

[Vid6639]

Moderator's note: First post updated with all details.

[ghodlur]

Good initiative from Ford. Its good that Ford has thought of bringing this effort I guess has been an effect of the customer feedback. Its frustrating for a Ford customer to wait in line for the SA to pick the car for servicing even for a minor issue and then wait for hours to get a feedback call from the workshop guys for an update or car delivery.

This initiative should have been rolled out in a couple of more cities to get an actual result. Hope they that ASAP. One question though - will the express service cost more that the regular service. If not I would have wanted Ford to install additional bays at the every Ford workshop to cater to such initiative.

[anachronix]

Is this not something similar to the 'Quick Service' bay that Ford India A.S.S already had and never worked in anyone's favour?

I am hoping this is a genuine effort from Ford and live up to the word 'Quick Lane'.

[supertinu]

Hopefully this will be an initiative that is more effective. Express service has been available in Ford dealers earlier as well but unfortunately it is everything but express. I have been a victim of full day wait for my Figo's 1st service. I made enough hue and cry over it that Ford and Lathangi motors will surely remember me for that .

They definitely could have chosen a better location but then I am sure North bangalore owners would have had the same complaint. I am going to stick with Elite Ford since its few kms from my place.

[dhanushs]

Previously, even if you had to change your brake pads, you had to get an appointment sometimes. Or if you fill bad fuel and had to change the fuel filter midway in a journey, you would lose one whole day.

Now, with express service, I hope things get better, as I guess this is intended to do just that.

[Sowmya]

Its really a nice innovative idea from Ford which is running @ Metro Ford from a long time atleast 6+ months.
But the question arise here how effective the service are ? How many screw/nuts/washer will be vanished after the quick service ?
My ownership experience says that they always go something wrong.
1. They misplaced few rubber socket, and keep arguing that it was not there. Finally found inside my car.
2. Not tighten some nut/screw, keeps getting noise. Need to revisit the same service point once again.

Ford should increase the No of service point and give more quality service asap.
Quick service point should have build in in small place around the city