+one4zorro Posted April 20, 2005 Posted April 20, 2005 last week, Julie (my wife) damaged the rubber cover over the buttons on her Garmin Foretrex 101 (don't ask me how she did it they are really tough)! I sent it back to Garmin asking them to contact me with the cost of the repair, we accepted that the damage was our fault. I also asked if I could buy a spare battery cover for my Geko 201. This morning we received a parcel. Inside a new Foretrex and two spare battery covers for the Geko! Cost for everything = NOTHING! If this is how they treat their customers I'm sold! In this day and age where profit seems to be the only motivating factor for everything I am so impressed. THANK YOU GARMIN! Martin Quote
+third-degree-witch Posted April 20, 2005 Posted April 20, 2005 very nice gesture by Garmin i must say, Quote
+-Phoenix- Posted April 20, 2005 Posted April 20, 2005 Something few companies realise these days, truth is 'gesters' like this cost them sod all, but reap huge benefits is customer goodwill. Quote
60North Posted April 20, 2005 Posted April 20, 2005 Had the same with my eTrex Camo. I openly admitted that I jammed it twixt dashboard and windscreen on my car. Needless to say the screen on the Camo cracked. Again they replaced it free of charge. The Law of Sod has said that the screen on the new one has cracked again, and I didn't do anything this time. It is back with Garmin again. So impressed with the service that I received that I decided to get another Garmin even though I had been eyeing up some of the Magellans. Hopefully my travel bug will sell on eBay for enough to buy a matching pair of 60CS units with enough money left over to buy a bag of chips on the way home! Quote
+Chris n Maria Posted April 20, 2005 Posted April 20, 2005 Yes we had 2 units replaced FOC so far. Garmin are supurb at customer service. Quote
+Windsocker Posted April 20, 2005 Posted April 20, 2005 I have to agree with you i had my street pilot III go faulty after it was a month out of warranty and garmin replaced it with a new model FOC Thumbs up for them guys they know how to treat people Quote
+sTeamTraen Posted April 20, 2005 Posted April 20, 2005 If this is how they treat their customers I'm sold! In this day and age where profit seems to be the only motivating factor for everything I am so impressed. Nothing wrong with profit... but it's nice to see a company where the bean-counters haven't yet taken over from the people who know how to spell "customer loyalty". I've heard lots of good stories about Garmin after-sales service, but I'm still waiting for something to break... Quote
+Stuey Posted April 20, 2005 Posted April 20, 2005 I sent it back to Garmin asking them to contact me with the cost of the repair This morning we received a parcel. Cost for everything = NOTHING! Garmin have my Venture at their Romsey office at the moment. The screen has developed an intermittent fault where horizontal lines would appear rendering the display useless, then it would fade to nothing. I'll let you know what happens with it. It's already been back there once before for a new rubber gasket (repaired free of charge). Quote
Nediam Posted April 20, 2005 Posted April 20, 2005 Nice to see a company that treats it's customers well. It may have cost Garmin a couple of quid, but I'm sure Martin & Julie, and a whole lot of other people will use them again. Quote
+Rocky Balboa Posted April 21, 2005 Posted April 21, 2005 Garmin always seem to do good by their customers. I have had replacement stickers for my etrex car mount sent out twice free of charge now, after simply writing requests about where I could purchase them. Thanks! Quote
+Sue and Bernie Posted April 21, 2005 Posted April 21, 2005 We found a fault with the cable of the speaker/power supply unit for our Streetpilot 3. Where the cable divides, the power supply lead had pulled out of the conduit. While it all worked normally, it would only be a matter of time before the exposed, flimsier cables failed. Bernie phoned Garmin to see about getting it fixed or repaired - "Give me your address. We'll send you a new one"! Garmin's hardware and customer service are excellent. ...now we've got to hope this philosophy will permeate to their software pricing bods! Quote
+rufty tufty boys Posted April 21, 2005 Posted April 21, 2005 I have recently recieved a new unit from Garmin after suffering the same problems as Stuey. Just when I was about to phone them to ask for the cost of repair there was a parcel on the doorstep. We should sent a link to these messages so they understand their good Customer Service is appreciated. Quote
+klaus23 Posted April 21, 2005 Posted April 21, 2005 Being very cynical about it, it's word-of-mouth advertising. A thread like this is worth far more than an advertising campaign. As GPS units are still, to an extent, a niche product, with few major competing manufacturers, this is the way to go. Not that there's anything wrong with this approach - customers are happy, and the company is profitable. Quote
+The Forester Posted April 21, 2005 Posted April 21, 2005 Over the past 16 years I've owned several Garmins and several Magellans. I've only had two occasions to seek help from Magellan, once in the US about 10 years ago and once in the UK last year. Magellan's customer service department was completely useless on both occasions. Without exception, everyone I've ever known to have had any dealings with Garmin's customer service has spoken glowingly of them. Although I'm happy with my current Magellan, I've already decided that my next GPSr will be a Garmin, solely because of their well renowned customer service ethic. Quote
Deego Posted April 21, 2005 Posted April 21, 2005 We should sent a link to these messages so they understand their good Customer Service is appreciated. I bet they are ALL cachers :laughing: Quote
Alan White Posted April 21, 2005 Posted April 21, 2005 Before Garmin get too excited about this thread, I'd just remind them that I was entirely unimpressed with their inability to sell me, or persuade their retail outlets to sell me, two lanyards to replace some which were chewed through by rodents. Only after some weeks and many emails, some of which were ignored, did they finally offer to send me the lanyards FOC. So, yes, things did work out in the end but the whole thing wasn't handled well by Garmin. Quote
+stora Posted April 21, 2005 Posted April 21, 2005 Hi What postal service do you guys use to send your garmin back for repair and what was the turn around time. I use my geko everyday and need to get it back ASAP. Quote
+Stuey Posted April 21, 2005 Posted April 21, 2005 I sent mine Royal Mail Special delivery with insurance to cover the value of the Garmin. It arrived there the next day. That was only three days ago, mind you, so no sign of it coming back yet (no surprise there). Quote
+one4zorro Posted April 21, 2005 Author Posted April 21, 2005 We sent our special delivery - The replacement was with us eight days later. Martin Quote
60North Posted April 21, 2005 Posted April 21, 2005 Sent 15 April by Special Delivery. Not back yet but in no rush! Quote
+Fangsy Posted April 21, 2005 Posted April 21, 2005 Pitty they decided to charge me £40 to fix my Venture when it started going funny after a year of use. Quote
+Stuey Posted May 9, 2005 Posted May 9, 2005 (edited) Garmin have my Venture at their Romsey office at the moment. The screen has developed an intermittent fault where horizontal lines would appear rendering the display useless, then it would fade to nothing. I'll let you know what happens with it. It's already been back there once before for a new rubber gasket (repaired free of charge). I'd love to tell you that I received my old Garmin back this morning after repair, but I can't, because I didn't. This morning I received a brand new Garmin Venture replaced under warranty. They now have me as a customer for life. Guaranteed! Edited May 9, 2005 by Stuey Quote
+derrylynne Posted May 9, 2005 Posted May 9, 2005 Full marks to Garmin. I needed to contact them over a missing part some time ago and recieved it next day with no problem. Garmin customer relations is first class. They treat their customers well, and keep them in the process. I now have my third Garmin and will only use Garmin now because I know if there is a problem, I will bet to speak to a person, not a machine, and that the problem will be corrected with no fuss. Well done Garmin for giving such a first class service. A lot of companies would do well to see how Garmin does it as it is a pity more companies were like Garmin. Yes it cost them a little bit, but all this is all recovered in valued custom and goodwill, not to mention word of mouth from satisfied customers. Well done all the staff at Garmin. Quote
60North Posted May 9, 2005 Posted May 9, 2005 It must be Garmin's day for fixing things! You will recall that I sent my eTrex Camo back to Garmin after the screen cracked for the second time. The first time was my fault. I owned up and they still replaced it for free. This time I honestly have no recollection of anything that I could have done would have cracked the screen. It was in a case. It was always treated carefully. I have just answered the door to a nice man from the local courier company and guess what? Sure enough another brand new eTrex Camo. Result!! What a brilliant company. I was wavering about whether I should buy the 60CS due to dwindling funds, but this has sealed the deal. I shall continue my one-man Garmin advertising campaign. This calls for a blog entry! Quote
+paul.blitz Posted May 9, 2005 Posted May 9, 2005 We should sent a link to these messages so they understand their good Customer Service is appreciated. I bet they are ALL cachers I believe that (a) Garmin staff DO read these forums; and ( some of them do go caching, but don't advertise their connections (for obvious reasons). Yes, Garmin support have helped sort me out too... Paul Quote
60North Posted May 9, 2005 Posted May 9, 2005 I have sent them a thank you and pointed out the link Quote
+Pengy&Tigger Posted May 9, 2005 Posted May 9, 2005 Is there anyone with a 60C or 60CS that has noticed the zoom in and out buttons wearing down? All the covering on mine has worn off completely, and I'm left with 2 transparent buttons. If you look at the thing side on, those buttons protrude more than the others, which I think causes the problem. If you place it face down it actually rests on those buttons. Design fault perhaps? T Quote
+Stuey Posted May 9, 2005 Posted May 9, 2005 If you look at the thing side on, those buttons protrude more than the others, which I think causes the problem. If you place it face down it actually rests on those buttons. Design fault perhaps? User error: place it face up Quote
+Cave Troll and Eeyore Posted May 9, 2005 Posted May 9, 2005 If ya went caching less they wouldna worn down Quote
davester Posted May 10, 2005 Posted May 10, 2005 How the hell do you all manage to break your Garmin's? My Geko 201 is bullet proof and more besides! Quote
+Stuey Posted May 10, 2005 Posted May 10, 2005 How the hell do you all manage to break your Garmin's? My Geko 201 is bullet proof and more besides! Hope you didn't just jinx yourself Dave Quote
+Paul G0TLG Posted May 10, 2005 Posted May 10, 2005 I also have had excellent service from Garmin: I turned up on their doorstep during my lunchbreak without an appointment, needing a new memory-backup battery in my 3+. 15 minutes later I had a new GPS free. Oh, and Blitzy's right - at least 2 members of Garmin's UK staff are cachers. Quote
+Pengy&Tigger Posted May 10, 2005 Posted May 10, 2005 (edited) User error: place it face up It's generally kept around my neck while caching, so I cant really control which way it faces as it bounces of my chest Edited May 10, 2005 by Pengy&Tigger Quote
+Tupperware Hunters Posted May 10, 2005 Posted May 10, 2005 errrmmm eeerrrrmmm which way do i look eekkk Quote
SlytherinAlex Posted May 10, 2005 Posted May 10, 2005 (edited) I also have had excellent service from Garmin: I turned up on their doorstep during my lunchbreak without an appointment, needing a new memory-backup battery in my 3+. 15 minutes later I had a new GPS free. Bearing in mind that they are charging about 80% more in the UK for the same product than they charge in the USA, they can afford to be generous on their repair service. Has anyone ever sent a US bought GPSr back to Garmin UK for service? I would be interested to know the outcome. a- Edited May 11, 2005 by SlytherinAlex Quote
+G Force Posted May 10, 2005 Posted May 10, 2005 My rubber seal has come off of my summit but despite the excellent service Garmin provides I am very hesitant to send it back and leave me without a GPS for a week or so. It still works fine but takes some carefull punching and think I'll try some superglue to reaffix it. Quote
+Kitty Hawk Posted May 11, 2005 Posted May 11, 2005 How the hell do you all manage to break your Garmin's? My Geko 201 is bullet proof and more besides! I agree - mine looks and functions as good as the day I got it. It's had it's fair share of knocks as well. Quote
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