Customer Service - Response from CW

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Customer Service - Response from CW

Post by Kip »

I am well aware that complaints tend to get more press than good experiences. This forum is no different when it comes to CW. However, I have noticed that there has been a recent uptick in the complaints relative to customer service.

I made it a point to contact Mike France at CW and point out the recent issues that have been posted here on the forum, as well as express my concerns. It turns out that he, and others are well aware of the issues and have been working on improving internal systems to provide a much better flow of information and tracking that should lead to improved communications.

From Mike...
......As for the CS issues you refer to, yes, I am well aware of the comments on the forum as well as an increase in the past 6 weeks in 1 and 2 star TrustPilot (TP) reviews.

As ever, there is more than one reason and I’m pleased to say that the TP score rose 0.2% this week off the back of us starting to resolve the issues we have had.

So, what have they been:
1. An unprecedented increase in enquiries by both phone and email to the CS team following the launch of Trident 3. The level of success of T3 has even caught me by surprise with more than 200% increases year on year. We didn’t anticipate such a surge of interest and handling the success has meant the team have been slower processing repairs and servicing through the system and being as quick as usual handling any queries/communications relating to them. The T3 avalanche is now over (just higher levels of interest😊)and the team are now up-to-date with all correspondence – and I expect this to be reflected in future forum comments.

2.The introduction of a new process for Refunds, Returns, repairs and servicing. The old methodologies just weren’t fit-for-purpose for a business our size and growing at the rate we are. Sammy and Adrian, working with Scott and Andrew have completely overhauled the processes. They have taken a little bedding in and more training than we anticipated but as of next week, any watch received back from a customer will be logged into the system, inspected by a technician, allocated to the appropriate route, a quote communicated to the customer where necessary and passed to the relevant department for action – all within the same day. This will be way, way better than anything we have ever achieved in our 14 years and is a credit to the professionalism of the team. Of course, I will be monitoring the improvements closely, but once “live” customers should start to receive more communications more rapidly than ever before.

So, yes, aware of the issues and disappointed for the reduced level of service some customers have received in the last couple of months (despite this we remain the highest scoring watch brand on TP) but our aim, as you know better than most, is to take customer service to a higher level than we have ever had and with these changes and future ones being planned we are giving ourselves the chance to deliver something truly world class whilst continuing to grow at a faster rate than ever.

Hopefully, that will calm any worries you have and, hopefully, the comments on the forum, in time, will reflect the changes we are making.

Best,

Mike
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Re: Customer Service - Response from CW

Post by Bungle-ator »

Looks like a very measured and sensible response.

I'll be putting it to the test next week when I hand in my broken watch (my fault, not CW's). So far so good though, packaging and paperwork was received within 2 days of me filling out the repair form with communication inbetween. I'll be hand delivering it one day next week.
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Re: Customer Service - Response from CW

Post by Caller »

Well, can't say fairer than that, in the sense the problems and criticism are acknowledged, accepted and are being addressed.

However, maybe they just need to consider adding to their team if they are growing as claimed? As otherwise, even with the best will in the World, the new processes will go the same way as the old one's.
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Re: Customer Service - Response from CW

Post by Lancslad »

It's a sad situation that's been created by the success of recent launches, but that doesn't excuse what's happened in the past to some of the customers from what I have read recently on here. I genuinely hope cw can resolve the issues to each and everyone's satisfaction in a timely way. I am currently waiting for cw to decide if my returned watch meets their 60/60 criteria so i can then pre order the watch I originally wanted (I was told it would approx 2 months before it would be in stock...only 3 days later after I had ordered a lesser spec watch was I told it was in stock!!)...So i am making use of their 60/60 offer.
I look forward to receiving their communication this week if not I will be contacting Scott to find out what's happening....
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Re: Customer Service - Response from CW

Post by albionprs »

Well,

The proofs in the pudding.
As stated in previous other threads, 3 months and still counting for my watch to return after I was promised a quick turn a round. Due in fact that they only just returned my watch
from a previous repair that took another months prior to that.
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Re: Customer Service - Response from CW

Post by Essex Paul »

Great that Mike France is aware and implementing changes. However, after claiming that the business is growing and interest is up, there’s no mention whatsoever of increasing staffing levels. Oh and Mike, it’s not just been within the last couple of months it’s been going on far longer than that.
Well done to Kip for raising this.
We wait and see.
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Re: Customer Service - Response from CW

Post by Lavaine »

This new CS process sounds very promising. Hopefully this will return CW to Wera-level service we saw in the past. One thing not addressed by Mike that would improve on the whole process is for one CS person to be responsible for an issue from beginning to end. Receiving replies from multiple people throughout a repair process sometimes serves to cheapen the experience, especially when the communications suggest that one CS person does not know what has already been said or done. Having a single point of contact from first email/call until resolution makes the customer feel important, that they matter and are the singular focus for that CS person.

Now, is Mike willing to address the sudden and secretive change from a 60 month warranty to 48 months?
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Re: Customer Service - Response from CW

Post by TP Fit »

albionprs wrote: Sun Jun 09, 2019 1:02 pm Well,

The proofs in the pudding.
As stated in previous other threads, 3 months and still counting for my watch to return after I was promised a quick turn a round. Due in fact that they only just returned my watch
from a previous repair that took another months prior to that.
Words are cheap. Action speaks louder.
I agree, actions are the solutions we are looking for. If there is a model for CW to follow is this...as a forum we tell our fine network of watch enthusiasts to contact Scott when the customer service of CW breaks. Why aren't we having "Scott" behind every call and email before the CW process breaks. And why should only forum members be the only one to have this information. It is obvious to me that CW can follow through when escalated. That needs to be common practice. Period.
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Re: Customer Service - Response from CW

Post by H0rati0 »

Lavaine wrote: Mon Jun 10, 2019 1:07 am One thing not addressed by Mike that would improve on the whole process is for one CS person to be responsible for an issue from beginning to end.
Personal service would be very nice, but not practical in a growing business, particularly one that needs to manage time zones. They are going to have to bite the bullet and invest in best practice.
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Re: Customer Service - Response from CW

Post by kirkn99 »

Well I must one of the last on the “old” system. Booked a service/repair for my kingfisher last week and was sent just a pre-paid Royal mail plastic bag and told to send back in original box or similar - thought they sent service pouches out but maybe they don’t anymore.

Received confirmation the watch was at CW on Tuesday (04/06) lunchtime but told it would be 3-5 days to get any news so it wasn’t same-day service last week.

Hopefully will hear something in the next day or two
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Re: Customer Service - Response from CW

Post by albionprs »

Update.

Just recieved the same pitiful email of an excuse this morning as last a Friday. 

You can't make this up.
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Re: Customer Service - Response from CW

Post by Danbailey007 »

All these issues with CS lately make me wonder what systems they have in place for recording incomings, services etc. I work for an IT support company which I know is a lot different but we still have to track what is going on with every issue and job. Like CW we have grown quite a lot in the past few years and staff training is definitely something that needs to be kept on top of.

I'm surprised they give out individual staff members emails so readily, my work has dedicated sales, support, finance etc inboxes so they can be monitored by several members of staff. That way if someone is off it can still be dealt with.

All these issues along with the warranty changes now is putting me off buying another CW at the moment.
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Re: Customer Service - Response from CW

Post by jtc »

A problem/issue should be logged in a system with a unique reference. All customer service agents then update that case with notes of what's been done or any communications had. The reference should follow the watch and have stages so its clear, at a glance, how many issues there are and what's where.

I wonder if this is what they're implementing, or it's just better folder management in an ever overflowing inbox....
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Re: Customer Service - Response from CW

Post by nektie »

Glad to hear about the surge in purchases due to MK3. Very much deserved.

I think it would make more sense by incorporating some sort of a customer management system to streamline complaints/requests. Having an AI bot for general inquiries on the website could do wonders as well since it reduces the burden on the humans on the team. It would be an investment but a good one in the long run for the business.
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Re: Customer Service - Response from CW

Post by Danbailey007 »

jtc wrote: Mon Jun 10, 2019 9:41 pm A problem/issue should be logged in a system with a unique reference. All customer service agents then update that case with notes of what's been done or any communications had. The reference should follow the watch and have stages so its clear, at a glance, how many issues there are and what's where.

I wonder if this is what they're implementing, or it's just better folder management in an ever overflowing inbox....
Exactly this. My work implemented a new CRM to do this so that anyone can check and update and job at any time. The one we use is totally customisable to your business or you can use what they give you out of the box and request changes as you go.
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