Bezel inserts

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Re: Bezel inserts

Post by 0uatiOW »

jolsongoude wrote: Tue Nov 10, 2020 4:42 am Quick update: Watch was mailed 10/10. The last tracking update I received was:

October 15, 2020 at 10:59 pm
Processed through Facility
UNITED KINGDOM

My weekly emails to my "Customer Service" contact requesting a simple yes or no answer as to whether they've received my watch go completely unanswered.

Seriously unimpressed and very disappointed. I really did expect better.
This part of the delay is not really CW’s fault. International shipments to seem to be taking an extra 2-3 weeks - mostly between leaving one country and being checked into the second, and it’s because some of the processing centres are running on skeleton staff.

If it’s DHL Parcels (the UK arm), their tracking is appalling. They track pick up and delivery with nothing in between. Last time I used them (yes, it is definitely the last time) I couldn’t get a Waybill number and couldn’t reach a human on the phone. I managed to get some information via Twitter of all places.

That said, once it does arrive, repair times are quoted at 8-10 weeks, even for warranty work (my new C8 is back there on its second *sejour* since I bought it in August), and I was informed it had arrived fully one week after Royal Mail delivered it. Customer Service frustrations aren’t news at CW, and unfortunately once you’re in, you just have to wait. A gentle sigh and extended patience is how you get through it.
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Re: Bezel inserts

Post by exHowfener »

I can easily understand any company not giving a quote without seeing the item in question as in the UK a quote is legally binding. It's my general experience that people have wildly varying ideas as to what may, or may not need doing. If an item has sustained some damage, there may be other work needed that isn't immediately obvious. I'm not trying to be controversial, or an apologist for poor service but I can see the other side of the argument.
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Re: Bezel inserts

Post by StrappedUp »

Doesn't a quote need to be prepared as a formal quote to be legally binding, not just an indicative price given out over the phone?

That's a question btw not me arguing otherwise.

I should have added that my company gives indicative prices of parts and flat inspection fees to customers, but no work is undertaken before an inspection, assessment of work and acceptance of a formal (written) quote.
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Re: Bezel inserts

Post by TempusFugit »

scrw wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2020 10:31 pm Their service isn't what it used to be. First point of contact is your most important.
I'll second that. I recently asked a question and received an entirely aggressive response which I found really annoying and upsetting. I'm not going to name the employee but CW must know they have a problem here.
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Re: Bezel inserts

Post by H0rati0 »

StrappedUp wrote: Tue Nov 10, 2020 7:32 pm Doesn't a quote need to be prepared as a formal quote to be legally binding, not just an indicative price given out over the phone?

That's a question btw not me arguing otherwise.

I should have added that my company gives indicative prices of parts and flat inspection fees to customers, but no work is undertaken before an inspection, assessment of work and acceptance of a formal (written) quote.
Correct. A formal quotation needs to state contractual terms & conditions which are then accepted by the customer so there is a binding agreement between the parties.
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Re: Bezel inserts

Post by Bungle-ator »

[/quote]

Correct. A formal quotation needs to state contractual terms & conditions which are then accepted by the customer so there is a binding agreement between the parties.
[/quote]

I think the reality is that people are looking for a rough idea based on what they think is wrong. When someone asks "how much would it cost if the bezel needed replacing on my watch" it's really not unreasonable to expect to be given a price. If the watch was sent in and it needed more work than that then a price could be quoted accordingly. After all, it's only been quoted for a replacement bezel.
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Re: Bezel inserts

Post by jolsongoude »

0uatiOW wrote: Tue Nov 10, 2020 1:18 pm

This part of the delay is not really CW’s fault. International shipments to seem to be taking an extra 2-3 weeks - mostly between leaving one country and being checked into the second, and it’s because some of the processing centres are running on skeleton staff.

I understand this. And that's fine. All I'm really expecting is the courtesy of a response saying, "No we haven't received your watch yet," rather than being completely ignored two weeks in a row. Heck - just a "No" would suffice.
Ignoring customers isn't supposed to be part of the Customer Service gig - at least where I come from.
And I still think it's complete BS that they can't give you a rough idea of cost, or even whether or not they have replacements available, without having the watch in hand.
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Re: Bezel inserts

Post by StrappedUp »

Bungle-ator wrote: Tue Nov 10, 2020 11:03 pm I think the reality is that people are looking for a rough idea based on what they think is wrong. When someone asks "how much would it cost if the bezel needed replacing on my watch" it's really not unreasonable to expect to be given a price. If the watch was sent in and it needed more work than that then a price could be quoted accordingly. After all, it's only been quoted for a replacement bezel.
Yeh, I think Nik was referring to my question on formal quotations being legally binding. I think we're concluding that nobody is going to able to hold CW to any indicative pricing given out in an informal way which is what I think was being suggested prior to my question :thumbup:

I think the point you make above is circumstantial though. I don't think CW should feel inclined to give out prices if the internals have gone wrong regardless of whether the consumer feels he knows what may be wrong.

As you stated, if someone wants a price for a replacement movement rather than any kind of repair, then I don't see why that can't be disclosed beforehand.
Likewise for parts such as crystals/bezels/inserts etc where a consumer can identify that it requires replacement or they would like it changed for aesthetic reasons.
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Re: Bezel inserts

Post by 0uatiOW »

jolsongoude wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 1:39 am
0uatiOW wrote: Tue Nov 10, 2020 1:18 pm

This part of the delay is not really CW’s fault. International shipments to seem to be taking an extra 2-3 weeks - mostly between leaving one country and being checked into the second, and it’s because some of the processing centres are running on skeleton staff.

I understand this. And that's fine. All I'm really expecting is the courtesy of a response saying, "No we haven't received your watch yet," rather than being completely ignored two weeks in a row. Heck - just a "No" would suffice.
Ignoring customers isn't supposed to be part of the Customer Service gig - at least where I come from.
And I still think it's complete BS that they can't give you a rough idea of cost, or even whether or not they have replacements available, without having the watch in hand.
Agree on your points - there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be able to reply to say a) it hasn’t arrived yet and b) “if it’s just a bezel swap it would be about £xyz”. Frankly, I don’t see why they won’t just sell a replacement bezel with the caveat that you would invalidate the remaining warranty. I’m not even sure what the warranty period is (yes, I could look it up...); the 5 year warranty is only on the movement, which should not therefore be affected by swapping a bezel insert.
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Re: Bezel inserts

Post by exHowfener »

Frankly, I don’t see why they won’t just sell a replacement bezel
No. I don't either. As CW grow as a brand it must only be a matter of time before some 3rd party supplier starts making bezels to fit and I can't see that benefits CW in any way. Well, there may be a few less customer service complaints ... I get that other makes may want to support AD's so expect you to go there for repairs, but an internet business could sell (some) parts through their website to everyone's benefit.
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Re: Bezel inserts

Post by MarkingTime »

Manufacturers seem to be moving towards making sure that watch repairs and services are done in house. This is done by using proprietary parts that are not available anywhere else.
It's damned frustrating if you ask me and doesn't help the small businesses who repair watches.
Oris are a case in point, even simple items like crystals for the divers watches in particular, are not ordinarily available outside of Oris service centres.
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Re: Bezel inserts

Post by jolsongoude »

Final update:

After exactly six weeks, the box showed up in my mailbox. The package had a Royal Mail sticker attached that said, " We were unable to deliver this item because:" the box checked was "Not called for" There was also a Customs charge label attached, and while blacked out with a marker, I could see that it listed a £65.03 VAT charge and a £8.00 Royal Mail handling fee. On that label it stated "THIS PACKAGE CANNOT BE DELIVERED UNTIL THE CHARGES ARE PAID."

My guess is that CWL wasn't going to pay the £73.03 and they just let the package sit at the PO until the RM gave up and returned the package. So, while not exactly CWL's fault, I'm still **** that I had to spend the money to try and send it to them when a simple email response would have been so f-ing easy.

If we in the USA are ever allowed to travel again, maybe I'll drop it off in person. Until then I'll live with it and continue looking for a replacement that will fit. And we still don't know how much CWL charges for a bezel replacement...

Yes, the customs paperwork I sent stated "Watch for repair and return."
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Re: Bezel inserts

Post by tikkathree »

jolsongoude wrote: Fri Nov 20, 2020 10:43 pm Final update:

After exactly six weeks, the box showed up in my mailbox. The package had a Royal Mail sticker attached that said, " We were unable to deliver this item because:" the box checked was "Not called for" There was also a Customs charge label attached, and while blacked out with a marker, I could see that it listed a £65.03 VAT charge and a £8.00 Royal Mail handling fee. On that label it stated "THIS PACKAGE CANNOT BE DELIVERED UNTIL THE CHARGES ARE PAID."

My guess is that CWL wasn't going to pay the £73.03 and they just let the package sit at the PO until the RM gave up and returned the package. So, while not exactly CWL's fault, I'm still **** that I had to spend the money to try and send it to them when a simple email response would have been so f-ing easy.

If we in the USA are ever allowed to travel again, maybe I'll drop it off in person. Until then I'll live with it and continue looking for a replacement that will fit. And we still don't know how much CWL charges for a bezel replacement...

Yes, the customs paperwork I sent stated "Watch for repair and return."
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Re: Bezel inserts

Post by CBMVic20 »

The real scandal here is the ridiculous "handling fee" of £8 that the Royal Mail charges for imports on top of the customs and duty. You can at least claim the customs and duty back through HMRC but the RM are dogs when it comes to claiming the handling fee, even if there was a mistake and HMRC refunded the taxes.
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Re: Bezel inserts

Post by exHowfener »

Is it really a scandal? All couriers charge a handling fee, which as I understand it is them getting payment for doing the job of collecting duty on imports. It's annoying as the level set for import to UK is pretty low at £15, so it can be a fair chunk of a low priced item, but I can't get excited about people getting paid for work done - though really HMRC should be paying them for the work they are doing on their behalf.
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