In an extraordinary and almost unbelievable campaign, Elon Musk proved once again that he is not only an ingenious entrepreneur, but also a person with a sense of humor and depth. Tesla’s CEO became headline around the world when it was known that he disguised a homeless person to buy a Tesla at one of his own company’s showrooms. Employee reactions by recognizing their true identity ensured exciting moments – not only on the spot, but also on social networks.
Musk wore shabby clothes, an old hat and a disheveled beard. He entered the Tesla store as an ordinary client who wanted to protect himself from the wind and the climate for a short time. The employees initially reacted a little distant, but still offered politely to help. Musk asked simple questions about the models, asked how to load electric cars and showed interest in a used model 3.
What no one knew: Musk wanted to test the client’s friendliness and the behavior of employees in realistic conditions with this unusual action. He also wanted to see if his company really lives its values of inclusion, respect and humanity, regardless of the customer’s external appearance.
When Musk finally revealed his true identity, there was a moment of cursing. Some employees started laughing, others went to tears. An employee said later, “I could barely stand it. I thought I was kidding. And then he hugged us – it was surreal.”
Musk praised the team for professional behavior and promised everyone involved a bonus in recognition of respect and promptness. He also announced an internal campaign that aims to further promote human values in contact with the customer.
The campaign was celebrated on social networks. Many users commented that they saw Musk under a new light through this action. Not only as an entrepreneur with vision, but also as someone who knows how to put himself in the place of others.
This story shows once again that life, title or status are not always important. Sometimes a small gesture – or a great test – is enough to show the importance of humanity in an increasingly digital world. With his experiment, Elon Musk not only reached his employees, but also the hearts of many people.
