Customer Service is Dead

[Ande]

Common sense is apparently dead. (in this thread)

- Should Tesla keep their last loaner for somebody who will MAYBE come later, and start wasting money on rental cars just in case you drop by later ? - if so, it's only reasonable that you'd get the bill for the rental if you were unable to drop in later, not to mention the management and the shop time.

 

[Yoona]

On my very first SC visit, I received an ICE loaner - Audi something. It was the worst experience in my 30+ years of driving. Food stains and grease on the steering wheel, door handles, seats, etc. Coffee cups, food wrappers, garbage, etc on the back seat floors. Some clothes on the back seat. Looked like a family with kids just used it. Why didn't SC clean the car before passing it to a customer? I was in a rush and didn't notice the filth until I was on the road. It was so disgusting I had to disinfect the interior myself during the ride. Luckily I had wet wipes on my bag at that time. I left the loaner in my garage and drove my own ICE.

Ever since then on subsequent SC visits, I just wait for my car no matter how long it takes. I'd rather take a bus home than get into a filthy car.

 

[clostridium]

What happened with the credit card charge? It’s a peculiar charge for a rental (that’s like several weeks in q50) and doesn’t make sense for the service either. It also seems awfully high for one of those holds that rental companies put on cards. Hope it got sorted out.

I do think that tesla needs to look at the structure of their service process and overhaul it from top to bottom. Almost all of the people I’ve met are fantastic as individuals but they seem to screw up the little followup through details that is where a good luxury car dealer really shines. Those details include follow through on delivering what one person tells a customer like what loaner you get or whether a part has been actually ordered or not. I also get inconsistent responses to calls or emails.

They need to bring in some people with experience at good Lexus or Infiniti dealers (brands I have personal experience with - I’m sure others do well too) to help to build a good system.

I do have to say that my salesperson is amazing and anytime I have any issue she always make sure it gets fixed somehow. I just feel bad making her do service’s work.

It almost seems like they have tried so hard to not be like a traditional dealer that they have missed some things that a really good dealer does to enhance the ownership experience. I hate dealers but the Infiniti dealer I got my prior car (q50) from was pretty fantastic and offset the little issues I had with that car.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

It almost seems like they have tried so hard to not be like a traditional dealer that they have missed some things that a really good dealer does to enhance the ownership experience. I hate dealers but the Infiniti dealer I got my prior car (q50) from was pretty fantastic and offset the little issues I had with that car.

The biggest issue IMO is that both Tesla sales and service are setup as a machine, really, where the human - Tesla staff included - kind of gets lost. There is very little leeway, very little local or individual authority in solving issues or fostering relationships and if you fall through the cracks for whatever reason, the setup isn't optimal to "catch" you. It boils down to Tesla being a massive centrally-managed bureaucracy.

 

[jaguar36]

When I had BMWs, if I took them in, we got a BMW as a loaner. Bad assumption on my part when I was buying.

I frequently got Enterprise rentals for loaners when I had BMW service.

Personally I'm just happy to have a loaner at all, regardless of it its a Tesla, a BMW or a Toytota Corolla.

 

[DrivingRockies]

But an ICE? No.

Funny thing is, the ICE loaner is actually what finally convinced me to go ICE on my new car. I had forgotten the difference in quality. Still have my X, but my daily driver is a solid car now.

 

[croman]

Funny thing is, the ICE loaner is actually what finally convinced me to go ICE on my new car. I had forgotten the difference in quality. Still have my X, but my daily driver is a solid car now.

Everyone makes bad decisions. Too bad your decision harms the environment.

 

[gabeincal]

Same problems here every time I visit an SC. I specifically ask them not to wash the car, they do (and it's not a $500 detail I guarantee you that). They replaced my DU, the new one died 3 miles from the SC. Towed back car, had a new DU put in and my car valeted to my home address. I put the car in reverse, big clunk. DU replacement happening right now. Customer service is pretty bad, but the parts supplied are even worse....

 

[ucmndd]

I sent two people an email, one of which is the store manager. She replied and said she would look into it tomorrow.

Once again, sounds like decent customer service to me.

 

[gabeincal]

Almost all of the people I’ve met are fantastic as individuals but they seem to screw up the little followup through details that is where a good luxury car dealer really shines. Those details include follow through on delivering what one person tells a customer like what loaner you get or whether a part has been actually ordered or not. I also get inconsistent responses to calls or emails.

That *100000

 

[davinci2017]

On my very first SC visit, I received an ICE loaner - Audi something. It was the worst experience in my 30+ years of driving. Food stains and grease on the steering wheel, door handles, seats, etc. Coffee cups, food wrappers, garbage, etc on the back seat floors. Some clothes on the back seat. Looked like a family with kids just used it. Why didn't SC clean the car before passing it to a customer? I was in a rush and didn't notice the filth until I was on the road. It was so disgusting I had to disinfect the interior myself during the ride. Luckily I had wet wipes on my bag at that time. I left the loaner in my garage and drove my own ICE.

Ever since then on subsequent SC visits, I just wait for my car no matter how long it takes. I'd rather take a bus home than get into a filthy car.

This is interesting as it was my experience as well. I got a BMW 5 series loaner last time and it was smelly, musty and dirty inside. I took it anyway since I had to get to work asap, but I wasn't exactly pleased with the car and ended up taking it to a car wash later that day. I do think Tesla needs to look at ALL aspects of the service experience a little closer and figure stuff out.

 

[Skipdd]

Sorry you had a bad experience. For sure the charge on the credit card would have made me see red, but I would have immediately called them on it or gone there face-to-face. In my experience being there in person gets the most effective response. I realize that's not always possible.

Also, yes your title came off as extreme - and you acknowledged such. What I'm curious about, is that I recently had a GREAT experience with service and posted about it, and I think maybe one person commented. To be clear, my point is that forum members seem to skew their comments to the negative posts. Its unfortunate, because, people (including me) track posts as part of their buying process. I was tracking service quality, bulid quality, AP2/2.5 parity with AP1, and performance attributes as I assessed whether to trade-up. Reading through the "noise" and based on my own experience I judged that things have improved. I just put down a deposit on a new S 100D.

 

[LVThomas]

Once again, sounds like decent customer service to me.

On a scale of 1-10, what would you give them?

I called them this morning and they are looking into it. The call wasn’t bad at all; I think the typed word is giving the impression that I am pissed and would be confrontational with them, but that isn’t the case. I also don’t consider this decent customer service. The fact that it happened and the necessary communication that followed makes it less than decent for me. Have we got to the point where doing what is expected is above average and a situation like this is still decent? If so, I need to give my bosses the memo so when I go above and beyond it is looked at like I walk on water.

 

[Esme Es Mejor]

Well, Tesla DID say they'd move to P100D loaners.

And they have. I got a P100D when my 75D needed service. I don’t expect them to be the majority of their loaner fleet, though.

 

[jeffro01]

If there is one thing Tesla should permanently change its having a properly sized loaner fleet for each service center that is absolutely OFF LIMITS to be sold until it reaches a certain age/mileage threshold and which time it's replaced with a brand new car so the size of the loaner fleet isn't impacted.

It's not that hard to do, but it would have an impact to the bottom line at some level...

Jeff

 

[LVThomas]

Sorry you had a bad experience. For sure the charge on the credit card would have made me see red, but I would have immediately called them on it or gone there face-to-face. In my experience being there in person gets the most effective response. I realize that's not always possible.

Also, yes your title came off as extreme - and you acknowledged such. What I'm curious about, is that I recently had a GREAT experience with service and posted about it, and I think maybe one person commented. To be clear, my point is that forum members seem to skew their comments to the negative posts. Its unfortunate, because, people (including me) track posts as part of their buying process. I was tracking service quality, bulid quality, AP2/2.5 parity with AP1, and performance attributes as I assessed whether to trade-up. Reading through the "noise" and based on my own experience I judged that things have improved. I just put down a deposit on a new S 100D.

I didn’t see red because it is just something that needs to be resolved. Tesla set the expectations for the experience - I can understand the no haggle policy, but I can’t even get a $20 t shirt for free after spending $90k+? OK. I can’t get a Tesla loaner? I will complain about it but OK. Charging $1,736 for the “loaner”. Not OK and they will resolve it or I have a rental for about five weeks.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

And they have. I got a P100D when my 75D needed service. I don’t expect them to be the majority of their loaner fleet, though.

But that is not how Tesla announced it.

They announced all loaners becoming P100D (for S/X).

“If you have a Model X that comes in for service, the service loaner you will get will be the absolute fully loaded state-of-the-art P100D Ludicrous … Model X that we have. Same for Model S.”

Again a completely self-inflicted wound by Tesla.

 

[gabeincal]

But that is not how Tesla announced it.

They announced all loaners becoming P100D (for S/X).

“If you have a Model X that comes in for service, the service loaner you will get will be the absolute fully loaded state-of-the-art P100D Ludicrous … Model X that we have. Same for Model S.”

Again a completely self-inflicted wound by Tesla.

Never got a P100D as a loaner. Ever. Mostly old, beaten 2013 and 2014 S's with rattles and bad seats. Once got a brand new P90DL and that was very nice.

 

[brkaus]

I sense now is a good time to earn my disagrees for the day by tossing out my massively unpopular opinion

Tesla should have charged some nominal amount to do the performance update. Perhaps waive if part of annual service. The performance increase is costing Tesla. Loaner cars, phone calls, responding to escalation requests (why isn't my particular 75d or 90d eligible), service center time, etc.

 

[gabeincal]

I sense now is a good time to earn my disagrees for the day by tossing out my massively unpopular opinion

Tesla should have charged some nominal amount to do the performance update. Perhaps waive if part of annual service. The performance increase is costing Tesla. Loaner cars, phone calls, responding to escalation requests (why isn't my particular 75d or 90d eligible), service center time, etc.

Wholeheartedly agree. Charge 1 hour of labor if they need to actually see the car as this is an extra that the customers are getting and it is not free warranty work...