Tesla is in search of a new senior manager who will focus on eliminating the need for the automaker’s service. They will be in charge of a new program called ‘Zero Service’.
At times, Tesla’s fleet growth has greatly outpaced its service growth – resulting in significant issues and wait times for owners to get their vehicles serviced.
However, in 2021 and 2022, the automaker made large investments in its service, and combined with lower growth in vehicle deliveries in 2023, there have been fewer issues recently.
There’s always room for improvement, and CEO Elon Musk has mentioned on a few occasions that “the best service is no service.” If the cars don’t need service in the first place, the need for great service is not really required.
Since Tesla doesn’t use the traditional franchise dealership system, it operates its own service, and it has a very close loop between manufacturing and service.
While franchise dealers benefit from vehicles needing service, since Tesla owns everything, it is better off having minimal service needed for its vehicles. Electric vehicles have some significant advantages on that front – thanks to having fewer moving parts, but issues can still arise.
Now, Electrek has spotted a new job posting from Tesla for a “Sr. Manager, Zero Service” listed online a few days ago.
In the job description, Tesla says that the candidate will work to “identify and eliminate the reasons” for the cars to need service:
At Tesla we believe that the best service is no service! We are looking for a highly motivated Senior Manager to join our Service Operations organization and lead the team responsible to identify and eliminate the reasons for our cars to require service.
Tesla continues in the job description
This role will be both strategic and tactical, and will include designing solutions and managing individual campaigns to be executed with field teams and partners. The candidate will work closely with hardware and software engineering, service engineering, quality and service programs and field teams to prioritize, launch, and track demand reduction and efficiency efforts.
The job is located in Fremont, California, where Tesla produces most of its vehicles in North America.
Tesla claims that most of its service tasks are now performed by its growing mobile service fleets, which come to customers. As of last quarter, the automaker had 1,909 mobile service vehicles.
Electrek’s Take
I am sure that this effort existed as part of Tesla’s existing quality and reliability teams in conjecture with service and manufacturing, but it now sounds like Tesla is looking to build a new dedicated team just for it.
That can’t be bad.
This is something that can be scary for franchise dealers. A big part of their revenue comes from service. Tesla has an advantage on that front since it owns all its service centers directly – though it also recently admitted that it is starting to make a lot of money from selling parts through its service division as more of its vehicles are coming off warranty.
Now, despite the program being called ‘Zero Service,’ you can’t completely eliminate service. However, I have hope that Tesla can greatly reduce the need for its vehicles to be serviced.