Buying product from Tom Tom direct

[aurigny]

Hi everyone, has anyone experienced buying product from Tom Tom via their web site? I'm just having a very frustrating time with them, as their warehouse sent me a new Start in a box with no internal packing! I refused it and am now in all sorts of trouble because I did. As a company, I get the distinct impression that us customers are just a 'B' nuisance, even if they screw up!
Anyone else had a similar experience, or is it just me?
Best regards to all
:rant:

 

[dhn]

What kinds of 'trouble' ??

Call CS at 0845 161 0009 or 020 7387 5444 and see if they can help you out......

 

[aurigny]

Buying product direct from Tom Tom

What kinds of 'trouble' ??

Call CS at 0845 161 0009 or 020 7387 5444 and see if they can help you out......

Hi, thanx for your response. I wish that their CS were helpful, but they're not, sad to say. They are hog-tied by Tom Tom's ridiculous 'systems'. I returned the product - not easy to do as they don't make it so, unlike other companies. Now they have it back, it will take 6 weeks to get a refund and then I have to place the order AGAIN, to get a replacement, please God this time properly packaged!
No, they can't just do a straight 'swap' - not allowed.
If they'd packed it properly in the first place, none of this would have happened. You can guess the frustration level is pretty high.
Not impressed by their 'standards of 'service'', sorry.
Best regards
:rant:

 

[dhn]

I'll see if a contact I have at TomTom can help. No promises ............

 

[aurigny]

Buying product direct from Tom Tom

Hi, that's most kind of you. It's been a bad experience all round, so far. Leaves an unpleasant taste, if you know what I mean.
Best regards

 

[dhn]

Well, this was her reply:

Thanks for letting me know

I've checked the case and as far as I can see, the customer wasn't treated badly by the agent handling the case.
I will certainly forward the feedback about the process, email instructions and packaging though! I've personally received a number of TomTom devices in the funky packaging and there's never been an issue with them, but that's easy enough for me to say.

Thanks again!

So, I don't know if anything more (than just waiting) can or will be done but it was worth a shot.

 

[aurigny]

Buying product direct from Tom Tom

Hi, thanx for that. No, the 'agents' were as good as they could be - no complaint there - it's the 'system' that sucks! I sent them pix of the damaged box, so there could be no doubt that it had been badly packed - if you can call putting a unit into an empty box 'packed'. Maybe they just don't think that people like me have a right to expect something delivered properly - who knows. Anyway, thanx for trying, it was very kind of you.
Best regards

 

[aurigny]

Buying product direct from Tom Tom

Hi, well, your chum must have kicked butt - I have an email saying that the refund -which they said would take 6 weeks - has been made! Would you thank her for me, please? Now, though, I have to re-order another one, so I'm just praying that this will be properly packed. This is a gift for a very special friend, who lives 400 miles away and so, if it goes wrong, due to carriage mishandling/damage, I can't be there to try and fix it - hence the requirement for it to be 'right' from day 1. May I reiterate my thanx to you as well, please, for your very kind intervention on her behalf . . . . . . may I wish you a good weekend
Best regards

 

[dhn]

I'll pass onthe news to her.

 

[aurigny]

Buying product direct from Tom Tom

I'll pass onthe news to her.

Hi DHN, sorry to bother you again, but I wonder whether you could raise your contact at Tom Tom for me?
The replacement unit arrived on Thursday, after many promises that it would be packed properly this time but, as I feared, it was just the same - crushed box, product freely rattling around inside with no internal packing!
Can they not appreciate that people with any idea of how to ship product will be less than impressed, as this normally results in early product failure.
It seems that the customer just doesn't matter any more.
In despair . . . . . .
Best regards

 

[dhn]

Does the item work?

 

[aurigny]

Buying product direct from Tom Tom

Does the item work?

Hi, DHN, I don't know as I'm not happy to accept it as it is. I have no way of knowing whether it suffered internal damage in transit due to bad packing and, unless Tom Tom can assure me in writing that the full warranty would apply should it fail early, I don't think I should accept it.

You could say I'm being pedantic but, having had previous experience of electronic product failure due to bad packing - once bitten twice shy.

Their packing sure wouldn't pass the 1 metre drop test, or be acceptable under AQUAP packaging specs.

I guess you're telling me to be quiet and use it, no matter what?
Best regards

 

[dhn]

I'm saying that the probability is that the unit is fine.

 

[Andy_P]

Do you have photos of the damage?
I really think you should see if the device actually works
(Not an excuse for bad packing, but they ARE designed to handle constant vibration in a vehicle).

I've had several units shipped from Amsterdam just in jiffy bags and they have all been fine, long term.

 

[aurigny]

Buying product direct from Tom Tom

Does the item work?

Hi, ok, someone called me this morning from Tom Tom to discuss the situation. He authorized me to go ahead and open the package.

Whereupon a small box fell out that, on opening, contained the unit.

We agreed that as this box didn't look as though it had suffered any impact damage, although the outer box was crushed, I would see if it worked and report back.

I did say that, as a person once used to shipping product overseas, I was shocked to find that they only use a single-wall carton - the minimum for international is double-wall, with triple-wall being the norm. Also, it wouldn't have cost much to put some brown packing paper into the box to prevent the product box sliding around in it.

OK, so maybe Tom Tom are looking at the bottom line and shaving all costs, but you'd think they had enough respect for both their products and the poor old customer, to do a bit better job,, wouldn't you?

Let's hope that this is the end of the stupid saga. Total waste of my time and energy trying to deal with neanderthals.

Thanx again for your time on this
Best regards:rant:

 

[tomos]

Hi Auringy, I can appreciate your concern of what your worried could have happened , but ,did you try the first Tomtom you received, to see if it worked or not ? If you didn`t ,then Why would you just send it back without testing if it was working correctly or not ?.If you did & it wasn`t working OK then that`s a good enough reason to ask for another. But I feel just being concerned that something "might" have happened and in actual fact it hadn`t wouldn`t be a good enough reason to ask for another . As it happens , now they did send you another but have you tried that one to see if its working OK or not.? From what i`m reading, I cannot see why your sending them back if you havn`t tried them first .

Hope you sort things for the best anyway

 

[aurigny]

Hi, Tomos, the second unit did work. However, this doesn't excuse their hopeless packaging. Maybe it's just my lack of understanding for modern company practice, where throwing things in an unsuitable, oversized box, with an obvious disregard for presentation, let alone successful arrival at the customer's, seems to be the norm? I get stuff from and via Amazon from time to time - at least that arrives in suitable packaging, so perhaps TomTom could learn from that.
Great product, but that doesn't excuse bad packaging
Merry Xmas

 

[tomos]

Hi again aurigny,
I as said before can understand your frustration and it could be that I wouldn`t have been impressed with the packaging myself maybe . Probably next time it might be a better idea from your point , to buy from a retail high street supplier instead.

Best wishes for Christmas & have a great New year.
tomos

 

[aurigny]

Hi Tomos, you're probably right. However, as I live on Alderney, a small Island, with about 1600 inhabitants, we normally purchase anything other than food items via the internet, as there aren't any shops here that sell electronic products. Perhaps Amazon - who most of us tend to use, would have been a better choice. As I used to run a small business selling scientific instruments when I was in the UK, I got used to doing things properly . . . . . . . . . . .

All the best for 2013

Chris

 

[tomos]

True ,amazon tend to package adequately well in my opinion ,and there`s nothing wrong with good habits of doing things properly . I suppose we try out of choice and if some things not up to scratch we try again elsewhere .
Lets hope you get some sort of satisfaction anyway to end the year upon.

Tomos