Terrible Customer Service from Chr. Ward [RESOLVED]

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Konketsu
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Re: Terrible Customer Service from Chr. Ward

Post by Konketsu »

CornishDave wrote:To be honest in my experience and certainly of others on here the CW packaging leaves a lot to be desired. I have never received a watch from them that was still sitting on the pillow when I received it, but luckily for me none was damaged. I think CW should be packing the surrounds of the watch with extra padding, perhaps even more so for a long delivery across the pond. I recently received a secondhand watch from Stefs, I suggest he could teach CW a thing or two about secure packaging!

As for the other issues here it is a shame that a second error has compounded the issue!
My C600 just returned from service and it did have sheet of folded up bubble wrap surrounding the watch in the empty space inside the box... But then again I believe I put it there when sending back to CW... so they may have just left it in the box while the watch was being serviced. It arrived without any shuffling or movement from the intended place, so it doesn't take much extra to keep it in place.
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Re: Terrible Customer Service from Chr. Ward

Post by Puma937 »

“Excellence is in the details. Give attention to the details and excellence will come.”

My first recent CW purchase experience was also disappointing, but that was just a box and packaging issue. As a Nearly New purchase I had my reservations, but the watches were in mint condition. It was the recycled box on one (which should have been a deluxe box as per the listing for a new C70 VW4) that was scratched and dirty......and dented from the simple packaging around the box. On opening the packaging I was expecting some form of protection round the box and watch, but nothing. The watch was still on the cushion, but the cushion was loose and moving about.
These were obviously minor things, but it still detracted from the glowing feedback (which is sometimes way over the top IMHO) on this forum. I was left disappointed by something that will probably sit in a cupboard and have no bearing on my enjoyment of the watch. BUT.......little things mean a lot and with all the other stuff that has gone wrong for you blowfish I really feel for you. I'm sure the issue and the inconvenience you have experienced though can be resolved to your satisfaction. As for me.........I will order again from CW but lower my expectations of the complete package, which we're previously heightened by this very forum. Hope you get it sorted ASAP.
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Re: Terrible Customer Service from Chr. Ward

Post by Gradie »

Sadly I too have had a less than perfect experience, involving a disagreement about C60 GMT hand alignment. We reached a satisfactory resolution in the end, but it was a struggle getting to that point and I saw nothing of the brilliant customer service I've heard about.

It does leave me looking at CWL slightly differently, but it wouldn't stop me buying again in future. I think the 60/60 guarantee is extremely generous.
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Re: Terrible Customer Service from Chr. Ward

Post by bspj »

I am sorry that you have had an unfortunate buying experience: frustrating because as enthusiasts we all invest some emotional capital in the selection and purchase of a new timepiece.

I concur with the comment about 'binary' or polarised views.

I have no reason to rant at CW (my experiences have been positive, tho' not of their UK deliverers) but would suggest that there are two themes emerging in this and other posts.
One is packaging.
The other is attention to detail.

If I were still in the world of business consultancy (as opposed to consulting with the Divine) I might encourage CW to consider the systems and process issues that underpin two areas where even friends think that they under-perform.

For example, for a company that majors on internet sales, the overall customer experience rests on the product arriving on time and in good condition. The CW packaging is less robust than my (admittedly more expensive) GP, Omega and Zenith boxes, which ironically are from personal shopping experiences, and when my last watch arrived, the DPD driver told me off because he was an hour and a half late! Elements of the system are militating against the customer experience, and customers of a luxury good can be unforgiving in such circumstances.

This is an observation, not a knock.
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Re: Terrible Customer Service from Chr. Ward

Post by village »

akirk wrote: ..... but still prefer a company that fixes it over those who really don't care...

...and they will get it right eventually - unfortunately they are a reasonably fast growing company with all that entails, and that all to often means overlooking some of the detail...

Alasdair

CW have never been good at packaging in my opinion....frequently watches turn up unsecured and loose in their boxes. How difficult is it really to either have a secure cushion/ stand type arrangement,or to securely pad the watch in the box using bubble wrap or something? Never have I received any other watch in the post that has been loose in the box...apart from CW
Seeing as they are internet only and send loads by post then this should be a given.
Your average bloke selling a watch and posting it makes a better job.
Good customer service is key,I agree,but this shouldn't be earned by continued correction of errors that shouldn't have happened in the first place due to poor quality control or just lazy procedures.
Right from the get go packaging should have been perfect.
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Re: Terrible Customer Service from Chr. Ward

Post by akirk »

Agree that packaging should be better - but I suspect that bubble wrap - the easy answer we would use - is not likely as it doesn't have that shiny new feel... but a die-cut carboard insert which held the watch in place should be a) possible and b) relatively cheap - it could be overprinted in black and silver and look very smart... think iPhone packaging

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Re: Terrible Customer Service from Chr. Ward

Post by gwells »

honestly, almost every other watch i've ever had shipped to me has come wrapped in bubble wrap inside the package. i don't understand why that would be a bad thing. i want my watch to have the shiny, new feel, not the throw-away part of the packaging.

i suspect most customers just want the watch packaged safely for shipping.
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Re: Terrible Customer Service from Chr. Ward

Post by Lego »

gwells wrote:i think at least part of what we're seeing are growing pains. that's not an excuse, but it's not completely uncommon.

and every company i've worked at would have noticed the issues in the layout as well, alastair. that is, if the client allowed us to be a part of the process and didn't just farm things out w/o involving us (but, of course, we probably wouldn't take the work if that was the case).

i think it's incumbent upon chris and the rest of management to pay attention to the issues that seem to be recurring and get themselves back up to the standards they set when they started.
But CW are 10 years old and these are not uncommon complaints, perhaps these are the questions to be put to Chris?
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Re: Terrible Customer Service from Chr. Ward

Post by blowfish89 »

I loved the packaging of the deluxe (upgraded) wooden box, the wooden box was wrapped in a brown cardboard box which was wrapped in bubble wrap, and the watch was fine (but it was a bracelet). If I buy a CW watch in the future, I will probably take the upgraded box just for safety of the watch (its unfortunate I have to pay $40 for that, but its worth it currently). Also, no other watch I have bought has tumbled around the box really, or become loose from the pillow. Maybe the leather strap watches with the buckle need a separate straight package.

I would definitely like a question regarding shipping and packaging added to questions to Chris.
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Re: Terrible Customer Service from Chr. Ward

Post by gatehealing »

poppydoodlesdad wrote:
gatehealing wrote: Chloe and Wera will go above and beyond to re-earn your confidence.
You know, we seem to hear this kind of thing with some regularity and while I know all the arguments about mistakes happening to everyone, yadda, yadda, I can't help feeling if CW had rather better QC they' wouldn't need to rely quite so heavily on Customer Service?
Agreed! But the great customer service is one of the huge selling points to me. That should remain firmly in place even if they do get the QC issues handled.

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Re: Terrible Customer Service from Chr. Ward

Post by quaman26 »

The issue with the watch being loose inside the box should be a very simple fix and looks like something that a lot of us have seen ( my C8 was the same way when it arrived ). So why doesn't this feedback get taken care of quickly ? I assume that either Wera or Chris visits the forums once in a while or someone close to them in the forums should have told them.
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Re: Terrible Customer Service from Chr. Ward

Post by chrisw »

I have to say my wife's Belisima was rattling around inside the box and as I perceive this to not be the toughest of watches I was am concerned. to be honest a £100 pound DKNY from watch shop was much better packed and CW really should address this.
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Re: Terrible Customer Service from Chr. Ward

Post by Macca »

Cw are normally excellent but this is shocking really, hope that you find some faith in cw again


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Re: Terrible Customer Service from Chr. Ward

Post by blowfish89 »

Kip, no comment ?
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Re: Terrible Customer Service from Chr. Ward

Post by Kip »

What can I say. The topic has been brought to the attention of CWL and I am certain that they will address it.

Myself, I have received 109 watches over the years for myself, plus purchased gifts for others. They have arrived in all the different types of boxes that have been used. They have all been wrapped in bubble wrap and brown paper. They have come through different carriers. The only one that arrived loose was due to a mismanufactured pillow and that issue was addressed as there were several issues at that time. Fortunately the watch was ok.One other had a dent in one end and looked like it had been used as a football, but again the watch was ok.

I can certainly see that there are some issues related to packaging. I have made a couple of suggestions in the past and now that the topic has been brought forth again, perhaps it will be looked at again.

What I am seeing here is a major screw up(s) that should not have happened, but am certain if given a third chance, although it should not be necessary, it would be fixed. It appears you have chosen not to do so. I do not blame you as If in your situation I would probably do the same.

The QC issues, despite what you read here are in fact minimal. They do get highlighted more here because of the concentration of vocal customers. This is a good thing as CWL can see where they have or may have some issues. QC is something I myself would like to see improved, but there is a cost to everything and CWL must way those costs as they see fit. I have said before that other brands do have issues. They also have AD's to cover them up. They also seem to have higher QC failures. This does not excuse CWL from anything, just a statement.

Costs must be calculated for 100% perfection against a 1% failure rate. Costs must be calculated against additional packaging costs and/or reputation damage. How many customers get upset if their shipment takes an extra day due to inspection? There are many things to consider.

Should a dirty watch escape the shipping room, of course not, but it did. Should the wrong watch get shipped, of course not., but it did. It always seems when something goes wrong that somehow it manifests itself into a bigger problem.

Frankly, I am more bothered by the misprinted C5 SLM manual myself. This is something that could potentially affect more customers then a single dirty watch or a misshipped one.. I do not mean by that to be making light of your experience. The letter received by AVO does come across as careless, although odds are it would largely go unnoticed, it should not happen.

Yes CWL can improve and over the years we have seen things get better. There are still those niggling things that need to be worked on. Although it does pain me a bit when I see a complaint, so long as they are constructive, as they have been here, they will get the attention of the company.
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