Hey Elon, Hire a Receptionist!

Summary

Armstrong & Getty On Demand – Episode: "Hey Elon, Hire a Receptionist!"

Release Date: March 11, 2025

In this engaging episode of Armstrong & Getty On Demand, hosts Armstrong and Getty delve into the pervasive issue of automated customer service in Silicon Valley, using Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk as focal points. The conversation navigates through personal anecdotes, broader economic observations, and critical insights into the tech industry's approach to human interaction.

1. Stock Market’s Dependency on Tech Giants

The episode kicks off with Armstrong addressing the current state of the stock market, highlighting its significant reliance on what he terms the "magnificent seven"—a group consisting of Google, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, Nvidia (implied by "video"), and Tesla.

Armstrong [00:33]: “The economic growth, the stock market gains of the last couple of years are almost entirely because of the magnificent seven stocks. Seven stocks.”

He emphasizes that these companies largely drive stock market records, suggesting that the broader narrative of economic success is disproportionately influenced by these tech giants. Armstrong points out the volatility within this group, noting Tesla’s significant stock drop, which underscores the fragility of depending so heavily on a handful of companies.

2. The Automated Customer Service Debate

a. Armstrong’s Frustrating Tesla Experience

The core of the episode revolves around Armstrong’s personal experience with Tesla’s customer service—or the lack thereof. He recounts a recent test drive of the Cybertruck, where he encountered significant issues due to the absence of human support.

Armstrong [00:18]: “Hey, Elon, take some of those freaking billions and hire a receptionist.”

Armstrong details how Tesla’s streamlined, app-based approach, while efficient for certain transactions like ordering a car or scheduling appointments, falters when unexpected problems arise. During his test drive, Armstrong faced technical difficulties adjusting the Cybertruck’s steering wheel and encountered a system hiccup that prevented him from continuing to drive.

Armstrong [04:11]: “He said, we can't find the key. It's... the key for a Tesla is like a credit card unless you have the app and we can't find the key. He said, I'll unlock it for you. You can go drive it around. Just don't get out or you'll be locked out.”

This incident left Armstrong stranded without immediate human assistance, forcing him to rely on external help like ordering a Lyft to return to the dealership. The frustration peaked as he struggled to contact the dealership, highlighting the inefficiency of Tesla’s customer support model.

b. Getty’s Critique of Silicon Valley’s Automation Obsession

Getty builds on Armstrong's experience by critiquing Silicon Valley’s overarching belief that technology can replace human interaction entirely. He underscores the impracticality of eliminating human support in favor of automated systems.

Getty [07:07]: “Their self-regard, their belief that they can code their way to solve any problem confronting humanity. It's hubris.”

Getty and Armstrong discuss how this technological hubris leads to systems that are not user-friendly for the average consumer. They highlight issues with user interface design, where systems are tailored for those who understand the backend processes, leaving regular users confused and frustrated.

3. Broader Implications of Poor Automated Systems

The hosts extend their discussion beyond Tesla, providing examples of other companies and services where automated systems fail to meet user needs effectively.

Armstrong [08:25]: “I had this issue with DoorDash recently where something went wrong with the example... Good luck trying to call DoorDash.”

Armstrong criticizes the overly simplistic troubleshooting options that often do not address the actual problems users face, leading to increased frustration. Similarly, Getty shares his struggles with complex music recording software, where inadequate documentation and poor user support hinder effective problem-solving.

Getty [09:20]: “How do you not have some sort of, in essence, a searchable manual? Why do you not. Is that not cool these days?"

They discuss the overwhelming presence of unhelpful user-generated content online, which does little to resolve issues efficiently, further emphasizing the need for accessible human support.

4. The Essential Role of Human Interaction in Customer Service

Armstrong and Getty argue that while automation can enhance efficiency, it should not entirely replace human interaction, especially in customer service. They advocate for a balanced approach where technology complements, rather than substitutes, human support.

Armstrong [10:18]: “Now, I suppose any of these Silicon Valley geniuses would say to me, there's a reason we're the seven most valuable companies in the world. We know what we're doing. Trust us. But God dang it. Oh, I just. I can't imagine you can't call a human being at the location. I mean, it's just. It's not physically possible. That's nuts, isn't it?"

The conversation underscores the importance of empathy and understanding that human interactions bring to customer service, which automated systems currently fail to replicate effectively. The hosts call for companies like Tesla to reconsider their reliance on automation by hiring dedicated human support staff, even if it means allocating a fraction of their vast resources.

Armstrong [06:07]: “...Have one of your many children, man, the Swissborg, huh? Get a little child labor? Gone. Why not?”

This humorous yet pointed remark encapsulates their argument for integrating even minimal human support into tech-driven companies to enhance customer satisfaction and resolve issues that automated systems cannot handle.

Conclusion: A Call for Balanced Customer Support

In wrapping up, Armstrong and Getty reiterate their stance on the necessity of human presence in customer service, especially within tech-centric companies that often overlook this aspect in favor of efficiency and scalability. They envision a future where AI and human support coexist, ensuring that consumers receive the best of both worlds—cutting-edge technology and the indispensable touch of human assistance.

Getty [11:24]: “Well, I guess that's it.”

The episode serves as a compelling critique of the current trajectory of Silicon Valley’s approach to customer service, advocating for a more balanced integration of technology and human interaction to truly meet consumer needs.

Transcript

[Armstrong]

Hey, Elon, take some of those freaking billions and hire a receptionist. It's one more thing. Armstrong and Getty. One more thing.

[Getty]

Oh, poor Elon Musk. Taking kittens from all directions these days.

[Armstrong]

So, quick, stock thing. I am. I'm very young and many years from retirement, so I don't follow the stock market on a daily basis. I mean, I got my 401k, I got my, you know, my investments, and I assume I don't need to touch them for quite some time, the way.

[Joe]

Joe shuddered at the way you said that.

[Getty]

Very young.

[Armstrong]

But how many people know this? The economic growth, the. The stock market gains of the last couple of years are almost entirely because of the magnificent seven stocks. Seven stocks. Although the records that we set on a regular basis are because of Google, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft and video and Tesla. That's it. I mean, that's almost the entirety of the giant stock market gain that's made everybody feel wealthy. And all the talk about the successful economy and blah, blah, blah, all the ripple effects of the stock market records and how great things are going are really these seven tech stocks. That is sobering, I'd say, given that, for instance, Tesla's dropped by 50% since December. And it was built on a gesture anyway. So it could fall on a gesture.

[Getty]

I would think, sentiment much more than earnings.

[Armstrong]

Right. I think that's interesting. Okay. Which leads me into. Elon, why don't you hire a freaking receptionist? So I was test driving some Teslas the other day, and everything that comes out of Silicon Valley, they're trying to get away from human beings as much as possible and have everything be online or an app. We all know that. Noticed.

[Getty]

Yeah.

[Armstrong]

And for some stuff that works, but not everything. And maybe someday all will work, but it's not there yet. And it's driven me crazy as a Tesla driver that you can't get a hold of a human being ever. Just impossible. If you actually have a question about something, you can do all kinds of really cool things. Like, I can, you know, I could go in and order a car the way I want it and have it delivered to my home, like in a couple of days without ever talking to anybody or. And everything you do online and the paperwork, I mean, so many service appointments, all kinds of stuff that's just amazingly efficient. But, like, if you have a question outside of that, you can't talk to a human being. Yeah.

[Getty]

Well, I tell you what, this is a strictly apocryphal tale made up from my fertile imagination. But say you had. I don't know, a company, series of companies that eliminated, like, all their HR people and you had a portal instead. You had a website you're supposed to click on. And the only blanking way anything ever happens is when you give up, because it never works. And you call the number and the human who is a backup to the main system says, oh, yeah, we can take care of that.

[Armstrong]

That's exactly the example, except for with the Silicon Valley crowd, including Elon and Tesla, they don't have that human backup that doesn't exist.

[Getty]

My point exactly. That takes some balls.

[Armstrong]

So if you end up in one of those things where it's not accepting your password or it says, we already have that address, please, you know, create a new account or whatever. You know, just one of those things that drive you. There's nobody to call. Along those lines. I booked a. A test drive with a couple of different Teslas because I'm thinking about getting out of mine because my behemoth son is too tall to sit in the back seat now. And I need a car that they all fit in. So I'm either going to get the X with more legroom or the cyber truck. So another one of the examples of it working well, went on the app, booked a demo gazillion different times, multiple locations, book demos, show up, car is there, ready for me to go as soon as I walk. As soon as I park and walk up to it and then in, salesperson just logs me in and I drive off. It's. I mean, it could. It's so amazing.

[Joe]

And the only human interaction is the salesperson logging you in.

[Armstrong]

And I wouldn't even have to do that if I didn't want to. But I'm interested in buying these vehicles and nobody rides with me. You got a half hour to do whatever you want. You just go driving around, because if you put all your information in there, it's really, really cool. Anyway, on this particular one, he said, we can't find the key. It's. The key for a Tesla is like a credit card unless you have the app and we can't find the key. He said, I'll unlock it for you. You can go drive it around. Just don't get out or you'll be locked out. Okay, I don't need to get up. I get in the truck. Me and Henry are in the cybertruck. We're out driving around. I really love this thing. The stereo is awesome, but I'm driving around, but my seat's too far back and the steering wheel is too Far up. So I pull over to adjust that stuff and it won't let me drive after that for some reason because I don't have the key and I didn't get out.

[Getty]

You just like put it in park, right?

[Armstrong]

But you.

[Joe]

And you didn't turn the car off?

[Armstrong]

No. Well, you don't really turn a Tesla on or off.

[Joe]

I don't know how these things.

[Armstrong]

It's always on, basically. But anyway, doesn't that drain the battery? I pull over, I adjust my steering wheel and everything like that, and then I can't put it back in drive again. And. And we're a long way from the dealership on Interstate 80 in the Bay Area, and I'm just pulled over to the side of the road, cars driving by, that sort of thing. And, and I think, okay, well. And I knew this is going to be a problem. I got to try to call the dealership. It is impossible. I have tried this before alongside the road with a flat tire or various things. It's impossible. And I tried for 20 minutes and I finally told Henry, I said, we're going to get a. We're going to get a lift. So. So I order a Lyft, you know, the Uber type company, only it's called Lyft. And he comes and picks me up alongside the road and they take me back to the Tesla dealership and they dropped me off. And I said, your Cybertruck is about 10 miles that way along I side I 80. You might want to go get it. And they looked all panicked and everything like that. I said, it's wouldn't let me drive. And I couldn't call anybody. I was so freaking mad. And I thought, have a GD receptionist. How much would that cost you? One human being can answer the phone making minimum wage throughout the day, Elon. One freaking human being. But it's funny, the. The Uber driver who picked me up and this is what made me really think about it. Just that Silicon Valley, myopic view of the world. The Uber driver guy, I said, I told him what happened. He said, that's the way it is with this company. I said, it's fine. You can do everything through the app. You log in your hours and you pick up your car and blah, blah, blah, and you get paid and you're fun, but if you ever need to talk to anybody. Impossible. There are no human beings anywhere. And it's. So the Silicon Valley's got this view that we just flat don't need humans. You can do everything through the app. And I wish they'd recognize that we're not there yet. Maybe we'll be someday with AI that can solve more complicated problems, but we're just not. And it makes me nuts. Makes me crazy.

[Getty]

Yeah. Yeah. Their, their self regard, their belief that they can code their way to solve any problem confronting humanity. It's, it's hubris.

[Armstrong]

There is, there is a, there is a hubris and we're smart than the world thing going on with the Silicon Valley crowd. That scares me a bit.

[Getty]

Combine that with the. Is there a name for this? We've talked about it through the years. You have somebody who already understands the system, use the system, and then they say, yep, consumers will be fine with this. You know, the guy like wrote the programming, is clicking around the website. Yep, this website's perfect. Then you, as somebody who has no idea what, you jump on the website and it's utterly unclear to you where to go. Where, where am I supposed to click? What's, what's. None of these menu items are like real world terminology for what I want to do, right?

[Armstrong]

Well, that's a UI problem because I know somebody who used to do that for various companies in Silicon Valley user interface. And there are people that, that's their job. But like the person I know who did that was such a brainiac computer nerd. I mean, they didn't, they didn't think about it the way normal people think. Sit down and look at an app. You know, it's always the drop down menu. Which, where's the drop down? Up there. You click on the this and you bring it. I would have never known that unless you showed me. I would have never figured that out.

[Joe]

Yeah, you have, you have these companies that like assume they know the problems you're having. Like I had this issue with DoorDash recently where something went wrong with the example.

[Armstrong]

Good luck trying to call DoorDash.

[Joe]

Yeah. And you go on there and you click help. And then they have a series of options of what they, they think might have gone wrong. And you're like, it's none of these.

[Armstrong]

Yep. Oh, that makes me insane. Here are the seven things that could have happened to you. No.

[Joe]

And then they send you, they send you to the frequently asked question, did this help? No, it didn't help. Thank you.

[Armstrong]

Yick. God. We had a funny video we were all enjoying the other day of Larry David screaming at Siri in his car because he couldn't book a restaurant or something like that. But I have, I have actually done that many times when they, when, when the, the the nice computer voice lady says to you, are you satisfied with your experience? No, I'm not effing satisfied with my experience. You makes you so mad.

[Getty]

You know, I got an example, but I don't. I find myself not even wanting to bring it up because I feel the text Austin flood over me. And that's some, you know, fairly complicated music recording software that I use. There's something, you know, I'm trying to figure out how to do, and if you even Google, like, or search. Sorry, I don't Google anymore. They're evil. If you do a search on this software, this problem, it'll take you to, like, a message board that has videos posted by anonymous yahoos, some of which are conceivably relevant to the problem, but most of which are not, and you'd have to watch every single one of them. And it's just, how do you not have some sort of, in essence, a searchable manual? Why do you not. Is that not cool these days? Better to have a forum of users who may or may not have any idea what they're effing talking about?

[Joe]

Yeah, Flooded with crap.

[Armstrong]

Now, I suppose any of these Silicon Valley geniuses would say to me, there's a reason we're the seven most valuable companies in the world. We know what we're doing. Trust us. But God dang it. Oh, I just. I can't imagine you can't call a human being at the location. I mean, it's just. It's not physically possible. That's nuts, isn't it?

[Joe]

Yeah. That's exhausting.

[Getty]

I think you went above and beyond the call of duty going back to the dealership and telling them what happened. Although, you know, you don't want to be. Have the red and blue lights in front of your house, just take a.

[Joe]

Lift home, leave the car under arrest.

[Getty]

For grand theft auto. Wait, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Armstrong]

Well, the car I drove was still at the dealership, so I had. Because I showed up in a car, so I had to go back to get my car. Otherwise, yeah, I would have just gone home. This is your problem. Sounds like a you problem to me.

[Getty]

Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Elon. Have one of your many children, man, the Swissborg, huh? Get a little child labor? Gone. Why not?

[Armstrong]

Well, I guess that's it.