A Study of Consumer Buying Behavior of Ford Brand

Preferences of Ford brand buyers Developing a successful market in today's competitive environment requires an in-depth familiarity with consumer purchasing patterns. The study's goal is to evaluate how satisfied buyers are with their Ford purchases and identify the factors that contribute to their decision to purchase. The study's primary objective was to learn about current Ford car owners' perceptions of the brand's strengths and weaknesses. Researchers use questionnaires to learn about consumer buying habits in relation to variables like brand. features, mileage, offers, performance, and service. Telephone callings were also used to get feedback from current car owners on how to make the car-buying/-leasing process more convenient for future customers. To help us evaluate the merits and shortcomings of the vehicles, we surveyed 100 people at random. The primary purpose of this report was to survey Ford customers about their experiences with the company's current products and services and analyse those responses in light of what those customers would like to see Ford offer in the future. Brand recognition, product offerings, and pricing were identified as company strengths, while mileage and customer service were identified as areas for improvement.


AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
The automotive sector is currently one of the world's most successful and pivotal industries. Incredible growth has occurred in this sector of India's economy. The flow of traffic between the two countries is constant. India is a major producer of automobiles, motorcycles, and other types of motor vehicles.
India is home to the seventh-largest auto market in the world. Manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles respond to market demand by releasing new models every year. Automobile manufacturers in India face stiff competition from global powerhouses like Tata Motors, Ford, Maruti Suzuki, Hero Honda, and many more. The Indian automobile market is growing rapidly and is now the seventh largest in the world. By 2030, India's auto market is expected to be the third largest in the world, according to analysts. Many industry professionals now rank India's automobile market as one of the world's top five due to its rapid growth. The entire tangle of problems

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
 Pay attention to the buying habits of Ford's current customers.  The Ford Brand Requires a SWOT Analysis.  The point is to identify problems experienced by regular customers and provide recommendations for how to resolve them.  To find out what Ford customers hope to receive in the way of sales and discounts.  We surveyed Ford service customers online to get a feel for their level of satisfaction.

REVIEW LITERATURE
How do people decide between the Honda City and the Maruti SX4? That's the question that Manish Kumar Srivastava and Aktiwari answer in their article. Fifty Honda customers and fifty maruti customers each had their data collected. Consumer purchase factors like price, dependability, quality, usefulness, and satisfaction are all fair game for academic inquiry. Based on the data, it was determined that consumers who shop for vehicles in the A3 Segment, which includes the Honda City, value safety, brand image, driving dynamics, and passenger comfort. The best form of advertising for a car is satisfied customers spreading the word. "Factors That Affect the Brand Preference of Budget SUVs and MUVs," by Prassana Mohan raj. Information was collected via both in-person interviews and an online survey. Preference for a particular brand is influenced by six different factors. Product quality factors include longevity, popularity, dependability, credibility, customer satisfaction, and even the frequency of price cuts outside of sales. That's why it's crucial for marketers to adapt to the new realities.
The Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom, led by John Humphrey, makes this claim. The research represents an attempt to scientifically evaluate the considerations of an Indian consumer during the car-buying process. There are commonalities in the purchasing habits of people of similar socioeconomic and occupational backgrounds. Here, we must ask if we are only concerned with overt actions when observing differences in professional behaviour, or if we also take into account the individuals' choices and other relevant contextual factors. The purpose of this research is to investigate whether or not a consumer's line of work influences his preferences on relatively minor matters, such as the colour of his car. The article "Various Aspects to Attract the Customers" by K. Vidyavathi claims that. In this article, he details the factors driving the success of the compact car industry. As the number of one-parent families grows, so does the difficulty of finding a parking spot. As a result, the onus is on the business to figure out what exactly it is that consumers want. Comfort and fuel efficiency are two factors that can contribute to customer satisfaction. One-third of consumers opted for dieselcars due to the price difference between diesel and petrol, and most of the first cars were being used for everyday purposes while the later ones were being used for office purposes, as revealed in an article by BalakrishnanMenon and Jagathy Raj V.P. This growing preference for cars from other countries shows that buyers are prepared to make compromises in order to acquire diesel vehicles.
ShubhkamanaRamitaVerma Rathore claims that his research shows that more than 25% of India's luxury car market has expanded into the country. Wealthy people work hard to differentiate themselves from the crowd. Not only that, but he also elucidates a variety of other factors, such as economic standing, wealth, and lifestyle. Chen Kuang-Jung (2007) In his paper "The Potential Relationship between Automobile Advertising and Consumers," he discusses the factors that are most important to customers when choosing a vehicle. As the automotive industry uses more and more forms of advertising and spends more money overall on advertising, he argues that it is more important than ever to comprehend what motivates customers and how much they are influenced by advertisements. According to the results, consumers care most about gas mileage, price, features, comfort, and cabin space when shopping for a car. That's not good news because it implies that there is no correlation between advertising expenditures and outcomes. Two-wheeled vehicles are making a name for themselves, as evidenced by Mr. VikasSinghal's (2006) study of the automobile industry. This is because people in India frequently use two-wheeled vehicles to travel short distances and to shop at markets. Based on their findings, Rajmani Singh and AS Yasso conclude that two-wheeled vehicles, especially motorcycles, are more reliable (2001).

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research methodology refers to the methods used to systematically shed light on a topic of study. It is imperative that those in positions of authority are familiar with the investigative processes and tools used.

IJFMR23033092
Volume 5, Issue 3, May-June 2023 3 • Figure out what influences customers to buy from you again.
• Discover the problems that your current customers are facing.
• To determine if the client is happy.
• Conduct a SWOT analysis of the Ford brand.

SAMPLE SIZE-
3.3 One hundred people were selected at random for the study.

3.4
The first group of responders consists of businesspeople and service workers.

QUESTIONNAIRE:
You were asked a total of 15 questions from which you could draw information. At the end of the report, you'll find a sample questionnaire to use as a guide.

Information Sifting
In order to supply the necessary information for the study. There are two types of sources used to compile this data: primary and secondary.

Firstly by: Mystery customer
One of the best ways to learn how sales consultants attract customers and what the customer likes and dislikes is to pose as a mystery shopper.

Second-Tele Calling
The possibility of success in the present day. The customer service team's dedication to building rapport with their patrons makes it simple to win their praise.

Third-Feedback in the form of questionnaire
Companies can learn more about their strengths and weaknesses by collecting customer feedback, and these days almost nobody resists filling out a feedback form to share their thoughts on a product.

SECONDARY SOURCE
The World Wide Web: The World Wide Web is a veritable treasure trove of data; many automotive websites have experts on staff who are happy to answer questions and give insider perspectives to prospective buyers.
Expert reviews aren't the only kind of review you'll find on car websites; there are also reviews from actual customers who have driven the vehicles in question.

SOFTWARE USED FOR DATA ANALYSIS
The questionnaire data has been entered and analysed in Microsoft Excel.

TOOLS FOR ANALYSIS
Pie chart was used as a tool for proper analysis of data

3.7SURVEY FACTORS & PARAMETRES:
The purpose is to learn more about current Ford car owners' shopping preferences. Determine what aspects of the product and its shortcomings customers care most about. Ford must create novel approaches to customer satisfaction.
The sections of this questionnaire are as follows: Number one, the proportion of happy customers

Second-rate automobile problems
Tell me about your favourite function in this car.

Data Analysis
In-depth research into what customers like and don't like about the product is necessary for a complete comprehension of the subject at hand. Based on the goals, questions have been formulated to shed light on the matter.

To analyze buying behavior of customer.
Q1) Which of the following Ford car you own?

CONCLUSION
The survey results show that current Ford buyers are extremely satisfied with their vehicles.They have nothing but praise for Ford cars and agree that the price list is reasonable.
The worst part, however, was not the price but the poor service, lack of conveniences, and low gas mileage.
These are some of the most typical justifications customers give for looking for a different brand.
Customers also place a premium on convenience features like the Endeavour's steering-wheel-mounted controls.
Adding new features is crucial for attracting a larger customer base.
Many people are complaining about their vehicles, so there must be an improvement in customer service.
Petrol stations' bottom lines can be boosted by providing prompt, professional service.
Finally, all exploration was done in a systematic way to ensure accurate results. My internship was rewarding and enjoyable. Managing clients and other aspects of running a business. Overall, I gained a wealth of knowledge from the encounter

LIMITATIONS
One potential drawback is the difficulty in drawing broad conclusions from a study of 100 customers.

Owned cars
Fiesta Ikon Endevou r Figo