Ford Otosan Unifies Fragmented Customer Data with Salesforce
Ford Otosan is a joint venture between Ford Motor Company and Koç Holding, employing more than 25,000 people and operating with an annual production capacity of 934,500 vehicles. The company is one of Ford’s strategic manufacturing hubs in Europe.
As part of its Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV) Project, Ford Otosan rebuilt its marketing infrastructure on Salesforce. The objective was to unify customer data generated across multiple systems and touchpoints, create advanced audience segments, and deliver personalized engagement from initial consideration through vehicle ownership and after-sales services.
Veri Cloud designed and delivered an end-to-end marketing architecture spanning Salesforce Data 360, Marketing Cloud Engagement, and Marketing Cloud Personalization.
- 25,000+
- EMPLOYEES
- 934,500
- ANNUAL VEHICLE PRODUCTION CAPACITY
- CLTV
- PROGRAM
- 3
- SALESFORCE PRODUCTS
01 / CHALLENGE
The customer journey begins before a vehicle is purchased.
The Ford customer journey begins before a vehicle is purchased. A prospective customer may visit the Ford website, explore specific models, use the vehicle configurator, visit a showroom, or contact the call center.
After purchasing a vehicle, the customer generates additional interactions through maintenance, service, replacement parts, accessories, tires, value-added services, and the mobile app.
When data from these interactions is stored across separate systems, it becomes difficult to see the customer’s complete journey. A website visitor researching a vehicle, a lead visiting a showroom, and the person who later purchases the vehicle may appear as different records.
Ford Otosan needed to:
- Match customer records across different touchpoints,
- Consolidate data belonging to the same person,
- Connect pre-purchase and post-purchase information,
- Evaluate customer profiles together with web and mobile behavior,
- Activate customer segments across marketing channels,
- Build personalized customer journeys,
- Support relevant after-sales communications for vehicle owners.
The program focused on two primary use cases:
- Moving prospects who did not yet own a Ford vehicle through the purchase journey with relevant communications.
- Delivering service, maintenance, replacement part, accessory, and value-added service communications to existing vehicle owners.
02 / SOLUTION
Unified customer profiles and segments activated across channels.
Veri Cloud developed a Salesforce architecture covering customer data unification, advanced segmentation, real-time activation, personalization, and cross-channel customer engagement.
Unified customer profiles
Customer data generated across different touchpoints was brought together in Salesforce Data 360. Identity resolution rules were used to match records belonging to the same individual and create unified customer profiles.
This allowed Ford Otosan to evaluate:
- Digital channel interactions,
- Lead-stage touchpoints,
- Showroom interactions,
- Vehicle ownership information,
- After-sales service data
under the same customer identity. For example, a customer’s activity while reviewing a model and using the vehicle configurator can be connected with a later showroom visit and vehicle purchase.
Combining profile and behavioral data
Segmentation was not limited to existing customer records. Behavior from the Ford website and mobile app was also incorporated into the customer profile. Models viewed, pages visited, digital tools used, and other interactions became available for segmentation.
This created profiles that reflected both historical customer information and current interests and behavior.
Advanced segmentation
Segments were created in Data 360 using customer behavior, lead status, and vehicle ownership information. Use cases include:
- Visitors who reviewed a specific model but did not submit an inquiry,
- Leads who used the vehicle configurator but did not continue the purchase journey,
- Prospects with a showroom interaction,
- Owners of a specific vehicle model,
- Vehicle owners approaching a seasonal maintenance or tire requirement,
- Customers eligible for service, accessory, or value-added service communications.
Real-time activation
Segments created in Data 360 were activated in Marketing Cloud. These segments became available for use across email, SMS, push notification, website, mobile app, and contact center communications.
Unified customer profiles and segments could therefore be used directly within customer journeys.
Website and mobile app personalization
Marketing Cloud Personalization was used to evaluate customer behavior across the Ford website and mobile app. The solution supports use cases such as:
- Displaying content based on the model being viewed,
- Presenting a relevant message or offer based on user behavior,
- Retargeting a customer who leaves before completing a digital process,
- Personalizing web and mobile experiences based on customer segment.
Cross-channel customer journeys
Marketing Cloud Engagement was used to create multistep journeys across email, SMS, and push notification channels. The next step in a journey can be determined by the customer’s response to the previous interaction. When digital channels do not generate a response, a follow-up task can be created for the contact center.
For example, a prospect who uses the vehicle configurator but does not complete the purchase journey can be placed into a communication journey for the relevant model. Existing vehicle owners can be included in maintenance, tire, service, accessory, or value-added service journeys based on vehicle and ownership data.
Journey management for the marketing team
Veri Cloud designed and implemented the initial segments, personalization scenarios, and customer journeys. Using Marketing Cloud Engagement’s visual journey management tools, Ford Otosan’s marketing teams can:
- Select audience segments,
- Define communication content,
- Build email, SMS, and push notification steps,
- Create different journey paths based on customer behavior.
Journey performance and segment data can be monitored and used to update communication flows.
03 / RESULTS
What changed in the operation.
- Unified customer profiles
- Customer records from different touchpoints were matched in Data 360 to create unified profiles.
- Continuity from prospect to vehicle owner
- Pre-purchase digital behavior and lead interactions were connected with vehicle ownership and after-sales data.
- Advanced audience segmentation
- Customer profiles, behavioral data, and vehicle ownership information were used to create segments for specific use cases.
- Real-time segment activation
- Segments created in Data 360 were activated in Marketing Cloud for use in customer journeys.
- Cross-channel engagement
- Email, SMS, push notification, and contact center interactions could be managed within connected customer journeys.
- Website and mobile personalization
- Website and mobile app experiences could be personalized based on customer behavior and segment.
- Marketing-managed journeys
- Ford Otosan's marketing teams could manage audience, content, channel, and journey steps through Marketing Cloud.
- Measurable lifecycle communications
- Segments, journey steps, and channel interactions could be monitored within a shared architecture, allowing lifecycle communications to be measured and updated.
- A foundation for additional use cases
- The architecture built on Data 360, Marketing Cloud Engagement, and Marketing Cloud Personalization provides a shared foundation for additional data sources, segments, and customer journeys.
SALESFORCE PRODUCTS
CAPABILITIES
Can you connect customer data from consideration through after-sales?
Ilkay Tuna
Business Requirement Manager, Veri Cloud