For the first time in city history, the head of Ford Motor Company-Canada was here for a visit. If there was an NHL for Canadian corporate leaders, Ford president and CEO Diane Craig would be on the starting line, and Wednesday night she became the first under the Ford flag to come visit the local dealership, and made a trip to Vanderhoof as well to get personal familiarity with the dealership there.
"It was a long way to come but our dealers are investing a lot, here," she said. "It speaks to their involvement in the community and commitment to the brand so I wanted to come say thanks."
The investments at Prince George Motors here and their Vanderhoof location were part of the facelifts strongly encouraged by Ford headquarters as part of the strategy to get past the economic crash of the mid-2000s.
Local general manager Fred Nelson did not disclose the amount of money invested by local owner Craig Wood and associates, but said it was significant and transformed the look and functionality of the Central Street dealership. Nelson said he fully expected the renovations would entice a visit by one of Ford's executives, but he did not expect Craig herself.
"Ford has embarked on a nationwide initiative called the Millennium Project - a national standard for all their dealership facilities," Nelson said. "Our renovations were part of that, and we have seen throughout that process a strong willingness from the national headquarters to support the local dealers. I was made aware that someone from the executive offices would be coming to celebrate with us when they were finished. The fact that it's Ms. Craig herself just illustrates the importance of Prince George in the Ford world and we are extremely grateful she has taken a personal interest and made that effort."
"This store in particular is a role model for us. Prince George has for a long time been an important market for us," Craig said.
As further reward, she bestowed Prince George Motors with a golden shovel to recognize the renovations and presented Wood with a Top Dealer award.
"We're honoured. It's very exciting for us and a great show of faith in what we're doing in Prince George," Wood said.
Craig has been with the Ford company 28 years, and acknowledged the dire mood the company - almost all automobile companies - was in during the economic crash. She praised the corporation for taking no bailout money from any governments, only loans that have already been repaid. She was also proud that the auto sector in Canada fared economically better than their American counterparts. Ford, she said, had to make painful decisions but were a better company today for having gone through a period of reflection and renovation. She said the company was once seen as only being able to deliver pickups and Mustangs, but now a sophisticated array of fuel efficient and consumer refined vehicles are on the menu.
"We don't know [what emerging technologies will be embraced by the marketplace]," she said. "The consumers are going to drive that part of the business. We have to see what the future demands will be." But she oversaw the implementation of portable technologies on the assembly line so if, for example, one line of electric vehicles was embraced over another, it wouldn't be necessary to build a whole factory around that fact.
"If there is anything we've learned it is, you have to have laser focus on what the customer wants," she said. "We've had to really listen to the customer."
Nelson said it's true in his view that a vibrancy has come back to the auto industry and part of that stems from all the major auto companies taking the same approach during the hard times, at least on the local level: invest in infrastructure and technology. Efficient buildings save money overall, streamline operations, attract and retain a quality pool of employees, and gives customers a happier experience.
"It is such a competitive business, you have to exceed customer expectations," Nelson said. "I feel very confident in the workforce we have assembled in Prince George, which makes life a lot better for our customers, and that makes life better for everyone. We have that workforce because we have the commitment of head office. We get that support."
Nelson and Wood both said they had no side-agendas for Craig, since they had her undivided attention.
"We're just going to celebrate," said Wood.
