Quality Control

At Ford Motor Company, they're on a quality roll. Changes to the company’s product development, manufacturing and quality processes have further boosted vehicle quality, putting Ford on par with the best in the business.

Specifically, Ford is:
Designing quality into their future models using customer feedback.
Building quality into their current models by examining warranty claims daily and feeding the information back to the plants so quality teams can eliminate issues where they originate.

Launching with discipline. Ford has raised the bar on their launch quality standards and vehicles are not released until they meet these stringent standards. It’s working: A sampling of awards and acknowledgments for Ford’s improved quality this year:

Consumers Digest 2008 Automotive Best Buys (Nov. 2)
Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles account for 9 of the publication's Best Buys.
Ford dominates the Family Car category with 5 of the 8 vehicles recommended:
Ford Fusion, Ford Taurus, Lincoln MKZ, Mercury Milan and Mercury Sable.
Other Best Buys include Ford Escape Hybrid, Mercury Mariner Hybrid, Ford F-150 and Ford Mustang.
Selections were made by the magazine's staff of automotive editors.
Strategic Vision’s 2007 Total Value Index (Oct. 23)
Lincoln MKX outscores Lexus RX350 in total value with new car customers.
Ford, Lincoln, Mercury earn three “total value” leadership positions: Lincoln MKX, Ford Edge and Ford Expedition EL. The Volvo V50 also was a segment winner.
Global Quality Research System Q3 2007 (Oct. 17)
Ford Motor Company quality continues its dramatic improvement, reducing Things Gone Wrong (TGW) levels for the third straight year and further closing the gap with the best in class.
Ford quality jumps 11 percent, soaring above the industry’s 2 percent improvement.
Six vehicles ranked best in their segment: Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, Ford E-Series, Mercury Milan, Ford Crown Victoria, Lincoln Mark LT, Mazda MX-5 Miata.
A total of 16 vehicles rank in the top three for either TGW performance or customer satisfaction.
GQRS third quarter study measures customer feedback on their three-month-old vehicles. The survey is conducted by RDA Group of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., for Ford Motor Company.
U.S. News & World ReportBest Cars and Trucks (Oct. 10)Nine Ford Motor Company models are ranked among the top three in their respective segments in this list of 2007 Best Cars and Trucks. They include:
First place: Mazda MX-5 Miata (double winner: Sports Cars, Two-Seat Convertibles);
Second place: Ford Mustang Convertible (Four-Seat Convertibles); Mazda MAZDA5 (Compact Wagons)
Third place: Ford Fusion (Midsize Cars); Mazda MAZDA3 (Small Cars); Volvo V50 (Full Size Wagons); Land Rover LR2 (Luxury Compact SUVs); Land Rover Range Rover (Luxury Large SUVs); Ford Escape Hybrid (Hybrid SUVs)
AutoPacific Ideal Vehicle Awards (Sept. 5)
Ford, Lincoln and Mercury boast multiple winners – the Ford Edge, Ford Expedition, Ford Explorer, Ford Mustang, Mercury Grand Marquis, Mercury Montego, Lincoln MKZ and Lincoln MKX. Land Rover Range Rover is tops in the Luxury Sport Utility category.
Lincoln is named the top Ideal Premium Brand while Mercury earns the honor for Ideal Mainstream Brand.
University of Michigan American Customer Satisfaction Index (Aug. 15)
Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brands post striking gains in the annual survey.
Lincoln and Mercury satisfaction reach 86 percent, just one point behind Lexus.
Ford brand scores the largest improvement of any brand, climbing 3.9 points to 80 percent satisfaction.
The survey measured customers’ satisfaction with their three-year-old vehicles.
Global Quality Research System Q2 2007 (July 19)
Ford Motor Company improves vehicle quality by 10 percent, outpacing the industry’s 4 percent rate of improvement.
Six vehicles receive highest ranking in their segments for TGW performance, customer satisfaction or both: Ford Edge, Mustang, Explorer, E-Series, Lincoln Mark LT, Mazda MX-5 Miata.
GQRS second quarter study measures customer feedback on their three-month-old vehicles. The survey is conducted by RDA Group of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., for Ford Motor Company.
IntelliChoice.com and AutoPacific Motorist Choice Awards (July 27)
The Mazda Mazda3 (Compact Car) and the Land Rover Range Rover Sport (Luxury Sport Utility) earn number-one rankings based on cost of ownership and customer satisfaction.

J.D. Power and Associates Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (June 28)
Ford Edge is ranked the industry’s top-performing all-new vehicle, and Ford Mustang wins its segment for the third straight year in the APEAL study, in which customers assess product design, content and performance of their three-month-old vehicles.
Global Quality Research System Durability Study (June 18)
Ford vehicle long-term durability improves by 5 percent and cuts by 50 percent the gap with best-in-class vehicles, industry-wide.
Mercury Sable and F-150 Lightning are segment winners for TGW performance at three years in service.
GQRS annual durability study measures customer feedback on three-year-old vehicles. The survey is conducted by RDA Group of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., for Ford Motor Company.
AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Awards (June 12)
The Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX head a list of five Ford Motor Company vehicles to earn top ratings in their respective segments. Others include the Lincoln Navigator, Ford Explorer Sport Trac and Jaguar X-TYPE.
J. D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study (June 6)
Ford has 14 total vehicles ranked in the top three in their respective segments, more than any other automaker.
Five vehicles received highest ranking in their segments, including Ford Mustang, Lincoln MKZ, Lincoln Mark LT, Mercury Milan and Mazda MX-5 Miata.
Strategic Vision’s 2007 Total Quality Index (June 4)
Consumers rate four Ford SUVs and pickup trucks tops in their segments:
Ford Expedition EL, Ford F-150, Ford F-250 and Ford F-350.
The annual survey asks customers to rate their entire ownership experience on their three-month-old vehicles.
Global Quality Research System Q1 2007 (April 18)
Ford closes the quality gap with Toyota. In TGW performance, the two companies are in a statistical dead heat. Ford, Lincoln, Mercury are at 1,456; Toyota is at 1,453.
Ford, Lincoln, Mercury improve by 8 percent, out-performing the industry’s 2 percent rate of improvement.
Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, Expedition EL, Lincoln Navigator and Mercury Milan rank best in their segment for TGW performance, customer satisfaction or both.
GQRS first quarter study measures customer feedback on their three-month-old vehicles. The survey is conducted by RDA Group of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., for Ford Motor Company.
Edmunds.com Consumers’ Most Wanted Vehicles for 2007:
Ford wins three “most wanted” segments: Mazda3 in sedans under $20,000 and wagons under $20,000 and Ford Mustang in coupes under $30,000.
Edmunds.com Editors’ Most Wanted Vehicles for 2007:
Ford wins five “most wanted” segments: Mazda6 in sedans under $25,000; Mazda3 in wagons under $20,000; Mazda MK-5 Miata in convertibles under $25,000; Ford Mustang in convertibles under $35,000; Mazda CX-9 in SUVs under $35,000.

Quality Operating System Coordinators ensure that Ford accelerates quality.
Several of Ford’s powertrain plant employees received Six Sigma Black Belt training under a new program that formalizes the Quality Operating System Coordinator (QOSC) position. The positions, which give UAW members control over quality, were first introduced in the early 2000s as a one-year experiment, but quickly became an integral part of quality management.
The QOSCs finished their Black Belt coursework and will take the mandatory tests to achieve the prestigious Six Sigma Black Belt certification, with the goal of having at least two Black Belts per plant. The number of QOSCs per plant varies depending upon size, product and volume, but on average there are six per plant.
The QOSCs devote 100 percent of their workday to monitoring quality process and procedure adherence and cannot be pulled from their job to replace an absent employee on the line. They ensure that every employee at every station understands precisely what they need to do and how to do it.
Since the introduction of QOSCs, Ford’s rating in initial and long-term quality surveys has seen an upward trend. Ford’s brand went up by eight points over last year, beating the industry seven-point rate of improvement, according to J.D. Powers and Associate’s Initial Quality Study. Shortly thereafter, the Global Quality Research System durability study noted that Ford brand improved at a rate of 3 percent verses the industry average of 1 percent.

Managing Quality

At Ford Motor Company Quality is now more than ever Job #1. The automotive industry has become such an extremely tough market to compete in today that you simply can not survive without offering outstanding and tremendous quality. By adding benefits like a quieter ride, improved handling and luxury craftsmanship, Ford Motor Company is focused on putting quality first by building vehicles that are more connected, help protect occupants or help prevent accidents before they occur. Year by year, Ford has made significant and consistent strides to improve quality through a renewed commitment that touches every aspect of the vehicle process – from design to manufacturing to product launch. The cumulative effect of these disciplined, global quality standards earned Ford a record-breaking year, with 102 accolades for quality in 2007.

Combining customer feedback with advanced technologies has allowed Ford to further boost initial quality and longer-term reliability, resulting in dramatically improved owner satisfaction. According to research by RDA Group (April 2008), Ford is in a statistical dead heat with Toyota and Honda in initial quality. The quarterly study measures customer feedback from drivers of Ford vehicles as well as competitive makes and models and is commissioned by Ford.

Ford's Domestic Brand Quality on the Rise

Ford Motor Company’s surging domestic quality is now equal to the best in the industry for the 2008 model year, according to the latest U.S. Global Quality Research System (GQRS) study. Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles collectively reduced “things gone wrong” (TGW) by 7.7 percent compared to last year and are now statistically equivalent with Honda (including Acura) and Toyota (including Lexus and Scion) atop the list of seven major automakers in the survey.

”This is One Ford at its best. It’s taken thousands of people continuously working together with laser-like focus every day to boost vehicle quality for our customers to the top of the pack,” said Bennie Fowler, Ford group vice president, Global Quality. “But this is a never-ending journey. The goal now is to distance ourselves from our top competitors. We want to be the sole quality leader.”Other highlights:

• The 2008-launched Ford F-Series Super Duty and the Lincoln Mark LT ranked first in their respective segments in both TGW and customer satisfaction.
  
• Ford Mustang GT 500 topped the sports car category in fewest TGW.
  Overall, 18 of 24 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles recorded TGW improvements.
  
• Ford’s newly launched Focus improved significantly in TGW and customer satisfaction, now equaling the Toyota Corolla in both categories.
  
• The Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan are significantly better in TGW than the Toyota Camry, which they tied in customer satisfaction.
  
• Ford ranked best in class for TGW performance in the functional areas of Vehicle Engineering and Electrical among major manufacturers.

The 2008 model-year GQRS survey, conducted for Ford by RDA Group of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., solicits feedback on vehicle trouble and customer satisfaction from owners of all major makes and models after three months in service.

Managing Quality Part II

Better Quality = Much Happier Customers

At Ford Motor Company better quality is translating into fewer trips to the Able Ford Dealership for warranty repairs and that leads to happier customers. The latest J.D. Power and Associates’ 2008 Customer Service Index (CSI) study shows a historic low across the industry in the proportion of customers bringing their vehicles to the dealer for repair work versus maintenance, as well as an increase in overall satisfaction.

For example, 51% of Ford service customers were in for maintenance work back in 2005 and 49% were in for repair work. In 2008, the maintenance rate jumped to 66% and the repairs dropped to 34%. The company’s ongoing efforts to increase quality can be pinpointed as one reason for the trend.

“This is further proof that Ford’s quality processes are working,” says Bennie Fowler, group vice president, Quality. “We’re launching with quality – right out of the factory – and that leads to long-term durability for our customers.”
The CSI study – which explores satisfaction with dealer maintenance and repair services – ranked Lincoln and Mercury fifth and sixth, respectively, while Ford brand improved at a greater rate than the industry average.

Investing in Quality

Several of Ford’s powertrain plant employees received Six Sigma Black Belt training under a new program that formalizes the Quality Operating System Coordinator (QOSC) position. The positions, which give UAW members control over quality, were first introduced in the early 2000s as a one-year experiment, but quickly became an integral part of quality management. The QOSCs finished their Black Belt coursework and will take the mandatory tests to achieve the prestigious Six Sigma Black Belt certification, with the goal of having at least two Black Belts per plant. The number of QOSCs per plant varies depending upon size, product and volume, but on average there are six per plant.

The QOSCs devote 100 percent of their workday to monitoring quality process and procedure adherence and cannot be pulled from their job to replace an absent employee on the line. They ensure that every employee at every station understands precisely what they need to do and how to do it.

Since the introduction of QOSCs, Ford’s rating in initial and long-term quality surveys has seen an upward trend. Ford’s brand went up by eight points over last year, beating the industry seven-point rate of improvement, according to J.D. Powers and Associate’s Initial Quality Study. Shortly thereafter, the Global Quality Research System durability study noted that Ford brand improved at a rate of 3 percent verses the industry average of 1 percent.

Service Process Design

1. At Ford Motor Company and at the Able Ford Dealership the 3 elements of the Service-Product Bundle include the tangible service called explicit service, the psychological benefits of the service called implicit service and lastly the physical goods called facilitating goods. When a customer comes into the Able Ford Dealership to buy a car, they receive both an explicit service, in which the customer hopes to make and receive a good honest deal on the vehicle being purchased with total satisfaction, and the facilitating good in the new vehicle itself. The implicit service piece to this is how the customer feels about how they were treated and if all of their needs have been met and most importantly the overall satisfaction that they have with their buying experience.

2. Ford Motor Company's Able Ford Dealership falls under the customer routed cell on the Service Matrix. Since each customer is a unique individual, because of the high interaction with the customers when they sell cars so customers feels like they deserve their own unique experience at the dealership, by what the employees do for them.