SÃO PAULO -- Ford Brazil launched its system for scheduling online services, the Ford Agenda, an unprecedented initiative in the Brazilian market. The tool is available at www.ford.com.br and all Ford Dealers, where the customer can choose the attendance date and time and even the technical consultant who will verify the necessary maintenance on the vehicle in the Ford dealer of his/her choice.

"Ford is the first automaker in Brazil to have a national service agenda, integrating all dealer service centers. Worldwide, we did not find anything like this. Aside from the convenience of offering the most convenient time for the client, Ford Agenda helps to give full transparency in the care and service. It is an innovative and powerful tool, that we're very proud to have developed to increase our customer satisfaction," said Antonio Taranto, Ford Customer Service director.

The workshop scheduling at Ford dealership service garages was previously done by phone, through the Ford Brazil Customer Call Center or directly with the dealer. Among the advantages of the new system are safety and speed offered by Ford Agenda, and the practicality of the whole process controlled by the client, via Internet, at anytime.

The Ford Agenda program was fully developed by the Information Technology team at Ford and began to be tested as a pilot last year. By June, all dealerships will have the new system and have completed the operators training.

"In less than 20 days of operation, without having advertised Ford Agenda, the system received over 800 bookings. The expectation is that its use will grow significantly and become a regular tool due to the advantages that it brings both to the customer and to the dealer," added Taranto.

The system also assists in providing personalized service by the dealer. If the client has already answered satisfaction surveys, such information becomes available, showing their preferences and expectations about the service. "Ford was innovative with the creation of the fixed price system for revisions and overturned the maintenance costs myth in the dealers. Now, Ford is in front again and the Ford customer is the winner here," he concluded.