Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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Instructors name:- Dr. Shyam Vyas Group Project Group Number:- 4 Date of Submission:- March 28, 2012 Date Due: - March 28, 2012
Email-Id Gitish.bhalla@student.ufv.ca
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Table of Contents
1. Acknowledgement 2. Objective of Report 3. Research Methodology 4. About NPS 5. Executive Summary 6. Company History 7. Facts of Ford 8. Current Position and Working of Ford 9. Products of Ford 10. SWOT Analysis 11. Customer Analysis 12. Competitor Analysis 13. Conclusion of Focused group discussion 14. 10 Steps of Sales Process I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. Prospecting Pre-approach Approach Presentation Trial Close Determine Objections Meet Objections
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15. Annexure a) Map of Chandigarh b) Demographics of Chandigarh c) In-depth interview 1 d) In-depth interview 2 e) In-depth interview 3 f) In-depth interview 4 g) In-depth interview 5 h) Focused Group discussion 1 i) Focused Group discussion 2 j) Focused Group discussion 3 k) Focused Group discussion 4 l) 25 articles on Ford m) 10 articles on Toyota n) 10 articles on Hyundai o) 10 articles on BMW p) Interview with Mr. Gaurav Mishra (Head of sales) at Toyota q) Interview with Mr Mahesh Gupta (Sales Consultant) at Hyundai r) 30 Day Action Plan 16. Additional Information (Project on BMW) 17. Bibliography
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Acknowledgement
Our group have taken efforts in this project. However, it would not have been possible without the kind support and help of many individuals and many automobile companies. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all of them. I am highly indebted to Prof. Shyam Vyas for their guidance and constant supervision as well as for providing necessary information regarding the project & also for their support in completing the project. I would like to express my special gratitude and thanks to Mr K.C Pandey (General Manager) and Mr Rajiv Sharma (Finance Manager) of Saluja Ford for giving me such attention and time which really help our group in making our report. My thanks and appreciations also go to my colleague in developing the project and people who have willingly helped me out with their abilities.
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Selling is one of many marketing components. The interpersonal communication process in which a seller uncovers and satisfies the needs and wants of a prospect to the mutual, longterm benefit of both parties. The major professional selling topics are organized into ten modules and presented in a logical sequence from the perspective of a professional sales person.
After reading this report a person will get to know about the history of Ford, its current working and its future plan. Moreover, competitor, customer and SWOT analysis with 10 step series of action in professional selling. We have also provided the demographics of Chandigarh and our 30 day action plan.
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Research Methodology
Our group has done both primary and secondary research in making this report.
In primary research
I. II. III. We went to Ford Motors, Chandigarh 5 times to do in depth Interview. We also did 4 Focused group discussions with the customers. We also met the employees of Ford motors and gathered much information from them. IV. We also had our interviews with Fords competitors Hyundai and Toyota.
In Secondary research
I. II. III. We have 25 articles on Ford Motors 10 articles on Toyota and 10 articles on Hyundai. We also have population information of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula. We also reached the map of Chandigarh with its literacy information and sex ratio.
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About NPS
Our Non Paying Sponsor is K.C Pandey who is th General Manager of Saluja Ford in Industrial Area, Chandigarh. He has done specialisation in marketing and is post graduate. He has been indulge with Saluja Motors since 2007. He has shared many information about the company and its working.
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Executive Summary
The objective of this report is to analyze and evaluate the current Professional Selling scenario and techniques. For the project, we selected Ford Motors and took its non-paying sponsorship from its General Manager Mr. K.C Pandey. Selling is one of the main components of marketing. In India professional selling methods are becoming more commonly as more and more MNCs are entering the potential countrys market. In India unorganised businesses are 95 percent more than the organised. In Canada businesses are more professional as compared to Indian scenario. Nowadays, online selling is also becoming an essential part of selling in Canada as well as in India. Ford India began operations in the year 1995. A year later, South Korea's Hyundai Motors entered the market and didnt waste much time targeting the small car sector where formerly state-run Maruti Suzuki had a virtual monopoly. The report provide the in depth information about the strategies and its working of Ford and its competitors. Saluja Ford in Chandigarh is located at Phase-1, industrial area Chandigarh, which is virtually the industrial hub of the city of Chandigarh. The company pays a rent of Rs 200000 per month. They have their plant in Chennai and its Head office in Delhi. We got to know that the main competitors of Ford in India are Maruti, Toyota and Hyundai. The training period for the employees of Ford is of 3 months respectively in which they train their employees by giving its employees details of its cars and the understand the company better. Marketing here is done through Road Shows and advertisements through newspapers and television. After reading this report a person will get to know about the history of Ford, its current working, its future plan competitor, customer and SWOT analysis with the 10 step series of
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Company History
Ford Motor Company is an American automaker and the world's third largest automaker based on worldwide vehicle sales. Henry Ford first attempt at a car company under his own name was the Henry Ford Company on November 3, 1901, which became the Cadillac Motor Company on August 22, 1902 after Ford left with the rights to his name. The Ford Motor Company was launched in a converted factory in 1903 with $28,000 in cash from twelve investors. The Ford Motor Company has been in continuous family control for over 100 years. Ford now encompasses several brands, including Lincoln and Mercury. Ford is the second largest automaker in the U.S. and the fifth-largest in the world based on annual vehicle sales in 2010. In 2010, Ford earned a net profit of $6.6 billion and reduced its debt from $33.6 billion to $14.5 billion lowering interest payments by $1 billion following its 2009 net profit of $2.7 billion.
Ford in India
Ford India began operations in 1995. A year later, South Korea's Hyundai Motor entered the market and immediately began targeting the small car sector where formerly state-run Maruti Suzuki had a virtual monopoly. Ford exported 30,000 cars from India in 2011, a fifth of its total production. While car sales growth in India slowed last year as high interest rates and fuel costs deterred buyers, Ford expects passenger and commercial vehicle sales to hit 9 million by 2020, from less than 3.5 million in 2011. Ford imported steel panels from Thailand
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Ford in Chandigarh
Ford Motors in Chandigarh gives rent of Rs 150000 200000. They have their plant in Chennai and Head office is in Delhi. Their main competitors are Maruti, Toyota and Hyundai. The training period of them is of 3 months in which they train their employees by telling them the details of the cars and the company. Marketing is done through Road Shows and advertisement through newspaper and television.
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Facts of Ford
On June 2, 2008, Ford sold its Jaguar and Land Rover operations to Tata Motors for $2.3 billion In January 2009, Ford announced a $14.6 billion loss in the preceding year, making 2008 its worst year in history. Ford was one of those big brands who survived in Great depression. In 1921 $5 million Ford built In 1937 $25Millionth Ford built In 1964 Introduction of Mustang pony car In 1996 $250million Ford vehicle built
Fords Future plan is to launch New Fiesta Hatchback by the end of 2012.
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Products of Ford
Our group collected the information about the types of products sold by Ford. Some of them are listed below: 1. Ford Fiesta 2. Ford Figo 3. Ford Endeavour 4. Ford Ikon 5. Ford fusion 6. Ford Mustang 7. Ford Taurus 8. Ford Expedition 9. Ford Flex 10. Ford Focus 11. Ford Escape 12. Ford Explorer. Out of these cars Ford Figo is the best-selling car of Ford. In addition to this it was awarded as the car of the year in the year 2012.
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SWOT Analysis
Strength
1. The strength of the company lies in the after sale services provided by the company. 2. The company has wide variety of products available for the customers. 3. The company posses with well-trained and qualified sales staff which can helps the company to increase its revenues. 4. The mileage of the products made by Ford is very nice. Moreover, industrial area is hub of automobile industries, so therefore we found that its a best and suitable place to have a store. 5. They offer corporate discounts in a shape of extended warranty to the customers who purchase more than 3 cars. Moreover, Saluja Ford has over its competitors is that it has footfalls of 60-70.
Weakness
1. The space of the showroom is congested as compared to our competitors.
Opportunity
Our group found that, there is an industrial hub at phase-1 Chandigarh. This attracts a lot of customers because every customer has to come to purchase the car from the same market where Saluja Ford is located. This is the reason of most of the footfalls as it is located at a very competitive place.
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Customer Analysis
The customer analysis section of Saluja Ford provides a detailed analysis of the customer market. Typically a few markets segments are already quickly identified and these are the focus of an analysis. But there are times when it makes sense to broadly consider many different market segments.
Understanding customers helps the company to segment the market and determine target markets and in developing a marketing mix that meets the customers needs.
Types of Customers Saluja Ford targets both business and service class customers in regions of Chandigarh, Mohali and Punchkula. Customer Relation management The company knows, that the long term relationship building is very important for them. So, in order to maintain and retain their customers there is a team of human resource personnel. The function of this team is to send mails and take the customer feedback from the customers. Moreover, the after sale services provided by Saluja Ford gives a competitive edge to them. Customer Segmentation The customers of Saluja Ford are segmented according to the different segments of car. The targeted customers consist of both service and business people of the Chandigarh region. In addition to this the segmentation.
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Competitor Analysis
Comparison of Saluja Ford and its Competitors in the industrial area is given below. Ford Maruti Suzuki Sales Professional Footfalls (Daily) Target Market Middle and High Class Rent(Monthly) 2 lacs Middle Class 1.5 lakh Middle and Middle and High Class High Class 3 lakh Self Purchased 60-70 80-100 80-100 100-120 14 15 12 20 Hyundai Toyota
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Maruti Suzuki
The showroom of Hyundai is located at Phaze1, industrial area Chandigarh. The average foot falls at Maruti Suzuki is about 80-100. The company generally targets everyone including Youngsters, Old and teenagers. Moreover, the age group at which Hyundai targets is 20-35. There are 15 well qualified sales professionals working in the company. The monthly rental paid by Maruti is very low as compared to the space it has acquired in the industrial area.
Toyota
Toyota is a major competitor of Ford in some segments of the automobile industry. In a segment like SUV Toyota is the strong competitor of Ford. As mentioned in the tables there are 20 sales professional working at Toyota. The showroom of the store is not rented. Moreover, there is Footfall of about 100-120 per day due to its prime location. The target market of Toyota is both youth and the aged people that is the age limit within 20-55.
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Prospecting identifies potential customers. Lead generation is a step prior to prospecting. A lead is also referred to as suspect. The term suspect indicates that a person is suspected of being a prospect. For every lead (or suspect), a salesman has to ask some questions and satisfy himself that there is chance that he may become a customer. Then that lead is categorized as qualified prospect. The sales process refers to the sequential series of actions by the Salesperson that leads towards the customer taking a desired action and ends with a follow up ensuring purchase satisfaction.
Presenting a professional appearance, giving an impressive presentation and closing like a master are not enough to prevent failure if too little attention is given to prospecting. For marketing Ford adopts various methods, for instance they call the customers and tell them about their new car or features, they advertise in cites through posters,
In Ford, the sales person with the entry of any customer, answers a few questions, like
Does the person need the products or services that I am offering? Can this persons need be converted into a want for the products that I am offering? Does the individual have the ability to pay? Will the transaction with this person be profitable?
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The sales person will generate a list of prospects or qualified prospects for each period say for each day and make sales visits that help him boost his career and eventually in increasing the sales of their showroom. Ford uses the method of e-prospecting and direct mailing for their prospecting.
2. Pre-approach
A salesman has to meet the prospect and interact with the customer to offer his product as a solution to the prospects need and want. Getting an opportunity to meet the prospect is the first step in this process. Planning for pre-approach is very important because the first several seconds of the presentation are very important and if one fails to make the presentation smooth the chances are that the customer will be dissatisfied. Fords target market are both service and business people. In Ford, once th e customer enters the showroom he gets assisted by a salesperson , who gets to know him, by listening to him and approaching him the right way, with the product he would love to buy but if unavailable, then his contact details along with his likings are un derstood for approaching the customer before the launch of a new model or any related service that can be offered to him. Cold calling can be tried, but in case of automobiles, it is preferred that invitations can be given to come to the customer base to visit the showroom for a test drive, as the prospect may not be able to spare time at the instant the salesman barges in explaining about the new launch. The practice of making an appointment before calling on a prospect is followed in Ford as it can save the salesperson hours in time wasted in traveling and waiting to see a person who is absent or busy. If the prospect gives an
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3. Approach
The first impression a salesperson makes is important. If this impression is favorable, the prospect is more likely to welcome and listen to the salesperson. If it is not favorable, he may not cooperate and may erect communication barriers even though it is a prearranged meeting. Approach is a very critical factor that ensures our prospects attention and interest. It is very necessary that the buyers need gets identified and all his problems are solved. The first impression is centered on the image projected by the salespersons a ppearance and behaviour, thus in Ford, all salesperson are required to wear appropriate conservative business clothes, be neat in dress and grooming, stay confident , enthusiastic and Smile impressing the potential customer. It is important for them to approach the customer at the right time and with the right product that suits him, by getting an idea about what he wants, like showing Endeavour instead of fiesta to a person who loves touring and camping.
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4. Presentation
The main goal of interaction with the prospect many times is to sell the product or service to him. The first few minutes of the meeting with any customer is spent in determining the prospects mood and situation, his need and effort is made to capture his attention and interest in the conversation that is going to follow about the product or service. Attitude of a salesperson during the approach is very important. It is very often that the salesperson has a preconceived idea that the things might go wrong or they experience stress but the successful salespeople have learned a relaxation and concentration technique called creative imaginary that allows them to cope up with stress at time of difficulty
As a part of the interaction, a salesman is going to intensify the need of the prospect, convert it into a want, and create a favorable attitude for the specific product he is offering. To create the want for his company product, the sales man presents the features, advantages and benefits of his product, and his business proposal for the transaction.
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The salesman has also the job of convincing the prospect that not only he has to buy this particular model, but buy it and get serviced from them because it is the best suited option for them and they are getting customised offers made for them all suited to their needs. Ford also believes in following SPIN questioning technique in which series of questions are asked to bring out the need of the customer, intensify and convert it into a want for the product being offered. In SPIN, S stands for situation questions. P stands for problem questions. I stands for implication questions. N stands for need payoff questions. Thus SPIN questions set the background for a presentation of the features, advantages and benefits of the salesmans offer giving it a 360 degree view to the customer and then deciding what suits him best and giving him reasons to buy more. In Ford, first a full discussion of the features, advantages, and benefits of the offer (product or service) are provided along with the Customer value plan i.e. Explanation of how the customer is going to use the product and what benefits it has. Then, relating the value of the product to the cost of the product.The presentation of the offer includes, apart from the persuasive communication from the salesman,
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5. Trial close
In the presentation at various points of time whenever the prospect shows strong conviction about the merits of the product or offer, salesman needs to try for a close. Closing is the process of helping people make a purchase decision that will benefit them. Salesmen help people make that decision by asking them to buy. Trail close is the actual test of the salesperson, as it tests the prospects reaction about the product. . It is one of the most underutilized strategies of selling. Trial close is a valuable and low risk strategy.
The very fact that a prospect is meeting a seller and having a conversation with him means the prospect has an interest to buy the product. And in automobiles when a persons focuses on more and more detailings of the features, and compares it with other cars, it is an indication of his genuine interest in that particular model. People do come to purchase a vehicle after research work, hence many times the prospect may be ready to make the buying decision very early in the meeting.
As the prospect is ready,and gives buy signals or willing-to-buy signals like asking questions regarding full and final payment and adjustments that can be made to it or the delivery dates, Ford salesmen are ready with a purchase order form and close trial after clarifying objections if any.
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Objection or resistance to the request of the salesperson is labeled a sales objection. In Ford, Salesmen welcome the objections because they believe that the toughest prospects are those who do not say anything. One cannot make out whether they are interested, bored or just being polite. An objection shows that prospect is involved in the conversation.
7. Meet objectives
There can be Hidden objections, Stalling objections, No-need objections or Money objection, but in Ford, all sales men are prepared for giving a satisfactory reply to the objections raised by prospects. This technique clear the mindset of the prospect several times the prospect is in a confusion about the product, that they might have hidden objectives which even he / she might not be familiarized. They try to rephrase the objection as a question or ask questions regarding the objection, at times directly deny the objection or even if required compensate for it. If they find it difficult to handle it on their own, they pass up the objection or anticipate it or obtain a third-party answer to the objection. Questions relating to a prospects
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8. Trial close
Closing is the process of helping people make a purchase decision that will benefit them. Salesmen help people make that decision by asking them to buy.
In Ford, usually,it is seen that salespeople try to do the trial close as soon as they give a satisfactory response to an objection, but there are times that objections arise only after the salesman tries trail close. They make all efforts to keep the buyers attitude toward your product positive by Let buyers know you are on their side by helping them with objections or by giving a multiple choice question to display an attitude of genuine care. They bring out any or all of the customers main selling benefits now and keep on selling.
This response, adds value with a cluster of satisfactions, by pointing out the relationship between price and quality and explaining the difference between price and cost. Along with this they stress the product's exclusive features, giving it the name of customization. They do justify how they sell quality, exclusivity and differen tial features at best rates.
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Closing is the process of helping people make a purchase decision that will benefit them. Salesmen help people make that decision by asking them to buy. The very fact that a prospect is meeting a seller and having a conversation with him means the prospect has an interest to buy the product. Hence many times the prospect may be ready to make the buying decision very early in the meeting. Closing Techniques be it Alternative choice close, Assumptive close, Compliment close or ant other are all managed well by Fold sales people. By closing they move the customer to the final desirable, ie. Purchase so they make sure that at this point of time when they have almost reached to the final it should all work smoothly.
10. Follow up
For Ford, a satisfied customer is the best advertisement, but they believe that if you make a sale and runaway, you do not know the feelings of your customer. The prospect became your customer after buying from you. High performing salespersons do the follow up and provide any service the customer requires and convert this interaction into further sales to the customer or to his friends and acquaintances through referrals.
Ford has a work culture that says and believes that service will keep customers and increase sales. Companys goods return policies judiciously to replace defective products with customers should be used properly. They go back to the customer, check the product that you have sold and make sure that the customer is getting th e expected
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Annexure
Map of Chandigarh
Ford showroom
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Demographics of Chandigarh
The official census 2011 of Chandigarh has been conducted by Directorate of Census Operations in Chandigarh. Enumeration of key persons including Chief Minister of Chandigarh was also done by officials conducting population census. As per details from Census 2011, Chandigarh has population of 10.54 Lac, an increase from figure of 9.01 Lac in 2001 census. Total population of Chandigarh as per 2011 census is 1,054,686 of which male and female are 580,282 and 474,404 respectively. In 2001, total population was 900,635 in which males were 506,938 while females were 393,697. The total population growth in this decade was 17.10 percent while in previous decade it was 40.33 percent. The population of Chandigarh forms 0.09 percent of India in 2011. In 2001, the figure was 0.09 percent.
Description Approximate Population Actual Population Male Female Population Growth Percantage of total Population
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Literacy rate in Chandigarh has seen upward trend and is 86.43 percent as per 2011 population census. Of that, male literacy stands at 90.54 percent while female literacy is at 81.38 percent. In 2001, literacy rate in Chandigarh stood at 81.94 percent of which male and female were 88.42 percent and 75.37 percent literate respectively.
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Total area of Chandigarh is 114 sq. km. Density of Chandigarh is 9,252 per sq km which is higher than national average 382 per sq km. In 2001, density of Chandigarh was 7,900 per sq km, while nation average in 2001 was 324 per sq km. By 2021 the population of Chandigarh is projected to be around 19.5 lacs (at current rate of growth).
Sex Ratio of Chandigarh is 818 i.e. for each 1000 male, which is below national average of 940 as per census 2011. In 2001, the sex ratio of female was 773 per 1000 males in Chandigarh.
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The finance executive of Ford, told us that they are known for selling the quality products at economical prices. When we asked him about their USP, he replied by saying that their USP is the Price Bracket they have. As, they are selling the similar products like their competitors at affordable prices to their potential customers. We also asked him about their main Competitors in the market. He replied that they make different cars for different potential customers. So, the competitors in each segment of the product are different. But the major competitors of Ford are Hyundai, Maruti Suzuki and Volkswagen.
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Our group met different customers who are currently using Ford Cars. We met 6 customers till now with whom we have discussed about the customer satisfaction, its product and companys after sale services. This following group discussion was held on March 11, 2012 around 4 pm. Six of the potential customers of Ford participated in the discussion. Participants name and contact information is as followsSahil Kapoor Govind Kalra Sangam Rohit Gupta Manpreet - 07837173571 - 09878909239 - 09915506668 - 09501415005 - 09501696582
We asked six questions from this group, and we have received different views from each of the group member. After an immense argument we came to some common results. The questions asked were as under followsQuest-1) Comment on the products that Ford offers? Ans-1) Six of the participant in the group told us about the products that Ford offers. Some of them are Ford Fiesta, Ford Figo, Ford Endeavour, Ford Ikon, Ford fusion, Ford Mustang, Ford Taurus, Ford Expedition, Ford Flex, Ford Focus, Ford Escape and Ford Explorer.
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In order to gather more information we had another group discussion which was held on March 13. The questions we asked in this discussion were same that we asked in the first group discussion to have a common view of the customers. We had discussion with 5 customers of Ford. Sahijpal singh- 9464667855 Rohan Sharma- 9872409565 Shubhika- 9888495544 Rajvir- 9914865674 Sudhir- 9815064496 Quest-1) Comment on the products that Ford offers? Ans-1) We got to know the various types of products offered by Ford in India by Rajvir and Sudhir. Ford Ikom, Fiesta, Endevour, Figo were seem to be very popular among the custoemers. Some other cars told by the participants are Ford Mustang, Ford Flex and Ford Fusion. This questions was asked to know, how popular are the products of Ford are in the market. Quest-2) What do you think about the sales staff of the company? Ans-2) Shubhika told us that the salesperson at Ford are not pushy as they do not forece anyone to buy their products .On the other hand Rajvir told us that the salesstaff behaves in a very professional way. Whereas Rohan further added by saying that he is impressed by the way the staff communicates with their customers.
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Sourav Aggarwal - 9888885545 Shrey Sushant Sehghal Sandeep Singh - 9988027880 - 8806544888 - 9464643921
Below is the list of the questions that we asked from them in the discussion: Ques-1) Does Ford delivers the product on time? Ans-1) Most of the people in the discussion agreed to this, but Sushant was not satisfied with the delivery services of Ford. He told us that he ordered Ford Figo and was told that the delivery would be within 5-10 days. But he received the car after 10 days, when he told this to the general manager, he was told that due to the new car registrations being released his car and other cars are delayed as new cars take priority over them. This annoyed him a lot. But after that incident the manager do calls Sushant after every 5 months to know his satisfaction level. Ques-2) Comment on the customer service of the Ford. Ans-2) Sandeep told us that he is really pleased with the his new car Ford Fiesta. The salesman at Satluj Ford were very helpful and he would recommend about Ford to anyone. Shrey also further added in it by saying that from the moment that he entered the showroom,
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Ques-1) Are you satisfied with the cars of Ford? Ans-1) Almost everyone was very satisfied by the services of Ford. Only Harman and Roopleen were not satisfied by their cars purchased from Ford. Angad told us that he own Ford Figo, the petrol variant. Two months earlier he went to U.P. (Agra, Mathura, and Fatehpur Sikri) and the car gave the mileage of 21KM/Per Liter. On the other hand Harman Rathore told us that He had been using Ikon 1.6zxi for the past 3 years and is getting a mileage of about 13 in Chandigarh. Further Roopleen stated that she bought a Ford Fiesta on October 2011 and could not be more displeased with it. It has spent more than a month of the past year in the service department of Ford and still it has some glitches in it. Ques-2) Comment on the customer service of the Ford. Ans-2) Sukul Bansal and Angad Dhaliwal told us that they are extremely satisfied by the services of Ford. In addition to this Harman also told us that they call him to remind about the
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25 Articles on Ford
Psychological Selling: Why Ford Motor Company Should Target Their Texting Software
By Dean Hambleton People buy, they are seldom sold. Few times does a person buy something they need. When you are sick and the doctor prescribes medicine, this is one of the few times that something is bought because it is needed. Most other times people buy things because they want them. The psychological component of sales is critical for a sales person to understand if they are to be successful. To sell successfully a brand must be trusted and it must develop a personal relationship with the buyer. In our social media era, there is a term that sales people should become comfortable with. That term is "friend". In a social media context, we "friend" each other. We develop relationships with each other and we recommend products. People don't trust brands any longer---they trust their friends. There is a natural wall between seller and buyer. To sell, this wall must be torn down, and a relationship developed. Ford is attempting to do this with its in car software. The InSync software allows texting to be done inside the car. No longer do young people have to take their hands off the wheel to text. They can do it safely, now, with both hands on the whee. From a psychological standpoint, this is a critical factor in how fathers decide to buy cars for their kids. A rite of passage is for a father to buy a car for his daughter when she turns 16. He has to know that this daughter will text. Telling her not to will not do any good. To be safe, a car has to have software that allows her to text while she drives. Ford has done this with InSync. No longer is Ford a car; it is now the means by which young girls are kept alive while they drive and text. InSync breaks down walls between buyer and seller. Ford is no longer a car brand----Ford is now a friend that is watching over a father's daughter as she and her friends drive, text, and have fun. Ford, through their product and software development has broken down walls between themselves and their customers. Ford's texting software makes Ford the car that fathers want to buy for their daughters.
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The Ford Motor Company Finds Success With Online Social Networks
By Rob Gillingham Cleveland Ford and area dealerships have gone social! Ever since Facebook released its social scene to businesses, Ford has created Fan Pages for each one of their new cars and new trucks. Ford dealerships across the country have also found a way to connect to Ford owners and buyers by creating a fan page for their dealership. However, it wasn't enough for this American automaker; Ford also is active on YouTube, Twitter, Flickr as well as top social bookmarking sites such as Delicious. Ford Motor Company and dealerships have been very successful with active profiles on Facebook. Ford has the solution for engaging its fans and attracting more people, whether they are new or classic Ford owners or are just car enthusiasts. Do you want to know the secret to successful social media campaigns? Just look at what Ford does with its Facebook fan pages. 5 Ways the Ford Motor Company Engages Fans 1. Frequent polls - This is an example of one poll posted on Ford Motor Company's fan page recently: "LA Lifeguards and Hybrid Escapes on the beach at Portraits of hope yesterdaywhat's not to like? We'll post pictures soon but now we're wondering- will you be laying on the beach or by the pool this summer?" (Posted on May 27, 2010) - Each wall post includes a link on Facebook, where fans can vote. The results are given just a few days later or sooner. The results for this poll? The results of this particular poll were posted the next day: "We polled Ford fans: pool versus beach and you voted... beach. Let this photo get you in the mood. Here is the L.A. County Lifeguard Services' fleet with their 45 Escape Hybrids which have been used in more than 19,754 rescues and nearly 3 million rescue preventions. Have a great Memorial Day weekend!" 2. Wall posts with pictures - What's more engaging than reading a wall post with a great pic of a new Ford Hybrid Escape or Fusion? Pictures sell. There's even a picture of an assembly line. 3. Daily updates - Want to keep your fans and friends engaged? Write fun, light and interesting wall posts, discussions, polls, and links to keep fans interested in Ford trucks and cars. 4. Public updates - Yes, let your fans post their pictures of new, preowned or classic Ford cars and trucks, after all that's why Ford is in business - selling cars to people. The best way to get
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How Should Ford Motor Company Create A Brand For Its InSync Technology?
By Dean Hambleton Ford and Nuance Communications of Burlington, Mass have recently co-created a technology called InSync. This is a game changing technology because with it, Ford has been able to redefine the car market. No longer are cars transportation brands. A Ford car is now a social media content platform. It is now a social media housing brand in the same category with Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube With InSync drivers are able to take all their social media devices and plug them into the car dashboard and create material and then share it. They can do this safely. They can create material while driving with both hands on the wheel. The thing that makes InSyn unique is that the technology is now coming INTO the car. A driver makes the decision what social media material they will use. This is how Ford differentiates itself from GM's technology, OnStar. OnStar is located inside the vehicle and the technology only does what GM wants it to do. OnStar can't do everything. Before, technology for a car was located INSIDE the car and drivers had to adjust to it. Now, Ford's InSync comes into the car, and the CAR must adjust to the driver. In a social media era, many people spend more time in their cars than they do in their houses. Ford has now redefined its brand. Ford is no longer a car company. That's the good news. The bad news is that the general public doesn't know that InSync exits. To be successful and to create a world class brand, Ford must create a brand strategy that clearly differentiates Ford from GM. How should Ford do this? This is the purpose of this article. Originally, it began as an assignment for a salesmanship class at JWU in Providence, R.I. This project is about how I would create a brand for Ford and sell Ford's top management on my branding strategy. For the assignment, I take the position of CEO of a social media branding house trying to sell Ford that they should select my company as its branding strategist. This is how I would create a brand for Ford. SALES PRESENTATION OPENING QUESTIONS: 1. Speaking to you ladies, do you remember your first car? 2. Did you have your dad with you, and did he place a high regard for safety in purchasing
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Lexus LF-LC Concept and Ford Fusion Win Eyes On Design Awards
By PHIL PATTON DETROIT Jack Telnack, the former Ford design chief who led this years committee for the EyesOn Design Awards, said that voting was facilitated by the iPads that judges could be seen tapping throughout Cobo Center on Tuesday. His fellow iPad-toting judiciary included current design bosses and other figures in the profession. Among them were Alfonso Albaisa from Nissan; Karen Davidson of HarleyDavidson; Chryslers Ralph Gilles, who presented a homage to John Herlitz, the Chrysler designer who died in 2008 at age 65; Derek Jenkins of Mazda; Stewart Reed from Art Center College of Design; and Tom Matano, formerly of Mazda, from Academy of Art University. The EyesOn awards, presented by the Detroit Institute for Ophthalmology, are historically bestowed after the second day of press previews to one concept and one production vehicle. The Lexus LF-LC hybrid sports car concept, designed under Kevin Hunter at Toyotas Calty studio in Newport Beach, Calif., prevailed over the other finalists, the Chevrolet Tru 140S and Lincoln MKZ concepts. It was a great exploration of design themes, the judges said in a statement. Mr. Hunter and several members of his team were on hand to accept the award. The award for best production vehicle was accepted by Moray Callum, the head of design for Ford in North America, for the Fusion sedan. The commendation released by the judges said that the sedan was a clean, well-executed statement, demonstrating effortless design. Mr. Callum accepted the award with other Ford designers. The other finalists were the BMW 3 Series and the Cadillac ATS. Conspicuous by its absence in both categories was Audi, which had won four EyesOn awards in the last three years.
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With Energy Departments Encouragement, Ford, G.M. and Ram Unveil Natural Gas Pickups
By TUDOR VAN HAMPTON INDIANAPOLIS Speaking here this week at the Green Truck Summit, an event held in conjunction with the Work Truck Show, Steven Chu, the head of the Energy Department, called on commercial fleet owners to consider converting their vehicles to run on natural gas, which he characterized as a no-brainer alternative to gasoline and diesel. We want to diversify our source of transportation energy, Mr. Chu said. If you are a meateater, and beef is the only thing you ate, if the price of beef goes up, well, you got to pay for it. Chrysler, Ford and General Motors readily obliged, introducing pickup trucks at the trade show that would run on compressed natural gas and gasoline. The manufacturers expect this niche to grow more appealing, particularly to fleet customers, as oil prices rise and domestic reserves of natural gas are discovered and exploited. On Thursday, a public pump here offered compressed natural gas, or C.N.G., for the gasoline-gallon equivalent of $2.15, according to the Web site CNGprices.com. Gasoline prices in Indianapolis, meanwhile, averaged $3.77, according to IndyGasPrices.com. But pricing and supply advantages of C.N.G. have historically not been sufficient to convince fleet owners of its utility and safety. Heavy tanks capable of holding fuel compressed to 3,600 pounds per square inch typically cut directly into a trucks cargo space and payload capacity. Limited access to filling stations and potential buyers concerns about the highly pressurized tanks exploding in a crash have kept adoption low. Tudor Van Hampton for The New York Times Fred Diaz, president and chief executive of Ram, introducing the 2012 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty CNG on Tuesday in Indianapolis. To build buyer confidence, Ford, Chrysler and G.M. are covering their C.N.G. trucks under standard warranties. The V-8 engine in each truck is fitted with hardened valves and seats to handle the higher combustion temperatures of the natural gas. Chryslers Ram brand seized bragging rights as the only manufacturer to offer a factory-built C.N.G. pickup. Ford and G.M., after receiving customer orders, would send trucks to manufacturers, or upfitters, who would configure them to run on natural gas. Built on a three-quarter-ton chassis, the 2012 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty CNG is powered by a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 power plant. A box containing two steel natural gas tanks sits in the bed,
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Ford spokesman Tom Foote said the firm will begin the new round of purchases as soon as the old program is completed. At Wednesday's closing price of $71.75 per share, Ford said its new plan would cover the repurchase of more than 27 million shares. Ford did not say how long it will take to complete its new buyback plan, however. Good Financial Shape But Ford has clearly accelerated its buyback efforts since the October crash. Ford officials said they believe that the market meltdown depressed Ford's stock price to bargain basement levels. The buyback announcement sent Ford stock up, however; on the New York Stock Exchange Thursday, Ford closed at $74.50, up $2.75.
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Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Group made financial headway in a sluggish economy in the second quarter, increasing sales and slashing debt. Ford sales rose 13% to $35.5 billion, although profits fell 8% to $2.4 billion as the Dearborn, Mich., automaker spent more money on materials such as steel and on designing and building new vehicles. Chrysler but losses widened to $370 million as the automaker repaid U.S. and Canadian government loans taken out during the financial crisis. Excluding that repayment, Chrysler earned $181 million. "They are headed in the right direction" analyst Michelle Krebs analyst of Edmunds.com said Tuesday, adding that the U.S. carmakers are rolling out new vehicles attractive to consumers. "Many of us have long said, 'You cannot establish a turnaround without good, new product.'" Ford said it decreased its debt to $14 billion, shaving $2.6 billion from the previous quarter. The company borrowed heavily in 2006 to restructure operations. "They are getting their financial houses in order to take advantage of higher vehicle sales," Krebs said. Edmunds.com forecasts U.S. sales to rise by 1 million vehicles in 2012 to 13.9 million, with a slow climb to nearly 16 million in 2015. Through the first six months of this year Ford sales rose 12.2% in the U.S. to almost 1.1 million vehicles, according to Autodata Corp. Ford's share of the U.S. auto market essentially
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"There is no doubt that Chrysler Group has taken a huge step forward this quarter," said Sergio Marchionne, chief executive of Chrysler and Italian automaker Fiat, which owns a controlling stake in Chrysler. Marchionne said he would announce a new unified management for Chrysler and Fiat within "a few days."
Ford's profit was also hurt by one-time charges, including $110 million in costs related to personnel reductions. Ford's North American sales jumped 15% to $19.5 billion in the second quarter, and despite struggling European economies, the automaker's sales climbed 20% to $9 billion in Europe. "Despite an uncertain business environment, we further strengthened our balance sheet and continued to invest for the future," Ford Chief Executive Alan Mulally said. The company's investments in emerging markets trimmed earnings. Ford is "using their cash flow to reduce debts and expand the business in regions where they haven't had much presence before," said Efraim Levy, an analyst at Standard & Poor's Equity Research. "It's not something that is going to pay off right away, but it's something that will benefit their profits in the medium and long run."
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The new $150-million plant outside St. Petersburg, which initially will employ 400 production workers and 400 support staff, is a signal to other manufacturers that Russia has emerged from the economic downturn of the late 1990s and is safe for direct foreign investment, officials and analysts said.
"We have a big fleet of 40 cars now on the street," declared Henrik Nenzen, a Swede who is president of Ford Russia. The vehicles are being tested and evaluated, he said, with the first Russian-built Fords making their way to consumers by late September.
Ford, the world's No. 2 auto maker, is not the only U.S. car company eyeing the Russian market.
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Russians have long complained that the West has been quick with advice and promises but slow with direct investment, especially outside the oil-and-gas industry.
In that sense, the Ford opening "is a really great event for the country," said Nina Oding, a senior analyst at St. Petersburg's Leontief Economic Research Institute, because it offers new industrial growth and employment. "We are talking here about direct investment, not simply some form of credits like our governors enjoy bragging about.
"This means an exchange of technology and production and administrative discipline--things important for Russia now," she added. "It also creates jobs for workers dreaming of good and stable pay, a workable system of bonuses and other benefits."
Line workers will make the equivalent of $220 a month, and skilled engineers up to $600, Nenzen said. For that pay level, Ford turned away many applicants and was able to put together a highly educated, dedicated work force, he said. The average monthly wage in Russia is $134, according to the World Bank.
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Despite reports of stifling bureaucracy and corruption on the Russian business scene, Nenzen said, Ford's experience was no more or less difficult than inaugurating a plant in any other European country. "The building here started to be built in the summer of 2000. So it is not a long period," he noted.
The plant will manufacture four-door, hatchback and station wagon versions of the popular Ford Focus. Since the vehicles will be made in Russia, the company will not have to pay the 25% duty applied to imported cars.
"Our prices will become much, much more attractive, and our sales volume will go up," Nenzen said.
The plant is able to produce 25,000 cars a year with a potential for further expansion to 100,000. Cars made in Russia will be priced from about $10,900, compared with nearly $14,000 if imported.
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In exchange for duty-free status, Ford agreed to make sure that 50% of the car components come from Russia within five years, meaning the plant will have a ripple benefit for the Russian economy. So far, the Russian component portion of each car totals only 20%, taking into account plant investment and labor. Russian firms supply only the glass, seats and trim for the cars rolling off the lines currently.
Nenzen said Ford decided to build the factory in 1999, just months after Russia's 1998 currency collapse and economic crisis. "The Ford board was convinced that in the long term this very, very large country with a lot of inhabitants would have a strong automotive market with a lot of consumers," he said. "I think others will come after."
About 1.5 million new and used cars are bought in Russia each year. About 1 million of those are Russian cars, with new models selling for $5,000 to $8,000. About 95,000 are imported new cars. The rest are imported used cars, mainly from Germany.
Given the size of the market and their paltry share, global car makers such as Ford and GM see Russia as one of the last large untapped markets for their products.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union a decade ago, Western energy companies have committed billions of dollars to help develop Russia's vast oil-and-gas resources, and there also have been some investments in food processing products sold to Russian consumers.
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But few have moved into industrial manufacturing, which is still dominated by postCommunist enterprises, many of which have laid off workers and are still struggling to adjust to free-market conditions.
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Ames F. Neal dies at 81; formidable lawyer won victories on both sides of courtroom
The stocky, cigar-chomping ex-Marine sent Teamsters leader Jimmy Hoffa and top Watergate figures to prison, and saved film director John Landis and Ford Motor Co. from serious criminal charges.
October 23, 2010|By Elaine Woo, Los Angeles Times James F. Neal, a formidable lawyer who won noteworthy victories on both sides of the courtroom as a prosecutor he sent Teamsters leader Jimmy Hoffa and top Watergate figures to prison, and as a defense attorney he saved film director John Landis and Ford Motor Co. from serious criminal charges died Thursday at a Nashville hospital. He was 81.
Neal's reputation for tenacity and brilliance in the courtroom began with the 1964 prosecution of Hoffa, who had successfully fended off two dozen indictments until Neal, a stocky, cigar-chomping ex-Marine with a Tennessee drawl, was assigned to his case. Hoffa called him "the most vicious prosecutor who ever lived," a slur that Neal considered a badge of honor. A decade later, Neal was chief prosecutor in the Watergate case, turning in a virtuoso performance that resulted in the convictions of former Atty. Gen. John Mitchell and top Nixon White House aides H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman. When he returned to private practice in Tennessee, famous clients sought his counsel, including Landis, who faced manslaughter charges when actor Vic Morrow and two child actors were killed in a 1982 helicopter crash during filming of the movie "Twilight Zone," and Ford, the first automaker to be charged with murder when the rear-end crash of a Pinto resulted in three deaths. Neal also successfully defended Dr. George Nichopoulous on charges that he overprescribed medications to Elvis Presley, whose drug use was implicated in his 1977 death.
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"Hoffa was the toughest old bird I ever met," Neal told the American Bar Assn. journal last year. "Every morning I would sit down at the prosecution table, look over at the defense, and Hoffa would shoot me a secret finger message under the table." The two trials with Hoffa were as dramatic as an episode of "Perry Mason." The first trial, in 1962, was interrupted by a deranged gunman who shot up the courtroom with a gas pellet gun. Everyone ducked except Hoffa, who, according to Neal, charged the gunman and punched him in the face. In the 1964 trial, the drama was supplied by the prosecution's surprise witness, Edward Partin, secretarytreasurer of a Teamsters unit in Baton Rouge, La., and a confidant of Hoffa. Partin, who had worked
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Ford Motor Co announced an expanded and extended revolving credit facility on Thursday, as the No. 2 US automaker tries to bolster its balance sheet and ultimately reach an investment-grade credit rating. Ford's revolving credit was enlarged to $9.3 billion from $8.9 billion. Of that figure, $9 billion now matures on Nov. 30, 2015, two years later than before. The other $300 million will mature in 2013 as previously planned.
The credit "represents an important source of committed liquidity and financial flexibility for Ford," Ford Treasurer Neil Schloss said. The offer was "significantly oversubscribed" by banks, Schloss said. "This is an insurance policy that you hope you never have to use," Schloss said.
The revolver is a part of the more than $23 billion Ford borrowed in late 2006 to support its turnaround, secured by assets including the Blue Oval logo. Initially, the line of credit was $11.5 billion.
Ford has since repaid nearly all of the $23 billion. The collateral pledged to lenders under the revolver would be released when Ford attained investment grade ratings from at least two of the three major ratings agencies.
Moody's Corp's Moody's Investors Service, McGraw-Hill Cos Inc's Standard and Poor's Ratings Service andFitch Ratings, a venture of Fimalac SA and Hearst Corp, all rate Ford at one notch below investment grade. Banks participating in the deal understand that this revolving credit would shift to an unsecured facility "in the near future" once Ford reached investment grade, Schloss said.
The company is implementing a "One Ford" plan, to simplify and unify product development and supplies.
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NEW YORK: One of the leading American car makers Ford Motor on Thursday posted a second quarter profit of $2.3 billion even as its competitors are fighting hard to survive the global economic turmoil.
Unlike its peers -- General Motors and Chrysler -- Ford refused to take Federal funds to tide over the crisis, which has resulted in falling demand and sales.
In the year-ago period, the auto maker incurred a loss of $8.7 billion, it said in a statement today.
For the Q2, Ford raked in revenues of $27.2 billion, down $11 billion from the June quarter of 2008.
"The results for the second quarter 2009 include a special items net gain totaling $2.8 billion..., which includes a $3.4 billion gain related to Ford and Ford Credit's recent debt-reduction actions," the company said.
Ford noted that while the business environment remained extremely challenging around the world, the company made significant progress on its transformation plan.
"Our underlying business is growing progressively stronger as we introduce great new products that customers want and value, while continuing to aggressively restructure our business and strengthen our balance sheet," Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally said.
In the Asia Pacific region and Africa, the car maker recorded a loss of $25 million in the said quarter compared to a pre-tax profit of $50 million in 2008.
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DETROIT: About 1,700 Ford Motor Co. factory workers have decided to take early retirement offers and will leave the company by June 1. The automaker says it will bring back about 250 laid-off employees and hire some replacements at lower wages.
Ford offered the buyouts to all 41,000 factory workers last fall in an effort to cut its skilled trades and production workforces. It offered skilled trades workers like electricians and plumbers $100,000 to retire. Production workers were offered $50,000. The company has about 9,000 skilled tradesmen, which it says is too many.
Spokeswoman Marcey Evans says Ford won't replace all of the retiring workers. New factory hires will be paid around $16 per hour, a little more than half the wage of a longtime union worker. Skilled tradesmen make above $30 per hour, but changes in factory equipment in recent years have cut the number of workers needed. Ford is adding thousands of workers this year to help satisfy growing US auto sales. Factories in Wayne, Michigan, near Detroit; Louisville, Kentucky; Chicago and near Kansas City, Missouri, are getting additional workers.
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Ford Motor Co announced an expanded and extended revolving credit facility on Thursday, as the No. 2 US automaker tries to bolster its balance sheet and ultimately reach an investment-grade credit rating. Ford's revolving credit was enlarged to $9.3 billion from $8.9 billion. Of that figure, $9 billion now matures on Nov. 30, 2015, two years later than before. The other $300 million will mature in 2013 as previously planned.
The credit "represents an important source of committed liquidity and financial flexibility for Ford," Ford Treasurer Neil Schloss said. The offer was "significantly oversubscribed" by banks, Schloss said. "This is an insurance policy that you hope you never have to use," Schloss said.
The revolver is a part of the more than $23 billion Ford borrowed in late 2006 to support its turnaround, secured by assets including the Blue Oval logo. Initially, the line of credit was $11.5 billion.
Ford has since repaid nearly all of the $23 billion. The collateral pledged to lenders under the revolver would be released when Ford attained investment grade ratings from at least two of the three major ratings agencies Moody's Corp's Moody's Investors Service, McGraw-Hill Cos Inc's Standard and Poor's Ratings Service andFitch Ratings, a venture of Fimalac SA and Hearst Corp, all rate Ford at one notch below investment grade.
Banks participating in the deal understand that this revolving credit would shift to an unsecured facility "in the near future" once Ford reached investment grade, Schloss said.
The company is implementing a "One Ford" plan, to simplify and unify product development and supplies.
In 2011, Ford's U.S. market share was 16.8 percent, behind General Motors Co, which had 19.1 percent. In afternoon trading.
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Ford Motor Company Announces the Tentative Price of the 2013 Ford Escape
By Marty Bay Tata Aria for 1.99 lacs* TataAria.com/March-Offer Drive home a Tata Aria with our easy down payment offer. Ford Motor Company has recently released the tentative pricing of the 2013 Ford Escape on the company's site. This simply means that the figures included on the page will most likely change since these were placed there for survey purposes. This particular move was actually used by Ford as a means of gathering data from potential buyers. Ford Motors will surely use the data obtained from potential buyers as the company's basis in deciding the final prices of the existing trims of the 2013 Ford Escape. Aside from the tentative prices that were found on the site, Ford has also provided some of the specs of each trim to further generate pricing suggestions and recommendations from buyers who would surely purchase their own unit of the 2013 Ford Escape as long as they think that the prices are fair enough. Since the 2013 Ford Escape is made up of 3 trim levels, Ford has come up with tentative prices for each of these. The cheapest trim is the 2013 Ford Escape S. This model has a starting price of $22,470. The price is applicable only to the S trim that is powered by a 2.5liter 4-cylinder engine with a front-wheel drive system and equipped with all the standard equipments. The starting price does not include the destination charge and due to this the price is expected to increase as soon as the additional charges are incorporated in this.
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Ford has already introduced two full hybrid vehicles in the market. These are the Ford Escape hybrid, which is the very first hybrid SUV to be introduced commercially, and the Mercury Mariner Ford hybrid. Like its competitors such as Toyota, Honda and GM, Ford is also busy keeping up with the market. Aside from the two commercially available hybrid vehicles, they already have three more models that are expected to hit the market soon. The car maker has over 100 hybrid patent applications on the way. Why Go Hybrid?
With hybrid cars, you can enjoy higher fuel efficiency, same or even enhanced comfort compared to conventional cars, a roomier vehicle and a performance that is incomparable. What is more exciting is that with every innovation that car manufacturers make with their hybrid models, they are usually able to offer them at a much lower price than the previous model. The Escape Hybrid The Ford Escape hybrid has been named the 11th greenest vehicle and has been offered with a price lower than the former models. It has added safety features and makes use of recycled materials. As with other hybrid car makers, environmental concerns have been a consideration in its design. The Mercury Mariner
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10 Articles on Toyota
Toyota may launch Lexus in India in 2013
The Lexus range of luxury sedans and SUVs, which have a strong following in India, will have its own dealership network Amrit Raj New Delhi: Encouraged by the demand for luxury cars in India, Japanese car maker Toyota Motor Corp. is set to introduce the Lexus brand in the country in 2013, according to two people familiar with the plan. Top officials from the companys Indian subsidiary are in Japan for a briefing about the project. They were not available for comment. A spokeswoman couldnt be reached on her phone. Shekar Viswanathan, deputy managing director (commercial) at Toyota Kirloskar Motor India Pvt. Ltd, said, We want the Lexus brand to come to India, but I cannot give you any time frame. File photo of Toyota Motors workshop According to a person directly involved in the discussions, an announcement was likely to be made in Japan on Monday. The person did not want to be named. There was no announcement at the time of going to press. The Lexus range of luxury sedans and sport utility vehicles (SUVs), which have a strong following in India, will have its own dealership network. We will be following the global practice as far as dealerships are concerned, said another person familiar with the development. The company does not want to dilute the brand quotient. While the Lexus models to be sold in India will be completely built-up units, it is unclear what models will be launched in the country. Globally, the brand competes with Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW), Mercedes and Audi AG. Launched in 1989 in Japan, Lexus soon became Americas best-selling brand of luxury motor vehicles.
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New Delhi: Japanese car maker Toyota will consider setting up a diesel engine plant in India after observing the governments policy decision on subsidy to the fossil fuel during the forthcoming Budget in March. The company, which is present in India through a joint venture with the Kirloskar Group, is investing Rs. 500 crore in setting up a petrol engine plant and expanding its transmissions capacity in Bangalore. We will wait till the Budget. After that, we will look at the feasibility of setting up a diesel engine plant in India, Toyota Kirloskar Motor deputy managing director (commercial) Shekar Viswanathan told PTI at the 11th Auto Expo here. He said the company will wait till there is a clarity on policies related to continuation of subsidies on diesel pricing. Shekar Viswanathan, deputy managing director-commercial, Toyota Kirlospar Motor Pvt Ltd., and GM, marketing, R K Ramesh (L) during the launch of New Prius (hybrid technology) at 11th Auto Expo 2012 at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi on Saturday. PTI The company has seen demand for its diesel cars rising significantly, especially on its latest two models sedan Etios and compact car Liva. During 2011, TKM sold 63,575 units of Etios and Liva, out of which 70% came from the diesel variants. Viswanathan, however, declined to comment further saying it is too early to say anything. Expressing similar views, the countrys largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) managing director and CEO Shinzo Nakanishi said till there is a clarity at the policy level, the company will not move ahead with any fresh investment on diesel engine front. We cannot go ahead and announce such a big investment unless there is some clarity. We are not saying that subsidy should be continued or withdrawn, but only requesting a clarity on long-term basis, he said. Usually an investment of around Rs. 1,000 crore is needed to set up a diesel engine plant having a production capacity of 1,00,000 units per year, Nakanishi said.
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The planned plug-in hybrids are already under development, with two prototypes currently undergoing demonstration tests by researchers at the University of California. But while existing prototypes operate with nickel-metal-hydride battery packs, Toyota aims for its new hybrids to be equipped withlithium-ion batteries.
Lithium-ionbatteries, already widely used in consumer electronics, provide more energy per unit weight than older nickel-metal-hydride batteries, and can store a charge for longer when not in use.
Watanabe cautioned that while successfullithium-ionbatteries have already been developed for hybrid electric automobiles, it is premature to assume that such batteries can be mass produced with existing techniques
"As of today in the lab, the small volume of lithium-ion we have already developed is closer to the level we are satisfied with, but that is only in small quality," he said. "There is a huge difference between small volume and mass production of lithium-ion."
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Toyota's other planned efforts in the area of fuel efficiency include the unveiling of new hybrid-only models in 2009, increased investment in the production of ethanol from wood waste, the expansion of a joint Panasonic-Toyota batter factory, the introduction of "clean diesel" V-8 versions of the Tundra pickup and Sequoia SUV and the sale of 1 million hybrid vehicles by 2012. In addition, Watanabe announced the company's intention to meet California's 35 mile per gallon fleet standard "well in advance" of the 2020 deadline.
Unlike competitor GM,Toyotais conducting all of itsresearchin-house, rather than in partnership with small or start-up companies. According to Watanabe, this will make technological development "faster and more efficient."
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Ford ditches hybrid car pledge amid profit pressures; Toyota remains top hybrid producer
Friday, June 30, 2006 by: NaturalNews (NaturalNews) Only nine months after pledging to build a quarter of a million hybrid cars, Ford is going back on its promise. Instead, chairman and chief executive Bill Ford says the company will commit resources to improving fuel economy and CO2 performance in its conventional motors. According to a Ford spokesperson, an internal panel of experts analyzed customer interest in hybrid cars and did not feel that there was enough demand to warrant the expense of building 250,000 hybrids. These cars, which run on an electric motor and battery as well as gasoline, cost significantly more to build than ordinary models. The announcement comes as the Ford's financial woes continue to grow. This week Standard & Poor's downgraded Ford's credit rating and warned that its two most profitable segments -sport utility vehicles and pick-up trucks -- are under pressure. Ford already plans to cut 30,000 jobs by the year 2012, although few details have been given about where reductions will take place. Environmental groups are not happy about Ford's announcement. This is the second time Ford has changed plans to build more environmentally friendly vehicles -- in 2001, the company backed out of a commitment to improve the fuel efficiency of sport utility vehicles. Toyota continues to be the leader in hybrid cars. Worldwide, Toyota has sold more than 500,000 hybrids since 1997, and hopes to increase that number to 1 million hybrids each year
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10 Articles on Hyundai
Hyundai Motors Tops Four Segments In Reliability
By Glady Reign. The Next Gen i10 getzprime.co.in/Hyundaii10 Fully loaded with features End of the road for the competition The All New Sonata www.Hyundai.com/Sonata Above Expectation.Beyond Comparison Check the Globally Acclaimed Sedan Strategic Vision recently announced the winners in its Top Quality Index(TM) (TQI) which showed the Korean car manufacturer Hyundai Motors having five segment leaders. The Hyundai brand has three leaders while the Kia brand has two. This year marked the first time that the Korean firm managed to take four segments. The California-based Strategic Vision announced the leaders in 19 segments of the United States auto market in terms of quality. The Hyundai brand posted the most wins with three and is equaled only by Japanese brand Nissan. With Kia's two wins, Hyundai Motors has the most auto models awarded the top spots on their respective segments. The Ford Motor Company and the BMW Group each has three with MINI taking two segments for the BMW contingent. General Motors, Honda, and Mercedes topped two segments. Dodge, Lexus and Volkswagen brands each took a segment. BMW has the most points marking the eighth out of the past nine years that the German car company has achieved the feat.
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Meanwhile, Alexander Edwards, the President of Strategic Vision, has this to say: "With automotive corporations now doing a terrific job in providing vehicles with minimal
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Perfect combination of style, luxury, power and performance, Hyundai Accent is an excellent product from Hyundai Motors in India. It is midsized sedan looks very powerful and attractive. Buyer can accomplish their vehicle needs easily and conveniently. This automobile promises to provide smooth sailing driving experience to the driver. With advanced and refined engine quality and perfect interiors, Hyundai Accent clearly running ahead from its other competitors in sedan category cars. Check the Engine Specifications of Accent This car is powered with 1495cc SOHC in-line-4-cylinder engine that produces a power of 94 bhp @ 5500 rpm, with an outmost torque of 123 Nm @ 3500 rpm. Power modification and economy is best demonstrates by its alpha engine, which is prepared with harmonically balanced cranks. The engine is designed with high velocity intake and wear out ports, tumble airflow, dual intake valves and asymmetric rockers. Safety Specification in Accent The passive and active safety specification of Accent offer high level of protection to its passengers. The anti-lock disc brakes are outfitted with electronic-type brake power distribution, which promise shorter stopping distance and keep away from accidents. You can enjoy a safe driving with 3-point safety belts. Additional, safety features include collapsible steering column, Airbags, child-safety rear door locks, rear defogger and central door locking.
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Hyundai recently inaugurated a new dealership in Mumbai in February 2010. It was 46th dealership of the company in the Western region.
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It should be as plain as the nose on your face that Hyundai Motors is a winner. When combined with its Korean cousin, Kia, the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group is ranked as the fourth largest automaker in sales, behind GM, Toyota and Volkswagen, but ahead of the Ford Motor Company, Chrysler and Honda. Quite suddenly, the South Korean automotive manufacturer is a force to be reckoned with, a company on a quest to overtake Toyota and eventually lead the global automotive market.
Single handedly, Hyundai-Kia is shaping the auto industry, forcing competitors to reexamine product offers to build cars that consumers want. The following are some ways explaining how Hyundai is dictating how everyone else should build and sell cars:
Hyundai offers value -- Smartly, Hyundai continues to price its cars slightly below competing models, offer sticker prices about 3 to 5 percent lower than comparable models. But, the savings are even more significant because Hyundai cars offer higher content or trim levels than similar models. For example, the Hyundai Elantra offers a six-speed automatic transmission, heated seats and top of the range gas mileage, beating Toyota at its own game. The Toyota Corolla, incidentally is getting updated faster because the current Elantra is quite simply the better car.
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Hyundai guarantees trade-in value -- Buy a Hyundai today and the automaker will guarantee what it will be worth two, three or four years from now. This guaranteed trade-in value is something no other manufacturer is offering and is a "peace of mind" strategy for new car buyers. No longer will customers have to worry that a car they purchase today will drop precipitously in value tomorrow.
Hyundai offers excitement -- Hyundai has employed a European strategy for selling its cars in America, one that seems to be working. In Europe, Mercedes and BMW sell a wide variety of vehicles, not just luxury cars under the same label, but they wouldn't dare do that in the United States. Hyundai has taken a bold approach by selling its Genesis and Equus lines under the Hyundai brand and is successfully selling upscale, even luxury models in the same showrooms as its small cars.
Hyundai certainly isn't perfect, but the automaker has proven that it has the right strategy in place a winning formula other automakers should adopt. Sales of Hyundai and Kia models continued to rise in the Great Recession, a feat only Subaru can claim. All three brands have dared to exploit the market, by giving customers value, reliability and quality, something every manufacturer should keep in mind going forward.
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Matthew C. Keegan is editor and publisher of "Auto Trends Magazine." Matt is also a contributing writer for Andy's Auto Sport and affiliated websites, an aftermarket supplier of quality auto parts including bumpers and wings.
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10 Articles on BMW
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He told that they have over all 50 employees in which 20 are sales professionals. A new sales has to go to a 3 months training period before coming to the showroom in which he/she gets the knowledge about the cars and the company.
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Anubhavs Work Current Positioning of Ford in the mind of Indian Customers and also in Chandigarh Focused Group discussion Questionnaire Customer Analysis Articles on Ford
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2. Week 2 We went to Ford twice and meet its GM (K.C Pandey) and Finance Executive (Upkar Singh), he treated us very good and also shared some information about his company and its working. He told that they have 40 employees with them and their turnover is Rs72 crore annually. He also told the USP, Marketing strategies of the company which was very useful to us. He shared the SWOT analysis of the company and what are their future plans with some information about their customers.
3. Week 3 We went to Toyota and Hyundai to get some information for competitor analysis. Moreover, we collected some articles on Ford and demographic information on Chandigarh. We also started our 10 steps of Professional Selling.
4. Week 4 - We again went twice to Ford Motors showroom to get remaining information for our report and to do video interview. Moreover, we made our main report and presentation.
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2. BMW 3 series 3. BMW 7 series 4. BMW 6 series 5. BMW Z4 6. BMW X5 7. BMW X6 8. BMW X1 9. BMW X3 Major Competitors of BMW are Mercedes and Audi. They have launched their new car this year which is BMW 6 series. BMWs Targets complete northern region except Delhi, in which mostly include high class people. Companys Market Share is more than 70% in comparison with the competitors. Market Size of BMW includes their showrooms which are currently present at 17 main locations in the Indian market. Companys headquarter is in Gurgaon.
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Salespersons must adopt some of these steps to make a transaction successful and build a relation with customer:
Salesperson must understand consumer behaviour, and must also know what kind for product and service satisfy them the most.
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Mr. Ankit Rehalia told that customer analysis is very point as it motivates us to launch new products with different and innovative specifications. He also told that BMWs sales are going very smooth and customer oriented. Likewise, they are coming up with new models after getting suggestions and recommendations from the customers. Recently, the company has launched BMW 6 series in the market, which is getting positive hype in the market. He also shared that, currently they are selling more cars monthly in comparison to their competitors. BMW (Chandigarh) have 8 sales people. Currently, BMW showrooms are in 17 main locations which deals in cars but headquarter is in Gurgaon. For reporting structure of sales professional gives monthly report to their senior managers, in which they include how many cars they have sold with the list of the customer and their regions. Salesperson has to also include the customer behaviour and what were the problems which they faced during selling. Company send every sales professional to their headquarter in Gurgaon for training. It is usually 15-20 days training and company spend Rs30000-40000 on it. There are 17 dealers of BMW in India which have their showrooms. BMW have both sales and marketing departments clubbed in one dealer department. Selling requires making oral or written presentations for the decision maker because without knowing about the product and its benefits fully, a customer will not make any positive decision. It depends upon the quality of the presentation that customer gets convinced or not. They believe that relation selling is
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d) Promotion- Through Road shows, newspapers, BMW also have their New product launch parties in which all major customers are invited. They also organise events in Hotel Taj or JW Marriot in Chandigarh. Market is getting more competitive and diverse in nature. Customer has become more demanding in terms of product quality and service; moreover, customer has become more aware of what is available in market. Competition has become more advanced in terms of technology and experience. BMW tries to sell experience to the customer so that they get their highest satisfaction. Yes, the main reason for betterment of this year will be due to sales effort. Last year company had sports model 5 Series and luxury model 7 Series, but after receiving some request and suggestions from the customers; this year the company have come up with a new model of BMW 6 Series with comprises combination of both the models sports and luxury.
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