Case Study: Truck Social Platform
How might a digital connected ecosystem improve an OEM’s off-road lifestyle and brand experience?
With the rise of connected vehicle technologies digital services seen as an opportunity to deeper engage with customers.
At my time at Ford, we were transforming from a hardware ‘figures war’ towards a human-centred mobility company offering a seamless mix of hardware, software and services.
The Ford Ranger mid-sized pickup truck, sold in over 180 markets across the world, invested heavily into traditional product design and started looking at digital and services opportunities to the truck before I left the company.
Two years after departing, I hypothesize what an OEM’s ‘community experience’ might be.
Hypothetical OEM Product
Service Design
App Design
Year
2021
Approach
- Collated and absorbed existing insights around global and specific regional off road lifestyle including vehicle purchase considerations, post-purchase modification, ethnography/lifestyle deep dives, etc.
- Created and defined core experience pillars that drive engagement and attachment to brand and product.
- Express experience pillars into tangible product proposition in form of digital services accessible through an app.
Customer insights
Customer context
Customers use products to access ‘a lifestyle of exclusivity’ is double edged sword.
- Outdoor lifestyle has a spectrum of money intensive hobby which requires a healthy financial and effort outlay.
- Vehicle purchase, accessories and repairs are seen as significant burden or appeal depending on the customer.
- Off road destinations are far and remote, which makes experiences interesting but also risky.
- Gratification is as much for personal growth and social praise and acceptance.
Self identity and self actualisation
“I’ve spent quite a bit of money – doesn’t it look great?”
“All these places I’ve been wouldn’t have been possible in any other vehicle.”
Avoiding learning the hard way
“I’m new to it all”
“We go out as a group because we can rescue each other. But it’s hard to get out since everyone has their own schedule.”
Access to new areas
“I know I have all this capability, but I don’t always know where’s the best place try it out.”
Access to new toys
“I spend hours researching on what parts my friends have, then trying to find where I can get it for a cheaper price and who can I trust to install it – sometimes I’m glad it’s not straightforward or I’d probably have spent more!”
User Profile
Major themes
Authenticity and transparency
– It’s OK to talk to salespeople if they are genuine experts in their field and they are speaking to you objectively.
Informed consumers
– They learn how to talk about what they need to know about.
Indulgent hobby enthusiasts
– Willing to give things a go as a differentiator – be it personality and/or performance – as character
Personality traits
Off road enthusiasts
– Practical and pragmatic
– Technologically conservative but pragmatically adventurous
– Self actualising through conquering new physical challenges
Discovery and mastery
– There’s a sliding scale of unfamiliarity to off roading and all levels need to be catered for with dignity and vitality.
Opportunity Space
Users:
“Why join?”
We identify what are key aspirational verticals for this product experience – critical value propositions to the social platform.
Community
A place for like minded people to share experience and opinions and socialise together.
“Connect me to my tribe of fellow enthusiasts and show me what’s out there.”
Curation
Making it ‘my’ truck.
Made relevant to you
“How do I make my dream _________?”
• Truck / SUV
• Off road experience
• Camping holiday
Access
Open new horizons to the off-road lifestyle.
“The newest destinations at a moment’s notice.”
“The latest products and accessories at my fingertips.”
Expertise
Everything you ever wanted to know; updated, centralised and verified knowledge.
“Educate me to achieve my full potential.”
“Connect me to the experts who can make my decisions easier.”
We define also key horizontals – critical diversities of customer behaviours and interaction that evolve infinitely over a customer’s ownership experience.
Mastery over time
Accommodate for evolving experience, skill and familiarity spectrum
Brand attachment : First vehicle vs lifelong brand users
Off road experience : Novice to professional
Ownership : Aspirational owners, long term owners, seeking replacement
This space is unique to automotive due to the market and associated user risk tolerance.
Ownership experience is expensive.
Parts are even more.
Failure can damage lifestyles.
Changing life stage + circumstance
Accommodate to dynamic life stage and needs.
Household / Crew : Single, growing family, business operator, fleet manager
Budget : Entirely aspirational (dreamer), entirely disposable, limited due to other financial responsibilities (family), ‘Retirement indulgence’
Product Ecosystem
Ecosystem Map
We plot out the interactions how the customer will interact with the social platform and the underlying relationships between different parties.
Dealership + Service
OEM brand support
Leverage corporate brand power to supercharge major experience pillars.
OEM ownership support
Provide seamless ‘order to install’ customer service interaction, leveraging on existing dealership and service infrastructure.
Second hand marketplace support
Opportunity for OEM value added opportunities in second hand market – dealer assisted second hand sales, extended warranty for peace of mind.
Product feedback
User feedback and public sentiment plays pivotal role in mid-cycle product actions as well as defining next generation vehicles.
Brand Regional Marketing
OEM B2B2C Boundary (green line)
Maintain walled garden of reputable and trusted service and product partners to strengthen community while monetising curation.
Seamless + curated vehicle purchase and upfit
Connect existing customers with known hardware to third party accessory suppliers to provide existing solutions.
Seamless + curated experience providers
Connect with tourist and travel operators to provide unique and achievable off road adventure experiences.
OEM supported Social Networking
Regional curation
Market specific to tailor to competitive landscape, regional tastes and regional capability + scope
Web 1.0
Multichannel advertising campaigns to bring brand to forefront.
Web 2.0
Supporting customers to drive positive word of mouth and further engagement, appeal and loyalty.
User-facing App Experience
To be continued…
Ford Pass
Ford already offers the FordPass app – which is a centralised app servicing all models and owners and provides basic remote features (such as locking and pre-conditioning), servicing and vehicle telemetry and infomatics (eg. fuel economy, charging locations).
For the purposes of this project, we assume that this product is standalone from the FordPass app.