A call when a vehicle goes down is every business owner's nightmare. For the Spegal family, who have run Madison Tree & Landscape in West Jefferson, Ohio — just outside Columbus — for nearly 40 years, it meant one of their Ford work trucks was suddenly out of action. With crews scheduled and jobs on the line, vehicle downtime isn't just an inconvenience. It’s a threat to their reputation and revenue.

Their next call was to their local Ford Pro Elite Service Center. The response was immediate.

“Valley Ford had a loaner truck waiting for us right away,” Jake Spegal said. “There was no disruption, no canceled jobs. They recognize that our business can’t stop, and they made sure it didn’t. That’s a valued relationship.”

“They recognize that our business can’t stop, and they made sure it didn’t. That’s a valued relationship.”

Jake Spegal, Madison Tree & Landscape

That level of support is a reality in Columbus thanks to the commitment of local Ford Pro Elite partners like Ricart Ford and Valley Ford.

This is the promise of Ford Pro Elite Service in action. It’s a new standard of vehicle care built on a simple idea: vehicle uptime is the most critical need a commercial customer demands. Fueled by an investment from Ford and nearly $2 billion from Ford dealers, the network has quickly grown to 72 centers, all dedicated to this new standard of service.

To deliver on this standard, Elite Centers are equipped with specialized resources:

• Commercial Capacity: A minimum of 24 commercial service bays servicing everything from Transit vans to F-Series trucks along with non-Ford branded commercial vehicles.
  
  
• Extended Hours: Operating up to 72 hours per week, because business needs don't stop at 5 p.m.
  
  
• On-Site Support: Fleets of Ford Mobile Service vans that bring certified technicians directly to the job site, helping save time and maximize uptime. This service covers routine work like oil and filter changes, tire rotations and software updates, as well as more complex jobs like recall work for all makes and models — right at the business’s location.

Together, these resources mean local businesses — from plumbers to landscapers — spend less time in the shop and more time serving their communities.

A Nationwide Commitment, Delivered Locally

The strength of this national commitment comes to life at the local level. In Columbus, both Ricart Ford and Valley Ford are excellent examples of the network’s promise, each contributing in a vital way.

As a pioneering dealer of the network and one of the first five to open nationally, the Ricart Ford Pro Elite Service Center is focused on being a trusted resource through forward-thinking investment.

“We strive to be a comprehensive, one-stop solution for our customers — building lasting relationships grounded in trust, both in our team and the Ford brand,” said Rhett Ricart, President of Ricart Automotive Group. “Our business is taking care of their business.”

“Our business is taking care of their business.”

Rhett Ricart, President of Ricart Automotive Group

They are backing that promise with action, doubling the size of their service facility this year to create one of the largest centers in the nation with 63 commercial service bays.

Since becoming an Elite Center, Ricart’s biggest metric improvement has been service throughput. By increasing the speed of repairs, they can get work vehicles back on the road in hours, not days, helping to boost their customers’ productivity.

Valley Ford’s Pro Elite Service Center has focused on delivering the network’s core promise: keeping customers on the road, no matter what. It’s this dedication that provided mission-critical support for Madison Tree & Landscape.

By increasing capacity, extending hours, and adding Ford Mobile Service, they are delivering significant improvements in repair turnaround time and higher first-time fix rates, often getting vehicles back on the road the same day.

The Future of Uptime is Proactive

This Pro Elite Service network is also a great testing ground for the future of vehicle service. Ford Pro is already piloting robotic vehicle inspections for faster diagnostics and using telematics data to help predict maintenance needs before they can lead to a breakdown.

This proactive support is made even simpler with integrated scheduling: fleet managers can use Ford Pro Telematics software to monitor vehicle health, receive alerts and directly schedule service with an Elite Center right from within the software. The goal is to shift from reactive repairs to proactive support that prevents downtime altogether.

From the single 1978 F-250 that started the Spegal family’s business — a truck they still proudly own — to the advanced network that keeps their modern fleet on the road, Ford’s commitment has never been stronger. We are raising the standard for commercial vehicle service to keep businesses in Columbus, and across America, moving forward.