The headlines across multiple automotive tabloids in the MENA region are about autonomous and mass electric transport, while all that is truly a read-through from A to Z; there has to be a manufacturer that throws it back to the basics. The definition of a good dealership experience is open to interpretation, as customers’ perceptions of satisfaction vary across many touchpoints. Ford is no stranger to this ever-changing landscape of the perfect customer experience and is now taking charge with its latest move.
As online configuration becomes the norm, Ford understands a gap in how customers perceive a good experience. Ford Signature 2.0 is the latest in the blue ovals’ quest to make a difference; it’s a balance of being digital-friendly while placing customer-centric thinking at the core of all aspects of the dealership experience.
Reimagining the Dealership Experience
The Ford Signature 2.0 redesign focuses on creating a welcoming, hospitality-first environment, making the dealership feel less like a place to buy a car and more like a place to experience a brand. “Hospitality first” is the core philosophy behind the new design. Walk into a Signature 2.0 dealership, and the reception desk is not there to greet you; instead, there’s an open-concept showroom with comfortable seating and food and beverages at the ready.
The refresh strategy draws heavily on its hospitality counterparts and focuses on creating environments that make customers feel at ease. In fact, Ford spent months benchmarking these industries to understand how they make their customers feel welcomed and valued. The result is an atmosphere that’s akin to walking into a high-end hotel lobby rather than a traditional car dealership.
The Power of Flexibility
If you look past the aesthetics, it’s clear that customers now have complete control over their experience, whether lounging in a relaxed space or glancing at what’s new from a café table. This approach contrasts sharply with the old model, where customers were often led through rigid processes, dictated by the dealership’s layout.
At the heart of this evolution is a commitment to self-governance.
“Customers will no longer be guided through the dealership by a sales associate,” Jennifer Kolstad, Ford’s Global Design Director
Instead, the dealership will feature multiple “variables,” allowing dealers to mix and match different layout elements based on their specific needs. This flexibility extends beyond sales to the service area as well, where a distinct service entrance will no longer separate customers. Instead, they’ll enjoy a seamless experience, with access to food, beverages, and seating, just like those shopping for a new car.
The Role of Dealer Buy-In
However, as with any significant change, the road ahead requires cooperation and buy-in from Ford’s vast global dealer network. The Ford Signature 2.0 concept isn’t mandatory yet, though hopes are high on mass adaptability worldwide. While the physical transformation of dealerships is costly, Ford has positioned the redesign as an investment in the future, both for the customer experience and for the dealership’s bottom line.
After all, Ford Signature 2.0 is designed to integrate sales and service in a way that benefits both sides of the business. Jennifer Kolstad sums up why service is as important as the sale.
“Sales will do the first vehicle, service will deliver that second, third, fourth, and fifth vehicle.”
A Global Vision for the Future
Ford’s push to implement the Signature 2.0 redesign globally is a clear indication of where the company sees the future of automotive retail heading. Ford leaders have already rolled out test cases in China and Mexico, where the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
The UAE is no stranger to massive strides in automotive advancements, but with the customer always being the key decision maker its vital to take things to basic without complicating the recipe to breaking headlines Personalization is the name of the game and Ford’s approach could very well be the blueprint for the future of automotive retail, one that makes customers feel right at home, every time they walk through the door.
Will Ford’s signature 2.0 sink or float in the world of high tech and autonomy? Stay tuned to AutomotivateME to find out.
