Scheduling Service Watertown and Dedham Online is a Mess

[RDoc]

Our S recently developed the rattling on acceleration problem which seems to be a damaged half shaft so I made an appointment to get it fixed and found out some stuff on service appointments.

Using the online scheduler, Watertown only had open slots the week of Christmas when we are away and none for the entire month of January. Dedham's first available appointment was shown as Jan 14.

I didn't believe this, so I called the service number and after waiting about 20 minutes got a Dedham appointment for Jan 3.

I also found out that the on line service slots are whatever the SC puts up themselves, it's not an integrated scheduler such as hotels use. Watertown apparently doesn't put any slots up further than 2 weeks out, so, if like us, you're away, you're also SOL. They actually did have unlisted appointments for the previous week, available only if you call, but we're away then.

Dedham had put up some slots for January, but the first one on line was Jan 14. However, if you call (and wait) there are actually slots starting Jan 2.

So bottom line is that Tesla wants you to schedule service on line, which makes total sense. However, they also don't show anywhere near all the open slots on line, or indeed, in some cases, any open slots at all. So actually, unless you call and pay the phone waiting inconvenience tax, you can't get the early appointments.

IMHO this is ridiculous, an almost laughable example of user snide service worthy of a Dilbert strip.

 

[Aieukl378]

As you discovered, the online scheduler is a work in progress(or a hazing ritual for newbies lol). Easiest way to schedule service is hit 2 for service then hit 2 again to connect directly to Dedham.

 

[Warbird]

I have used the Watertown SC for 1.3 years. They are very responsive, always schedule at convenient times, and have Tesla loaners (provided you schedule in the early AM). I have timely direct ongoing dialogs with both the schedulers and the folks that actually do the work. Up until recently, one could just call them directly. Now calls end up at the national call center, but can be redirected back to Watertown if needed (albeit with a wait). Since that phone bridge change, email still works fine. Tesla is a startup, trying to do the best they can. Expecting any one scheduling system they try, to work perfectly, is only going to lead to disappointment. Beware of the ICE dealer mentality that lurks in us all still.

 

[Driver Dave]

Online scheduler, calling, whichever works is fine by me.

I'm just happy to not have Ira or Herb Chambers ripping me off every step of the way.

 

[RDoc]

<snip>Beware of the ICE dealer mentality that lurks in us all still.

I think it's not so much that the cars are ICE based that makes the service experience so much better, it's more that they don't have monopolies.

 

[Aieukl378]

I think it's not so much that the cars are ICE based that makes the service experience so much better, it's more that they don't have monopolies.

Wait until Tesla has a few quarters of profitability and has chance to mature(years not months). They can't afford to throw money at every single hiccup in the system at this point. With that said, I'm on my 3rd Tesla and have personally experienced great service from Dedham(though I would recommend avoiding them this month with the end of year push).

 

[tliving]

I have used the Watertown SC for 1.3 years. They are very responsive, always schedule at convenient times, and have Tesla loaners (provided you schedule in the early AM). I have timely direct ongoing dialogs with both the schedulers and the folks that actually do the work. Up until recently, one could just call them directly. Now calls end up at the national call center, but can be redirected back to Watertown if needed (albeit with a wait). Since that phone bridge change, email still works fine. Tesla is a startup, trying to do the best they can. Expecting any one scheduling system they try, to work perfectly, is only going to lead to disappointment. Beware of the ICE dealer mentality that lurks in us all still.

Watertown stopped responding to emails for me. So did Dedham. The call wait times are crazy. I scheduled with Dedham and got an apt 3 weeks out. It went in Monday and they haven't gotten to it yet. Even though I got a spot, they had no availability to work on it at that time.

Fortunately, I have a Model S loaner but the system has definitely degraded. I'm sure they'll recover but, in the meantime, plan to be patient.

 

[yousexy]

Watertown stopped responding to my last 2 E-mails regarding some concern of the car. I decided to ignore the problem until it really starts to annoy me.

 

[EdA]

FWIW: I had 3 emails back and forth with Watertown just yesterday, all about an administrative issue.

 

[tga]

I've had good email response from Watertown, as recently as mid-Nov. Having said that, I wouldn't expect quick response during any end-of-quarter push. It'll be worse in Q4. And a nightmare Q418, given the phaseout of the tax credit.

 

[RDoc]

The problem I'm addressing isn't that they don't have enough service slots, although that is a problem.

The issue is that their scheduling software is a mess. How does it save Tesla money to screw up people scheduling their own service on-line, forcing them to call and tie up a human representative? All the work-arounds here are just ways to game the on-line system to get to a Tesla employee. Wouldn't it be cheaper to just have all the slots on-line, possibly with a few left open for emergencies? It's not like on-line reservation systems are cutting edge software.

It's also not a zero sum game. Just making it inconvenient for customers doesn't help Tesla's bottom line.

For that matter, what happens to all the service slots that don't get filled because they aren't listed? Perhaps the goal is actually to free up service people for other tasks.

 

[RDoc]

I've had good email response from Watertown, as recently as mid-Nov. Having said that, I wouldn't expect quick response during any end-of-quarter push. It'll be worse in Q4. And a nightmare Q418, given the phaseout of the tax credit.

This is Q4 2018. In fact, it's the end of Q4.

January is after the tax credit expire and Dedham doesn't have about half of their January slots online. Watertown has none.

 

[David29]

My car had a steering failure yesterday, so it was brought to Dedham by flatbed this morning. (Why it did not get there yesterday is a whole other story.) They gave me a loaner, everyone was nice, and I am content for the moment.

But, in what is perhaps a sign of the stress or chaos at the Dedham SC, there were no snacks or drinks available, for the first time in my 3-1/2 years of visiting that site. No bottles of water or juice, no paper cups for the Keurig machine or the water cooler, no granola bars, etc. Good thing that both Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks are only steps away. (Not to mention the Fifties Diner.) I just hope they don't run out of toilet paper....!

 

[tga]

This is Q4 2018. In fact, it's the end of Q4.

January is after the tax credit expire and Dedham doesn't have about half of their January slots online. Watertown has none.

My point was stay away from Tesla until January, unless the car is undriveable. You have to expect it to be a madhouse. They don't want to spend techs' time working on non-critical customer problems (squeaky seats, annual service). Much better to have the techs prep cars for delivery. Delivery is the priority now.

Having said all that, a month ago the online system gave me a service appointment in Watertown for < 1 week out.

 

[yousexy]

FWIW: I had 3 emails back and forth with Watertown just yesterday, all about an administrative issue.

I used to be able to get a response from watertown_service at tesla dot com address. not a single peep on my last 2 E-mails regarding the door handle retracts before the door can be opened. Different e-mail address has better luck?

I didn't want to make an appointment only to find out they can't reproduce the problem. waste time on both sides.

 

[EdA]

My car had a steering failure yesterday, so it was brought to Dedham by flatbed this morning. (Why it did not get there yesterday is a whole other story.) They gave me a loaner, everyone was nice, and I am content for the moment.

But, in what is perhaps a sign of the stress or chaos at the Dedham SC, there were no snacks or drinks available, for the first time in my 3-1/2 years of visiting that site. No bottles of water or juice, no paper cups for the Keurig machine or the water cooler, no granola bars, etc. Good thing that both Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks are only steps away. (Not to mention the Fifties Diner.) I just hope they don't run out of toilet paper....!

That was the stress of all the deliveries. I was there about 6 hours yesterday and at some point the snacks ran out. After a point they stopped refilling them.

 

[tga]

My point was stay away from Tesla until January, unless the car is undriveable. You have to expect it to be a madhouse. They don't want to spend techs' time working on non-critical customer problems (squeaky seats, annual service). Much better to have the techs prep cars for delivery. Delivery is the priority now.

Having said all that, a month ago the online system gave me a service appointment in Watertown for < 1 week out.

Feh. Now I have to follow my own advice. One of the door handles stopped presenting yesterday.

 

[yousexy]

@tga, that's a good thing right? Better to have the door handle fail within the warranty. It's kinda sad. I wish all my door handles fail sooner than later.

 

[tga]

@tga, that's a good thing right? Better to have the door handle fail within the warranty. It's kinda sad. I wish all my door handles fail sooner than later.

Probably, I guess. I remember reading that there was a newer design that was more reliable. My left front door handle died 10/2017 and was replaced under warranty (presumably with the newer one). They also replaced the failed LED in the left rear handle (invoice says replaced LED only, not entire handle)

Now my right front handle is dead. I have a loop of string tired around it to open the door from the outside. I also noticed the left rear LED is out again. Plus one of the LED's in the charge port is dying. I'll see if I can get a ranger up here for these.

 

[carguy84]

@yousexy, we will be moving to Burlington in a month or so, do you go to Dedham or Watertown?