Tesla Referral Program

[rcsting]

Just checking: but did they all become deliveries? cancellations don't count of course

Yes all 3 delivered and my own Model 3 self referral is the one now missing. Should be a simple fix from Tesla but still haven’t heard from them.

 

[SeminoleFSU]

I have had two friends take deliveries of Model 3's after using my referral code in the past 60 days. Neither me nor the two different buyers have seen the referrals show up on our accounts. I have emailed multiple times to both [email protected] and [email protected].. I only get general automated replies, "
Thank you for contacting Tesla about its Referral Program. We have received your inquiry and will respond in the order it was received. We appreciate your patience while we work to fulfill your referral awards. Thank you for accelerating the world’s transition to sustainable energy."

First email I sent May 23rd... 2nd email I sent June 4th. 3rd email June 6th. Nothing but that automated reply. My two friends who have ordered have followed up with Tesla too, and both are getting pretty vague answers.. One was told there is a problem with the referral program and they're "working on a solution" and the newest buyer got a "we'll look into it" and of course no one ever got back to him.

Has anyone else ran into this? Is the referral program just for people with Pro-Tesla YouTube channels??? The wheels seem to be coming off this company more and more each day...

 

[Fiver]

First email I sent May 23rd... 2nd email I sent June 4th. 3rd email June 6th. Nothing but that automated reply.

You must be new to the world of sending emails about this to Tesla. I went back and looked at all the referral question emails that I've ever sent, and how long it took to get a response. Most of the time I already had an answer from somewhere else or had forgotten that I had even sent the email in the first place by the time they responded... Anyway, here's the sent/response list:

My email sent: July 17, 2017. First response from Referral people (Beyond automated email saying "we got your email"): Sept 8th, 2017.
My second mail: June 28th, 2018. Response from Tesla : August 15th, 2018.
My third email (different topic then 2nd email): Sent July 23rd, 2018. Response to this email received Aug 23rd, 2018.
4th email sent Feb 24th, 2019. Got a response from Tesla on March 7th, (new record!)
5th Email sent April 2nd, got a response April 18th.


So basically the minimum time to get back to you, and it is improving, is about 2 weeks. On average though it takes 4-6 weeks to get a response. You sent your first email only 3 weeks ago, so just be patient.


I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS A GOOD THING, but it's the way things are. In a perfect world they would get back to us in under a week. But we don't live in a perfect world.

 

[SeminoleFSU]

You must be new to the world of sending emails about this to Tesla. I went back and looked at all the referral question emails that I've ever sent, and how long it took to get a response. Most of the time I already had an answer from somewhere else or had forgotten that I had even sent the email in the first place by the time they responded... Anyway, here's the sent/response list:

My email sent: July 17, 2017. First response from Referral people (Beyond automated email saying "we got your email"): Sept 8th, 2017.
My second mail: June 28th, 2018. Response from Tesla : August 15th, 2018.
My third email (different topic then 2nd email): Sent July 23rd, 2018. Response to this email received Aug 23rd, 2018.
4th email sent Feb 24th, 2019. Got a response from Tesla on March 7th, (new record!)
5th Email sent April 2nd, got a response April 18th.


So basically the minimum time to get back to you, and it is improving, is about 2 weeks. On average though it takes 4-6 weeks to get a response. You sent your first email only 3 weeks ago, so just be patient.


I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS A GOOD THING, but it's the way things are. In a perfect world they would get back to us in under a week. But we don't live in a perfect world.

Thanks for the thoughtful and informative reply! At least I now know my situation isn't abnormal. I've dealt with their exceptionally poor communication in other scenarios but never around the referral program.
I suppose I'm chomping at the bit a lot because I had two other friends order Tesla's before these who "forgot" to use my referral code, and we were not able to add it after the order was placed (but before delivery)... so I made sure with these last two they used it properly, and despite that extra care neither referral is showing for me or them on Tesla.com or in the mobile app.

 

[Fiver]

Thanks for the thoughtful and informative reply! At least I now know my situation isn't abnormal. I've dealt with their exceptionally poor communication in other scenarios but never around the referral program.
I suppose I'm chomping at the bit a lot because I had two other friends order Tesla's before these who "forgot" to use my referral code, and we were not able to add it after the order was placed (but before delivery)... so I made sure with these last two they used it and it isn't showing we got credit for me or them on Tesla.com or in the mobile app.

From what I've gathered (and this might not be 100% accurate) the system they use to organize all this isn't very good. The list I made above was only partial. There are a few instances from early on where I've sent an email, didn't get a response, so I sent another email (about same topic), then gotten a response to the first email, and then weeks later gotten the same response to the second email. So I think they literally go through each email as if it was new, even if it was already covered in another.

So basically the system gets bogged down super easy by people sending the same question over and over when they don't get a response, and Tesla answers each one like it's a new email thread. Again, I'm not defending this, it's a poopy setup, but it seems to be the way it's being managed.

 

[patrick40363]

I had my 2 Powerwall awards installed on Tuesday. There is a production delay for the Founders Edition so I switched to the white version. They did a nice job. Net cost was $1400.

 

[Daniellane]

I emailed this question to the referral program and got an answer. Very cool! Question & Answer below:

Question:
From limitations stated on the website:

“Free Supercharger miles will apply to any vehicles on the same account, and will expire 6 months after the miles are added. Each additional referral will extend the expiration date by 6 months.”

I currently have 2 Teslas, a Model S with Free Unlimited Supercharging and a Model 3 with paid Supercharging. I understand that these miles apply on to my Model 3 at this time. My question is:
If I buy/add another Tesla to my account before these free miles expire, will they also apply to the new car added to my account?
I’m considering upgrading the Model S in the future.

Answer:
Hello,
You will be able to use your earned referral credits for any vehicles linked to your account, including a new purchase.

 

[Oziak]

Referral code for 1,500 km (1,000 miles) FREE supercharging credit for your new Model 3, S or X.

Ordering Model S or Model X before by June 30 from the inventory would receive FREE UNLIMITED Supercharging.

Free Supercharger Miles

 

[SD39]

 

[nasatech]

Sure is broken

Lasse Edvardsen on Twitter

 

[fcwilson]

Hi everyone,

Here is my referral: Free Supercharger Miles



Have a nice day.

 

[SeminoleFSU]

Team,
I'm looking for advice. As I stated earlier in the thread, I had two friends buy model 3's recently and neither referral is showing on my side or theirs. I've emailed Tesla numerous times asking for help on this, each time emailing both the [email protected] and [email protected].

May 23rd: first email
June 4th: 2nd Email
June 6th: 3rd Email
June 17th: 4th email
June 25th: 5th email

The only responses I've gotten have been automated from [email protected]. They are as follows:
Thank you for contacting Tesla about its Referral Program. We have received your inquiry and will respond in the order it was received. We appreciate your patience while we work to fulfill your referral awards. Thank you for accelerating the world’s transition to sustainable energy.

Please visit our Referral Program Support page for answers to many frequently asked questions.

Best regards,
The Tesla Team

Am I emailing the wrong email aliases or is Tesla just imploding internally right before our eyes? This seems like a very easy/quick thing for someone to investigate and answer for me. I've provided full names, order, and delivery dates for both of my referrals as well as my referral code in my inquiries. My friends are also not getting responses by contacting their sales advisers...

Thoughts??

 

[FlatSix911]

Team,
I'm looking for advice. As I stated earlier in the thread, I had two friends buy model 3's recently and neither referral is showing on my side or theirs. I've emailed Tesla numerous times asking for help on this, each time emailing both the [email protected] and [email protected].

May 23rd: first email
June 4th: 2nd Email
June 6th: 3rd Email
June 17th: 4th email
June 25th: 5th email

The only responses I've gotten have been automated from [email protected]. They are as follows:
Thank you for contacting Tesla about its Referral Program. We have received your inquiry and will respond in the order it was received. We appreciate your patience while we work to fulfill your referral awards. Thank you for accelerating the world’s transition to sustainable energy.

Please visit our Referral Program Support page for answers to many frequently asked questions.

Best regards,
The Tesla Team

Am I emailing the wrong email aliases or is Tesla just imploding internally right before our eyes? This seems like a very easy/quick thing for someone to investigate and answer for me. I've provided full names, order, and delivery dates for both of my referrals as well as my referral code in my inquiries. My friends are also not getting responses by contacting their sales advisers...

Thoughts??

Standard operating procedure for Tesla... they will just ignore you until you are exhausted and go away

 

[davezforce]

Just received delivery of my Model X last night. Feel free to use my referral.

Free Supercharger Miles

 

[neroden]

Am I emailing the wrong email aliases or is Tesla just imploding internally right before our eyes?

It's #2. Tesla's communications is a disaster. I am genuinely worried about how the company will survive this -- whether management even realizes the problem.

 

[wdolson]

It's #2. Tesla's communications is a disaster. I am genuinely worried about how the company will survive this -- whether management even realizes the problem.

Large organizations tend to channel the leader and Elon's life is about lurching from one crisis to the next, so his company does too. SpaceX doesn't because top management there works overtime to prevent the chaos, but Tesla doesn't have that sort of management team.

Elon needs to let go and allow some organizational managers deal with the dull parts of running a car company. They need to get the spare parts line running so damaged cars aren't piling up in body shops as well as replacement parts to do it yourself mechanics and third party repair shops, smooth out customer communication everywhere, and get cracking on training third party technicians to work on cars.

I've always been on the R&D side but I've worked with manufacturing and logistics types from time to time. The competent manufacturing people are often duller people to talk to than the R&D people, but they also excel at the mundane job of getting everything working smoothly.

 

[jeff_m3]

My Model 3 was just delivered. I can’t believe I now have my dream car. It’s surreal. What an amazing car!

Use this code to get 1,500 free Supercharger km on a new Tesla:
Free Supercharger Miles

Thanks!

 

[Geek190]

The referral program (or lack thereof) is ridiculous.
It used to be killer! - I see all kinds of signature chargers and arachnid wheel sets that people are selling from their referral credits.
I saw a youtube video from a guy in southern Utah who is getting a roadster from his 100th referral!
Good for you family guy! That's super awesome!

So far I have referred 1 person, who bought a model 3, but neither of us will get a thing.
They (Tesla's referral dept) told me that because he gave them my referral code after he put down his down payment (although before picking up and paying for the car) that we will both get nothing.

I sent a nice email (and so did my friend) asking if they might reconsider... He gave them the referral code before he picked up the car, and that it was really legitimate. He was in need of a new car and I had just showed him how fancy my new (to me) MS P85D was so he decided to buy a Tesla rather than another Range Rover. I pointed out that 1,000 miles of free supercharging should cost less than $100, and that I would essentially get nothing (lottery ticket to not win a roadster) and that between us we had just paid them $100k in 2 cars.

They politely told me where I could put that referral.
And I quote.....

"Thank you for contacting Tesla, I would be happy to look into this for you. In order to be eligible for referral awards, you must share out your personalized referral link and any friends or family must click the link and order directly through it. Looking at the order you mention, I do not see a referral code attached to it. Ordering through the referral link is the only way to receive credit for the referral. No referral benefits will be added after an order is placed. The Tesla Referral Program strives to provide a fair and equitable process for all owners, for this reason, we are not able to add your referral code to any orders retroactively."


I am completely blown away by their attitude.
So much so, that in the future I will tell anyone who asks that while I think they make a wonderful car, but God forbid you should ever have to deal with the company and their ever changing policies. I love the cars, but they are so horrible to deal with (as a whole - I have had very good interactions with some individual Tesla employees) that I don't think I'll recommend to anybody that they buy one.

As an aside.....
Make sure that if you tell someone that they are going to get free supercharger miles by using your referral code, be sure that they click the link and put down a down payment through the website. You may be tempted to believe that even though the person you convinced to buy a Tesla went to see Tesla in person to ask about, test drive and put down a payment on a car would still be eligible, but you would be wrong. Much like the process of buying CPO from Tesla.... It's their way or the highway. They are not allowed to be reasonable.

 

[SeminoleFSU]

Basically if you were a famous YouTube personality with a Tesla relates channel it would be fixed but for the rest of us, they're happy to see a first time customer turn into a last time customer. All over for what amounts to $100ish in electricity. Sounds like a recipe for success! /Sarc

 

[MP3Mike]

I am completely blown away by their attitude.

You didn't follow the rules of the referral program, why do you think they should make an exception for you? (Why bother having the rules at all?)