Jim Farley, Head of Sales and Marketing for Ford, didn't know that a quick hotel stay would influence a completely new customer-care strategy for Ford's luxury brand LINCOLN. It all started when Farley, who was living in Detroit at the time, stayed at a hotel in Minneapolis last year. Instead of placing the standard Wall Street Journal on his doorstep, the staff at the boutique hotel replaced it with The Detroit News to make him feel more at home. As Farley recounts, "They said, we saw where you're from and we just guessed that you'd rather have your hometown paper. It's a simple thing, but I want to go back there."¹

LINCOLN plans to embrace this same sort of "customer-first" strategy (though the company will likely start calling its clients "guests") this year. The encounter's luxury location also inspired Farley. To date, over 75 LINCOLN dealers in cities like Los Angeles and New York have renovated their showrooms heavily or built new, more luxurious ones entirely. With these glossier showrooms and much more attentive service, the luxury brand hopes to really "wow" drivers. Ford is even considering putting a place of standard "rituals" in place with which dealerships will be expected to comply.

We're excited to see the changes LINCOLN makes, but in the meantime, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the current customer relations practices and 2012 LINCOLN models already in place. Stop by Spradley Barr Ft. Collins, located at 4809 South College Avenue Fort Collins, CO 80525 today to see what you've been missing!

Source: ¹http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/03/us-ford-lincoln-idUSTRE81207720120203