Latest info on ordering through KFOS

[smpete06]

So for me as someone who currently has an order placed (November 29th submission) but the order isnt being produced yet - what should I do?

Should I contact my dealership and ask them about the process and see if anything has changed? Or is there anything I need to say?

Just want to approach it the "right" way to make sure my best interests are kept in mind.

 

[StephenCantrelle]

So for me as someone who currently has an order placed (November 29th submission) but the order isnt being produced yet - what should I do?

Should I contact my dealership and ask them about the process and see if anything has changed? Or is there anything I need to say?

Just want to approach it the "right" way to make sure my best interests are kept in mind.

Yes.. tell them the truth.. hey just wanted to touch bases.. I see in a forum I follow that Kia is wanting to make sure the dealer is ordering from Kdealer and KFOS.. can you explain that to me.. or whoever is in charge of the orders? Just want to make sure I am working with a dealer that is following Kia’s protocol.

 

[smpete06]

Yes.. tell them the truth.. hey just wanted to touch bases.. I see in a forum I follow that Kia is wanting to make sure the dealer is ordering from Kdealer and KFOS.. can you explain that to me.. or whoever is in charge of the orders? Just want to make sure I am working with a dealer that is following Kia’s protocol.

Thanks so much!

 

[llsmith7]

Yes.. tell them the truth.. hey just wanted to touch bases.. I see in a forum I follow that Kia is wanting to make sure the dealer is ordering from Kdealer and KFOS.. can you explain that to me.. or whoever is in charge of the orders? Just want to make sure I am working with a dealer that is following Kia’s protocol.

Thanks for this, I was wondering the same thing. I was thinking they might get spooked if I go in knowing so much about their internal systems.

Edited for spelling.

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[TheBigHouse]

This solves only part of the issue.

1) If a dealer has 50 allocations for SX-P, but only 2 a month get filled... you still have 48 people waiting and the list getting longer. While a dealer may get allocation for 10 EX in a month but only has 3 sold EX orders. So then he pops in 7 inventory orders for EX. Thus Kia is making inventory cars when people are continuing to wait with no end in sight. Why not just fill legit orders and clear them off?

This is what I’m trying to understand, as well. While I admittedly don’t know everything about the process, I fail to see how this really improves things for those of us at “good” dealers. Are they now going to be allocated more SX-P’s per month, now that ”fake orders” are hopefully being eliminated? If not, then how are things different? Not trying to be a wet blanket, just genuinely trying to understand the ramifications.

 

[StephenCantrelle]

This is what I’m trying to understand, as well. While I admittedly don’t know everything about the process, I fail to see how this really improves things for those of us at “good” dealers. Are they now going to be allocated more SX-P’s per month, now that ”fake orders” are hopefully being eliminated? If not, then how are things different? Not trying to be a wet blanket, just genuinely trying to understand the ramifications.

Let’s just say Kia sent out a memo a month or so ago that said they could have filled an additional 3,000 custom orders(in one month) if the dealers were ordering properly through KFOS. So yes it will speed up the time table for everyone. Release the bottleneck... and let’s say a greedy dealer get reprimanded than more Tellurides for the other dealers.

@Jason Fox can verify.. he touched momentarily about it last month didn’t go into detail since no action was being taken.. but this is a good thing for everyone

 

[TMG]

I'm a little late to the party on this thread but all KIA of Muncie customers are safe. We have done this since day 1 per KIA's request.

Jason, is it possible for you/Lucas to give more accurate ETA's for orders now? Mine was placed around Thanksgiving. Thanks.

 

[Parmel]

Okay here we go!

Dealers were placing orders through 2 different systems.

1.) Dealer Request through Kdealer

Problem is stores were putting in fake orders.
Tellurides were being sold to people whose names weren’t on the custom sold order request.

Kia tells dealers stop or you will get penalized.(happen months ago while I was away from Kia for 6 months—summer of 2019)

2.) Kia introduces KFOS(Kia Forward Ordering System)


KFOS is Kia saying you earned “X” amount of LX, S, EX, SX and SXP And separates FWD from AWD

Kia says match your dealer request to your KFOS earnings

Kia says place custom orders into both methods.
*KFOS is only available to put orders in once a month from 15-17th..

Dealer Request could be done any time.

next problem.. Kia sees that you requested in Kdealer 7 SX AWD. But when KFOS opens up and you are allowed 5 SX AWD you are not matching them with your Kdealer Dealer Request.

translation you are putting in fake orders in Kdealer or you are not following directions in placing your orders in both systems.

solution: Kia says if you have 7 dealer request on Kdealer for a SX AWD and we allow you 5 and you don’t fill 5 KFOS allocation with matching Kdealer request then we will penalize you.

they will do so by cancelling all SX AWD orders that you currently have.

Same thing occurs for each trim example LX FWD or EX AWD. You must match up orders with your Kdealer request.

Now let’s say you match orders up Kia will not touch your other order units. Next month when KFOS opens back up you will get new allocation and you will fill that according.. placing your KFOS request by who has been waiting the longest for the specific Trim that becomes allocated.

What this means... dealers better be organized and be Jonny on the spot..

What this also means it will be close to impossible to get SXP now without ordering them. As dealers who don’t play by the rules will get none and the ones that are playing by the rules will be filling request units that are from people who ordered. You will gets your SXP by the order you put your order in. So please please ask the dealers how many orders are infront of you before you order. Ask them how many they are receiving each month on average of the Trim you want.

Also yes a smaller dealer is only allocated a smaller amount. I have been preaching on here forever that it doesn’t matter if you have 50 orders in the system if you only earn 5 a month you only earn 5 a month. Use the spreadsheet posted here to find higher volume dealers.

In addition.. order from someone who knows what KFOS and Kdealer request are... someone who will verify this. If you do not you are gambling that you are placing a order with someone whose store does not know or follow the rules and can be wasting your time waiting on nothing.

Hope this helps

Would appreciate clarification on one point - “*KFOS is only available to put orders in once a month from 15-17th...” If I give you a deposit for an SXP on the 18th of Jan and you give me my “reference number” showing it was ordered on the 18th, it does not go into the KFOS system until Feb 15-17? It appears the “reference number” computer is not talking to the KFOS system and might be requiring someone to reenter the order in Feb. Should we be asking for verification of our order on Feb 18? I hope there Is a simple answer. Thanks

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[wcarlson40]

It’s not just about the Telluride is the thing.. how many cars do you sell for Kia... if I’m a business man I’m sending to those who do the work for me in volume and In consistency... a dealer selling 30 new cars a month doesn’t deserve 30 Tellurides. It’s just business

Ok, but Kia needs to realize it's not the business they are selling to, they are ultimately selling to the customer. If I don't buy from Gerald Ripoff of Naperville, or Kia Monster of Muncie, and I order from my local (smaller) dealer and get screwed over this, I'm not ordering a Kia again. I not buying any Kia ever again for the rest of my life. I'm taking my money elsewhere. I ordered from my local Kia dealer January 2nd and was told 4-5 months for my EX. I guess we'll see who's right in 4-5 months.......

 

[StephenCantrelle]

Ok, but Kia needs to realize it's not the business they are selling to, they are ultimately selling to the customer. If I don't buy from Gerald Ripoff of Naperville, or Kia Monster of Muncie, and I order from my local (smaller) dealer and get screwed over this, I'm not ordering a Kia again. I not buying any Kia ever again for the rest of my life. I'm taking my money elsewhere. I ordered from my local Kia dealer January 2nd and was told 4-5 months for my EX. I guess we'll see who's right in 4-5 months.......

EX models are not as high demand as SX and SX AWD.. so hopefully all goes well ..

 

[alexdrums]

I think you should be able to order any model directly from Kia. Maybe with a slight premium that would be divvied up between all Kia dealers. This would solve the ridiculous problem of dealers that are unwilling or unable to accept orders.

 

[StephenCantrelle]

Would appreciate clarification on one point - “*KFOS is only available to put orders in once a month from 15-17th...” If I give you a deposit for an SXP on the 18th of Jan and you give me my “reference number” showing it was ordered on the 18th, it does not go into the KFOS system until Feb 15-17? It appears the “reference number” computer is not talking to the KFOS system and might be requiring someone to reenter the order in Feb. should we be asking for verification of our order on Feb 18? I hope there Is a simple answer. Thanks

You can ask the dealer to simply notify you when your order is essentially put in the KFOS system. It is silly to have two different order systems but that is what we are dealing with. It appears Kia hopefully is changing this by taking the first step which is telling all dealers to “use KFOS or else”..

So in my opinion we are making moves internally to move to KFOS only and get all dealers on same page.

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[TheBigHouse]

Let’s just say Kia sent out a memo a month or so ago that said they could have filled an additional 3,000 custom orders(in one month) if the dealers were ordering properly through KFOS. So yes it will speed up the time table for everyone. Release the bottleneck... and let’s say a greedy dealer get reprimanded than more Tellurides for the other dealers.

@Jason Fox can verify.. he touched momentarily about it last month didn’t go into detail since no action was being taken.. but this is a good thing for everyone

thanks for the clarification - that seems like a huge step in the right direction!

edit to add: so if you don’t make the cut to be put in through KFOS in a particular month, then best case scenario is waiting another month and hope your order makes it in that next month?

 

[State]

No those cars are on the way.. will effect future pending orders not yet allocated

How does affect my order? Is it in KFOS?

 

[StephenCantrelle]

How does affect my order? Is it in KFOS?

If you have an ETA the longest part of your wait is over and the Telluride can be essentially tracked from being built/given a Vin to getting to dealership. KFOS tells dealers how many Tellurides they have allocated for that given month. Dealer can and should then fill the allocated units with Sold waiting orders(given the dealer participates in taking orders.) the following week the dealers will get confirmation that allocation units through KFOS are filled and assigned to dealer.

 

[shane2mc]

It’s not just about the Telluride is the thing.. how many cars do you sell for Kia... if I’m a business man I’m sending to those who do the work for me in volume and In consistency... a dealer selling 30 new cars a month doesn’t deserve 30 Tellurides. It’s just business

How can a dealer sell more if he can't get more though? Sounds like a crazy overly-complicated corporate BS system to me. They should just fill orders first in, first out, regardless of where they come from. Give the smaller volume dealers a chance to become larger volume dealers. That will never happen if Kia won't give them more cars to sell. Larger volume dealers would still do larger volume.

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[raydog9379]

thanks for the clarification - that seems like a huge step in the right direction!

edit to add: so if you don’t make the cut to be put in through KFOS in a particular month, then best case scenario is waiting another month and hope your order makes it in that next month?

That’s how I take it. So guessing you don’t make the list for 1/15-1/17 those are likely the Feb build cars that will make it come March? So if mine isn’t in KFOS by tomorrow then I’m not seeing my car till April at the earliest? With the 1-2 prestige my dealer sees per month and his comment to me recently about many of their customer orders being prestige, I’m not feeling too confident about this. So then say I don’t make the cut in the Feb if they only get 1 more allocation, we’re looking at the March entry into KFOS and my mid-Nov. order becomes a potential late May delivery.

 

[shane2mc]

By the way, I'm not in any way criticizing you, Stephen. You didn't invent Kia's order system. You're a hero for being able to interpret it and figure out how to work within their system to take care of your customers. It must drive you crazy!

 

[StephenCantrelle]

By the way, I'm not in any way criticizing you, Stephen. You didn't invent Kia's order system. You're a hero for being able to interpret it and figure out how to work within their system to take care of your customers. It must drive you crazy!

You are good. I’ve been here since day one to give insight from the dealer side.. good bad or ugly.. information is essential. Hopefully things are finally moving in the right direction to make it easier for all types of stores.. lower and higher volume dealers

 

[State]

This whole system sounds pretty messed up. Even 'good' dealers can take orders that they know they can't enter for months. Seems like a smaller volume dealer could potentially fill an order earlier if you're the only custom order there.