Excellence in Execution
I have posted else where about my Tesla service experience, but I feel it is also relevant to the Investor forum.
I have been an investor for longer then I have been an owner. [Most of my stock cost me $25-$32/share.]
One of the concerns of any long term investor is can the company continue to execute a very ambitious business plan or is it building a "house of cards" that will come tumbling down any day. Having started a half dozen companies in my life including one which grew to 200+ employees and $24M sales, I know first hand that the "devil is in the details" and that if competent execution does not follow a great strategic plan, an investor is bound to experience an unpleasant outcome.
I continue to be amazed and delighted by Tesla’s execution. At every opportunity to interact with Tesla staff regarding day-to-day matters, I increase my opinion of the company and its management.
I was the first to own a Model S in Spokane, WA which is 4 hour drive of 275 miles to cross the state of Washington from the Tesla Bellevue Service Center. I bought the deluxe service plan for unlimited Ranger visits to my home with some mis-givings about how, in practice, this was going to really work. I imagined that I would probably have to "twist some arms" to get the Rangers out here and that I should probably expect not the best of turn-around times. Wow! I could not have been more wrong. The Service Center treats me like I am their only customer and my home is just around the block from the Service Center. I have had 4 visits by the Ranger’s this year, one was on a SAME DAY an issue came up. The first two were repairs/upgrades done in my drive-way, and the 3 & 4 visits were to pickup and drop off my car so it could be serviced at the Bellevue Service Center. I was given a "brand new" P60 loaner vehicle for the term of my car’s service in Bellevue.
I have gone from a skeptical expectation that I would have to be a "squeaky wheel" to get my minimum service needs met to
ABSOLUTE DELIGHT at how responsive the Service department has actually delivered my service.
Today I received the "follow up" eMail from the Service Manager (I had already received a follow-up eMail from the Service Concierge!) and this was my response:
I am delighted with Tesla Service. Every staff member I have met has been exemplary.
What probably impresses me most is not the quality of the work requested (which is excellent), but the going "above and beyond" the "call of duty" to uncover and repair defects that I was unaware of. My most recent service order had 18 items ONLY 6 of them I had specifically requested! Door handles were replaced because of corrosion or marginal operation. My driver's seat was replaced because of an intermittent seat belt warning indicator.
Many other unseen small engineering improvements were implemented. The result of which I feel like I have a new car again. The willingness of Tesla to be pro-active and upgrade the older (2012) cars to the new standards whenever feasible and cost effective demonstrates their long term commitment to their customers' on-going and continued delight with the company and its products.
The little things like leaving extra fob batteries in the cup holder for the fob not present with the car demonstrate an attention to detail that reassures the customer that their "user experience" after sale remains a high priority. Especially in this era of "sell 'em then forget 'em" that many (most) large multinational companies seem to follow, Tesla stands out as a beacon of excellence that sets a new floor for acceptable customer post sale relationships.
I continue to "talk up" my Model S and my Tesla experience with anyone who will listen. Just yesterday I gave a test drive to a prospect who was aware of the brand but had not experienced one first hand. I would expect this should generate a sale within the next 12 months.
What else can I say but, "Keep up the good work!".
someone mentioned the parking breaks locking hard on his Model S on some thread and I contributed that when I paked my car two weeks ago for four days and then moved it the first time there too was a loud crack when the parking break broke free. So today I suddenly got a call from Tesla Copenhagen Service that they had heard that I had had an issue with my parking break locking after 4 days of standing and if everything was fine or they could do something. 
