[civic-sense]

Originally Posted by i10

I mentioned something that actually happened. Multiple times. Since your point was about Ford's competencies and Indians' expectations, I wonder if in a country where a car however basic, is considered a luxury, if Ford has got its competencies misplaced.

You have an axe to grind, do it the proper way. Ford's service quality is debatable, agreed. But that does not diminish any of the core competencies of the cars they build. They are still fun to drive. Period.

[rajneeesh]

Ford's attempts if more energetic and focussed would have helped it perform better. The Figo which carries the 1.4 Diesel could have been offered with a more powerful engine, either the 1.5 as in Eco Sport or an intercooled version of the 1.4 TDCI.

Ford has waited too long and done too little with some of their cars which tasted some success like the Figo and the Fiesta Classic. In the meanwhile competition got intense and MSIL , Hyundai Motors & now Honda Motors & Toyota have started out gunning them. VW is also trying different combinations of drivetrains and engines but Ford got over excited with the initial response the Eco Sport received.

Exports for them have become a compulsion to cut down on the losses. However, exports do not help the Ford dealers who have never had 2 or more volume pullers in their portfolio at the same time. If the Dealers don't make money, the service suffers as Ford owners like me find out on our every visit to Ford Dealerships to get our cars serviced.

This is where MSIL scores both with the car buyers and the dealers. While Ford cars are good to drive, the company must make sure that they stay relevant. The Figo still does not offer rear power windows, the car still scrapes its underside on every speed breaker, the AC coil of every second Figo is replaced under warranty even years after the car has been lunched. No improvement in these areas at all.

[diesel_head]

Ford India has always been a one trick horse, be it Ikon, Fiesta, Figo or now Ecosport. The company is just isn't geared up to manage two (or more) strong products at the same time. The key issue lies with Product Planning and After-Sales departments. Both departments are reactive and move at a glacial pace. However, I feel that's changing. There are a few good products in the pipeline and Ford has one last chance to improve it's position in India.
Once the new Figo (HB & SDN) and Endeavour are launched, Ford will have four contemporary products (including Ecosport) in it's model line up at the same time. This has not happened before, ever, and theoretically speaking, nothing should stop them from breaching the 10K-a-month mark.
Should Ford fail even then, they'll have no one else to blame but themselves.
As an ex-Ford India employee I wish them the very best!

[humbleroadster]

Originally Posted by civic-sense

Ford's service quality is debatable, agreed. But that does not diminish any of the core competencies of the cars they build. They are still fun to drive. Period.

You sir, are spot on with what ford India is/has been. At least that's my view as a ford owner for the last eight years. Will share the experience about the same two aspects once I'm allowed to start up a thread.

HR.

[Contrapunto]

Originally Posted by GTO

Actually, I can find a lot of fault with Ford.

A company that sells mere 5,600 units after spending 17 years in the country needs to overhaul its strategy. I'm guessing Ford is here to do business locally, not merely contract manufacture for other countries.

I don't think Ford is here as an export base. Let's admit it, Thailand even Turkey is far more viable for that. So, the local market then...however, Ford and Fiat have been case studies of under-performance.

The problem, I think, is the (low) caliber and quality of their local management and leadership team. When the MD/ CEO of their company shows up as (in politesse) "less-than-truthful", is it any wonder that the customers find it difficult to trust the company? The experience with the dealerships only reinforces the view.

Ford's product range is good. The new Endy has a lot of promise. IMHO it should be launched in a different brand, maybe even as an "Everest". EcoSport has shown bold moves to define a new category pays- they need to do more of that. (F150 anyone?) But that alone will not lead to salvation. Ford needs a new leadership, and new management team. Their HQ has to stop accepting non-performance, and hold its local leadership accountable. Everything else will follow...

[AshBabu]

Originally Posted by Contrapunto

Ford needs a new leadership, and new management team. Their HQ has to stop accepting non-performance, and hold its local leadership accountable. Everything else will follow...

I have different point of view - may be Ford local leadership has no freedom and act only as messengers. EcoSport was a great product and was in demand in the market. But what we observe is that export of these vehicles far exceeds the local supply. Most probably these type of decisions are thrust by parent company.

[Contrapunto]

Originally Posted by AshBabu

I have different point of view - may be Ford local leadership has no freedom and act only as messengers.

Maybe, just maybe.

But in my experience, global HQ typically keeps a strong control on overall strategy, and areas like financial discipline, compliance etc (IMO, as they should). Rarely do they get into the nitty-gritties of production planning, dealership management, PR/ public facing statements ("we are fully prepared to meet the huge demand that our surveys have shown us etc."), customer experience management etc. Exactly the areas where Ford India is falling short.

Ford intl. has a number of production facilities to lean on to meet global demand. India may not have that leverage to import from any country of its choice and meet demand overflow (that is damaging the brand).


I wonder......

[S2!!!]

Ford is one of the few manufacturers whose exports are higher than its domestic sales. The EcoSport compact SUV comprises of nearly 70% of the company's exports. The company is now likely to export this compact SUV to the US and Canadian markets.

Ford is gearing up to export as many as 90,000 units of the EcoSport annually. The company is said to have been developing a facelift version of the SUV for the North American markets and preliminary tendering procedures to source components have begun too.

The EcoSport might go on sale in the US starting October 2017. Still it hasn't been confirmed whether the SUV will be exported from India or Thailand, but the company seems to have begun negotiations with Indian parts suppliers to cater to the additional demand due to the higher export volumes.

Recently, Ford India opened its second manufacturing facility in Sanand, Gujarat, in addition to the Maraimalainagar plant in Chennai. Its annual installed manufacturing capacity in India is 6,10,000 engines and 4,40,000 vehicles.



Source: Economic Times

[ramzsys]

Originally Posted by S2!!!

The EcoSport might go on sale in the US starting October 2017. Still it hasn't been confirmed whether the SUV will be exported from India or Thailand,

Brazil is the home of Ecosport and it is down there in the map below the US so what makes Ecosport exports from India/Thailand competitive?

[The Rationalist]

Originally Posted by ramzsys

Brazil is the home of Ecosport and it is down there in the map below the US so what makes Ecosport exports from India/Thailand competitive?

Quite simple, the minimum wages per hour in India is one eighth that of Brazil. In Brazil the minimum wages for an hour is 120 Rs and India its 15! A similar difference should be expected in the auto manufacturing industry. This shows the sorry state of our work force.

[theexperthand]

But didn't Ford recently shift the production of export version (for European market) of Ecosport from India? Or is my memory deceiving me? (O was it Renault and Duster?)

Hope this becomes a reality soon.

--Anoop