Service expectations

I have a Portuguese Yacht Club. A little over 2.5 years old, barely worn (a couple of dozen times maximum). The start stop pusher has failed, it now does nothing - no marks to it, no damage.

Took it to Richemont here in Australia. They are quoting around $1000 for a complete service on a perfectly functioning watch aside from the chrono pusher. They simply refuse to repair the watch without doing a complete service.

The watch needs a new slide and screw to fix the chrono pusher. Of course these parts are not available to my watchmaker so I am stuck with Richemont.

My expectations would have been a repair for nothing as a gesture of goodwill given the age of the watch. Failing that a prompt repair at a reasonable cost would be acceptable. I am aware that some disassembly and reassembly is required but a complete service is not. There would be some cost for the part and labour but $1000 on a less than three year old watch?

Am I being unreasonable? Is this a global policy or someone stubborn at the service centre here?

You are reasonable.
If you don't want a complete overhaul it shouldn't be done.
The service center has to fix what needs to be fixed, no more.
One guess is that some inherent movement problems should be fixed during the complete overhaul.

You have run into a problem that is industry-wide, not just Richemont being unreasonable. I am facing a similar situation with Blancpain (Swatch) and Rolex would not even let me buy a pin-buckle for a watch without allowing them to do a full service. The position of these companies would be ridiculous if it wasn't extortionate. They know that if you want to keep your watch "authentic" you have to deal with them directly or with an authorized dealer/watch repairer, which repairer has to follow Swiss marching orders.
Your only option would be to find a good watchmaker who can get, or make, the parts you need-and forget the issue of authenticity. If you are never going to sell the watch, then this solution should not be dismissed.

Thanks Mike,
I understand the issues. I have had numerous conversations with manufactures and their representatives. I currently have a JLC gone for over 4 months with no end in sight, a DEEPSEA recently to Rolex for a crystal and finishing with a $1400 bill after 'mandatory service'. My experiences are too numerous to recall. Generally though on newer watches I have found companies willing to be flexible when a watch does not genuinely need servicing. This Yacht Club has perfect amplitude, zero beat error and time-keeping as good as you'll get out of the factory.
The problem with trying to get any watchmaker to even look at it is that they are concerned it will end up costing them way more than they can possibly make from any repair. One mistake and then they are in for the $1000 'mandatory' service because they can't get parts to rectify. Most of the watchmakers I know have just thrown in the towel and given up dealing with anything more than battery changes and servicing ETA/Valjoux movements.
Things would not be so bad if these manufcaturers actually had the ability to service you. They don't. Standard turnaround here for a JLC is 26 weeks (plus 5 weeks for a quote)!, Rolex 12-14 weeks...I have had a breitling gone for three weeks without even a quote because "we only have one watchmaker!", the list goes on.
On the whole I have found IWC factory service pricing to be OK compared to some others, I have recently paid about $500 on a Flieger 3717, Rolex want almost $1000 to service a 3135 movement!
Ironically, if the Yacht Club had been bought in Australia I'd be able to force their hand as we have very strong consumer laws which make the manufacturers warranty period irrelevant, but it was purchased in the UK so that will not fly in this case. Nonetheless, they can't charge for 'unnecessary' work. Much will depend upon my patience and resolve which is quickly worn thin when dealing with one line answers to emails that address none of my questions.
Onwards and upwards.
DM

I think this type of problem has to be taken very seriously, by us! It smacks of extortion, an abuse of a monopolistic power, as explained above. A simple repair should be treated as one, and of course according to a fitting price. Like, two hours work of a well trained professional + some basic cleaning + the cost of sending + some extra percentage: not necessarily a 20 euro job. The forcing of unnessesary tasks throws customer relations and love for the brand out of the window. These complaints are damaging to the image: I wonder whether these full service demands are local decisions or a global policy ordained from Schaffhausen. I certainly don't like the taste of it.

Kind regards,
Paul

A nice story was told to me today by a colleague of mine. He has an interesting monopusher chrono from a small but rather famous German brand. The pusher became lame a while ago. By chance he passed the town of the factory while on holiday this summer, and he visited the factory. He rang the bell, was let in, and he explained the problem. The watchmaker (there were also several assembly workers, but apparently one watchmaker) took the watch and told my colleague to collect the watch two days later. And so he did. The watch was repaired, cleaned and oiled, the bill was less than 40 euro.

Of course this cannot be done with a large company like IWC, and my colleague really needed to go to the factory: who of us can do so easily? But he had a smile from ear to ear, so happy he was that the issue was resolved in such a client-friendly way. Despite the differences, the example should be noticed, and taken as inspiration to heart and mind.

Kind regards,
Paul

I am not singling out IWC by any means. This problem is pretty much universal. I would say it is becoming obvious that IWC is putting all its money into new watches and advertising and little if any into after-sales service; but they are not alone. And the "extortion" I mentioned, again, is industry wide.
Having said that, I also have a German watch story to relate (are the German companies more customer-friendly?). I own a chronograph made by a (relatively) small number manufacturer that just happened to open a new Boutique in NYC. This chronograph, fairly new, started slowing and stopping for no apparent (to me) reason-depending on the position. I got it back to the AD twice before everyone was in agreement that there was a problem and it needed attention.
The dealer decided that since the chief watchmaker, in from Germany to open the Boutique, was in town, he would walk it over and see what could be done.
The watch was fixed (a jewel reset), tested , and shipped back to me in 3 days. Two days later I received a letter in the mail from the new Boutique manager (remember-I did not buy the watch from the Boutique but from an AD) thanking me for allowing the company to be of service- and welcoming me to the "family" of _owners.

It is a bad reputation for IWC to provide such unreasonable after sales service and I hope we are not talking to a group of people with deafening ears.

There are so many stories of bad customer service lately and it is only fair & right that an action from the top be done urgently to get all these issues corrected.

This post-sale service issue is popping up here and there in the Forum. Can IWC do something about it, so we do not see this type of complaints so often? When I look at my lovely, but ageing timepieces quietly winding in the winders, I come to ask "should I continue to buy more IWC?" My IWC virus keeps pushing me to look at new beauties, but all these negative comments force me to think twice when I visit IWC stores.

I'm going to do a serious knock on wood here. I have never had an iwc require a need for a service and have had 2 dealings with JLC Canads that were both swift. One was a regulation that was sent in and returned within a two week period. When I got it back, there was a bezel issue which was also resolved and back in my hands within 3 weeks. All no cost btw!

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. Let's hope my luck continues.

Well the end to the story is that dealing with Richemont Australia is like banging ones head against a brick wall. It is tiring trying to have a logical conversation with these people. To get the slide and screw replaced on this 2.5 year old watch is costing AU$960!

Interestingly, in the meantime, I know someone with exactly the same issue on a Yacht Club (albeit in gold) that was three years old. He happened to be in Switzerland, took it to IWC and they fixed it for no cost!

Well, I am sorry to hear your adventure with Richemont did not end well. The companies have all the power, unfortunately, because they control the parts. Interesting that IWC did gratis work at "home". Maybe we all need to travel to Switzerland any time we have a watch in need of repair.

I reported in an earlier posting that my YC start-stop pusher dropped off and IWC advised that my watch required a full service at my cost. Their initial view was that my watch had taken a knock and therefore a service was required.

Fortunately my AD presented a strong case to IWC, highlighting that my watch wasn't the first YC to suffer such a failure and I ended up getting a free service.

In my opinion, you own a high quality precision product and Richemont have been entrusted by IWC to provide an aftercare service befitting such a product. I would push back and get IWC customer care involved. Not acceptable.

When Richemont group has 50% of its global sale from Asia including Japan, they need to pay due respect and attention to their ever growing # of customers in Asia. However, given the laws here in Asia are not as consumer oriented as in Europe, many companies simply take advantage of it. In other words, these companies end up making money in Asia and spending in Europe. If you happen to be in Europe or America, you are lucky.

See Richemont group's financial results by region in their own website. Note the FX impact on the last column as well.

richemont.com/investor-relations/key-figures/sales-by-region.html

I spoke too soon...got my YC back on Thursday following the full service. It now intermittently stops when the chronograph is operating. Lost 4 hours in one day...went back to AD this morning and sent back as a return job. Damn shame...

Hi Doc,
If you can post the Richemont repair number, starting 41xxxxxxx, I will personally deal with your watch and ensure it is perfect.
Leo

Hi Leo

I'm assuming from your message that you work for Richemont? Just to let you know that I got the watch back last week with the report saying that no fault was found. Back home, it's developed a second problem and will be going back to the AD tomorrow. This will make it 5 returns in less than a year.

I'll message you with the repair number when I get to the paperwork tomorrow. Would really appreciate if you can get this sorted as it's painful being without my favourite daily wear!

Kind regards

Hi Leo, would you be able to provide me with your contact details so that I can send you the information?

Hi Doc.
leo(DOT)sweeneypod@gmail(DOT)com

The service center has to fix what needs to be fixed, no more.
One guess is that some inherent movement problems should be fixed during the complete

my site:fifa coins

maybe we should stop being sycophantic to these big watch corporations and not buy their watches.

Hi Leo

I managed to miss this post. Just sent you an email. Many thanks in advance :-)

This is a thread from a forum that I frequent more often.

www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=390192

I wonder why is IWC having such a bad reputation. And apparently quite widespread.