ricardoa1
Registered User
From Thunderbirdsnest.com
http://www.thunderbirdnest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20057
"Recently, I had the privilege of speaking in person to Carl Yarber, Saleen/Ford Specialist, of Team Ford - Marietta, Georgia. We spoke in detail about the Thunderbird, the COP problem, about customer service, about the shake up in top management, and that we should expect to see many Ford dealerships closing in the near future.
Some of the highlights that Carl spoke about:
2010 will be called "The Year of the Mustang". (ok Mustang lovers, that news is out of the way....nuff said, I have no details on the new Mustang, but thought you would be pleased to hear that bit of info)
Now most importantly, Thunderbird lovers will be pleased to hear that our beloved Thunderbirds will make a comeback in 2012. Ford will call 2012 "The Year of the Thunderbird". When asked if the car would be a 4 seater, Carl replied "Ford has never even considered bringing back the 4 seater, the 2012 Thunderbird will definately be a 2 seater". Carl stated the biggest change in the Thunderbird will be the materials used in making the car, with emphasis on a lighter weight car and fuel economy. That is about all I was told, except that he did say "Thunderbird lovers will love this car". Yes, there is a prototype Ford is working with now, but Carl was not forthcoming with any other details other than what I mentioned above.
Carl stressed that we should all read the book "1908, The Year That Changed Everything". He said that only after reading that book will we understand what Fords future goals will be for the next 100 years. A panel of Ford executives was put in place and as a result of reading and studying that book, all upper top management were let go recently and a whole new management team was set in place with new goals. The main goal being a return to customer service and satisfaction, and getting those lost and unhappy customers back into the Ford dealerships again.
When I mentioned Fords "NO customer service", he said that Ford realizes their mistakes and intends to change and some of those changes have already been implemented. He said in the months to come we will see big changes in dealerships and a new better relationship with the customer. The dealerships around the country are all being reviewed and not to be surprised when we see the doors of some close. He said to keep in mind that "all changes and closures will be for the good".
We briefly spoke of the COP problems with the Thunderbird, there was no need for me to explain or go into detail as Carl knows about the COP issue and all he could say is "hopefully Ford's position on taking care of only the 03 car will change soon to include all retro Thunderbird years". He says Ford is aware of how unhappy we are with their decision to take care of only the 03 owners. I can't stress enough how many times Carl said to continue to call customer service,
1-800-727-7000, and to begin the conversation with "I am a service customer with a service concern". As I mentioned above Ford is under all new management, and there is now in place a special team who acts on complaints from customers with special needs or complaints. In other words, there are key trigger words that you might use in your conversation with customer service that they are told to react to immediately and switch your call to this new team who will then really listen and react to your complaints. Carl told me that "special team" has the authority to override any decisions made by your dealership that made you unhappy enough to call customer service in the first place.
Carl then gave me his business card and told me to call him anytime with any Thunderbird issues or complaints that I can't get resolved through customer service and then called his new general manager over and introduced him to me. That man also gave me his business card, and on that business card I not only saw his work number but his cell phone number. He also told me that if I have any issues that customer service will not help me with, I should call his cell phone any time of the day or night and he will take care of the problem for me.
Well Carl was right when he said I will notice some new changes immediately, how many of you out there have your dealerships general managers cell phone number?
So Thunderbird owners, in short, I know Carl was sincere and honest in the information he gave me. Now all we can do is wait and see if it all happens as Carl described it. At least now we know when our Thunderbird will make another appearance. I don't want to wish the next 4 years away, but I'm very excited and I eagerly await the new Thunderbirds appearance in 2012,"
http://www.thunderbirdnest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20057
"Recently, I had the privilege of speaking in person to Carl Yarber, Saleen/Ford Specialist, of Team Ford - Marietta, Georgia. We spoke in detail about the Thunderbird, the COP problem, about customer service, about the shake up in top management, and that we should expect to see many Ford dealerships closing in the near future.
Some of the highlights that Carl spoke about:
2010 will be called "The Year of the Mustang". (ok Mustang lovers, that news is out of the way....nuff said, I have no details on the new Mustang, but thought you would be pleased to hear that bit of info)
Now most importantly, Thunderbird lovers will be pleased to hear that our beloved Thunderbirds will make a comeback in 2012. Ford will call 2012 "The Year of the Thunderbird". When asked if the car would be a 4 seater, Carl replied "Ford has never even considered bringing back the 4 seater, the 2012 Thunderbird will definately be a 2 seater". Carl stated the biggest change in the Thunderbird will be the materials used in making the car, with emphasis on a lighter weight car and fuel economy. That is about all I was told, except that he did say "Thunderbird lovers will love this car". Yes, there is a prototype Ford is working with now, but Carl was not forthcoming with any other details other than what I mentioned above.
Carl stressed that we should all read the book "1908, The Year That Changed Everything". He said that only after reading that book will we understand what Fords future goals will be for the next 100 years. A panel of Ford executives was put in place and as a result of reading and studying that book, all upper top management were let go recently and a whole new management team was set in place with new goals. The main goal being a return to customer service and satisfaction, and getting those lost and unhappy customers back into the Ford dealerships again.
When I mentioned Fords "NO customer service", he said that Ford realizes their mistakes and intends to change and some of those changes have already been implemented. He said in the months to come we will see big changes in dealerships and a new better relationship with the customer. The dealerships around the country are all being reviewed and not to be surprised when we see the doors of some close. He said to keep in mind that "all changes and closures will be for the good".
We briefly spoke of the COP problems with the Thunderbird, there was no need for me to explain or go into detail as Carl knows about the COP issue and all he could say is "hopefully Ford's position on taking care of only the 03 car will change soon to include all retro Thunderbird years". He says Ford is aware of how unhappy we are with their decision to take care of only the 03 owners. I can't stress enough how many times Carl said to continue to call customer service,
1-800-727-7000, and to begin the conversation with "I am a service customer with a service concern". As I mentioned above Ford is under all new management, and there is now in place a special team who acts on complaints from customers with special needs or complaints. In other words, there are key trigger words that you might use in your conversation with customer service that they are told to react to immediately and switch your call to this new team who will then really listen and react to your complaints. Carl told me that "special team" has the authority to override any decisions made by your dealership that made you unhappy enough to call customer service in the first place.
Carl then gave me his business card and told me to call him anytime with any Thunderbird issues or complaints that I can't get resolved through customer service and then called his new general manager over and introduced him to me. That man also gave me his business card, and on that business card I not only saw his work number but his cell phone number. He also told me that if I have any issues that customer service will not help me with, I should call his cell phone any time of the day or night and he will take care of the problem for me.
Well Carl was right when he said I will notice some new changes immediately, how many of you out there have your dealerships general managers cell phone number?
So Thunderbird owners, in short, I know Carl was sincere and honest in the information he gave me. Now all we can do is wait and see if it all happens as Carl described it. At least now we know when our Thunderbird will make another appearance. I don't want to wish the next 4 years away, but I'm very excited and I eagerly await the new Thunderbirds appearance in 2012,"