Ford Unveils New Dealership Design and Sales & Service Experience

[Administrator]

Ford Unveils New Retail Experience to Deliver Enhanced Customer Journey

November 6, 2025

Words by Elena Ford


At Ford, we understand that how you explore, purchase, and service your vehicle is constantly evolving.


Today, we're introducing a new, unified global retail experience, developed with Ford dealers around the world, to meet these needs.

This approach offers seamless options, whether you prefer browsing online or a hands-on dealership visit, ensuring each step of your journey with Ford is effortless — from considering a vehicle to every service appointment thereafter.


Like always, we're putting our customers at the heart of everything with this experience. We've created the new design standard, Ford Signature 2.0, with our global dealers, building on years of learnings and pairing behavioral science with human-centered design to foster lasting relationships

The design delivers on Ford’s global brand strategy by offering ways for customers to explore Ford’s exciting products while building trust and community with the dealership.


To support dealership associates in delivering on this promise, Ford also provides guest experience training for dealership staff globally, focusing on service, communications, and anticipating customer needs.


This new retail experience is built on four core principles:

• Hospitality First:  Dealership staff serve as brand ambassadors with dedicated hospitality spaces for conversations. Food and beverages are accessible from the showroom and service area.
  
  
• Sales & Service Anywhere:  Flexibility for customers to choose which environment, a traditional purchase room or hospitality space, is their preferred space to conduct business.
  
  
• Operations Excellence: Efficient design to optimizeflow and functionality and enhance the experience for guests, with a focus on employee spaces.
  
  
• Discover Ford:  Immersive brand experiences for customers to see, touch, and learn about products, accessories, and technology.

We're also ensuring that you can easily blend your digital and in-person interactions. Currently available for all Ford nameplates in the U.S. and in 15 European markets, customers can build, price, and continue their purchase online or offline with their local dealer.


You can start your journey from your phone and finish it in person or complete the entire transaction digitally.

Convenience remains paramount for service customers. With Ford Pickup & Delivery, the dealership will pick up the vehicle, take it to the dealership, and return it once the work is complete. For routine services, Ford Mobile Service dispatches certified technicians to a customer's preferred location.


Through the third quarter, Ford has offered 3.8 million remote experiences around the world, including Pickup & Delivery and Mobile Service.


This year, more than 20 dealerships in 10 countries will open with the new retail experience, including stores now open in Brazil and the U.S.


By the end of 2026, we'll have 110 stores open from Michigan to Missouri, from Vietnam to South Africa, all ready to help our customers embark on an exciting new chapter.


Elena Ford is the chief customer experience officer at Ford Motor Company.
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[PHRIOS]

The first dealership in the world with the brand's new global concept was inaugurated in Brazil (Campinas/São Paulo).

https://campinas.com.br/carros/2025/10/ford-caminho-inaugura-em-campinas-a-1a-concessionaria-do-mundo-com-novo-conceito-global-da-marca/

I apologize for the link being in Portuguese.

 

[KrisO]

Looks my local dealership that has been around for a decade https://share.google/p4crvcmZv7pyCJ8dn

 

[Stircrazy]

I would be happy if they changed the sales pressue tatics and got rid of sales man comission and just paid them a decient wage. My dealership I have bought my last 5 vehicles from (wife's car, kid's car, my truck, my old comuting car and now my bronco to replace my comuting car) treats me real good, but most are the high pressure sales tatics that are designed to make you stay untill you sign. at my dealership they see me come in and just say "go pick what you want and you'll get the best deal" haha

 

[Warped9]

Is Ford taking cues from Apple stores now? Although I’ve been using Apple products for twenty-five years I’ve never actually been to an Apple store.

 

[Dude]

Looks my local dealership that has been around for a decade https://share.google/p4crvcmZv7pyCJ8dn

Larry H Miller in Salt Lake City?

check out the new sales building at Larry H Miller in Mesa (when it’s completed)

 

[rugedraw]

Is Ford taking cues from Apple stores now? Although I’ve been using Apple products for twenty-five years I’ve never actually been to an Apple store.

It's all the same regurgitated corporate America nonsense. I just spent the last three days in "training" being told how to sell cars and how to treat clients by people who have never sold a car in their lives. JLR (Jaguar/Land Rover) is also moving to a "new" strategy where hospitality is their focal point.

The verbiage is almost identical to what Ford is proposing with this Ford Signature 2.0 movement.

Selling cars is not that difficult. Be nice, know your product, be transparent and make yourself available to your client post-sale when issues arise. I tell all of my clients when they take delivery of their vehicle that I will be their liaison for anything and everything regarding their vehicle throughout their ownership experience.

The problem with most dealership models is the pressure tactics and the "let me talk to my manager" nonsense. Dealers need to empower their salespeople to work their own deals and make accomodating decisions to facilitate a sale and cater the experience to the client sitting in front of them. Some people are transactional and don't care for a song and dance. It is up to the sales person to determine the type of person they are dealing with and establish rapport.

I've been in the business for 15 years. Spent the first 6 in two different Ford dealers. One was privately owned and the other was an Autonation store. Their process was garbage and I HATED working there and hated the way I was FORCED to deal with clients. Salesman are dependent on a sales manager for any little thing. The dealer I work for now is very customer-service oriented and the difference is night and day and I love coming to work every day.

All these ideas look good on paper, but they are never implemented in real life at the dealership level due to antiquated dealer practices.

 

[Dude]

How was the "Unreasonable Hospitality" audiobook? And is it worth listening to so we can understand the new techniques we may face on the next new car purchase?

 

[dwrufus53]

One of the most egregious things that I've encountered is calling customers "guests". How many of you have invited guests into your home and charged them for a meal or a beverage?

It's all just hogwash. Stop playing games and just sell us cars at a fair price.

 

[KrisO]

Larry H Miller in Salt Lake City?

check out the new sales building at Larry H Miller in Mesa (when it’s completed)

Draper. SLC is an old building

 

[rugedraw]

How was the "Unreasonable Hospitality" audiobook? And is it worth listening to so we can understand the new techniques we may face on the next new car purchase?

At the risk of sounding arrogant, I did not take much from it. There are many people in my industry who are rough around the edges and can greatly benefit by some of the touchpoints mentioned. The problem is, the culture in this business needs a drastic change. People who buy cars have a negative view of car salesman (and rightfully so) and we as salespeople also need to do better because we, too, have our own disdain towards prospects. Phrases that get tossed around internally like "buyers and liars" come to mind.

To answer your question: No, reading that will not give you insight towards what to expect because these things never get implemented in day-to-day operations. I know good salespeople and I know others that I would not buy a bottle of water from if I was stranded in the desert.

 

[Dude]

At the risk of sounding arrogant, I did not take much from it. There are many people in my industry who are rough around the edges and can greatly benefit by some of the touchpoints mentioned.

…

To answer your question: No, reading that will not give you insight towards what to expect because these things never get implemented in day-to-day operations.

not arrogant sounding at all, appreciate the insights

one of my best and most recent new car purchase experience is my Bronco Sport, haven’t owned a Ford since my last 2 Explorers long ago

I researched what I wanted in a Bronco Sport (at the time it was unreasonably long to get the full size) and emailed a local Fleet Manager my selections, he placed the order, processed the rebates, didn’t ask for down payment, emailed me status updates - all very easy and entirely by email. I didn’t meet him or come into the dealership until the day I picked up the perfectly prepped vehicle. He even make sure no dealership stickers or add ons were added to the vehicle as I requested.

finding which dealership fleet manager to go with did take some time. some dealerships in my area are known for good service, some for great sales and not all have fleet managers but most have internet sales but I will never deal with internet sales - they seem to have no real ability to make good deals

do you have any recommendations on ways we can use to make deals in the future?

 

[rugedraw]

do you have any recommendations on ways we can use to make deals in the future?

If salesman and people looking to buy a vehicle would just be honest and transparent with each other, it would make things so much easier for all parties involved. It is difficult for me to provide advice because what may work on me will not work on someone else, and what will work in one store may not work in another. Go into a dealer's Google reviews and look for the name of a salesperson who is mentioned in high regard from actual customers. So much of what happens at a dealer is due to the culture of the store; there is no one real approach to these things; especially in most dealer settings where the salesperson has zero control over anything and is kept in the dark throughout the process. We don't like it any more than you do. Unfortunately, as good as your salesperson may be, the process just sucks in 99% of dealers.

 

[Dude]

If salesman and people looking to buy a vehicle would just be honest and transparent with each other, it would make things so much easier for all parties involved. It is difficult for me to provide advice because what may work on me will not work on someone else, and what will work in one store may not work in another…

I agree and doing the research on the dealership and specific salesperson is crucial. As is knowing everything that can be found out about features, price, demand, rebates, etc. on the car of interest.

 

[rugedraw]

I agree and doing the research on the dealership and specific salesperson is crucial. As is knowing everything that can be found out about features, price, demand, rebates, etc. on the car of interest.

Agreed! The best thing you can do as a consumer is to educate yourself. Do not depend on the retailer or their reps to do it. We are focused on profitability, so we won't offer the special rate unless the client asks for it. So, check the manufacturer website for offers on your product of interest. GO to Carmax first and get an honest trade value. Check prices at large retailers like Autonation who advertise at MSRP minus dealer discounts.

The retailer I work for has only been open for 3 years. The private owner I work for opened this store from scratch with the same concepts that have allowed our main store to be a staple in the Miami area and is a household name to anyone who lives in this city. The manufacturer uses our store as an example across the country and the world of what they want other dealers to do. We pilot all their programs. So far, we are kicking butts and taking names. Top 5 in the nation every month in volume, customer service index and profitability.

So Ford can Signature 2.0 and 3.0 whatever they want. The dealers have to embrace the culture, or it will be more of the same crap everyone is already used to dealing with when they walk into a "stealership".

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