I think the whole idea is total bullsh*t.

At my workplace, I perform a specific function and in return they give me a paycheck. End of story.

How is it that employers want their workers to have this undying loyalty, but second their stock slips 5 cents they'll come and axe you and 500 of your co- workers? Loyalty is a two way street.

 

I think Ford's (and GM's) troubles are a little more serious than stock slipping 5 cents.

 

Still, the agreement is they do the work, Ford gives them the paycheck for the work that was performed. After that, Ford should have NO say in what it's employees do with said paycheck.

If Ford makes truly good vehicles as they claim to, then their employees should WANT to drive them.

 

But what if you had the inside scoop that the product you were making was created with inferior materials? Imagine that you saw an F150 being put together, and you decided the Silverado was better based on experience, and even though you got an employee discount GM took care of you better?
FWIW, though, the F150 interior makes GM trucks look like a rolling joke.

 

Although were arguing on a website for car enthusiasts, this is not an “auto industry” issue or a “Ford” vs “imports” vs “union” vs “non-union” issue – this is a simple business issue.

If you are an employee of a company and you will not buy your own company’s products for whatever reason, then you need to go to work for somebody else. Otherwise, you are just a mercenary.

If you own a business and you don’t support your own business or expect your employees to do the same then you can expect to not be in business for very long nor do you deserve to be.

I’ll say it again no one has the right to expect ANYONE to buy their products if they are unwilling to do so themselves.

 

Why do so many keep missing the point?

Ford isn't saying they can't spend their money on whatever they want, they simply say you don't get to park as close as the guys who do buy Ford product.

An employer is NOT a democracy and no one is forced to work there.

 

I don't see a problem with having a special lot for those that drive the product that they make

 

Insurance, much like cars, is a very 'custom suited' product. What I mean by that is that each company and agency is geared and marketed toward a specific type of customer or toward specific preferences. My agency, it just so happens, is not geared toward me as a consumer and thus is not able to get me very competetive rates on insurance, plus, I have access to USAA, whom even many of my coworkers agree that, if you have access to USAA (you must be a military officer, married to one, a direct descendent of one, or married to a direct descendent of one), you'd be crazy not to use them. Their service is top notch and they're a non-profit organization; they pay all of their unspent end of year profits back to their customers.

In other words, I'd be taking a big step backward in my opinion to get insurance from my agency. Would I tell other people not to buy from our agency? Of course not, if we can get you a good quote, then the shoe fits... wear it.

I can tell you first hand that you tend to get tired of the food you serve all day long, and nobody wants to eat the same thing every time... well, most people don't anyway, regardless of how good it is, it'll get repetetive/tiresome eventually.

It's very true that this is completely within Ford's rights and is relative to my examples a much smaller slap on the wrist, but I think that punishing somebody like this for choosing to spend their 30k dollars on another brand of transportation is almost kind of humiliating for the person. Like making somebody sit in the corner or sit in the back of the bus or what have you. Those are all very small inconveniences for the people involved but the real punishment comes from the simple fact that you've been singled out and segregated.

Like I said, if Ford offerered their TRUE rock-bottom COST on those cars to their employees, then it'd be a little more reasonable, but you know as well as I do that they're still raising the bottom line a good bit with every 'employee pricing' sale they make.

 

GM has done this for years (at least in Canada)

Theres the GM Vehicle Parking Lot, and the 'non-GM' Parking Lot

 

I don't mind their decision. Nothing wrong with being proud to work for the company who gives you your check.

I have no problem buying products for the company I work for. Of course it helps that anything we sell is either the best or one of the best in that industry.

 

I see nothing wrong, and it make perfect sense to me! They should all do it.

 

While it's always dangerous to generalize, I suspect that those who have a "problem" with Ford or anybody else doing this, have never owned a business of their own.

If you own or have owned a business you know that you simply wouldn't even contemplate going to a direct competator and buying the same product from him and improving his bottom line at the expense of your own. Likewise, if your employee went to your competator, you would probably feel personally insulted.

While the impression may be misleading, the general public, upon seeing employees of a company NOT buying their own product would presume that those employees don't believe enoujgh in the product they are making to buy it.

What Ford is doing is very reasonable and not at all uncommon nor unfair to their employees.

I ask the retorical question again, why should anyone expect a customer to buy the product YOU make if YOU won't buy it yourself?

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To respond to an eariler statement, most if not all auto manufacturers have very good vehicle purchase and/or lease plans for their employees as an employee benefit...it varies from company to company of course and while they may not give their vehicles away to employees but it's a much better deal than the general puclic can get.

 

I don't think it's outside of the company's rights, in fact I know it's not. I just think it's an ill-advised move that is overall detrimental to employee satisfaction and moral.

And yes, I own a business. A restaurant.

 

Have you opened it yet, Threxx if so I missed the thread. BTW good luck with that.

 

I think that's a question Ford needs to ask itself: why are our own employees purchasing competitors vehicles and not our own?

Additionally, as somebody else already mentioned, does one car manufcturer make vehicles that suits everybodys tastes/needs?