Delivery estimate chaos

Pruitt · Sep 17, 2014

My tentative delivery went from November 7th at 10 am to "Late November" overnight.

I sent this to my DS this morning:

=====

Hi Chris,

I noticed this morning that my delivery has changed from November 7, 10 am back to a very generic “Late November.”

I understand the vagaries of manufacturing – I’ve been building airplanes, spacecraft, etc. for 35 years. I know all about delivery delays and such. But, as is the case with customers in my field, this is becoming tiresome and very annoying.

If my delivery slips, I want to know why.
Going from a specific date / time to a generic “sometime in the month” is not acceptable, especially when the month has jumped around between late October to December.
Finding out about an apparent slip by going to a website to check status is also not acceptable. If the website can be updated, a system-generated e-mail that provides at the least a general explanation as to why can be sent to the purchaser.
Finally, I am spending $95,000 on this car. I really expect better quality communications from Tesla than “sucks.” Most of my e-mails have either gone unanswered or taken far too many days (and weeks) before a reply is forthcoming.

Maybe I’m just an overly-cranky customer, but I don’t think so. I’m spending an exceptional amount of money; I expect an exceptional “buyer’s experience” to go with it.

Please forward my comments to Tesla; from what I’ve read on line, I’m not the only buyer who is frustrated with the communication level from Tesla.

Thanks,"
=====

Is anyone else frustrated with the whole delivery dates thing? I don't mind waiting for the car (well, not too much anyway), but I DO mind being completely in the dark about what's going on. I confirmed on July 3; I got my VIN two weeks ago. At this point, I should have something better than "late November."

Am I expecting too much?

Vitaman · Sep 17, 2014

You are not expecting too much.
That being said, you are not alone with delivery dates changing suddenly with no stated reason.
My Delivery also went suddenly from a specific time and day in November to some time during the month of December.
The only explanation I received was that Tesla had been "overly optimistic". The unspoken message was that the Factory shutdown caused delays that were not anticipated.
I look at it this way: We are buying an extraordinary car. Tesla has a monopoly on it but has way better customer service than most monopolistic companies exhibit.
Other expensive cars that one has to order to get exactly the equipment one wants (BMW M5 and Cayenne Turbo S come to mind) take almost as long and have only marginally better delivery forecasts.
We are fortunate to have the funds and foresight to have ordered this car and the wait although annoying is a reasonable price to pay.

iadbound · Sep 17, 2014

One thing to keep in mind is that the DS does not necessarily know why a delivery date might have changed. That being said, your DS should at least respond in a timely manner. My DS has been spot on with communicating, even if he doesn't necessarily have all the information that we both might like to have. Finally, and it seems like Tesla makes an effort to provide information. I have the impression that when you order a car from other manufacturers there is far less communication, but I haven't tried it myself.

Krugerrand · Sep 17, 2014

You could have it the other way and have them tell you the day before you're expecting delivery that your car is delayed; here's the new date. :wink: You're getting all kinds of communication, it just happens to not be the kind you want.

Remember the following:

Tesla isn't just building your car. They are building thousands for customers all over the world. The logistics I suspect are a bit more involved than much lower volume aircraft and spacecraft. Not an excuse, simply the truth.
The person entering the new data (and your DS) may not have the exact information. You can't get blood from stone or information from people who don't have it -even if you waterboard them.
Lots of people like the fact that they can check a website (sometimes multiple times a day!) about the status of their car. Indeed, it seems you've been checking the website frequently enough. :wink:
You have the option at any time to cancel your order if you honestly feel you aren't being treated with the reverence you expect for the situation.

The person on the other end of your conversation is also a human being and therefore subject to feelings/emotions/reactions. Your approach is going to affect them more than you may be considering. It may also be that they've been pulled from their regular duties to do the usual end-of quarter-push. I've done customer service before, and I know lots of other people who've worked that role - you aren't helping yourself.

chang · Sep 17, 2014

I feel you.

I really don't mind the wait, but I would appreciate better communication. Even a system-generated email would suffice, but I've received nothing & no response to my emails.

breser · Sep 17, 2014

Brunton said:
Is anyone else frustrated with the whole delivery dates thing? I don't mind waiting for the car (well, not too much anyway), but I DO mind being completely in the dark about what's going on. I confirmed on July 3; I got my VIN two weeks ago. At this point, I should have something better than "late November."

Am I expecting too much?

I don't think so I'm becoming increasingly frustrated by the fact that emails and calls go unanswered (not even a "I got your message, I don't have an answer for you but I'm working on it.)

Here are some examples.

* Near the end of August my delivery moved from Late October to Late September. I sent an email to my DS asking if this was a realistic change, 5 days go by with zero response. I finally call him and get him on the phone the first try. We end up scheduling a delivery appointment for September 24th.

* I received my Wall Charger, the manual said "Approved Markets: Mainland China, Hong Kong" and had a different connector in the pictures than the charger I received. I was pretty sure they'd just included the wrong documentation set but wanted to be sure I got the right thing before I installed the charger and if I didn't that there was plenty of time to get a replacement unit to me. I emailed the individual who sent me the email saying the charger was coming. No reply for a day so I called, got the guy on the phone, he took down the same info I'd already emailed and said he'd check with the parts department and call me back. No call back but the next morning he emailed back assuring me I'd gotten the right thing and included the PDF. (This particular instance wasn't too bad, but the prior example sets the tone of my view of this one).

* Yesterday morning my car updated to In Production. However, the delivery appointment disappeared and the car is just back to "Late September." I tried calling my DS and left a message on two apparently different voice messaging systems (one with a generic Tesla delivery message and one with a message for my specific DS). No callback whatsoever. My original appointment is in a week now. I have no idea if that appointment is going to happen. I'd planned to setup insurance this week to start the day of my delivery, but now I have no idea what day that delivery is going to happen.

Krugerrand said:
You could have it the other way and have them tell you the day before you're expecting delivery that your car is delayed; here's the new date. :wink: You're getting all kinds of communication, it just happens to not be the kind you want.

I don't really have a problem with the website as a communication method. I don't even really have a problem with vague dates. But when I have questions I expect an answer, even if the answer is "I don't know." Giving a "I don't know" answer shouldn't take more than a few days.

I don't have enough info to say for sure but I suspect the problem isn't with my DS but with the fact that Tesla just doesn't have enough people. The production ramp up and end of quarter push are probably contributing to this. The single named DS to handle your delivery is supposed to make the experience more personalized and help create a relationship. Instead it seems to be having a negative impact on customer service. I would much rather have a role email/phone number and be able to talk to whoever happens to be available and get a prompt answer than having to wait around for a single overly busy person. I would rather have someone do the delivery that I've never interacted (so that they can concentrate on doing deliveries rather than trying to respond to scheduling concerns).

Tesla has a legendary customer service reputation. But I'm not seeing it. I'm guessing once you get past the delivery you get to see that since ownership seems to be more organized.

franknesss · Sep 17, 2014

breser said:
I don't think so I'm becoming increasingly frustrated by the fact that emails and calls go unanswered (not even a "I got your message, I don't have an answer for you but I'm working on it.)

Here are some examples.

* Near the end of August my delivery moved from Late October to Late September. I sent an email to my DS asking if this was a realistic change, 5 days go by with zero response. I finally call him and get him on the phone the first try. We end up scheduling a delivery appointment for September 24th.

* I received my Wall Charger, the manual said "Approved Markets: Mainland China, Hong Kong" and had a different connector in the pictures than the charger I received. I was pretty sure they'd just included the wrong documentation set but wanted to be sure I got the right thing before I installed the charger and if I didn't that there was plenty of time to get a replacement unit to me. I emailed the individual who sent me the email saying the charger was coming. No reply for a day so I called, got the guy on the phone, he took down the same info I'd already emailed and said he'd check with the parts department and call me back. No call back but the next morning he emailed back assuring me I'd gotten the right thing and included the PDF. (This particular instance wasn't too bad, but the prior example sets the tone of my view of this one).

* Yesterday morning my car updated to In Production. However, the delivery appointment disappeared and the car is just back to "Late September." I tried calling my DS and left a message on two apparently different voice messaging systems (one with a generic Tesla delivery message and one with a message for my specific DS). No callback whatsoever. My original appointment is in a week now. I have no idea if that appointment is going to happen. I'd planned to setup insurance this week to start the day of my delivery, but now I have no idea what day that delivery is going to happen.

I don't really have a problem with the website as a communication method. I don't even really have a problem with vague dates. But when I have questions I expect an answer, even if the answer is "I don't know." Giving a "I don't know" answer shouldn't take more than a few days.

I don't have enough info to say for sure but I suspect the problem isn't with my DS but with the fact that Tesla just doesn't have enough people. The production ramp up and end of quarter push are probably contributing to this. The single named DS to handle your delivery is supposed to make the experience more personalized and help create a relationship. Instead it seems to be having a negative impact on customer service. I would much rather have a role email/phone number and be able to talk to whoever happens to be available and get a prompt answer than having to wait around for a single overly busy person. I would rather have someone do the delivery that I've never interacted (so that they can concentrate on doing deliveries rather than trying to respond to scheduling concerns).

Tesla has a legendary customer service reputation. But I'm not seeing it. I'm guessing once you get past the delivery you get to see that since ownership seems to be more organized.

I would like to give Tesla the benefit of the doubt and say that your DS not responding is an isolated case. In the end, they're humans and have multiple priorities just like you and I. With that being said, I agree that the change in delivery dates are a bit frustrating. But that's only because of the anticipation of ownership. Tesla's delivery time and communication is already above and beyond most luxury car purchases. So far, my experience with my DS has been very pleasant. He's the complete opposite from what you describe of your DS. Although my DS did not give me a "specific" reason as to why my delivery moved from Late Oct to Late Nov, he has always been able to respond within a day.

I hope most DSs deliver the same customer experience I've had so far.

But it all boils down to... when will i get my car!?

Pruitt · Sep 17, 2014

Back in 1995, I ordered a Dodge Ram truck. They were very hot at the time, and deliveries were 5-6 months behind orders. Statusing the build was only marginally less informative than Tesla is now, and that was when the internet was in its infancy. I had to call my purchasing agent at the credit union to get current information. I understand that everyone is very busy, but some of the information could be better automated (like the system-generated e-mail for delivery estimate changes I mentioned to the DS). Shouldn't we see orders of magnitude improvement now over one of the "Big 3" 20 years ago?

Just by way of clarification, I've had no issues with the DS - he's responded to my calls as best he can. I think, at least in my case, the home office is where the information is getting garbled / clogged up.

Krugerrand, you said "You have the option at any time to cancel your order if you honestly feel you aren't being treated with the reverence you expect for the situation."

Jeez, man! If someone tells you they have a headache, do you suggest hare-kari as a remedy?

LonghornDub · Sep 17, 2014

Playing devil's advocate here, I actually think the OP is expecting a bit too much with respect to changes in estimated delivery time and lack of "a reason." Until the car is in production, or even finished production and about to go on the truck, Tesla has been very clear that the delivery estimates aren't particularly meaningful, and are subject to change. I'm not even sure there exists a "reason" they could give you if they wanted to.

Honestly, I think Tesla's real mistake was putting the estimated delivery on the dashboard at all. It just invites people to set an expectation, even when they're warned up front that it can change. If Tesla were smarter about it, they'd give a VERY loose estimate on the order page (say, "3-6 months"), and then you wouldn't have any estimate shown until your car enters production.

The one place I don't think the OP is expecting too much is regarding Tesla's slow response time. I experienced the same thing, and frankly, I think it's pretty inexcusable from any service rep in any industry. And unlike manufacturing delays, it's something that Tesla and its employees have 100% control over.

bonaire · Sep 17, 2014

Almost all of the status updates could be done online by a status setting on the dashboard. The DS guys must be getting crushed and spending hours a day answering emails and statuses because the IT department out in HQ or wherever doing whatever they are doing. I doubt this will work for 50k-100k cars a year. It will have to go automated. I doubt the idea of the DS will continue in years to come. It was a nice valet feature to set Tesla apart. But, I think it will end up being a sales department thing where your sales associate at the Tesla office will handle status and maybe they will go with a "we will call you when the car is here". Why should they be telling people when their car is in production other than to drum up excitement and on the internet and people talking to each other. But it may backfire if things move around like they are. Not only that but every post people make about their car status changing is eaten-up by stock market analysts making predictions on the direction of the stock. Keeping status behind the curtain will probably be a choice (that I would make). The forums are full of "my status changed to in-production" and so on. It just means people are banging their web site day to day looking for a status change - it adds to the excitement but doesn't add any value other than to keep people pounding the keyboard. Perhaps the web site interaction is meant to cause a form of Teslanity - Tesla insanity - while people are waiting? The way to create pop-culture is to drive interest to the source of the popular item. Do you click the status 20 times a day? Do you have Teslanity? :biggrin:

tantantheman · Sep 17, 2014

If it makes you feel any better about the status change to a generic month, our delivery date is in two days and it just changed to "Late September". And yes, I do have Teslanity.

breser · Sep 17, 2014

Managed to get through to my DS. According to him when your car goes into production the site stops displaying the appointment. So my delivery date is still valid, he said it might slip a day depending on the timing of the truck delivery and their ability to have it ready for me to pickup.

Lerxt · Sep 17, 2014

I totally agree with OP. I have had a similar experience and it's clear that no one is saying, or they don't know and haven't bothered to find out. When I'm spending $100k on a car, I expect to be valued, and it doesn't feel like that now. A little communication goes a long way. My suggestion is that they need separate communications director to fix this.

seanahan · Sep 17, 2014

Krugerrand said:
Tesla isn't just building your car. They are building thousands for customers all over the world. The logistics I suspect are a bit more involved than much lower volume aircraft and spacecraft. Not an excuse, simply the truth.

That's really absurd. That would explain why they don't have an estimate, not why exact estimates get changed so frequently.

The person entering the new data (and your DS) may not have the exact information.

Then why are they entering data that is inaccurate and constantly changing? Who does have the exact information? If they were always stingy with information, that would be one thing, but the constant changing is terribly frustrating.

You have the option at any time to cancel your order if you honestly feel you aren't being treated with the reverence you expect for the situation.

I didn't buy the Model S for the customer service on my delivery specialist. This statement is fairly insulting, and suggests that anyone with the slightest problem with the delivery process cancel their order and likely forfeit their deposit. I'm very unhappy with the process, and my financing has already gone through, and my car been traded in, so should I cancel the delivery process before they put the car on the truck to ship it to me?

The person on the other end of your conversation is also a human being and therefore subject to feelings/emotions/reactions. Your approach is going to affect them more than you may be considering.

There's a person at this end of the conversation to. Multiple unanswered emails is unacceptable, waiting a week for answers to emails is unacceptable. A response saying something like, "I'm sorry for the delay, I will do my best to find information for you", if sent promptly, would go a long way.

Krugerrand · Sep 17, 2014

Brunton said:
Krugerrand, you said "You have the option at any time to cancel your order if you honestly feel you aren't being treated with the reverence you expect for the situation." Jeez, man! If someone tells you they have a headache, do you suggest hare-kari as a remedy?

Clearly you believe you aren't being treated like the king you think you are based on how much money you're spending, so why wouldn't you just go spend your money some place else then? That seems like the path of least resistance at this point. No? By the same token if you just want to complain about having a headache, but you don't want to do anything constructive about it - like take an aspirin/see a doctor if it's a migraine that just won't quit - then a knife to the gut might be a good option.

Normally I'd have suggested you contact your DS's supervisor requesting a new DS, but what would be the point considering the e-mail you already put together? There's a right way and wrong way to do things when trying to get people to do for you. Your e-mail isn't going to make the DS want to put you at the top of their list. Indeed, it would be a surprise if they didn't put you at the bottom.

CHG-ON · Sep 17, 2014

I've been bumped from 9-12 to 9-26 as of now. I am hoping I don't get bumped again. Annoying, but as a shareholder I am thrilled that they simply can't build them fast enough. Stock up 1000% since I bought. Gee, guess what's paying for my dream...

Aside from being totally impatient, I am actually more OK with the delay than I would have thought. One frustrating thing is that I bought the full boat model, which had a 30 day lead time until they opened up the UK and China, which was 1 week before I confirmed my order. REALLY BAD timing on my part, I must say.

Oh well. When I get 'er, it'll all the more sweet.

My lead time, as it stands now is 3 mo. I am now seeing 4, 5, 6 months on some posts.

Have patience,young padawan.

Atebit · Sep 17, 2014

Wow, sounds like one of those CS people that feel like they're doing you a favor by talking to you at all, let alone trying to be helpful.

When you said you "used to be" in customer service, I bet there are a lot of customers that are happy about the "used to be" part.

A really, really big part of being in customer service is....well...servicing customers. Not ignoring them. Getting an "I'm really frustrated" message from a customer ought to motivate a good CS rep to go out of their way to turn that customer's experience around, not exacerbate it. Not to mention the fact that people aren't inquiring why their EZPASS got double-charged for a $4 bridge toll. They're calling about a six-figure purchase.

But sure, letting that message get buried in your inbox "by mistake" is a good way to roll, too.

Krugerrand · Sep 17, 2014

seanahan said:
Then why are they entering data that is inaccurate and constantly changing? Who does have the exact information? If they were always stingy with information, that would be one thing, but the constant changing is terribly frustrating.

There can be dozens and dozens of possibilities. But essentially you're annoyed because there's too much information being given. Got it.

I didn't buy the Model S for the customer service on my delivery specialist. This statement is fairly insulting, and suggests that anyone with the slightest problem with the delivery process cancel their order and likely forfeit their deposit. I'm very unhappy with the process, and my financing has already gone through, and my car been traded in, so should I cancel the delivery process before they put the car on the truck to ship it to me?

It's equally insulting to act like you're someone special simply because you're spending a certain amount of money. Did you not read the OP's e-mail? He needs to get over himself.

There's a person at this end of the conversation to. Multiple unanswered emails is unacceptable, waiting a week for answers to emails is unacceptable. A response saying something like, "I'm sorry for the delay, I will do my best to find information for you", if sent promptly, would go a long way.

Why keep doing that which is not satisfying you? Pick-up-the-phone then and have a real live conversation with someone who has the power to help you. There's a distinct inability for people on both sides to communicate. We're losing the skill because of e-mailing, texting etc... It's impersonal and many lack the writing/typing skills to effectively convey their point of view. Your DS is likely getting 100's of e-mails a day, as well as having other job duties. You're just another computer message in a long list and they have absolutely no way of knowing that you'd be satisfied with an 'I'm sorry for the delay, blah blah, blah... Not everyone thinks like you. I know, shocking! :tongue: But if you pick up the phone and talk to them, connect with them on a personal level, show some understanding, let them know what you need, you'll have a far better chance of getting what you want and being treated the way you want. And if in the end they can't help you, then ask them to put you through to someone who can.

purplewalt · Sep 17, 2014

The good news is the car IS worth the wait.
I wish we all had positive news WRT delivery being impending, and your car is built, has been shipped, delivered and is NOW ready to be picked up.

As my car was being shipped, the DS lost contact with the truck (somewhere in New Mexico) that it was being shipped on. It had a a mechanical issue, and it showed up several hours later on the day than was originally scheduled.
In the end, it all worked out: life goes on.

Final analysis, a couple of months after you take possession of your car, you will have forgotten the waiting period and just enjoy driving your MS.
God has this all figured this out, thus it's a good thing men can't get pregnant... they just don't have the patience to wait 9 months.

Krugerrand · Sep 17, 2014

Atebit said:
Wow, sounds like one of those CS people that feel like they're doing you a favor by talking to you at all, let alone trying to be helpful.

When you said you "used to be" in customer service, I bet there are a lot of customers that are happy about the "used to be" part.

A really, really big part of being in customer service is....well...servicing customers. Not ignoring them. Getting an "I'm really frustrated" message from a customer ought to motivate a good CS rep to go out of their way to turn that customer's experience around, not exacerbate it. Not to mention the fact that people aren't inquiring why their EZPASS got double-charged for a $4 bridge toll. They're calling about a six-figure purchase.

But sure, letting that message get buried in your inbox "by mistake" is a good way to roll, too.

Being a customer doesn't give one the right to be a jerk, even if you're spending a lot of money. There is such a thing as a good customer and a bad customer. I'm rarely unhappy with any experience as a customer because I've been on the other side of the desk and I know what they go through. You won't ever see me posting on an Internet forum to complain about the service I'm receiving from a company or posting the e-mail I sent in hopes of getting moral support from others. I'll be too busy on the phone talking directly to someone who has the power to help me and having my issue resolved.

There's also a difference between an 'I'm frustrated e-mail' and an 'I'm spending a lot of money and you're not treating me special enough e-mail'.

The OP's DS might not be very good at their job, or there might be something else going on behind the scenes causing the problem that is beyond their control. I prefer to give the other person the benefit of the doubt until I have clear evidence otherwise.

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