Rivian's Order Fulfillment Process.

[Brian Goodwin]

This thread reminds me to order more miata parts, to distract from Rivian waiting

YES...and that's my reality, I will indeed now dive back into my own supply chain challenges. We have suppliers that are still 6 to 9 months out on a lot of stuff and we too are doing our best to communicate to customers the best info we can get on many things. Today much of my day will be wheel supply for 2023, factories are so backed up that orders need to be made this week knowing that even a container of wheels ordered today may not move until 2023.

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[ads75]

While I understand the frustration with Rivians process, it's foolish to think Rivians process is broken because it didn't work for you (and others), and Ford's process does work because it did worked for you. Tons of people put there that would disagree on Ford, either Lightning, Ranger, Maverick, or Bronco.

 

[junkanoo]

While I understand the frustration with Rivians process, it's foolish to think Rivians process is broken because it didn't work for you (and others), and Ford's process does work because it did worked for you. Tons of people put there that would disagree on Ford, either Lightning, Ranger, Maverick, or Bronco.

Assuming 'put there' was supposed to read 'out there' is hyperbole as you don't know tons of people. Regardless, this gets down to second grade logic ... as in ... if Johnny jumped off a bridge would you? Rivian's process or lack thereof doesn't depend on what a competitor does ... it depends on what they choose to do to their own customers.

 

[Tim-in-CA]

Rivian's order system

I think I see Kyle and iJustine’s ball in the hopper!

 

[kurtlikevonnegut]

I don't think the system is "broken" in that the system is mostly accomplishing the desired outcome for Rivian of getting vehicles to buyers. I think the issue is the vague explanations of the fulfillment process and lack of understanding from buyers creates a sense of chaos. That is compounded by the inability of CS to articulate reasoning (likely due to their own lack of understanding).

If they would simply explain the process for assignment and fulfilment in less vague terms than they have been using I think it would address a lot of the frustration.

Around the IPO someone made the point that Rivian was still operating like they were in silent mode as a public company and that they would need to adjust. I do wonder how much the 10 years of operating in near total silence has affected their ability to now be honest and open because it seems to be sorely lacking.

 

[mini2nut]

Lighting, R1T and Cybertruck reservation holder here (I hedged my bets).

Rivian needs to improve communication to customers. It’s the 21st century and reservation holders of $80k trucks have high expectations. After I placed my reservation online my R1T order seems to have dropped into a black hole.

I have had ZERO communication from Rivian on when my truck would be assembled. I placed my order in February of 2021 and haven’t heard squat. Being an Explore edition I understand it will be 2023 but I have no idea if it will January or December.

Ford has an excellent system in place for customers who have placed Lightning orders. I simply log into my Ford Account and I have immediate access to updates. I have no need to call my dealer, use chat, e-mail or call a 1-800 number for updates.

My Lightning was originally scheduled to be built the week of 7/11. It was then bumped to 7/18 and now I can see that it’s been bumped again for the week of 7/25.

Ford has also implemented an awesome bonus for Bronco reservation holders. They e-mail a photo of your custom ordered Bronco as it comes off the the assembly line. Rivian, are you listening?

 

[kewlasu]

Lighting, R1T and Cybertruck reservation holder here (I hedged my bets).

Rivian needs to improve communication to customers. It’s the 21st century and reservation holders of $80k trucks have high expectations. After I placed my reservation online my R1T order seems to have dropped into a black hole.

I have had ZERO communication from Rivian on when my truck would be assembled. I placed my order in February of 2021 and haven’t heard squat. Being an Explore edition I understand it will be 2023 but I have no idea if it will January or December.

Ford has an excellent system in place for customers who have placed Lightning orders. I simply log into my Ford Account and I have immediate access to updates. I have no need to call my dealer, use chat, e-mail or call a 1-800 number for updates.

My Lightning was originally scheduled to be built the week of 7/11. It was then bumped to 7/18 and now I can see that it’s been bumped again for the week of 7/25.

Ford has also implemented an awesome bonus for Bronco reservation holders. They e-mail a photo of your custom ordered Bronco as it comes off the the assembly line. Rivian, are you listening?

I think u should tweet or Instagram this to RJ and see if he responds ?

 

[Captain JB]

As I have alluded to in the past, having the order delivery schedule based on configuration, color, locale or declination of the sun is tragic. It should ONLY be based on the date of order…period. The resentment that is building up when orders get delivered with a date of order well past yours…….is also tragic. It is the second biggest mistake that Rivian has made. What is more important than a corporations reputation??? JB

 

[Brian Goodwin]

I don't think the system is "broken" in that the system is mostly accomplishing the desired outcome for Rivian of getting vehicles to buyers. I think the issue is the vague explanations of the fulfillment process and lack of understanding from buyers creates a sense of chaos. That is compounded by the inability of CS to articulate reasoning (likely due to their own lack of understanding).

If they would simply explain the process for assignment and fulfilment in less vague terms than they have been using I think it would address a lot of the frustration.

Around the IPO someone made the point that Rivian was still operating like they were in silent mode as a public company and that they would need to adjust. I do wonder how much the 10 years of operating in near total silence has affected their ability to now be honest and open because it seems to be sorely lacking.

Well stated. The inability of CS to articulate is a big part of the issue and indeed it does seem like they are still in silent mode and still adjusting to how a public company is supposed to do things after the IPO.

 

[Brian Goodwin]

Lighting, R1T and Cybertruck reservation holder here (I hedged my bets).

Rivian needs to improve communication to customers. It’s the 21st century and reservation holders of $80k trucks have high expectations. After I placed my reservation online my R1T order seems to have dropped into a black hole.

I have had ZERO communication from Rivian on when my truck would be assembled. I placed my order in February of 2021 and haven’t heard squat. Being an Explore edition I understand it will be 2023 but I have no idea if it will January or December.

Ford has an excellent system in place for customers who have placed Lightning orders. I simply log into my Ford Account and I have immediate access to updates. I have no need to call my dealer, use chat, e-mail or call a 1-800 number for updates.

My Lightning was originally scheduled to be built the week of 7/11. It was then bumped to 7/18 and now I can see that it’s been bumped again for the week of 7/25.

Ford has also implemented an awesome bonus for Bronco reservation holders. They e-mail a photo of your custom ordered Bronco as it comes off the the assembly line. Rivian, are you listening?

Love all of that, well stated. The suggestion that Rivian can't live up to the communication standards set by legacy brands like Ford, as some like 'ads75' have suggested, seems backwards to me. Given that Rivian is not stuck with legacy systems for doing everything it seems to me they could and should be trying to do BETTER than the legacy car builders and not trailing in their wake in the basics of customer communication.

My experience recently with Ford has been much like yours, result is that I am tempted to make a new order now for Ford Lightning with the thought it might get delivered in 2023 earlier and ultimately prove to be better than the bet on Rivian.

 

[atlastracer]

The only reason Rivian isn't using order date + config when it comes off the line is because they aren't matching trucks until they ship them to a SC OR they are letting people cancel after they ship it. If they just batched combos and then matched them to the earliest order date with that config either nationwide or at least in a "serviceable area", made the order form/deposit non-refundable and *then* shipped them it would solve almost all off the frustration.

If they need to wait for a few vehicles to be ready for a SC near the customer - then hold it for a few days. They don't have *that* many SCs running that it's going to take long to fill a carrier to a city or state.

Don't put it on a carrier to a SC until they have a signed PBA or something that transitions the deposit into non refundable to avoid someone cancelling after it gets to the SC.

 

[Zoidz]

As I have alluded to in the past, having the order delivery schedule based on configuration, color, locale or declination of the sun is tragic. It should ONLY be based on the date of order…period. The resentment that is building up when orders get delivered with a date of order well past yours…….is also tragic. It is the second biggest mistake that Rivian has made. What is more important than a corporations reputation??? JB

In the ideal world, yes. Unfortunately the world is far from ideal.

 

[Zoidz]

Lighting, R1T and Cybertruck reservation holder here (I hedged my bets).

Rivian needs to improve communication to customers. It’s the 21st century and reservation holders of $80k trucks have high expectations. After I placed my reservation online my R1T order seems to have dropped into a black hole.

I have had ZERO communication from Rivian on when my truck would be assembled. I placed my order in February of 2021 and haven’t heard squat. Being an Explore edition I understand it will be 2023 but I have no idea if it will January or December.

Ford has an excellent system in place for customers who have placed Lightning orders. I simply log into my Ford Account and I have immediate access to updates. I have no need to call my dealer, use chat, e-mail or call a 1-800 number for updates.

My Lightning was originally scheduled to be built the week of 7/11. It was then bumped to 7/18 and now I can see that it’s been bumped again for the week of 7/25.

Ford has also implemented an awesome bonus for Bronco reservation holders. They e-mail a photo of your custom ordered Bronco as it comes off the the assembly line. Rivian, are you listening?

I completely disagree. As bad as Rivian has been, I've had zero communication from Ford directly about my order (other than "here's our latest web site update"), and my order page is exactly the same as it was on my Day 1 order. I received one bungled email communication from my local Ford dealer, claiming I never responded to their first email - which was later confirmed that in fact they never sent. Is Ford's zero communication better than Rivian's faulty, ambiguous communication?

 

[Count Orlok]

Totally agree with this. Though I would say that after looking at all those dealer markups, Ford’s system is very much broken as well.

no dealer mark up for my F-150 hybrid or Lightning.

 

[mini2nut]

I completely disagree. As bad as Rivian has been, I've had zero communication from Ford directly about my order (other than "here's our latest web site update"), and my order page is exactly the same as it was on my Day 1 order. I received one bungled email communication from my local Ford dealer, claiming I never responded to their first email - which was later confirmed that in fact they never sent. Is Ford's zero communication better than Rivian's faulty, ambiguous communication?

What “wave” were you in? I am a wave 3 Lightning reservation.

With the overwhelming demand for the F150 BEV Lightning I see a large price increase coming for 2023 Lightning models.

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