BLUE OVAL BLUES

We previously asked dealers if they were satisfied with Ford's controversial Blue Oval dealer certification program.

Of the respondents, 42 said no, 3 yes. Here's what they had to say:

What choice do we have?

No! Ford execs have made it plain that they don't want to hear any negatives about Blue Oval; that they're committed to it without regard to dealer opinions. They tell us to shut up and be happy. Ford points to the number of dealers certified as proof of dealer acceptance, but what choice do we have.
Larry Shelor Shelor Motor Mile
Christiansburg, VA

Concerned about the future

Most dealers are NOT happy with the Blue Oval program. While the extra money is a godsend, we are concerned about future changes that will cause the program to be a noose around dealers necks.
John H. Kearney
Bud Kearney, Inc.
Ravena, NY

Blue Oval is offensive

Abolish the Blue Oval program. Ford needs to pay attention to its part of this “partnership” and that's to build good products that people want to buy. We dealers are not branch operations of Ford Motor Company and we don't work for them. Their treatment of dealers offends me.
Gary Fraelich
Nappanee Ford

Stick to product quality

Ford dealers are dissatisfied with Blue Oval. Ford should stick to building quality vehicles and let the dealers sell them as they have over the previous years in the manner that works in their marketplace. You can't sell cars and trucks in Pohunk, MO like you do in San Francisco, CA. The sooner Ford realizes this, the greater the relationship with their dealers will be.
Dave McClain, Dealer
McClain Ford-Mercury Inc
Henry, IL

Olds ranks better than Ford

The average dealer is not satisfied or supportive of the program. If they were, the Ford dealer satisfaction rate in the latest NADA survey would certainly be higher than Oldsmobile's.
Cornelius Willingham, President
Town Square Ford Lincoln-Mercury

Personally speaking

Are Ford Dealers satisfied with Blue Oval? YES! At least I am.
Frank Downing
Towne Ford

Woe to small dealers

We participate to be competitive. It is two-tiered pricing. Ford needs to worry about building quality vehicles and let their dealers do what they do best and that is sell their products. Ford and all its certification programs will drive the small dealer out of business.
Robert Wahlstrom
Wahlstrom Ford Chadron, NE

Best program in a long time

Blue Oval is without a doubt the best thing to come along in years. There are still a small group of vocal dealers who are against it, but the majority are for it!

Continue to fight

We will continue to fight any manufacturer program which reduces our gross, even if it portends to “reward” it back to us.

Give us what's ours

We will work with Blue Oval as long as the dealer contribution portion is mandatory (to give us back what's ours). If Ford is convinced Blue Oval is so great, then remove the gross penalty of 1%, and reward dealers who wish to qualify with a .25% cash reward.

Get no respect

We are not being treated with respect, i.e., as adults who can decide for ourselves what's good for our individual businesses.

Most damaging program

This is most damaging program Ford has ever come up with. It destroys trust and respect that once existed between Ford and its dealers.
Mark W. Davis, President
Davis Motors, Inc.
Syracuse, KS

Requirements go up and up

We are definitely NOT satisfied with Blue Oval. We are a Blue Oval certified, President's Award-winning dealer. The first year's Blue Oval payment was like cocaine for dealers to get hooked. Does Ford think we're so addicted that we don't realize we've got a gun to our heads for the rest of our lives if we let this program stand? Year two they've already started to ratchet up the Blue Oval requirements. Given Ford's financial problems, we can only expect requirements to go up further in coming years. Dealers who support Blue Oval are short-sighted.

It's like a drug

As soon as they make it about customers and not about control of something that doesn't belong to them, then we will be heading in the right direction. I hope that the dealers will not get hooked on the money part; that would be just like being hooked on a drug. Dealers would be the users, Ford our pusher.
Udon McSpadden
McSpadden Ford Inc.
Globe, AZ

Problems, problems, problems

There are many problems with Blue Oval. While it may not be two-tiered pricing, the net effect will be just that. While Ford would never admit that it is not meant to eliminate dealers, particularly small ones, the net effect is that it will and already is. While Ford says it is all about customer satisfaction, it is more about control of their dealer body.

Do your job, we'll do ours

Ford needs to let dealerships take care of our customers, and they should take care of their customers. We are their customers. They've forgotten that. If they would build world-class vehicles, which they are not, then customer satisfaction will follow. You cannot make people feel good about spending thousands of dollars in repairs.
Glenn Clark, General manager
Greenwood Ford Lincoln Mercury
Bowling Green, KY

Parts of it are good

Parts of Blue Oval are good, but factory control of dealerships is not. Ford has lost the track that almost made them number one in quality and product. Now dealers must bail them out again. And sell a less than perfect product. Ford needs to get back to building a quality product that customers want and need.
Jerry Clark
Clark Ford Sales, Inc.