Tesla sales experience going downhill?

[Sir Guacamolaf]

Recently, I was at the local Tesla store. To my chagrin, the employees were behaving like used car salesmen.

They kept pushing brochures on me. I told them I just bought a Tesla, so not looking to buy another. To which he said "Yeah but it looks good for us if we get you on a mailing list". Really!? I had a friend with me who owns a Mercedes, and he said a few times clearly that he is not looking to buy - and yet they kept pestering him. I bragged about "The tesla sales experience" to him, and .. well .. the employees at the store proved me wrong!

I asked them some questions about the X. And they gave me incorrect answers. Basically cooked stuff up on the spot and gave me incorrect information. And then started pestering me for an X drive + when am I ready to buy. Basically like pushy car salesmen.

Plus the referral program has turned the most civilized Tesla owners into a fight over getting referrals.

And this experience Really bad experience with sales rep - Tesla Rocklin • /r/teslamotors

Am I reading this wrong, or really we do see a change?

 

[Camera-Cruiser]

Yeah, they seem to be doing this more. I don't like that they are asking customers to help them out. Sorry, I am not there for you, but you for me. Of course this means that management is really laying on these people to generate leads, otherwise they wouldn't do it.

 

[msnow]

Recently, I was at the local Tesla store. To my chagrin, the employees were behaving like used car salesmen.

They kept pushing brochures on me. I told them I just bought a Tesla, so not looking to buy another. To which he said "Yeah but it looks good for us if we get you on a mailing list". Really!? I had a friend with me who owns a Mercedes, and he said a few times clearly that he is not looking to buy - and yet they kept pestering him. I bragged about "The tesla sales experience" to him, and .. well .. the employees at the store proved me wrong!

I asked them some questions about the X. And they gave me incorrect answers. Basically cooked stuff up on the spot and gave me incorrect information. And then started pestering me for an X drive + when am I ready to buy. Basically like pushy car salesmen.

Plus the referral program has turned the most civilized Tesla owners into a fight over getting referrals.

And this experience Really bad experience with sales rep - Tesla Rocklin • /r/teslamotors

Am I reading this wrong, or really we do see a change?

Yeah, there's a fine line between being helpful and annoyingly enthusiastic.

 

[calisnow]

This is not a good omen in terms of demand. I will say this - I think Tesla has done a masterful job of making the press believe they have production issues when in fact I am starting to think they also have demand issues.

I gotta be honest, the car is now going into its sixth year of production as of Jan 2017 and it would be really nice to see some new options (I don't even care if they are big dollar option packages):

1 - Upgraded seating choices along the lines of high end Benz and BMW

2 - Handling sport suspension packages (ie bring back the old P85+ suspension). Having gotten bolder in pushing some limits I now realize that my old 2004 E55 Benz in fact did have a more solid ride at very high freeway cruising speeds than my 70D does.

3 - Noise suppression packages - Benz now offers this on the E-class as an added-cost option - additional sound insulation and some kind of laminate material on the windows.

 

[GoTslaGo]

Was just in the store/service center today and earlier last week. Both times the sales side was packed with people looking. Plenty of customers, and the sales staff were plenty busy (finishing test drives and helping customers with questions and orders). Left my family alone to "browse" (actually play) with the X and refreshed S to our hearts content. We weren't ready to test drive the X yet. Service side was empty.

 

[csshih]

I was at the Tesla Rocklin supercharger about a month ago, charging on a trip. The gf and I just walked in, grabbed a drink, and started reading the (old) magazines. Come to think of it, I don't believe any of the employees acknowledged us.
Wasn't really any need, though.

 

[privater]

I've been there two weeks ago, it's crowded with people went to TMC and Gigafactory opening, I went for a water didn't notice anything different.
However, I tend to believe such event might be analyse case by case, I can't imagine a knowledgeable and polite representative turns to totally opposite by a "recent policy change".
At least in my own case, the experience of test drive and conversation with my representative made a big difference when I was sway between different brands.

 

[schonelucht]

Recently, I was at the local Tesla store. To my chagrin, the employees were behaving like used car salesmen.

There have been some grumblings about this on the Dutch language part of this board as well with respect to local stores over there. The store experience seems to be slowly changing and if it's universal that would suggest due to pressure from above.

 

[Neohippy]

I recently finally scheduled a test drive for a MS here in Florida. The gentlemen that helped me was more then helpful and no pressure at all. They also had the MX which I wanted to look at and he encouraged me to drive that also. Once we were done he took me inside and showed me the entire website and CPO cars. It was a excellent experience. I had put down a deposit on the M3 the day it was announced and told him I was considering a CPO MS and still no pressure. I am a bit concerned with all the quality issues I read about. I have owned Japanese cars most of my life that are very reliable. After driving the MS it was the most amazing car I had been in. I hope I have a good experience once I become a owner. Reading about 6 drive units being replaced and a/c issues concern me.

 

[iffatall]

... Service side was empty.

That's a first...

May be because there is no sale really...

 

[cronosx]

A month ago i went for a test-drive in italy, no pressure at all.

 

[Dan43]

Recent experience with test drive at Birmingham, UK and they couldn't have been more welcoming, patient and with my co-pilot, a fan and knowledgeable too.
Even discussed sustainability and carbon footprints with the sales rep, who was very young and enthusiastic.

My experience appears to be the polar opposite of yours, chilled, no pressure, respectful and also got a Tesla mug for coming in and testing the car. Excellent and not anywhere near the usual from a dealer.

 

[Rmsosu]

Had a great experience at the Tesla store in Columbus. Wonderful test drive and no pressure. Eventually ordered an S.

 

[Camera-Cruiser]

I'll, clarify a bit. I have never had a Tesla advisor be anything but nice while in a store, but hey have been very upfront about wanting email and contact info when visiting the stores lately and telling me it looks good for them by collecting more of it. In essence they are telling me that I am a customer interaction metric for their boss since their performance is measured.

Even after I explain that I have a Tesla, they still want it since they get to quantify that they got an email and contact info for their boss. They have become afraid of low customer interaction scores, it's painfully obvious.

 

[cronosx]

Maybe only in this particular store.. they didn't ask my e-mail, neither to my brother who was here with me and waiting for me for about 15min ( i got lost finding it.. )

 

[Krugerrand]

It's a big company now, spread around the globe, and continuing to expand fast. There have always been differences noted at various locations. To suggest that a bad/unhappy experience at a store here or there means that the whole thing is going for a loop makes no sense. Sometimes bad people get hired. Sometimes those bad hires are in managing positions. And sometimes customers simply misinterpret what's going on or are just bad customers/don't know how to effectively communicate with others/expect unrealistic treatment etc...

And certainly if you're truly concerned with the direction a particular Tesla store is going in, then you can let it be known higher up the ladder. I'm quite sure Tesla would appreciate knowing that the manager of a particular store is allowing unTeslalike behavior to perpetuate.

I've been in several different Tesla stores/galleries and have never had a bad experience, which doesn't mean that others haven't. Just means I'm not seeing any suggestion that Tesla is becoming like a dealership.

 

[Cnasty]

Must be specific stores or maybe mindsets based on location but the ones in Texas have been an absolute joy to visit. They sit back and answer questions when approached and do not come up on you asking anything at all besides 'Let me know if you have any questions and I will be glad to help".

The stores are always packed when I go, mostly weekends, and the experience hasn't changed one bit in the year or so.

 

[Dan43]

I think you also get a person who gets a little too into the moment/idea of what they are doing.

I take the OPs point as I have been to many an ICE dealer and just had a very bad time, others have been ok one or two just excellent.

My experience of three UK Tesla dealers has been uniformly excellent so far, albeit perhaps a little low on deeper knowledge you find on forums, but always willing and having a good overall attitude and approach.

To be fair mind we are probably a bit new here to the experience, US based dealerships will be much broader in time served and knowledge gained and may already be picking up old dealer habits, I hope not.

Wonder if Tesla dealers are hiring experienced sales staff from ICE dealers who have old habits ingrained for those tactics???

 

[Max*]

I dunno, I never sensed any of the above, though it's been a while since I've went to a Tesla store.

Last time I walked by wanting to check out the Model X, told them that i just want to check it out and they left me alone.

And form the reddit comments, IIRC first time I came for a test drive I was probably wearing old jeans/t-shirt/sneakers. No one batted an eye, or asked for my income.
Next time I came for a test drive, I was wearing pants and a shirt (after work), and the same sales person told me "you look different" or something like that, and I laughed, and said last time I was doing housework (or something, can't remember, it was a year+ ago).
I sure hope it's a one-off, and not a change in mentality at Tesla.

 

[RedP85+]

I visit the Tesla stores in my travels. I have been to stores in Montreal, Toronto, London, Chicago, Fort Worth and Nashville. Always had a great experience. Went in and talked for quite a while with the staff. They all love the company and see the big picture.

Been to a dealer once to buy a car and vowed to never return. I asked 7 times what the car cost and 7 times was not given the number. It takes a certain type of person to be able to avoid answering a direct question 7 times and I can do without that type of person in my life.