SAD day, Garmin SA outsource Service desk to Navworld

[awesme]

Hi all

 

So over the weekend the service desk is moving (as per email send out to their customers), to another venue, Garmin SA service desk in actual fact is not Garmin anymore, it's a independent company (NAVWORLD) now contracted to service Garmin products,

 

I've already had interface with them last week, and sadly after all my previous RAVE's about Garmin's post sale product support/attitude to their customers, seems it won't be repeated again. Garmin product supports coffin has seen it's let nail.

 

Navworld, they don't have the same drive to excellence towards their customers. It's just a business with numbers now, it's not their name, their customers.

 

I've taken this up with Garmin, although the person I've spoken to had all the best intention, it seems the people around him does not have the same drive to resolve this/ change a customers experience/perception of the future.

 

SAD face.

 

G

[fanievb]

customer service all over has taken a dip (for me at least)

 

1. Got ADSL at home last week thursday, since then its worked for about 48 hours total.

2. FNB sends me an sms to fetch my card at X branch, get there branch is closed, phone them and get told I need to FICA. I strip my *()^&* and ask why, on sorry we have no FICA docs, they seem to have lost it. So after almost 20 years with them I am looking for other options, but all banks seem pretty crap at this stage.

3. take my car in for some warranty work, get it back "we fixed everything sir" of the 7 faults, one is repaired.

 

At least my LB(ottle)S still offers good service and prices, and I am heading there now.

[Cycling Major]

As far as I know it has been navworld for quite a while.

 

Last year just befor the 94.7 they sent me there.

 

I must say I got great service and had my heart rate monitor replaced there and then without any hassle or even proof of purchase.

 

Lets see what happens

[Weight Weenie]

Would be sad if things go south, my experience with them has been very positive and I still prefer them above other brands.

[scotty]

One good thing is they just down the road from where i work now, not that i plan on going there a lot. It should be in their best interests to keep standards up as I'm sure the Garmin parent company wont take too kindly to negative customers experiences.

[majestic]

I must agree. My service from Navworld has been way below the levels set by Garmin. Perhaps teething problems but from my experience it was pure apathy. Let's hope they can sort it out.

[kosmonooit]

I think in general out-sourced call centers are horrible to deal with when it comes to support. The biggest challenge is getting the random on the side of the other phone to accept / understand that you have a real problem and you have tried all the obvious, trolled in the Interweb for solutions, and now you need expert assistance.

[johannrissik]

I don't even own a cycling Garmin. Years ago they gave me excellent service on an old Etrex, so much so that I wouldn't want any other GPS.

 

Customer service and positive brand awareness are core to the long-term success of something like Garmin in SA (not least of all because Saffers tend to mouth off a lot )

 

Outsourcing something as important as customer service sends (to me anyway) completely the wrong message.

 

For the sake of all you Garmin owners out there, I really hope I am proven wrong.

[tubed]

Sadly my recent experience has also not met the standard I was used to. Its not bad, its just not committed to the brand.

 

I would also just comment that the policy of upgrading a unit when it needs a repair is not altogether fair as far as I am concerned, others will disagree in that it enables you to constantly upgrade to a newer product every couple of years.

 

What if you don't want an upgrade and you want the product fixed or even just serviced? That's not an option.

 

What Garmin don't tell you when you buy the product is that it has a limited lifespan and you cannot repair some of the products or that they don't do it. So you are forced into an upgrade or you have to bin it.

 

Fortunately there now seems to be good choice with Suunto.

[johannrissik]

Sadly my recent experience has also not met the standard I was used to. Its not bad, its just not committed to the brand.

 

I would also just comment that the policy of upgrading a unit when it needs a repair is not altogether fair as far as I am concerned, others will disagree in that it enables you to constantly upgrade to a newer product every couple of years.

 

What if you don't want an upgrade and you want the product fixed or even just serviced? That's not an option.

 

What Garmin don't tell you when you buy the product is that it has a limited lifespan and you cannot repair some of the products or that they don't do it. So you are forced into an upgrade or you have to bin it.

 

Fortunately there now seems to be good choice with Suunto.

 

I often wonder who takes the decision to do this to a successful brand/product/service ?

[The Anteater]

What Garmin don't tell you when you buy the product is that it has a limited lifespan and you cannot repair some of the products or that they don't do it. So you are forced into an upgrade or you have to bin it.

Isn't this the case with almost all consumer electronics, though?

[Stretch]

What's been going on in kiev is sad..this is just mildly annoying for Garmin users

[tubed]

Isn't this the case with almost all consumer electronics, though?

thought about it before I said that and yes to an extent - but who makes a very expensive watch nowadays where you cannot replace the battery? ie you throw the whole unit away.

 

(granted apple phones have irreplaceable batteries - but they do seem to last)

[cfcjim]

I often wonder who takes the decision to do this to a successful brand/product/service ?

 

Accountants.