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Tesla bans Stewart Alsop from buying Model X

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Not to defend Alsop, but since when is "Elon Musk should be ashamed of himself" such a horrific thing to say, such fighting words?

I have to assume that Alsop said something far less poite on the phone, and that this one phrase isn't the, er, smoking gun.
 
Criticizing Tesla or stating an opinion about how they handled/mishandled something is now considered being "disrespectful" and grounds to get blacklisted by Tesla? Really? Consider again what you are suggesting, it's madness. Musk is the CEO, how is he not ultimately responsible for what happens at Tesla at this level - especially at his own launch event? I wasn't there, I'm not buying a Model X, but anyone who watched the launch event would have to be blind not to see that it was poorly handled. Musk is the only visible person at Tesla with any accountability, so he is the one to be held accountable.

There was a phone call in between the blog post and dropping of the order. Now, how does one get Elon Musk on the phone? There must be something more to this.
 
There was a phone call in between the blog post and dropping of the order. Now, how does one get Elon Musk on the phone? There must be something more to this.

I agree with you on this. I would hate to think that my bitching and moaning about Tesla is going to get me banned or somehow negatively impact my sales or service experience. Fear is a terrible thing.
 
Not to defend Alsop, but since when is "Elon Musk should be ashamed of himself" such a horrific thing to say, such fighting words?
Well, since when I've ruled the world, to answer your question, as I previously posted.

More prosaically, to answer another question, what we think we know​ is that Tesla Motors/Mr Musk phoned Alsop, not the other way around.
 
I agree with you on this. I would hate to think that my bitching and moaning about Tesla is going to get me banned or somehow negatively impact my sales or service experience. Fear is a terrible thing.

Sure...

But I can't imagine many scenarios, as just a disgrunted customer, reservation holder or event attendee, that I'm actually escalated to talking directly with Mr. Musk. I'm thinking something extraordinary must have happened for Mr. Musk to have to be on the phone with Mr. Alsop.
 
@AmpedRealtor
Criticising Tesla? I disagree with the language this guy used to criticize Tesla. Criticism can be civil, polite. This guy was extremely disrespectful towards Elon. A lot of people criticize Tesla, but their language is polite and its a pleasure to have discussion with them even when I disagree with them. But using this kind of language makes hard to have a conversation. No one likes to be insulted. Well done Elon!
 
I have been one of the most positive and upbeat fans of Tesla for the last three years to the point of being called a fanboy. However, it's hard not to be sour on Tesla given how poorly they've performed in the last year combined with the fact that there appears to be zero attention being paid to improving core software experience, among other issues. In 2013 I wanted all of my friends and family to buy Teslas. Today, I tell people to wait because I don't see Tesla doing anything to satisfy those who have certain expectations.

Really?? Maybe your expectations have raised. Or maybe you're a fanboy when everything goes right for you. I have been reading your negative slant on Tesla's reality quite a bit lately. Tesla has not changed. They are still understaffed, trying to get out product, working on many different fronts (and then working on the inevitable fixes), and doing it superbly with where they are.

People expect Tesla to work on *their* concern, which in your case seems to be software today. Maybe they are working on getting Powerwalls out, and doing more on the Gigafactory. Maybe they are building out another hundred superchargers. Maybe they are trying to ramp Model X. Maybe they are testing new battery formats and packs. Maybe they are hiring new people, and having to train them, because some others that worked for them didn't like the hours of overtime. Maybe they are opening up new stores and service centers. I know they are working trying to improve their spare parts system. Maybe they should just build the S and let the rest go until they "make money".

I'd say, "give them a break". You can't compare Tesla to anyone else.

Call me a fanboy. Or a realist. But I can't throw rocks at what they are trying to do. I don't see the purpose. Tell your friends there are problems, tell them they are being fixed, tell them it's a slow process, but tell them that the way Tesla is NOW is far better than anything else out there.
 
Events should generally start on time. That said, we don't know why it started late. Was Elon just late arriving and getting prepared? Might have been a good reason for it, and while it might help if they explained it, they aren't really obligated to. Personally, I'm willing to cut him a lot of slack. He works his ass off trying to improve our world for the good of all mankind, while so many others are sitting back complaining to Elon that they didn't get a free drink at the bar.

The right move would have been to politely address the situation and argue why they need to try to get the events started on time, and then he probably would have taken it under advisement. But starting off by saying you are ashamed of someone who probably works 10 times harder than you because they were late to an event...well, you shouldn't be surprised if he doesn't give you the time of day after that.
 
My take is that the original letter is written in an attention grabbing manner. Perhaps there were issues with the event, but an open letter to a CEO is not a professional way to address it. The letter comes across to me as bombastic, self centered and it lacks civil tone.


As some posters noted, a private communication regarding any complaint is more adequate and more adult way to seek resolution. It also has more chance of success.

Are people really arguing that you're not allowed to criticize Tesla in public? That's absurd!

The problem here wasn't that first post. Nothing in there was "unprofessional", since criticism is a founding principle of both our nation, our media culture, and our basic interaction with the companies that provide our goods and services. There was nothing untoward about criticizing the reveal event, even if it was unwarranted (and by all indications it was).

The problem here was obviously the conversation the two had together after that piece ran. I roam the startup scene in Silicon Valley, and Alsop is known as a Grade-A Asshat, entitled with an American-nobility vibe (with his famous father, and the grand-nephew of Theodore Roosevelt). I've never met him, so I can't confirm or deny, but that's his reputation from those that have dealt with him. So two big egos got on the phone, and the one holding the car keys eventually said "Screw this, you ain't driving my car." Something happened and was said between the phone being dialed and it being hung up. Alsop sure didn't enlighten us on what that might've been, and Musk has no reason to ever bother doing so.

So in the end, we won't know the exact details. But I can pretty much guarantee that a critical blog post wasn't the cause. Others have said worse without any problems.
 
...I'm thinking something extraordinary must have happened for Mr. Musk to have to be on the phone with Mr. Alsop.
^^This. While Alsop was pretty much a dick with his blog, I highly suspect Musk's motives were more inspired than this one event, even if it was somewhat offensive on its own. The only other time I heard of this was that one guy who kept on threatening to sue for no productive reason except that he was not satisfied in as timely a manner as he wanted. That situation was particularly egregious and well-deserved. My guess is that there are probably plenty of others out there that were banned that we at TMC never hear about. I have certainly fired enough patients from my practice for similar behavior.
 
There was a phone call in between the blog post and dropping of the order. Now, how does one get Elon Musk on the phone?

By running in the same circles as Musk. Alsop is a high-powered VC in Silicon Valley (TwitchTV among other investments). It's not that big of a community. If they didn't already know each other, there was likely just 1-2 degrees of separation.
 
The Stewart Alsop PR fiasco - What was Elon Musk thinking ?

I am scratching my head ....how is this possible ? How can a guy like Elon who is so rational, objective and talks about first principles etc. be so silly ?

Surely, since this VC guy has money, so he could :

1. Have his wife, daughter, significant other or someone in his family buy it for him under their name ? And then later, after titling it with the department of motor vehicles, add his name on the title ?

2. Another VC friend of his could buy it and gift it to him ( since these guys all have big bucks ).

3. Stewart could buy one from someone else in our Free Market ?

Surely ( I'm sure Elon Musk's brain knows it ), all of Tesla management knows this ?? Did they ALL not have the guts or courage to tell Elon about all of the above options available to someone with $ and desire to own an X.

What exactly is the point of Elon Musk 's decision and actions IF he ( Elon ) is simply unable to achieve the end result ...which was to deny Stewart Alsop an X.

Basically, it's impossible in a free market !

So, what in the world was Elon Musk thinking ? So, the question is the rationality of Elon Musk !!!!

I love Elon, and would go the ends of the earth to defend him, but rationality and logic must prevail Elon !
 
Now that Elon has presented his side of the story, via tweet (the customer was "super rude"), I think Elon looks extremely petty. Perhaps there is more to the story. But now that Elon has decided to respond, it's on him to justify his stance, and he has thus far failed to do so.
 
Ever look at the Twitter responses to Elon? If he really was going to ban people for being rude, it would be a very long list. I still don't think this was the right move from a PR standpoint, but I don't pretend to know everything about it.
I disagree. Tesla can only ban people who are doing business with it. Those people on twitter can whatever they like, Tesla doesn't have to deal with them. Even people cross lines of civility while criticising Tesla on this and official forum. But when someone is insulting to an employee of Tesla or CEO, that customer is best avoided.
 
Now that Elon has presented his side of the story, via tweet (the customer was "super rude"), I think Elon looks extremely petty. Perhaps there is more to the story. But now that Elon has decided to respond, it's on him to justify his stance, and he has thus far failed to do so.

Err, I don't think Elon has to justify anything. He's not going to explain exactly what caused the cancellation, or the exact words this schmuck used on the phone with him.

How is deciding not to do business with someone that is "super rude" need a justification, outside of the obvious?
 
I think it's rather silly to think Elon doesn't realize Alsop can buy a Model X. He won't be able to use this reservation so he will have to get back in line with a new reservation or find somebody who will sell him their Model X.

The point I assume (and I can only assume) is to get on Alsop's nerve and I get the impression he did. So if that was the intention, well played Elon.

Alsop has a reputation of being a pompous, arrogant douche bag and except for Elon's twitter message we only know Alsop's side of the story. I suspect there is more to the story that we don't know. I, for one, will give Elon the benefit of the doubt over a character like Alsop.