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Speedmaster Warranty Repair

RMOON28
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Archer Archer
Can I ask why you didn't buy from the boutique in the first place?

Cheaper in the grey market. But then again, I never experienced buying from a boutique before. I guess I can compared it to when I went to a Mercedes dealer for the first time after buying from Ford for several years. I friend bought his car there and asked me to come once to get something fixed in his car. I noticed the difference right away (Not saying all MB dealers are the same or that Ford dealers are less). The customer service was completely different and, for years I never considered buying overpriced cars, but the experience brought me back. That's when you finally realize exactly what you pay for.

So, why I didn't buy my car from a MB dealer before? Same answer: Cheaper and good quality at Ford, until curiosity led me elsewhere. I mean you guys understand this better, did most of you guys started collecting watches with a Rolex or Omega? I know I didn't... way too much money for a watch! You can find beautiful mechanical watches for a 4th of the price. But then, you start learning more about them and suddenly the world looks different... Sorry, I got carried away.
 
Archer
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RMOON28 RMOON28
I mean you guys understand this better, did most of you guys started collecting watches with a Rolex or Omega?

My first good watch (that I would say lead to me being a collector) was a Rolex. I bought it used.

I didn't get any Omegas until well after I joined this forum, but had other brands considered well above Omega or Rolex before those.
 
M'Bob
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Iceter Iceter
Going above and beyond has the potential to win new customers. Giving mediocre service guarantees that they will NOT win that customer.

I agree with much of what you said, which may not come across from what I quoted. but the truth is, it really does depend on how much one values service, and that varies greatly, not only between people, but within the same person too.

I once sent a woman for rotator cuff surgery to a brilliant but ego-maniacal orthopedist. He did a perfect job on her shoulder, but all she kept taking about was what an asshole he was. I said, “What do you care, your shoulder is like new?” She said, “I would never go back to him.”

The next patient I sent him, I first gave a stern disclaimer: “Just want to let you know, this guy can be really obnoxious.” He said, “Why would I care if he does a good job?” Go figure...
 
Dor_42
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M'Bob M'Bob
I agree with much of what you said, which may not come across from what I quoted. but the truth is, it really does depend on how much one values service, and that varies greatly, not only between people, but within the same person too.

I once sent a woman for rotator cuff surgery to a brilliant but ego-maniacal orthopedist. He did a perfect job on her shoulder, but all she kept taking about was what an asshole he was. I said, “What do you care, your shoulder is like new?” She said, “I would never go back to him.”

The next patient I sent him, I first gave a stern disclaimer: “Just want to let you know, this guy can be really obnoxious.” He said, “Why would I care if he does a good job?” Go figure...
Just out of curiosity, where are you from?
 
Archer
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M'Bob M'Bob
I once sent a woman for rotator cuff surgery to a brilliant but ego-maniacal orthopedist. He did a perfect job on her shoulder, but all she kept taking about was what an asshole he was. I said, “What do you care, your shoulder is like new?” She said, “I would never go back to him.”

The next patient I sent him, I first gave a stern disclaimer: “Just want to let you know, this guy can be really obnoxious.” He said, “Why would I care if he does a good job?” Go figure...

Fortunately the guy that did mine was both very good, and very nice.
 
M'Bob
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Archer Archer
Fortunately the guy that did mine was both very good, and very nice.

Happens in medicine at times. Not often enough.

True story: I was sent a patient from a female ortho who clearly missed the diagnosis. When I called her to discuss it, her response was, “Do you know I went to Harvard Medical School?”
 
Archer
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M'Bob M'Bob
True story: I was sent a patient from a female ortho who clearly missed the diagnosis. When I called her to discuss it, her response was, “Do you know I went to Harvard Medical School?”

This is a very good illustration that even the "best" are human, and sometimes things don't go right. Also puts into perspective that the complaints here are just about watches, and thankfully not something really serious like someone's health.

Sometimes people forget these tings when they come to the internet with their outrage.
 
Iceter
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I want to clarify that I am not saying that An AD going above and beyond Is guaranteed to win customers—only that doing a poor job guarantees the customer will not come back. Customer service is tough. It’s a heckuvalot easier to run customers off than it is to win and retain them.

But in the current economy, and with the breadth of choice in the luxury watch market, I would think an Omega dealer would need new customers. And a guy who spends a few thousand on a gray-market watch that has issues seems to me to be a perfect opportunity for an AD to win that guy over to the idea of buying from a trusted seller like their boutique. If the OPs retelling of the circumstances is accurate, I feel like they dropped the ball.

I am well aware that you don’t want to win some customers. Some people are a PITA in the beginning and never get any better. The problem is that I have only met a few people in my life who could pre-judge which customers were going to be profitable and good to work with. That’s a skill that most people don’t have and making that call after only one or two interactions is very risky business. Lots of customers judge how you work with them in a crisis and even though they may be difficult during that time, when the crisis is resolved, they trust you implicitly, send you all their business and refer you more good customers.

Of course, some are difficult and never get any better. Sometimes you regret bringing a customer on. But you always have the option of pushing those customers away at your leisure and on your own terms. I’d rather win business and have to turn some out than not win the business in the first place.
 
D
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To my enormous disappointment this behaviour isn't exclusive to the boutiques... I had a question of which the boutique said I best contact Omega directly via customer contact on the website. This is what I did and I got a positive response from Switserland within three days and I was extremely happy. To solve the issue they would need my address which I provided by return mail... now, two months later, I hear nothing from them, I send about two or three reply mails asking for status of my request... but total silence is what I get... nothing. I'm really wondering with which speed they try to lose a customer.... or am I being impatient?
 
Dor_42
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D DutchPete
To my enormous disappointment this behaviour isn't exclusive to the boutiques... I had a question of which the boutique said I best contact Omega directly via customer contact on the website. This is what I did and I got a positive response from Switserland within three days and I was extremely happy. To solve the issue they would need my address which I provided by return mail... now, two months later, I hear nothing from them, I send about two or three reply mails asking for status of my request... but total silence is what I get... nothing. I'm really wondering with which speed they try to lose a customer.... or am I being impatient?
Hard to judge based on the information given.
Tell us more and we’ll let you know 😉
 
D
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Dor_42 Dor_42
Hard to judge based on the information given.
Tell us more and we’ll let you know 😉
Yes.... let's call it impatient. After several weeks more and me giving kind of up... Omega responded! ...and let's be honest, they apologized for the delay and solved my issue for the fully 200% To me it remained unclear why it took so long but let's blame COVID19 so thats that.
The 100% extra was for the book I got for waiting (Chronicles)
So bravo for Omega service department and boo for my impatience 😀
 
RMOON28
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I guess I owe you guys a follow up on this. After all, thanks to some of the comments here is that I ended up contacting Omega HQ directly.

So, after leaving my watch at the Omega boutique for a 2nd time, they sent it out to the service center, they apologized, I voiced my concerns, blah, blah, blah... you guys know the rest. After around 4 weeks, I called them to find out if my watch came back, they said it was on the QC stage and will be here in the next 3 days. one more week passed, called again -"Oh yes it's here!" really? they never called me. Anyhow, as soon as I got home, wound the watch all the way just for it to stop working after 10 hours or so... Again with the same issue. I was getting really frustrated but I decided to contact Omega through their website. they replied right away, sent me a prepaid box to mail out the watch, later they emailed me with a web link, user and passcode number to track the status of the service. I was surprised of how well they handled the whole interaction after the horrible experience at the boutique.

Bottom line, I got my watch back this past Monday, wound it all the way and low and behold... over 47 hours of power reserve. Not only that, it was regulated to -+2 seconds per day!!! this thing is super accurate now.
Needless to say, I was very thankful of finally enjoying the watch after a 5 month ordeal. I recovered my faith in the brand and considering my 2nd purchase from them... Still trying to decide how to go about that one.
 
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