Ford's SYNC Sells Cars
Ford says SYNC is helping get sales back in sync by helping move out unsold cars.
SYNC is Ford’s industry-exclusive technology — created along with Microsoft — that provides customers vehicle voice command compatibility with portable digital media players and most Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones.
Ford has an 18-month exclusive contract for use in its vehicles before others can offer the system.
Ford insists the 12 SYNC-equipped Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles now offering it are moving off dealer lots twice as fast as those without it. By the end of this calendar year nearly all vehicles in the Ford family will offer SYNC as standard or a $395 option.
“It isn’t surprising SYNC is helping, because the techies who already have all things electrical now in their pockets want all things electrical now in their cars, too,” said Joe Phillippi, principal of AutoTrends, an automotive consulting firm. There’s “nothing wrong” with Ford offering something other than incentives to help it regain sales, he said.
Ford says SYNC is a sales tool, attracting younger buyers with an eye for sophisticated electronics. It’s also nabbing older buyers who want the convenience of a hands-free mobile phone, especially in cities where hand-held cell phones are banned.
“I’m finding that vehicles with SYNC are spending less time sitting on the lot,” says John Hennessy, a Calumet City, Ill. Ford dealer. “SYNC is reaching all ages; the savvy young as well as older buyers. People come in pre-sold on SYNC and then decide on a vehicle after finding out which ones we offer SYNC in. People who won’t spend a dollar more for power door locks have to have SYNC.”
It helps that Ford sent trainers to each store to ensure sales staffs knew how to use the system to play songs or make calls so they could quickly show potential buyers. Ford says a survey of SYNC buyers found 80% say it was easy to learn and use and 90% would recommend it to others.
“Gimmicks usually don’t work, but Ford proved that wrong with SYNC,” said Aaron Bragman, research analyst with Global Insight. “SYNC has proved more popular than most expected, thanks to offering it at a low $395 and making it accessible even in inexpensive cars to appeal to a wider variety of buyers.”
Bragman says he’s seen some of the new SYNC technology coming at a recent Ford background session and calls it “remarkable.”
Ford and Microsoft are expected to showcase the second generation of SYNC — new features and all — at next week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
