Another CS nightmare (still in progress)
Another CS nightmare (still in progress)
Hey all
I will preface this by saying that I have been in the retail/ customer service industry for about 12 years. I know how customers are, I know how they feel, I know how they act. I also know the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and a company is much more likely to hear about complaints than good service. Well, they’ve made me “that guy”...
I dropped my C60 Trident on tile at the beginning of March and chipped a very small piece of the sapphire on it. Nothing big, and the watch was still keeping good time and was still water proof. However, since this was a wedding anniversary gift from my wife, I naturally wanted to get it repaired.
So I contacted CW CS starting on March 28 about sending the watch off to them. It was an absolute nightmare from the very second I emailed them....
The first problem which took about 3 weeks to resolve was getting my watch actually shipped with the correct packing label. I have no earthly idea how, but the CS team pre-filled a label and pick up from an address that I haven’t had anything to do with for about 4 years. They kept creating the same label with the same (wrong) address over and over, a total of 4 times, until finally, after the 4th incorrect label and pickup location, the CS rep (Robert Austin) told me to just ship the watch out anyways... let me get this straight.... this guy wants me to drive to my old address where some random person now lives, to ship off my watch, and then the watch will have the same incorrect address if it needs to get returned via the return address on the label??? Yea, okay buddy. I have attached this small portion of the 60+ email chain convo I am having with them....
Okay, so fast forward 3 weeks later. It all got corrected; Christopher Ward can easily rebound from this shipping monstrosity; after all, their customer service is what they pride themselves on.....
The watch was received by the CS team on April 28th, and since then, I have received absolutely zero updates on if my watch even exists. Every time I email Katrina, I get a “pass the buck” response that goes something like this:
me: “it has now been 2 weeks since you said you would provide an update on my watch and I have heard nothing. Please let me know what the status of this is...
Katrina (3-7 days later): Hello, I am sorry for the late reply. Please let me know if any of my colleagues have reached out to you”
me: “No, I have not heard a word. Please let get back to me on this.”
Katrina: same response as above
This has now lasted over 2 months and I have no idea if my watch is even with them anymore.
I’m sorry for the long-winded post, but I have to say this company has by FAR (not even a close second) the worst customer service I have been a part of since my time on Earth.
I will preface this by saying that I have been in the retail/ customer service industry for about 12 years. I know how customers are, I know how they feel, I know how they act. I also know the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and a company is much more likely to hear about complaints than good service. Well, they’ve made me “that guy”...
I dropped my C60 Trident on tile at the beginning of March and chipped a very small piece of the sapphire on it. Nothing big, and the watch was still keeping good time and was still water proof. However, since this was a wedding anniversary gift from my wife, I naturally wanted to get it repaired.
So I contacted CW CS starting on March 28 about sending the watch off to them. It was an absolute nightmare from the very second I emailed them....
The first problem which took about 3 weeks to resolve was getting my watch actually shipped with the correct packing label. I have no earthly idea how, but the CS team pre-filled a label and pick up from an address that I haven’t had anything to do with for about 4 years. They kept creating the same label with the same (wrong) address over and over, a total of 4 times, until finally, after the 4th incorrect label and pickup location, the CS rep (Robert Austin) told me to just ship the watch out anyways... let me get this straight.... this guy wants me to drive to my old address where some random person now lives, to ship off my watch, and then the watch will have the same incorrect address if it needs to get returned via the return address on the label??? Yea, okay buddy. I have attached this small portion of the 60+ email chain convo I am having with them....
Okay, so fast forward 3 weeks later. It all got corrected; Christopher Ward can easily rebound from this shipping monstrosity; after all, their customer service is what they pride themselves on.....
The watch was received by the CS team on April 28th, and since then, I have received absolutely zero updates on if my watch even exists. Every time I email Katrina, I get a “pass the buck” response that goes something like this:
me: “it has now been 2 weeks since you said you would provide an update on my watch and I have heard nothing. Please let me know what the status of this is...
Katrina (3-7 days later): Hello, I am sorry for the late reply. Please let me know if any of my colleagues have reached out to you”
me: “No, I have not heard a word. Please let get back to me on this.”
Katrina: same response as above
This has now lasted over 2 months and I have no idea if my watch is even with them anymore.
I’m sorry for the long-winded post, but I have to say this company has by FAR (not even a close second) the worst customer service I have been a part of since my time on Earth.
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- Robotaz
- Senior Forumgod
- Posts: 1182
- Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2012 8:56 pm
- CW-watches: 3
- Location: Tennessee
Re: Another CS nightmare (still in progress)
Fair complaint. They need a rapid CS overhaul, as this is stretching into conversations on other fora and propagating. Time to act is now, and fast.
- Riddim Driven
- Newbie
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Fri May 10, 2019 3:32 pm
- CW-watches: 2
- Location: 3rd World Florida-USA
Re: Another CS nightmare (still in progress)
Whoa! What's up with this watch forum anyway? Where's the fun section? I'm new to this space as I recently picked up my 1st CW in Bronze C60 Trident. I'm also awaiting the Elite 1000 Trident. I'm wondering if I should cancel my order? I am reading more and more complaints. I see few threads renewed on any regular basis. Photos and discussion are scarce. Is it just a complaint board?
I've had nice exchanges with some of the CS reps mentioned above. This is becoming a bit distressing.
RD
I've had nice exchanges with some of the CS reps mentioned above. This is becoming a bit distressing.
RD
- Thermexman
- Trusted Seller
- Posts: 6225
- Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2016 6:40 am
- CW-watches: 4
- Location: South West UK
Re: Another CS nightmare (still in progress)
^^^Yep. I’m afraid you need to ditch your whole machine and buy a new one.
Steve.
- scooter
- Trusted Seller
- Posts: 15249
- Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 7:14 pm
- CW-watches: 1
- LE-two: yes
- LE-foura: yes
- Location: UK
Re: Another CS nightmare (still in progress)
Thank you for reaching out to me Steve.
Brandon/Kyle. Sorry to hear of your plight.
I hope you get it sorted to your satisfaction soon.
scooter
Brandon/Kyle. Sorry to hear of your plight.
I hope you get it sorted to your satisfaction soon.
scooter
#1 scooter blue 2012 FLE (50 made)
Re: Another CS nightmare (still in progress)
They’re good watches for the money. You just better hope and pray you won’t need to return it to them for any reason. Who knows how long it’ll take (if they don’t lose it or ship it to a different country, as I’ve read multiple times).Riddim Driven wrote: ↑Wed Jun 12, 2019 8:15 pm Whoa! What's up with this watch forum anyway? Where's the fun section? I'm new to this space as I recently picked up my 1st CW in Bronze C60 Trident. I'm also awaiting the Elite 1000 Trident. I'm wondering if I should cancel my order? I am reading more and more complaints. I see few threads renewed on any regular basis. Photos and discussion are scarce. Is it just a complaint board?
I've had nice exchanges with some of the CS reps mentioned above. This is becoming a bit distressing.
RD
I’m not the sharpest crayon in the box but I have no idea what the keyboard tea spillage is referencing, or if it’s a legit question lol. Either way, no worries
- Thegreyman
- Trusted Seller
- Posts: 12066
- Joined: Sat May 21, 2016 3:45 pm
- CW-watches: 6
- Location: Edinburgh
Re: Another CS nightmare (still in progress)
We no longer seem to contact people these days, we reach out...wtf
Patrick
C60 Pro 300, C60 Sunrise, C63 Sealander Lucerne blue LE, C65 Dartmouth, W11 Amelia (wife), C63 Sealander (son)
Some others + a few on the way
C60 Pro 300, C60 Sunrise, C63 Sealander Lucerne blue LE, C65 Dartmouth, W11 Amelia (wife), C63 Sealander (son)
Some others + a few on the way
- Riddim Driven
- Newbie
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Fri May 10, 2019 3:32 pm
- CW-watches: 2
- Location: 3rd World Florida-USA
Re: Another CS nightmare (still in progress)
'We no longer seem to contact people these days, we reach out...wtf "
Yeh, this phrase has taken hold now. Another overused ridiculous scat
Yeh, this phrase has taken hold now. Another overused ridiculous scat
- Riddim Driven
- Newbie
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Fri May 10, 2019 3:32 pm
- CW-watches: 2
- Location: 3rd World Florida-USA
Re: Another CS nightmare (still in progress)
[/quote]
They’re good watches for the money. You just better hope and pray you won’t need to return it to them for any reason. Who knows how long it’ll take (if they don’t lose it or ship it to a different country, as I’ve read multiple times).
I’m not the sharpest crayon in the box but I have no idea what the keyboard tea spillage is referencing, or if it’s a legit question lol. Either way, no worries
[/quote]
Yeh, this is a crying shame. Well, if I ever encounter a problem I'm jetting over on BA and going straight to the Fawlty Tower
The tea, perhaps it's bit like spilt milk
Thanks for the warnings -- that should be on the package. Isn't everyone up in arms these days that there are not enough warnings on everything we buy, consume etc -- OMG! I just looked under the black box, and there it is in very tiny matching black text -- the warning
They’re good watches for the money. You just better hope and pray you won’t need to return it to them for any reason. Who knows how long it’ll take (if they don’t lose it or ship it to a different country, as I’ve read multiple times).
I’m not the sharpest crayon in the box but I have no idea what the keyboard tea spillage is referencing, or if it’s a legit question lol. Either way, no worries
[/quote]
Yeh, this is a crying shame. Well, if I ever encounter a problem I'm jetting over on BA and going straight to the Fawlty Tower
The tea, perhaps it's bit like spilt milk
Thanks for the warnings -- that should be on the package. Isn't everyone up in arms these days that there are not enough warnings on everything we buy, consume etc -- OMG! I just looked under the black box, and there it is in very tiny matching black text -- the warning
- watchaholic
- Senior Forumgod
- Posts: 1909
- Joined: Tue Mar 05, 2019 12:28 am
- CW-watches: 4
- Location: NE North Dakota, USA
Re: Another CS nightmare (still in progress)
This whole service thing SEEMS to be a numbers issue. Trying not to being over simplistic here but, 20,000 watches a year sold, 5 year warranty, 100,000 watches at risk, equals 1 completely overwhelmed staff.
Time and money? I’ve spent most of mine on booze and women. The rest I just wasted…
Dwight
Dwight
- Essex Paul
- Senior Forumgod
- Posts: 1084
- Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2018 6:07 pm
- CW-watches: 2
Re: Another CS nightmare (still in progress)
I do think Fawlty Towers is a more appropriate name at the moment than CW Towers.
As Watchaholic has pointed out. How does a very small CS team and small service department cope with all the returns and repairs? No mention from Mike France that as they’re growing and overwhelmed they’ll be taking on extra staff. No, only revamping their current system. Well, that ain’t gonna cut out the mistakes and length of time it takes to get your watch back.
The London GTG should be fun.
As Watchaholic has pointed out. How does a very small CS team and small service department cope with all the returns and repairs? No mention from Mike France that as they’re growing and overwhelmed they’ll be taking on extra staff. No, only revamping their current system. Well, that ain’t gonna cut out the mistakes and length of time it takes to get your watch back.
The London GTG should be fun.
C1 Grand Malvern Power Reserve
C65 Trident Diver Blue
C65 Trident Diver Blue
Re: Another CS nightmare (still in progress)
Have any of the more local members met Katrina? These responses she's quoted in (constantly now) seem to feel like a artificial intelligence responder like a customer service chat bot. Having run technical support these unforced errors by a company whose products I love makes my heart hurt. They should know every watch in and where it is in the queue at every second.
If they don't, they need to take a breath and invest in systems and not design until this is right, otherwise they'll choke and die on their own success. This is fixable in a week if they give a darn about fixing it. For one week all three principals need to be in there actually performing these tasks, checking in the watches, responding to the emails, and shipping back the repairs. They do that and it will be solved. I've been in this situation up close and I know watching the boss in the trenches and seeing first hand where things are broken and facing the customer wrath brings changes. Fingers crossed they are listening.
And I'm sure Katrina is probably just overwhelmed. It has to be hard. It isn't her fault. This is a management fault. Hopefully they don't let Katrina and Scott and the rest down.
If they don't, they need to take a breath and invest in systems and not design until this is right, otherwise they'll choke and die on their own success. This is fixable in a week if they give a darn about fixing it. For one week all three principals need to be in there actually performing these tasks, checking in the watches, responding to the emails, and shipping back the repairs. They do that and it will be solved. I've been in this situation up close and I know watching the boss in the trenches and seeing first hand where things are broken and facing the customer wrath brings changes. Fingers crossed they are listening.
And I'm sure Katrina is probably just overwhelmed. It has to be hard. It isn't her fault. This is a management fault. Hopefully they don't let Katrina and Scott and the rest down.
- watchaholic
- Senior Forumgod
- Posts: 1909
- Joined: Tue Mar 05, 2019 12:28 am
- CW-watches: 4
- Location: NE North Dakota, USA
Re: Another CS nightmare (still in progress)
And I'm sure Katrina is probably just overwhelmed. It has to be hard. It isn't her fault. This is a management fault. Hopefully they don't let Katrina and Scott and the rest down.
[/quote]
HERE HERE!!
[/quote]
HERE HERE!!
Time and money? I’ve spent most of mine on booze and women. The rest I just wasted…
Dwight
Dwight
Re: Pardon?
Apparently it’s modern business vernacular. Not to be confused with a similar sentence that has a different meaning!
Neil
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