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Ford's Mark Fields: A Look Back
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Thu, 1 Nov 2012|
Ford Motor Co. appointed Americas chief Mark Fields as COO, effective Dec. 1, making him a strong candidate to succeed CEO Alan Mulally when he retires no sooner than the end of 2014. This video takes a look back at Fields' career, so far.
Automatically Generated Transcript (may not be 100% accurate)
They'll be great opportunities for everybody. War. In serving this great company going forward. And repeal another moment of opportunity have arrived. For years this best writing that was dogged by speculation. That he's in -- to DC you know. And for years he politely brushed the questions aside you know at -- -- leader of the American. -- up here yeah. That both fields in December CEO Alan Mulally he says it's not going anywhere soon there was no time for distractions. World staying focused on today. We'll continue to make progress. Again and that is our number one focus it's. Phillips joined Ford in 1989. As a newly minted Harvard MBA. He quickly built a reputation as a marketing winds and a man on the fast track at the house Ed Henry Ford built. And 1999. At 838. He was named president of -- the youngest ever chief of a Japanese auto company. And 2002. The 41 year old took the reins at Ford so premier automotive group. Consisting of luxury brands Volvo and jaguar. Land Rover Aston Martin and Lincoln. Failed to emerged as a possible CEO candidate way back in 2004. When bill Ford will still running the family company. By that time fields and edit the title of executive VP of Ford of Europe to his resume while still running PAG. We continue to remain focused laser focused our player when he was passed over in favor Boeing executive Allen Molly. -- what does all of CEO ambitions on hold. Instead he would learn from a Molly and he became a more relaxed self assured executives and the process. This is what the business needs. Over the years a more mature fields -- -- merit. Bloomberg says that it onetime. -- most cited in the press as a Jersey boy with a 1980s hair style. Who wants open a press lunch by thing. Aren't you going to ask me about my -- And feel -- -- that he could be a three fighter. And the book American icon. Often Bryce Hoffman -- -- near physical altercation between fields and former CFO. Don LeClair. The shouting match fit to be broken up by bill Ford himself. Ford is America's best selling brand. As head of the America -- a job he took in 2005. -- -- been a turnaround artist. Helping transform the North American operations from record losses for years ago to record profits this year. As jaguar and Land Rover Volvo Aston Martin and Mercury have all -- it from the lineup. Of the auto makers to surviving brands. We are very very excited about where -- -- I hate when Lincoln and our objective is really clear it was like we wanna make a world class. Luxury -- both -- product standpoint. Consumer experience standpoint. A year after that 2011 interview. More assurances for retailers. I'm -- only -- that. The dealers to not only to listen to a words but watch watch her actions we want to ask fields what keeps them up at night. His fans there. The excitement of seeing or grow again. We'll go through the doorways every morning and it's it's a very different dynamic when you were a growing profitable company. And there're a number of different issues that you work through as you're -- profitably as you do when you're restructuring business. And that's very very exciting and it's also very very motivated so. It's almost the adrenaline that that keeps me up at night. Amongst them. -- things. He was clearly excited about four regaining its investment great status from two ratings companies this year. And -- it the trademark blue awful barges so that fork get its money three billion dollar loan and avoid bankruptcy. To be able to kind of get this -- back Condit you know can sit and that's ours again. And we control our own destiny. And the cheerleading job doesn't stop there. Most recently he helped employees celebrate as the automaker took control of a suburban Detroit plant it had been operating with Mazda. -- -- -- For Automotive News TV. I'm Leslie Allen.
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Dealer Don Forman's slick service strategyWelcome to our first installment of the dealer speaks for 2013. I'm Tom Moore back. You know when visiting stores we like most customers walk through the front door and see the new cars sparkling under the lights. while there's plenty of cool stuff happening you know show rooms. One thing I've noticed lately is that dealers face is really single light up when we start talking about what lies behind those walls. According to a National Automobile Dealers Association consultant. Service parts and the body shop generate 43%. Of an average annual gross profits. And the service department at united Nissan in Las Vegas. Well it's quite the bustling places these days due in large part to technicians mastering the entire process. Surrounding the oil change. It's such a small service but to a customer we believe it's without question most important because. Gust comes back for the first change after the car and they wait for an hour they're not coming back ever again. So last year dealer principal form and established a service skull. Provide an oil change car wash in wipe down in 25 minutes relax. And what we saw was that our routine maintenance changes started to grow. Customer repair orders alone shot up 23%. In 2012. This year. Former editor of quality control twist he diverted vehicles from the quick loop area to the 44 mean In what we're doing now were incorporating. A master tech or senior technician to actually do the walk around do the work with the tech for two reasons number one we're picking up tremendous test opportunities that are being messed. By eight by technician but the second thing we're doing to for training the technician technician. And I think I think in in the long run which you don't injure your bringing up these opportunities for you people. Sales strategies are now found in the service drive. Customers are presented with what calls timely appropriate products and it's getting competitive. For every 30000 mile service inspections sold for example. The advisor not only earns a cash bonus but an equal amount of money goes into a pool. Advisors than compete in games in which their teams can win that pool. They're throwing darts at a board you know in the service manager's office because they some type of you know us sail out there or you know there's noose there's new spent programs that are put up every day and and the and the guys are actually you know the did you just human numbers did you see in my numbers. Through February. Customer pay sales in other words out of warranty work that could have been lost independent repair shops chains. Are up 27%. From a year earlier. Our goals this year increased customer pay by about 60% and and these guys feel like they can and and when a customer's car is in the shop. Peter Sheen has transportation options. While he was chairman of these advisory board Foreman helped pilot the auto rental car initiative. The stores rental car fleet has grown from flooding vehicles to 120. And while the intent of the program was to keep the driver in the Nissan. What we found after you know after doing this for. Quite a few months was that these customers that we were taking out of their 2010 Altima or eleven that may have been having. Service worker or some civil war to job done on it. We put them in 2013 Altima as a rental car. And they come back and we and the sound of 2013 Altima. And that is the sound of a sale at united son. We heard the bell ring four times during our few hours on the floor. It creates a lot of excitement and a lot of emotion that's the car buying process to me. After the bell is run forbids employees who work to meet a 2013. Shortening the selling process. The customer agrees to the transaction immediately that at that point the sales person. Had turned the transaction to finance manager so there's no lag time between the two once the paperwork result wrapped up Foreman. Rolls out the red carpet. And then they go right outside the door. Where there are delivery area is lined with red carpet and velvet ropes and that's where their cars standing tall and beautiful and and then to the record there goes through the process of of showing them all their features their benefits form and encourages all stores to have delivery coordinators. Because if you really wanna take troop troop care of your customer you need to have masters a customer service. Which are salespeople are but are record even better later the store's general manager phones each new or used car customer. To review the process. And it's amazing what's uncovered in some cases that we can. Quickly facts and then it's also amazing how many how customers give kudos for what a great job would. Foreman is always looking to help employees become more efficient. He installed dumb that's shuttle's deals between after nine in the business office no more running upstairs. Any installed air conditioning instead of less cool swamp coolers. Keep service more productive on those hot biggest days. as for the future. Foreman who also owns two Nissan dealerships in California. Expects the number of stores under his watch to at least triple in size. I think that I see. These manufactures. You know. putting themselves in a position with certain dealers where they become almost exclusively kind of made the commitment to in our company to be in Nissan. Group and we would like to us yourself in the next five years with. Then these stores. hopes to sell about 3000 new cars at united this year a 20% increase from wanting to well. That is are tied for now thanks so much for watching this edition of the dealer speaks will see you soon.
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