3 ms·

No idea what `luxury` is doing here, but if I get an LLM receptionist, that ain't it. This isn't to disparage the project - I think this sort of usage will bec

by NiloCK 7mo ago

No idea what `luxury` is doing here, but if I get an LLM receptionist, that ain't it. This isn't to disparage the project - I think this sort of usage will become very common and a decent standard that produces good consumer surplus in terms of reduced costs etc. Especially impressive is that it's a DIY family-first implementation that seems to be working. It's great hacker work. But be warned it will erode - in general - the luxury previously associated with your brand, and also turn some customers away entirely.

epolanski 7mo ago
> No idea what `luxury` is doing here, but if I get an LLM receptionist, that ain't it. Bingo. You can't get away with AI slop in a service oriented for wealthy customers. The day my dealership starts answering me with AI they lose a customer 100%. This solution screams "built by a tech bro with no idea about economics and marketing" which is the VC playbook into modernizing (and failing) businesses they don't understand.
- short_sells_poo 7mo ago
  You are right, but this also isn't a luxury mechanic shop. A luxury mechanic shop would be a place that services and customizes Bentleys, RRs, vintage Ferraris and similar. And to your point, the clientele there will be extremely unimpressed if they are asked to speak with an AI. A place like that is as much about being pampered by staff as about the workmanship. OP's brother is by all accounts running a successful boutique workshop, but the various luxury annotations were completely unnecessary and just detract from the actual project. If they do want to lean into the luxury segment, being cheap with AI receptionists is not the way to go. They need to hire actual staff who has experience with HNW individuals.
  - JasonADrury 7mo ago
    The blog post was written by AI. "luxury" is one of the adjectives AI likes to use a lot.
- signatoremo 7mo ago
  > This solution screams "built by a tech bro with no idea about economics and marketing" which is the VC playbook into modernizing (and failing) businesses they don't understand. I think you need to be better at self reflection. A tech bro who read a blog post and immediately accused the author of being "a tech bro with no idea about economics and marketing", and assumed that they didn't understand the business they built a software for. As for AI for luxury services, you didn't look hard enough. See for example discussion of what Langham Hotel Group is doing with AI. Granted, nothing earth shattering: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMn0MO5HFk8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMn0MO5HFk8 If you haven't heard of Langham, they own the 5-star Langham London and many other luxury hotels: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langham_Hotel,_London https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langham_Hotel,_London
keiferski 7mo ago
It means luxury car brands, not luxury service. This is right in the post. I assume the Op, being a programmer and not a car mechanic, just assumed they mean the same thing. The entire discussion here about how AI undercuts luxury brands has absolutely nothing to do with the actual post.
- _osud 7mo ago
  In America the normal term is "European", not "luxury". It would be somewhat odd to specialize in both American and European luxury cars. It'd be significantly less odd to service a RR and a BMW 3er next to each other.
  - keiferski 7mo ago
    The actual company’s website says European, not luxury. My guess is that the OP wasn’t familiar with this distinction and just figured luxury means the same thing (the car shop is his brother’s as per the link.)
    - _osud 7mo ago
      I strongly suspect the use of "luxury" here has more to do with the text being written by an AI than OP being confused.
- NiloCK 7mo ago
  Admittedly I missed this distinction, but does the point still stand? A BMW owner has fussier standards (on average) than a Toyota owner. The 'higher touch' a service you're trying to provide, the less welcome these interventions will be. If there's a distinction between a normal-car garage and a luxury-car garage, this probably comes down to some sort of licensing or certification from those luxury brands. Seems plausible to me that luxury brand X could stipulate things like availability of human contact points. Re: not being a car mechanic, it's true, but I'll have you know that I replaced my own blower motor a few months ago :)
  - 7mo ago

by NiloCK 7mo ago

epolanski 7mo ago

> No idea what `luxury` is doing here, but if I get an LLM receptionist, that ain't it. Bingo. You can't get away with AI slop in a service oriented for wealthy customers. The day my dealership starts answering me with AI they lose a customer 100%. This solution screams "built by a tech bro with no idea about economics and marketing" which is the VC playbook into modernizing (and failing) businesses they don't understand.

short_sells_poo 7mo ago
You are right, but this also isn't a luxury mechanic shop. A luxury mechanic shop would be a place that services and customizes Bentleys, RRs, vintage Ferraris and similar. And to your point, the clientele there will be extremely unimpressed if they are asked to speak with an AI. A place like that is as much about being pampered by staff as about the workmanship. OP's brother is by all accounts running a successful boutique workshop, but the various luxury annotations were completely unnecessary and just detract from the actual project. If they do want to lean into the luxury segment, being cheap with AI receptionists is not the way to go. They need to hire actual staff who has experience with HNW individuals.
- JasonADrury 7mo ago
  The blog post was written by AI. "luxury" is one of the adjectives AI likes to use a lot.
signatoremo 7mo ago
> This solution screams "built by a tech bro with no idea about economics and marketing" which is the VC playbook into modernizing (and failing) businesses they don't understand. I think you need to be better at self reflection. A tech bro who read a blog post and immediately accused the author of being "a tech bro with no idea about economics and marketing", and assumed that they didn't understand the business they built a software for. As for AI for luxury services, you didn't look hard enough. See for example discussion of what Langham Hotel Group is doing with AI. Granted, nothing earth shattering: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMn0MO5HFk8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMn0MO5HFk8 If you haven't heard of Langham, they own the 5-star Langham London and many other luxury hotels: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langham_Hotel,_London https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langham_Hotel,_London

keiferski 7mo ago

It means luxury car brands, not luxury service. This is right in the post. I assume the Op, being a programmer and not a car mechanic, just assumed they mean the same thing. The entire discussion here about how AI undercuts luxury brands has absolutely nothing to do with the actual post.

_osud 7mo ago
In America the normal term is "European", not "luxury". It would be somewhat odd to specialize in both American and European luxury cars. It'd be significantly less odd to service a RR and a BMW 3er next to each other.
- keiferski 7mo ago
  The actual company’s website says European, not luxury. My guess is that the OP wasn’t familiar with this distinction and just figured luxury means the same thing (the car shop is his brother’s as per the link.)
  - _osud 7mo ago
    I strongly suspect the use of "luxury" here has more to do with the text being written by an AI than OP being confused.
NiloCK 7mo ago
Admittedly I missed this distinction, but does the point still stand? A BMW owner has fussier standards (on average) than a Toyota owner. The 'higher touch' a service you're trying to provide, the less welcome these interventions will be. If there's a distinction between a normal-car garage and a luxury-car garage, this probably comes down to some sort of licensing or certification from those luxury brands. Seems plausible to me that luxury brand X could stipulate things like availability of human contact points. Re: not being a car mechanic, it's true, but I'll have you know that I replaced my own blower motor a few months ago :)
- 7mo ago