Haven't we discussed this to death already on the other threads?
If Tesla rolls this out as a new option (like the D) then they don't need to do anything in my opinion.
If they roll it out so that the baseline changes, then they should announce changes in advance of people starting to get upgraded vehicles so that people can choose to decline delivery or change their orders. If they want to roll something into the baseline they should probably add it as an option, require people that want to modify the order to give up their deposit and pay for the option (on top of having their delivery delayed), thus giving people a disincentive to change existing orders. Once the pipeline gets flushed of old orders from before the new option, then roll it into baseline.
There really hasn't been much in the way of complaints about price drops. I don't see anyone complaining about paying for fog lights and the Tech Package and then seeing them rolled into the Tech Package. I don't see anyone complaining about the HPWC price drop. I don't see anyone complaining about the wheel price drop happening. Everyone understands that price drops will happen.
That said, I don't really see anything good coming out of this thread. I'm sure there will be plenty of people coming along to say why the above can't be done. I have no idea what can be done, but I think the above scenario would reduce customer disappointment.
Excellent post. Tesla handled the D part of the announcement just fine. What they missed and what caused most customer irritation for those getting cars around the cut-off date was making AutoPilot standard on some cars and not on others. That is the area where, in my opinion, Tesla should improve. D roll-out was fine, A roll-out was not as fine.
From the D roll-out, we also get one suggestion to the 110 kW battery concept and any other very significant option changes - pre-announce it way in advance, just like they did with AWD. Those people who really wanted an AWD Tesla, knew it was coming for sure, even before the D. Those who really wanted it, could wait. If 110 kW is in the pipeline, let people know early in advance so they can wait if it matters a lot. If you do this right, it won't Osbourne an interesting product any more than pre-announcing AWD for Model S killed any real number of Model S sales. There is a balance to be struck that minimizes Osbourning (and leaking out secrets) and maximizes customer satisfaction potential.
So, two things in my opinion:
1) When you are about to introduce something really significant, try to let people know enough about it in advance to see if they want to wait for it. Find a balance that minimizes both Osbourning and disgruntled customers. Pre-announcing AWD Tesla is a fairly successful example in my opinion. It was early and vague enough not to Osbourne Model S sales, but enough so that if you really wanted AWD, you could wait for it and many did.
2) When rolling out major new features or major standard features, do your utmost to those potentially affected by near cut-off deliveries. Offer (at least on request) info/discounts/refusal options/order change options, some extra perks or something. The customer is at their most vulnerable near the delivery, so try to make things good for these people as well as possible. Product planning may not always allow optimal solutions in the product manufacturing itself, but customer service can do a lot of things that can help.
As for applied to the 110 kW battery:
1) If 110 kW battery is coming, why not do a quick blog about the development of said battery. Say it will eventually (or probably, if you can't be sure) come to Model S and X. Those who really must have it, can wait and have the info and the option to do so. Those who don't want to wait, won't really wait because of such vague info - especially if you don't go out and blurb it will be standard or something like that.
2) Don't make 110 kW battery standard on some 85 kW cars and not on others on some arbitrary date. But if you must eventually make it standard, at least offer info/discounts/refusal options/order change options to buyers near the affected date. Better yet, make it a cost-option first and standard only sufficiently later, as breser suggested, so that it stings less. Those who paid for the option near making it standard, could be discounted so that those taking delivery on or after the change date will get a full discount for the option and others who paid for it previously could get some perk too for some period of time.
Time heals. Thus in my opinion offer, consider and use time as a transition tool when making product changes that might some displease customers. Of course this won't please all, but there is a balance to be struck that will please as many as possible. The customer is at their most vulnerable during their order wait and near the delivery date. Fix these and you will have fixed most, in my view. The customer with a six months old car can't be helped (except in rare cases where retrofits can be offered, always good of course when possible), but luckily you won't have to - those waiting for delivery or just getting delivery are the one's to fix. The guy with the six month car already got their great delivery experience. Besides, even that guy with a six month old car benefited from knowing generally what stuff was in the pipeline - say, he knew AWD or 110 kW was coming, but chose not to wait for it. It is easier to live with a decision made in good knowledge than without information.
