What is the point of a Service Appointment?

[Riviot]

I feel like I'm in a Seinfeld episode or something:

WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH SERVICE CENTERS???

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[CrazyOne]

It’s ? a top down issue. Get rid of RJ, bring in a TIm Cook-like ops focused CEO and you will unlock Rivian’s potential.

Time Cook can run a business, but I don't think he can build one. We need flawed managers like Steve Jobs.

 

[Hereforthesnacks]

Time Cook can run a business, but I don't think he can build one. We need flawed managers like Steve Jobs.

Yeah I guess I was thinking Rivian was ready for a growth moment. So a Cook could do it.

Steve Jobs would crush it. He had vision, made the thing you never knew you needed, and grew a company.

 

[the_mace]

Yeah this seems to entirely be driven by your local SC. The one in Chelsea MA is actually good about this and has made sure mobile is available for me whenever possible to avoid the 4 hour drive. They scheduled my one SC appt while I would be there for work and gave me $150 in uber credits which I preferred to a loaner so I didn’t have to drive around Boston

Thing is for the Chelsea MA one, even for small stuff they always want to keep it as same day on the appointment day for basic things arent possible it seems. For me its >1 hour drive without traffic but usually takes me 2 hours. So I end up with a loaner (long process to get in and out with one) and 3-4 hours of driving to drop it off then again to pick it up. And the times are never good for traffic. If they're going to keep it etc do after hours dropoff/pickup at least so we can come when traffic is low.

Tesla service is no better, but this is why people may end up with EVs from Ford, Chevy etc. Just because they can get things fixed easier. Sure these break less, but when they do its a pain.

 

[bfilippo]

Thing is for the Chelsea MA one, even for small stuff they always want to keep it as same day on the appointment day for basic things arent possible it seems. For me its >1 hour drive without traffic but usually takes me 2 hours. So I end up with a loaner (long process to get in and out with one) and 3-4 hours of driving to drop it off then again to pick it up. And the times are never good for traffic. If they're going to keep it etc do after hours dropoff/pickup at least so we can come when traffic is low.

Tesla service is no better, but this is why people may end up with EVs from Ford, Chevy etc. Just because they can get things fixed easier. Sure these break less, but when they do its a pain.

I hear you, they did try and get me to do same day, as well. Not ideal for folks who don’t live nearby, and Boston traffic makes everything bad.

I wonder if the new one in Canton will be easier to get to.

 

[the_mace]

I hear you, they did try and get me to do same day, as well. Not ideal for folks who don’t live nearby, and Boston traffic makes everything bad.

I wonder if the new one in Canton will be easier to get to.

What I dont get is these are adventure vehicles. Plus EVs. Neither are a great fit for city life with apartment charging challenges, tight spaces etc. Put a service center at the base of Mount Wachusett or something and let us ski or hike while we wait.

 

[Rivian-E]

What I dont get is these are adventure vehicles. Plus EVs. Neither are a great fit for city life with apartment charging challenges, tight spaces etc. Put a service center at the base of Mount Wachusett or something and let us ski or hike while we wait.

I like this concept. Make some SCs that are like the outposts at National Parks.
but that might not be cost effective for vehicle delivery or part delivery.

 

[bfilippo]

What I dont get is these are adventure vehicles. Plus EVs. Neither are a great fit for city life with apartment charging challenges, tight spaces etc. Put a service center at the base of Mount Wachusett or something and let us ski or hike while we wait.

We are very much on the same page. Seemed really weird to me as a location choice for all of Northern NE. If they ever put one in Maine, it better not be smack downtown in Portland, put it at Acadia!

 

[the_mace]

We are very much on the same page. Seemed really weird to me as a location choice for all of Northern NE. If they ever put one in Maine, it better not be smack downtown in Portland, put it at Acadia!

Id be happier driving 2 hours to a remote place than 2 hours into Chelsea. That just sucks. I live on a a farm, not a city person.

 

[DD4ST]

I’m convinced Rivian’s service model will be the death of the company. Word gets around. This is exacerbated by quality issues coming out of the factory and due to poor design, like the ineffective wrapping of speed sensors in another thread, that the SC has to fix. In addition, their policies vis-a-vis the customer do not take these issues into account. In my case after six months waiting to get my PTC installed (and three reschedules), they told me they would need the truck for at least four weeks. I expected that and planned for it into my schedule. In week three they said they might get finished on that Friday. I told them that was great but I might not get to pick it up until Monday due to scheduling appointments I had. Plus I was an hour away. On Thursday they told me they were done and I could pick up the truck. When I told them I could not pick it up until Monday they informed me that THEY CHARGE $75/DAY STORAGE IF NOT PICKED UP IN 24 HOURS! WTF! It takes six weeks to get in, the SC doesn’t keep to their own schedule stated to me, then expects ME to jump through hoops when they are done. Needless to say, I had to cancel and reschedule appointments to get there. The SC rep was sympathetic but this appears to be a higher level policy. Other than that the SC (Orlando) folks do appear to bend over backwards to help.

 

[R1TCntrlMaIzzy]

Yeah this seems to entirely be driven by your local SC. The one in Chelsea MA is actually good about this and has made sure mobile is available for me whenever possible to avoid the 4 hour drive. They scheduled my one SC appt while I would be there for work and gave me $150 in uber credits which I preferred to a loaner so I didn’t have to drive around Boston

I am glad they were good to you, and probably others. My experience with our Chelsea SC has been the 7+ days wait, then the work is done. While I am driving a subpar, though thankfully “free” vehicle. As of today, a freaking Kia Kona EV.

To me this is all part of their view on how Customer Service should be managed. IMO it is horrendous and hopefully does not do more damage than good to Rivian in the future.

My T was ready since last Saturday, the 28th. I was not informed about this until Monday around 8 pm. At that time it was too late for me to make any arrangements to pick it up. I left for a trip Monday evening.

The issue is I had asked my Service Advisor if the work could be done by Monday afternoon. Well, that person is on vacation, PTO this week or might have told earlier in the day. This can happen, especially when the SC team is busy and short staffed. I wonder. Do they not go over which vehicles are ready to be picked up at least twice a day? I would guess doing this at 8 am and 1 pm should be a daily task. This helps get the R1 back to owner and stop paying for the rental, when a loaner was not provided.

I digress. I would like for this time to be shortened, to less than a week. Come on Riv you have us, now keep us and the positive impact, power of word of mouth.

 

[VermontR1T]

I live in VT but my next SC appointment to fix my tonneau cover was scheduled in Montreal and is only 2 weeks out. Will be curious to see if the backlog up there is the same.

 

[mwexler2]

I’ve never had this happen. I have 12 service invoices since May of 22 for SFO and then SJC. Most were mobile. The remainder were all same day or next day.
I’ve gotten to the point where I schedule routine work 3 months out and minor repairs like window seals I do myself.
I’m hoping that as more of the service visits are revenue generating rather than warranty work that they increase their staff.

 

[Birdowin]

It is local management. The Portland sc is great. Always get my truck in and out quickly. They also always go the extra mile with the service.

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