Over the past few years, profits have shown that Ford’s most successful products are trucks and SUVs. So, in a move that surprised very few, the legacy automaker confirmed that it will start investing in its line of auto plants in Chicago, ones that specifically build the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator. The move signals the gradual phase-out of the Ford Focus, for example, which was once a popular budget car but now can’t compete with the hungry appetites of Ford owners and other customers who love larger vehicles.
While the news was welcomed by investors, other news also brought a boost to the company: the restructuring of the company’s customer support network on a global level.
As Ford invests heavily in its line of SUVs and trucks, as well as in upgrading its plants, company leadership is also looking for a way to improve the Ford buying experience across the board.
As part of the recent restructuring and customer service focus, Elena Ford has been named the company’s new chief customer experience officer. Ford is the great-great granddaughter of Henry Ford, the person who started the entire company, and she’s spent years working her way up the ranks and getting to know all aspects of the company.
Elena Ford excels in knowing what the customer wants and how to make each customer’s experience as streamlined and positive as possible. In this new role, Elena Ford takes the reins of the company’s global customer service division, where she’ll work with dealerships all over the world to both tighten operations and improve the customer experience throughout the sales process.
Before taking on this role, Elena Ford served as vice president of the company’s customer experience and global dealer division. She used that time to create best practices and standards for everything from customer interaction during the sales process to delivery of vehicles.
“Our customers see Ford as one company, and they don’t distinguish between the company, our call center, and the dealers,” Elena Ford said. “Our goal is to be the most trusted company, and we must deliver the most trusted experience for our customers. For our loyal customers, this could mean a faster oil change, a more intuitive app, or an easier way to schedule servicing.”
Before rising to this role, Elena Ford also held a high-profile position as the director of global marketing, sales, and service from 2009 to 2013, crafting a global marketing vision for the company called One Ford.
Elena Ford also repeatedly shows a knack for identifying and improving projects that are important to customers. Ford spearheaded the development of the FordPass app, which allows customers to find parking and gas stations and even track maintenance of their vehicles. Elena Ford worked with developers on the app, which was created over a year and a half – a very short timeframe in the app world. The app itself has almost 70,000 reviews in the iOS store alone, and has proven very popular with users.
Elena has been recognized a few times for her influence in the automobile world, twice being named in Automotive News as one of the “100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry.”
As Ford’s new chief customer experience officer, Elena Ford’s hands-on role will take her abroad, as well as allow her to work near home. As someone who lives in Michigan, she’s just a short distance away from both the company’s Michigan headquarters and the new and improved Chicago plants.
“Elena is the ideal leader to take on the challenge of bringing Ford to world-class levels in terms of customer experience. She has a genuine passion and unwavering focus on doing what’s right for our customers and a deep connection with our dealers,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s president of global operations. “She has the ability to work across the Ford organization and regions and will ensure that everything we do is designed around the customer.”
