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Ford Motor Company Selects Ask Jeeves(R) to Help Its Online Customers Find Answers

21 August 2000

Ford Motor Company Selects Ask Jeeves(R) to Help Its Online Customers Find Answers

    EMERYVILLE, Calif. - Ford Motor Company and Ask Jeeves, Inc. , a leading 
provider of question answering technologies and services, today announced that 
Ford Motor Company has selected Jeeves Relevant Answers(SM), Ask Jeeves' 
intuitive question answering service, to help power its e-commerce and e-
support services for Ford Division customers. Combining best of breed natural 
language and popularity search technology, "Ask Ford" is designed to help 
deliver a superior online experience for consumers. Ask Jeeves' industry-proven
technology and experience answering more than 450,000 questions per month about
cars on Ask.com will help Ford anticipate questions and deliver relevant answers 
to customers worldwide.

    "Our extensive knowledge about the frequently asked questions in the
automotive industry is a key competitive edge when working with companies like
Ford. More than 50 percent of automotive questions on Ask.com are brand or
make focused and more than 90,000 questions per month are specifically related
to Ford," said Frank Vaculin, executive vice president of Ask Jeeves, Inc. "We
knew what Ford customers were asking and we leveraged this insight to create
'Ask Ford.' We expect that the combination of our powerful technology and
industry insight will be of tremendous value to Ford moving forward."

    At http://www.fordvehicles.com, "Ask Ford" will enable customers to type
questions in plain English and be directed to the most relevant answers on all
Ford brand vehicles on Ford's Web site. Customers can ask questions such as
"How can I build and price my own 2000 Ford Focus?" or "Where can I learn
about features on the 2000 Expedition?" and be directed to the most relevant
answers on the site. Customers will also be able to ask questions about Ford's
services, history, college graduate program and Ford racing activity.

    A key component of Ask Jeeves' services, Jeeves Insight(SM) will provide
critical data to Ford about their customers. By tracking and analyzing
specific customer questions, Jeeves Insight delivers valuable data to Ford
about the specific concerns, needs and interests of Ford customers. The data
is delivered in up-to-the-minute reports to help Ford analyze the questions
and gain a better understanding of how to enhance site content, direct product
development, improve marketing efforts, and respond quickly to current events.

    "Now, more than ever, customers are going online to research and purchase
cars and car accessories. Empowering them with the essential information they
need to make informed purchasing decisions is key to Ford's commitment to
customer service," said Jan Klug, marketing communications manager, Ford
Division, Ford Motor Company. "Ask Jeeves' intuitive, easy to use question
answering format will make the Ford vehicles Web site a rewarding and
satisfying experience. The bottom line is that Ask Jeeves will help us deliver
greater value to our customers."

    About Ask Jeeves, Inc.

    Ask Jeeves is a leading provider of intuitive, intelligent question
answering technologies and services to deliver a humanized online experience.
Ask Jeeves' solutions enable companies to convert online shoppers to buyers,
reduce support costs, understand customer preferences and improve customer
retention. Ask Jeeves also syndicates its solutions to portals, infomediaries,
and content and destination sites to help companies increase e-commerce and
advertising revenue. Ask Jeeves deploys its solutions on Ask Jeeves at
Ask.com, Ask Jeeves for Kids at AJKids.com and DirectHit.com, to help
companies target and acquire qualified prospects online and to provide
consumers with real-time access to information, products and services. 

    About Ford Motor Company

    Ford Motor Company is the world's largest producer of trucks and the
second largest producer of cars and trucks combined, marketing and selling
approximately 7 million vehicles globally through its seven brands last year.
Ford Motor Co. employs approximately 345,000 people in plants, offices and
laboratories to serve consumers in more than 200 countries and territories.
Ford Motor Co. is also one of the largest providers of financial services
worldwide through Ford Credit and related businesses. Ford Motor Co. provides
consumer and commercial financial services through 2,400 branches in
33 countries.