Loyal customer aggravated Ford wouldn’t adjust Lightning order, respond after price slash

Phoebe Wall Howard, Detroit Free Press

Paul Iacoangeli, a retired firefighter paramedic for the city of Monroe, said he has loved Ford his whole life but now realizes that Ford doesn't love him back. And that hurts.

Ford trucks have been part of Iacoangeli's DNA since high school, when he bought a new 1974 F-100 that carried him through heavy snowfall back in the day. He owned or leased six Ford trucks before going all-electric. When Ford came out with its F-150 Lightning, the devoted customer placed his reservation and waited eagerly for his $85,000 pickup.

As a lifetime truck owner, he said he is crazy about his 2023 Lightning. But that's not the point, he said.

This is a story about what happens when a 120-year-old company that prides itself on lifetime relationships and emotional connection left a 68-year-old customer who has purchased only Ford trucks feeling dejected and, well, not planning to buy Ford again.

Instead, he said, he'll now choose another automaker: "At this point, I'd probably go with a GMC. Even thinking about it, it's just disappointing to think about switching because of how I've been treated."

Paul Iacoangeli, a retired firefighter paramedic for the city of Monroe, said he has loved Ford trucks his whole life but now realizes that Ford doesn't love him back. And that hurts. He really likes his 2023 F-150 Lightning, seen here, but not how he was treated.
Paul Iacoangeli, a retired firefighter paramedic for the city of Monroe, said he has loved Ford trucks his whole life but now realizes that Ford doesn't love him back. And that hurts. He really likes his 2023 F-150 Lightning, seen here, but not how he was treated.

This situation could be a business school case study and not in a good way, said Marcus Collins, a University of Michigan marketing professor who wrote the bestseller "For the Culture: The Power Behind What We Buy, What We Do, and Who We Want To Be."

Here's how Iacoangeli explains things: He placed his $100 reservation for a Lightning in June 2021 and placed the full purchase order in September 2022, when the opportunity presented itself. Truck pricing went up $8,500 in early August 2022, attributed to a tight supply chain, so he wouldn't qualify for the $7,500 federal tax rebate for electric vehicles created to offset EV costs and inspire sales. Still, the loyal Ford consumer went ahead with his purchase. He took custody of the vehicle in February 2023. In July 2023, Ford cut prices on the Lightning.

So he paid more, buying right after a price hike, and then the price was cut after his purchase.

"As a non-Ford employee, it should be obvious I have been extremely loyal to the series, even before it became the bestselling pickup truck line in the United States. I received my time-to-order email in September for the Lightning just after Ford increased the price. I wrote Ford shortly after asking if they would extend me the Customer Satisfaction Private Offer (discount) towards the purchase of my 2023 like they did some Tesla owners who placed their deposits in May 2021. I received a response from Ford expressing their excitement about my order and directed me to call their marketing department. I contacted the marketing department and was told there wasn’t anything they could do. In February 2023, I purchased the truck anyway. Then, to add insult to injury, Ford reduced the price of the Lightning five months later, and when I wrote again, Ford never even responded. This is insane."

The customer felt like he'd had enough; Ford was missing the point.

Paul Iacoangeli, of Monroe, seen here with his 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning, owned seven F-Series trucks prior to the all-electric pickup, which he loves. But his experience with the Ford customer service left him feeling so dejected that he plans to buy a GMC.
Paul Iacoangeli, of Monroe, seen here with his 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning, owned seven F-Series trucks prior to the all-electric pickup, which he loves. But his experience with the Ford customer service left him feeling so dejected that he plans to buy a GMC.

Each time he reached out to Ford, he went through the automaker's recommended customer service protocols. He forwarded his email exchanges with Ford to the Detroit Free Press for review. He shared his experience after reading comments from professor Robert Kolt from Michigan State University’s Department of Advertising and Public Relations, who "had it right" when he told the Free Press in a story about bestselling Ford trucks: “There is just a passion that Ford F-Series people have that is an unquestioned loyalty to the brand. Like, ‘you were there for me F-Series truck when I needed you, and so I’ll be there for you in the future. It is difficult to explain but buying into the F-Series is more like engaging in a relationship rather than a transaction.' "

Iacoangeli, who is currently executive director for the Frenchtown Center for Active Adults and Adult Day Care Services program in Monroe, said he has only ever considered driving Ford trucks. He owned the 1974 F-100, a 1976 F-100 "that not only helped me but also helped get a lot of others out of their heatless homes during the blizzard of 1978" and a 2003 F-150. He also leased F-150s: 2006, 2016 and 2018 model years.

"This isn't about the Lightning; I am happy with the performance and dependability of the truck, or my dealer," he said.

Paul Iacoangeli, a retired firefighter paramedic for the city of Monroe, said he has loved Ford trucks his whole life but now realizes that Ford doesn't love him back. And that hurts. He has owned Ford trucks for nearly 50 years, including this 2003 F-150.
Paul Iacoangeli, a retired firefighter paramedic for the city of Monroe, said he has loved Ford trucks his whole life but now realizes that Ford doesn't love him back. And that hurts. He has owned Ford trucks for nearly 50 years, including this 2003 F-150.

Industry analysts have said unpredictable price changes are often the cost of being an early adopter. People who buy new technology quickly get the cachet of being first in line but that means those consumers also absorb market changes. It's an established business pattern. So why should Ford be judged harshly? Well, Iacoangeli says, because Ford highlights its long-term customer relationships and truck loyalty.

Iacoangeli pointed to the words of Robert Kaffl, Ford director of U.S. sales, who was quoted in a Free Press story in December saying, “The enduring legacy of the F-Series is not just a result of our relentless pursuit of improvement but also a reflection of the trust between our company and customers. We are deeply grateful.”

Iacoangeli told the Free Press, "I gave Ford the opportunity to restore that trust, and as it turned out, they were only deeply grateful for the extra money they took from a once-loyal customer. Like any long-term relationship, Neil Sedaka could not have said it better, 'Breaking up is hard to do,' especially when it is all about the money."

More: Dad buys Mustang for son battling cancer, gets offer from Ford CEO

Ford responds

When asked to comment on Iacoangeli's concern, Ford spokeswoman Emma Bergg told the Free Press, "EV pricing across the industry has become increasingly dynamic and price changes reflect today’s market conditions. We anticipate some decline in secondary market prices in the short run as prices continue to normalize from record highs, but still expect healthy values."

Added Ford spokesman Marty Gunsberg: "We love and appreciate customers like Paul and we do not take that loyalty for granted. Thank you for bringing this to our attention and we plan to reach out."

John Iacoangeli, brother of Ford customer Paul Iacoangeli, is standing next to his 1976 F-100 after a 1978 blizzard. The brothers waited in Erie to pick up people stranded and needing to get back to Monroe. Pam Iacoangeli, Paul's former sister in law, is in the truck.
John Iacoangeli, brother of Ford customer Paul Iacoangeli, is standing next to his 1976 F-100 after a 1978 blizzard. The brothers waited in Erie to pick up people stranded and needing to get back to Monroe. Pam Iacoangeli, Paul's former sister in law, is in the truck.

In March, Kelley Blue Book named the Ford F-150 Lightning best resale value in the electric truck category.

'He was loyal'

Ford prides itself on uniquely personal stories and the handling of this situation is not expected, said Collins, the U-M professor and global branding expert.

As a basic business concept, it's more costly to attract new customers than hold current customers. That goes for Ford, its competitors and all automakers. The Detroit Three have lost market share as global competition has grown and focusing on holding current customers is essential to strategy, Collins said.

"This man could have canceled his order and placed it again, but he was willing to pay a premium price because he believed in the truck that much. He was loyal and jumped in line first," Collins said.

Paul Iacoangeli purchased his first Ford truck, a 1974 F-100 seen here after a Michigan snowstorm, while in high school. He has driven only Ford pickups over 49 years. He doesn't feel valued by Ford though he said he loves his all-electric F-150 Lightning.
Paul Iacoangeli purchased his first Ford truck, a 1974 F-100 seen here after a Michigan snowstorm, while in high school. He has driven only Ford pickups over 49 years. He doesn't feel valued by Ford though he said he loves his all-electric F-150 Lightning.

Brands spend so much money nurturing relationships, he said.

In marketing, the consumer lifetime value of a customer is a formula that assumes customer acquisition costs are high while customer retention costs are much lower. These longtime customers deserve to feel the love because they're core to Ford's bottom line, Collins said.

More: Ford sales jump 6.8% in 1st quarter, spiked by hybrid and electric vehicles

Marcus Collins, a professor at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, is an expert in digital advertising, social marketing, and brand strategy
Marcus Collins, a professor at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, is an expert in digital advertising, social marketing, and brand strategy

This one anecdote illustrates a major challenge with a lot at stake, he said. The automaker wants to win BMW customers but it needs to "show the love" to loyal customers buying the EVs, too.

"If Ford had just called this man back, he would've felt better," Collins said.

EV excitement, headaches

The Lightning has had a roller coaster run since its launch: In 2022, some Ford dealers were dramatically marking up Lightning trucks because customers were willing to pay huge prices for the wait-listed vehicle. Ford, concerned about backlash at the time, notified dealers that bad actors risked having inventory withheld. In July 2023, the company cut prices. And then in January this year, the company raised and lowered prices on different versions of the 2024 Lightning. This month, Ford cut the workforce and production at the Lightning plant in Dearborn.

Ford has said the EV segment remains dynamic and the automaker will continue to make adjustments.

Contact Phoebe Wall Howard: 313-618-1034 or phoward@freepress.com. Follow her on X @phoebesaid.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ford wouldn’t adjust cost for early Lightning orderer after price cut

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