Ford Pilots Kiosk Check-Ins for Improved Customer Experiences

As Ford strives to make improvements to Ford drivers overall vehicle ownership experience, the company piloted the use of digital kiosks at seven Ford dealerships across the U.S last fall. Ford’s goal was to improve the overall check-in experience for customers by providing information to those who are only looking to quick get in and out and freeing up representatives for those who have specific questions that need more in length answers.

“The way I see it, there are two types of customers,” Andrew Bellavia, Chief Operating Officer of Liberty Automotive Group said. “Customers who are coming in for quick service or maintenance on low-mileage vehicles who want to get in and out quickly, and then customers who have unique cases that they want to discuss in-depth with our service staff. These kiosks provide an option to the customer who wants to move fast, freeing up service advisors to address the more complex concerns.”

Since the kiosks have been introduced, the Liberty Automotive Group in Ohio saw such an increase in efficiency and customer satisfaction that they purchased additional kiosks for some of its other locations. Bellavia noted that in December the kiosk at their Brunswick location assisted 241 out of 1,100 customers, and 85 percent of customers said the kiosk made their check-in process easier.

“Our goal is to change the perception of the dealership experience,” said Robert De Filippo, global director, Ford Retail Customer Experience. “We can start to do this by meeting rising expectations for fast and reliable service and letting each customer know they matter to us.”

Dealerships that utilize the kiosk check-in allow customers to check-in and select services without interacting with a service advisor. After checking in with their phone number, the customer’s primary information is displayed for verification including their vehicle type and preferred method of contact. From there, the customer can choose their vehicle needs. Outdoor kiosks are now also being piloted to provide access to customers who utilize vehicle drop-off or pick-up services, no matter the time of day or night they arrive.

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