Elon Musk vs. Short sellers

[JRP3]

If the issue is parts production at Fremont firing people may not help.

 

[Cobos]

I sincerely hope Elon understands how bad it is. Judging by the recent mass firings, I think he probably does. They need to get this cleaned up ASAP.

It’s been variants of bad the last 3 years, so I believe they need to get the parts warehouse done now and at least for Norway they should have at least 4 big SC under work. They have one in Oslo. What will happen then is the backlog will be cleared or almost cleared in the Oslo area and 3-6 months later due to huge M3 sales it will be back to being bad again. He needs a Norway boss or Scandinavian boss with the power and the money to fix this permanently, but that will cost Tesla.

 

[AlMc]

Could it be that Tesla needs (has needed) a COO? Yes, Captain Obvious statement that I have made before.

 

[neroden]

What Tesla needs is an organizational chart and an internal communications system and some more secretaries.

 

[PaulusdB]

What Tesla needs is an organizational chart and an internal communications system and some more secretaries.

Yes, only adult supervision will do the trick.

 

[neroden]

It's not so much supervision, it's *communications*. That's what secretaries are for. So the left hand knows what the right hand is doing.

 

[AlMc]

It's not so much supervision, it's *communications*. That's what secretaries are for. So the left hand knows what the right hand is doing.

Agreed, but IMO, EM's strength is long vision/fearlessness/not afraid to rally the troops with his presence. Unfortunately with so many 'balls in the air' he can not devote full time to 'rally the troops mode'. His biggest weakness, again IMO, is that he is not there consistently whether it be his physical presence or mental presence. He needs someone to realize that they need 'secretaries' that need a unified message....He needs a COO to make sure that all oars are rowing forward smoothly...not just sprinting when he is around.

 

[TheTalkingMule]

I'm willing to deal with some communications issues in order to keep the org chart flat. They'll smooth out the process eventually. Adding layers is a slippery slope to General Motors.

 

[neroden]

It's not so much layers they need as a map. "We have a problem with the media player, and hundreds of customers are complaining about it. Who the hell is in charge of the media player?"

Real example.

 

[jhm]

I do think that Tesla need to certify independent repair shops to work on Tesla vehicles. Service is not supposed to be a profit center for Tesla, so the only real issue is customer experience. If a customer can get good service at an independent shop, they will be happy and continue to endorse the produce to family and friends. But if a customer cannot get good service anywhere, it will undermine word of mouth and goodwill with customers.

Also when supplying parts to independent service providers, Tesla can price to whatever markup makes it worthwhile for Tesla to keep parts in stock. Other companies would be happy to do inventory management if that is the issue. No need to tie up capital on this.

Honestly Tesla has much bigger markets to go after than repair services, and it is not worth the reputational damage to underperform on delivery of repair services.

 

[neroden]

I do think that Tesla need to certify independent repair shops to work on Tesla vehicles. Service is not supposed to be a profit center for Tesla, so the only real issue is customer experience. If a customer can get good service at an independent shop, they will be happy and continue to endorse the produce to family and friends. But if a customer cannot get good service anywhere, it will undermine word of mouth and goodwill with customers.

Also when supplying parts to independent service providers, Tesla can price to whatever markup makes it worthwhile for Tesla to keep parts in stock. Other companies would be happy to do inventory management if that is the issue. No need to tie up capital on this.

Honestly Tesla has much bigger markets to go after than repair services, and it is not worth the reputational damage to underperform on delivery of repair services.

I have been saying for years that Tesla needs to certify and support independent repair shops. I cannot understand why they don't; there's no benefit to them from not doing so.

 

[Mario Kadastik]

I have been saying for years that Tesla needs to certify and support independent repair shops. I cannot understand why they don't; there's no benefit to them from not doing so.

Well I just discovered that the independent shop where we've been doing most of our repairs (because there is no Tesla in Estonia and while Helsinki is close in theory it's a ferry ride away and that makes things annoying and slow) is actually price gouging us by adding 20-40% on top of Teslas prices on parts. While I could understand some markup on the work needed to request the parts, shipping and so forth they are doing it far beyond what would be normal. So I'm currently negotiating with them or will be from now on requesting the parts myself relying on them purely for the repairs and not for the parts as repairs have a fixed hourly rate and can be understood, but markup on all parts is not ok. I think that kind of things would happen more and more and if Tesla would allow them to do warranty work, then they'd start to gouge Tesla for the warranty parts as well.

 

[Electroman]

Wow.. thanks for the insight into how bad the situation is in Norway.

 

[jimmy_d]

Man the FUD engine is really running full steam today. At what point do the wheels come off this thing?

I've been thinking about personally boycotting companies that advertise next to these Tesla hit pieces. I don't want to support companies that engage in something I find repugnant, and also I want to send a message that junk journalism can have negative consequences for the people who support it. Of course, as just one guy it's a lot of work to build and maintain a list of companies that advertise this stuff, and one guy boycotting the advertisers doesn't have a lot of impact so naturally the idea of a community maintained list comes to mind - but then you have the problem of how to vet the list and keep it free of spam and so forth.

Just kind of idly thinking about this right now. Anyone have any experience with this kind of thing? Or maybe suggestions about how to do it well?

 

[ggr]

Well I just discovered that the independent shop where we've been doing most of our repairs (because there is no Tesla in Estonia and while Helsinki is close in theory it's a ferry ride away and that makes things annoying and slow) is actually price gouging us by adding 20-40% on top of Teslas prices on parts. While I could understand some markup on the work needed to request the parts, shipping and so forth they are doing it far beyond what would be normal. So I'm currently negotiating with them or will be from now on requesting the parts myself relying on them purely for the repairs and not for the parts as repairs have a fixed hourly rate and can be understood, but markup on all parts is not ok. I think that kind of things would happen more and more and if Tesla would allow them to do warranty work, then they'd start to gouge Tesla for the warranty parts as well.

You know you're not allowed to renegotiate contracts with your supplier, right?

 

[Mario Kadastik]

You know you're not allowed to renegotiate contracts with your supplier, right?

I guess I’m going bankrupt then...

 

[ReddyLeaf]

Apparently, there is no electricity in New Mexico, according to Lee Munson, so he won't consider a Tesla. Hmmm, I've never bought or shorted TSLA, I wonder if it's time to jump in. Would Tesla benefit more from my purchase of stock or their product? I know which one I would get the most benefit from.
As Earnings Approach, The Tesla Narrative Just Went Off the Deep End
Tesla's Capital Needs Are Beginning to Show

 

[AlMc]

I guess I’m going bankrupt then...

Mario....Come on...It is *backwrupt*

 

[dondy]

Well I just discovered that the independent shop where we've been doing most of our repairs (because there is no Tesla in Estonia and while Helsinki is close in theory it's a ferry ride away and that makes things annoying and slow) is actually price gouging us by adding 20-40% on top of Teslas prices on parts. While I could understand some markup on the work needed to request the parts, shipping and so forth they are doing it far beyond what would be normal. So I'm currently negotiating with them or will be from now on requesting the parts myself relying on them purely for the repairs and not for the parts as repairs have a fixed hourly rate and can be understood, but markup on all parts is not ok. I think that kind of things would happen more and more and if Tesla would allow them to do warranty work, then they'd start to gouge Tesla for the warranty parts as well.

I suppose you are a taxist. Why don't you gang up with your buddies in Norway and the Netherlands?
Most of the 1000+ S models sold this year in the Netherlands are destined for Schiphol, Randstad taxi services. Gang up, make your choice of simplified internal packaging (see Mersedes E,C taxi variants) and push Tesla.
Many are much more than one.

Tesla has extreme shortage in service manpower in Europe. There are literally no applicants, and for whatever reason Tesla doesn't grow their own. No interactions with trade schools. Nothing.
They have serious shortage in suppliers. Most importantly they somehow missed the whole point of servicing and still buy most of the "parts" in packages. It means that any casual repair will cost or too much money or too much time.
Big valuable customer can change all this much easier. Grow big and push them.

 

[neroden]

Tesla has extreme shortage in service manpower in Europe. There are literally no applicants, and for whatever reason Tesla doesn't grow their own. No interactions with trade schools. Nothing.

US/Euro difference. They're not used to the pipeline to work which is used in Europe. :-(

They should learn that.