RELOCATING to Manila was not easy for Ford Phils. Managing Director Michael “Mike” Breen.
He was appointed country lead in June last year, and was only able to move to the Philippines a few months later when international travel restrictions were lifted. Now settled in and spending time meeting his team members, dealer employees and business partners, Breen shares below his experience in various global markets, where he has consistently espoused the importance of driving a people-centric culture in the organization in his three-decade long career at Ford Motor Company.
ENVOYS&EXPATS: What do you know about the attachment of Filipinos toward cars?
BREEN: Filipinos love their vehicles. They take great pride in caring for and maintaining them, and are passionate about their choices. I love the level of care and attention Filipinos pay to their vehicles, with emphasis on getting the most out of their investment.
With your exposure to various markets all over the world, what do you think are the main similarities and differences of Filipino car customers with those from other Asean markets, such as Cambodia or Malaysia, for instance?
For similarities, I think that all customers want the best quality product and overall ownership experience. They love new vehicles and enhanced features that come with them. As far as a major difference, the Filipino car customer is more tech-savvy and appreciates the innovations that the vehicles are equipped with.
Serving as managing director of Ford Phils. for the first full year this 2022, what for you should be Ford Phils.’ top business priorities?
On top of our list is the successful launch of our new vehicles: the next-generation Ford Ranger and Ford Everest. Filipinos love their SUVs and pick-up trucks, and we’re very excited about the introduction of the next-generation of the said models.
We also aim to be “All Digital All The Time” to increase efficiency and agility in the way we do things in the organization. This will allow us to deliver a better customer experience by leveraging on digital technologies, processes, and systems.
Customer experience will also be a very important focus area for us this year. Part of this initiative is to strengthen our partnership with our dealers to deliver better customer convenience and satisfaction.
Lastly, I would like to prioritize people engagement and empowerment across the Ford Phils. and dealer organization. The commitment and dedication of our employees and dealer teams are integral in offering our world-class vehicles and delivering an enhanced ownership experience to our customers.
Under your leadership, how is Ford Phils. enhancing its after-sales service and the overall ownership experience?
We will ensure all Ford dealerships have access to parts, training, and technical support to deliver positive customer experience every time. We will also support their implementation of activities designed to deliver customer convenience and satisfaction.
We are also expanding our customer service channels, like our “Click to Chat” feature, to give our customers real-time chat support for their sales and service concerns. We also continue to strengthen our customer service operations on social media with more resources and training for our teams.
How will the next 5 to 10 years look like for Mike Breen?
I certainly hope it will be more like what we have experienced for the last few years: lots of travel adventures with my family. I also look forward to exciting career opportunities and work experiences within Ford Motor Company, coming from what I’m certain will be great learning from my stint as country lead for Ford Phils.
If you were a Ford vehicle, what would it be and why?
I would be an Explorer. It embodies the adventurous spirit, always willing to say “Yes,” embracing whatever that next adventure may be. As an expatriate, I have explored many countries over the years, and I remain excited for my next pitstop.