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Look what I found on The Consumerist


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http://consumerist.com/5207579/following-g...uld-cost-you-99

 

From TFA:

 

"Garmin wants to bill reader Hal $99 for a new SD card after failing to tell him to remove his old card before returning his dead-on-arrival StreetPilot C510. The SD card holds the unit's maps, and without one, the GPS unit is useless."

 

That summary is misleading. Garmin sent a replacement unit, as per the warranty and charged nothing. There was no bill.

 

However, I disagree with what Garmin did, but they did clearly instruct to not include accessories as they would not be returned.

 

On a side note, if a new unit is defective, return it immediately to the retailer. Don't bother dealing with the warranty unless you have to.

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http://consumerist.com/5207579/following-g...uld-cost-you-99

 

From TFA:

 

"Garmin wants to bill reader Hal $99 for a new SD card after failing to tell him to remove his old card before returning his dead-on-arrival StreetPilot C510. The SD card holds the unit's maps, and without one, the GPS unit is useless."

 

That summary is misleading. Garmin sent a replacement unit, as per the warranty and charged nothing. There was no bill.

 

However, I disagree with what Garmin did, but they did clearly instruct to not include accessories as they would not be returned.

 

On a side note, if a new unit is defective, return it immediately to the retailer. Don't bother dealing with the warranty unless you have to.

 

Telling of how Garmin deals with their customers?? Sent back a unit that's bsaically just a paperweight and it's OK because they told you not to include accessories? If the card is the brains, I'd hardly call it an accessory!

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http://consumerist.com/5207579/following-g...uld-cost-you-99

 

From TFA:

 

"Garmin wants to bill reader Hal $99 for a new SD card after failing to tell him to remove his old card before returning his dead-on-arrival StreetPilot C510. The SD card holds the unit's maps, and without one, the GPS unit is useless."

 

That summary is misleading. Garmin sent a replacement unit, as per the warranty and charged nothing. There was no bill.

 

However, I disagree with what Garmin did, but they did clearly instruct to not include accessories as they would not be returned.

 

On a side note, if a new unit is defective, return it immediately to the retailer. Don't bother dealing with the warranty unless you have to.

 

Telling of how Garmin deals with their customers?? Sent back a unit that's bsaically just a paperweight and it's OK because they told you not to include accessories? If the card is the brains, I'd hardly call it an accessory!

Nope the GPS will work without the card. The card contains waypoints and can also be used to store maps that are purchased separately. Since Garmin sells the unit without the card that is what they would return. Otherwise Garmin would be inundated with request for maps from people who never bought the maps in the first place.

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Garmin can't , and shouldn't have to, protect you from your own stupidity

I would hardly call it own stupidity. If it was your first GPS and you got it DOA most laymen if the SD was installed IN the unit when it was recieved would not take it out to send it back and would not consider it Accessories.

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...Nope the GPS will work without the card. The card contains waypoints and can also be used to store maps that are purchased separately. Since Garmin sells the unit without the card that is what they would return. Otherwise Garmin would be inundated with request for maps from people who never bought the maps in the first place.

There you go.

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Garmin can't , and shouldn't have to, protect you from your own stupidity

I would hardly call it own stupidity. If it was your first GPS and you got it DOA most laymen if the SD was installed IN the unit when it was recieved would not take it out to send it back and would not consider it Accessories.

 

True as well. However today companies are so hell bent on removing our fair use rights to digital information that even laymen have to pay attention and guard it.

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Well, it's still pretty telling of Garmin's handling of consumer problems. When I had a problem with my Xbox, even though they sent me a letter stating no accessories osent r discs left in the unit, I forgot to take the game out. When it came back, no game in the unit...but a knock on the door a few minutes later revealed that the UPS man forgot to give me the separate package which did indeed hold the game.

 

Most companies want HAPPY customers, having to send the unit in is headache enough, forgetting something as easliy forgotten as a card and then finding out that Garmin won't return it...WOW! How hard is it for the tech to remove the card and put in the package when returning the product? I'm willing to bet the user wasn't overly thrilled with Garmin even if they did forget to remove the card themselves!

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Garmin can't , and shouldn't have to, protect you from your own stupidity

 

Yes they can and yes they should if they care about their customers or long term profits for that matter. It's a dadgum SD card and cost them a few bucks. I'd rather lose a few dollars to make a customer ecstatic to have fixed their stupidity then to piss off the customer forcing them to return the product and buy a competitor's.

 

Customer service is not rocket science. It cost far less to keep a customer then to attract new one. Don't make it cheaper for you competitors by pissing your already established customer off. You'll pay dearly to get that customer to give you a second chance. Fix his stupidity though, and he'll likely be loyal to your brand.

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It's a dadgum SD card and cost them a few bucks.

Nope. They have to pay licensing fees to NAVTEQ for every card that goes out the door.

IMHO.

 

You're right, I forgot about license fees, but even so, Garmin should make this right. I can see where the confusion came into play regarding not considering the SD card as an accessory and if Garmin took the high road and gave the customer the benefit of the doubt, while making him aware they are doing so, they could make a loyal customer. I also see Garmin's point, but IMHO, Garmin would be better off if they fixed this for the customer. It would still cost Garmin less to keep him, than it would try getting him back after pushing him away.

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It's a dadgum SD card and cost them a few bucks.

Nope. They have to pay licensing fees to NAVTEQ for every card that goes out the door.

IMHO.

 

You're right, I forgot about license fees, but even so, Garmin should make this right. I can see where the confusion came into play regarding not considering the SD card as an accessory and if Garmin took the high road and gave the customer the benefit of the doubt, while making him aware they are doing so, they could make a loyal customer. I also see Garmin's point, but IMHO, Garmin would be better off if they fixed this for the customer. It would still cost Garmin less to keep him, than it would try getting him back after pushing him away.

 

The issue at hand really is that the retailer that he bought it from is essentially a "second chance" retailer that sells closeout merchandise. They got a wicked deal on some GPSr's made for the European market and realized they could make a killing by including the US Maps and selling them in the US Market. Can't blame them, it's what they do, and people love them for the deals they get (I'm a happy 'wooter' myself!)

 

So the problem is, the consumer wasn't fully aware that there even was an SD card (although, granted, if he had read the description of the item fully, he would have known) so when he sent the unit back for repairs he in all good faith thought he had retained all the 'accessories'

 

When a consumer makes a good faith effort like that, and you're a GIANT corporation like Garmin, I can't imagine having such poor customer service as to not offer the good will solution of sending him a new card. If Garmin charges $100 for the card, that means it has to cost them less than $50 (probably more in the $35 - $45 range) keeping customer happy (and this sort of disucssion of teh interwebs) is well worth that kind of pocket change.

 

Just my two cents.

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