What Ford did right - My view

Ford Motor Company took everyone by “surprise” Nov. 2, when it announced nearly a billion dollars in profit for the third quarter of 2009. The company also said it would be “solidly profitable” by 2011.

CNN repeated the announcement on Nov. 3 “American Morning,” saying, “Turning now to the Big Three in Detroit, Chrysler extends its buyout offer to more than 20,000 employees while General Motors is still trying to restructure spending billions of bailout dollars, but Ford – which didn’t take any cash from Uncle Sam – is back in the green again, posting a profit of nearly $1 billion for the third quarter.”

The announcement was big news, but what should have caught more journalists’ attention was the fact that Ford managed to turn things around without the help of a federal bailout – the very bailout reporters promoted in 2008 and 2009.

According to Reuters, GM and Chrysler received “roughly $64 billion in direct aid” from the government. Since then both companies have struggled. Chrysler saw sales fall 30 percent in October 2009, while GM saw a slight “bump” in sales of 4.7 percent the same month

So i thought, what are the reasons why Ford did good without bailout money:

Some one will say, Cash for Clunkers program... Well than it should have been true for all three auto makers, isnt it? since all three makeres were on the same level as far as cash for clunker we can take that factor out...

Well there was a significant amount of cost productions and facility-efficiency improvements that Ford's been pushing across all of their plants. Good thing to do, isn't it? Common Sense approach…

Ford has so far been the only one of the top three U.S. automakers not to go into bankruptcy and accept billions of taxpayer dollars. In May, Rasmussen released poll results showing that 51 percent of Americans said they are more likely to buy a Ford because the company did not take a bailout. “We are very, very proud of our independence financially, but it’s been the result of several good decisions that have been made with a good deal of foresight,” Echlin said.

Echlin said Ford is generating excitement by releasing “one product after the other after the other” while other manufacturers are reducing production.

But no one is talking this: Ingenuity

Ford was the first to see the need of the users, hands free call - and partnered with Microsoft, came up with "Sync"... not only patch work solution but complete solution for any need.

And now this, you must read this - this has blew my socks off, another master stroke of ingenuity from Ford, another comprehensive solution…

http://www.fordworksolutions.com/Products/In-dash

Mobile Office Capability on the Job Site
Filling out forms by hand on a clipboard. Having to interrupt the job to drive back to the office for something like a missing work order. Such time-consuming tasks are a thing of the past with the complete range of mobile office features that Ford Work Solutions™ provides.
Full mobile office functionality
A 4-gigabyte computer, developed by Magneti Marelli and powered by Microsoft® Auto, makes your Ford pickup or van a full-functioning mobile office.
Open a word processing or spreadsheet document, generate invoices, or perform a variety of other business tasks – all on a bright, high-resolution 6.5” in-dash screen with wireless keyboard. Load and back up files with the built-in USB port or SD memory card slot. Make prints on an available Ford-certified, Bluetooth®-enabled wireless inkjet printer. And that’s just for starters.

High-speed Internet access
Full Internet connectivity with all your favorite sites is available right from your vehicle with the available high-speed Sprint® Mobile Broadband Network.
Accessing information from a manufacturer — diagrams or blueprints, for example — is one of the many useful online functions that’ll make your job easier and more productive.
Remote computer access
Being able to access a remote office or home computer from your truck — this a great convenience Ford Work Solutions™ makes available through the online LogMeIn® service.
Your remote computer is completely controlled directly from the In-Dash Computer, including all its programs and files.
Hands-free calling and navigation
The computer system works with wireless Bluetooth®-enabled mobile phones, providing hands-free calling with push-to-talk voice recognition, access to user phonebooks, plus the ability to receive text messages.
Navigation by Garmin® includes turn-by-turn directions and voice prompts. And with the Sprint® Mobile Broadband Network, you get features such as weather forecasts, reroute information to avoid construction delays or traffic congestion, and points of interest (gas station locations and fuel prices, restaurants, Ford dealers, and many others).
Staying connected on-site
Ford Work Solutions™ puts your office wherever you are. So whether you’re an independent owner/operator of one truck or a fleet manager in charge of 500 vehicles, the Ford Work Solutions™ In-Dash Computer is a productivity tool you won’t want to be without.