What is your experience about IWC service quality and speed when the watch needs repair?

How is your service center experience? Does it justify the big money you lay for this watch? My recent experience was so terrible. I want to know what others have experienced. I own two IWC watches. One is Ingenieur Mission Earth and the other is Portofino. Any perspective?

I took my IWC to the service center. Their service is terrible, at least here in China and HK. I sent my brand new Ingenieur Mission Earth watch to HK flagship store (1881 Heritage) for check, because it has suddenly stopped without any reason. They said they would get back to me within 7-10 business days. They never got back to me. I had to call them again, again, and again to ask for an update. After making 5-6 phone calls (international phone calls, no collect calls because there is no such collect call numbers) followed by an automated message saying that they are too busy to pick up the phone, someone would finally pick up the phone and then say they would get back as soon as possible. Again, no response or call back. I do not know why I have to pay thousands of dollars and get treated like this. This is the worst customer service I have ever experienced.

If someone wonders if I have no basis for comparison versus other watch makers, i will tell you that i love watches and I have Rolex, Bulgari, Seiko, and a few cheaper automatic watches as well. I have seen how other companies treat their customers. When I asked for service in a Rolex or Seiko store, their service was far better, faster, easier. They would call you and give a timely update with a smiling voice. Now, I understand why more people buy Rolex than IWC. If you want to join me in experiencing a terrible customer service by IWC company, you are more than welcome. Otherwise, go and get another watch. No more IWC. Period.

You obviously have had a bad experience... OK, shit happens, most likely also at IWC.

However, I don't think it's a serious approach to re-initiate "any and all" old complaint threads beside this one, dealing with troubles years back. Stick to your actual case if you have to make noise!

/Anders

My experience with service has been nothing but excellent!

Outsource services, and your complaints are the big risk that is very difficult to repair unless you say goodbye to the party you outsourced to. Believe me, I know. Here in Europe, in the Netherlands or in Switzerland, the service I encountered is flawless. But that doesn't help you, I'm afraid. If you travel to Europe rather frequently, you could deliver the watch here and pick it up later. By the way, my watches didn't have many issues in the first place, bought in Europe: are they treated better here maybe? Good luck!

Kind regards,
Paul

I respect your personal point of view. And you have the full freedom to express yours. I would not label somebody's comment as if he or she is trying to get something out of this discussion. To be clear, I do not think I am re-initiating "any and all" old threads. It is not a fair description of what I have done or what I am trying to do. I was seriously reading and commenting a few, not more than several threads that talked about the same Ingenieur model, The same Flagship store, and the country location where I experienced the issues. I used to like the design and functionality of IWC watches. I bought two IWC pieces over the past 10 or so years. I was probably buying more, if what you called "shit" did not happen. Shit does happen, but most companies clean it well enough, especially if your shit is as big as $6,000-7,000.

As I wrote somewhere else, repair or maintenance service is a critical element that defines the total experience of buying and wearing a time piece. If all the people here are just happy to look at the beauty of watches, I will quietly sign off and go away. Then you had better change the name of the forum. Or, you can create one that better fits your preference.

Looking at what others have posted here, it is clear that there are so many postings and discussions about the positives, i.e., what great timepieces should and do look like, how they should and do function, and how much they are liked, etc. Do you believe it is an issue that someone like me is posting "one" new thread and "a few" or not more than several replies to so-called old postings that happened in the past couple years? What kind of Forum do you want to have here? I am very happy to discuss more.

I don't think expressing the same opinion in every thread you could find is the right way to go about it. I appreciate you have had issues but asking the question once should be sufficient. For what it's worth I have had a couple of minor issues with mine and IWC (or their service centre) has been excellent. Go in and talk to Clement, I'm sure he will be happy to help.

Cheers,

Jarrod

London Service Centre - Excellent.

You are not the only one. Hong Kong is not a place for service, but for shopping. People come here to buy and then leave. I know the flagship store you are talking about. They are busy dealing with rich Chinese tourists who are willing to buy any watch at any price. You are a small potato there if you bring your watch for repair. Nobody will even look at you. You picked the wrong place. If you travel to US or Europe, that is a better place for service. Or, Japan is not bad, either. But not in Hong Kong. I heard the service was even worse in mainlaind. That makes me feel a bit better.

My experience is based around London where the service manager is dedicated to the job of servicing. Sorry you've had a bad experience but issues should be addressed to IWC Schaffhausen as their reputation is dependent on their weakest link which is the service department in HK in your estimation. It may seem odd to suggest but rather than phone there is snail mail and email and fax. They take no real time to compose quoting details like model number and serial number and cost a fraction of international calls, especially when you have the automated answer rubbish to go through.

In my experience, IWC tends to get it right. I have had some less than perfect experiences. I have had some horrendous experiences elsewhere. My son had a Sea Dweller ruined with the case replaced. A process that took many many months. My Range Rover was almost ruined on its first service. 'it happens. It's not a perfect world and we're dealing with fairly complex watches.

I have no problems discussing also negative experiences on this forum although I think other topics are more interesting. Quality of service is at the bottom line dependent on people, even with the best guidelines and policies implemented.

Now, my bold comment was made because of your way of highlighting your issue. Not because of your new actual thread but by not resting with this. Instead to in parallel wake up several old threads obviously with an ambition just to set a negative atmosphere, old threads that are most likely not in any way connected with your unfortunate experience. In my opinion is not a very grown up way to act in any forum.

/Anders

Dear BeTheRed,
Analysing your problem and reading the comments of other collectors, your issue is that you cannot the reach the HK Flagship store for a service.
It is about not keeping the promiss to call you back.
It is about a humiliating automatic voice that says : no connection for the moment.
It is not about how people in the store would treat you, if you indeed could have made contact.

If the HK Flagship is the most important vessel of the fleet, sailors should be able to come on board anytime, when they are on trouble. If not, the shipping company : IWC Schaffhausen should be notified about this.
Otherwise, the title Flagship is crummy.

I understand your anger and I have no problem in discussing your issue on the Forum. Personally I have only positive experience with my AD (Belgium) and Schaffhausen, although I had to learn that a service, repair or restoration may take "some time" : 4-12 months.
Kind regards,
Adrian,
(alwaysiwc).

Japan service center is not that great. Japaese staffs have very good service attitude, but need a long time to handle any job. Usually, they need 3-4 months for any mechanical issue. If the issue needs a serious repair, they send it to their factory in Swiss and get it back in about 4-12 months. You basically lose your lovely watch from the wrist.

Other watch brands do a better job in that regard. IWC needs to take a look into their repair service. Maybe, they are making too many pieces beyond their service capability.

One more thing. Once they finish the repair job, the watch works very well. You keep it and love it for a long time.

I would like to share my experience with "so called" service of this company in Moscow and London. I bought IWC Portofino watch last year, and recently got the glass broken. I phoned their customer service in Moscow and they said that the glass would approximately be replaced within 1-3 months! Additionally, they could not even tell me how much approximately it is going to cost (maybe they have unique pricing approach to every customer...)))) As I was planning to go on a business trip to London, I phoned service center in London, and lady who picked up the phone, after checking with someone, told me that it can be repaired within 2 weeks max. I decided to have it done in London, took it to an official store on Regent street, where I got a surprisingly different response - I was told by representative that it will take appr 6 weeks for repair! I explained the situation, that I was checking that personally with the service center and had a reply about 2 weeks. Service rep in the store took all of my details and promised to check everything and call me back next day. Nobody ever called me! I decided to take it back home and have it repaired in Moscow. Yesterday I took it to their flagship store (the only place in Moscow where you can have it serviced), but their could not take it, because their IT system was "reloaded". OMG!!!) They promised to call me back as soon as they are ready to take it. And... as you can expect now - nobody ever called me! This is far from being my first watch that I own and take for service, but this kind of attitude from "luxury goods" manufacturer I am facing for the first time in my life. I will definitely have it repaired. At least for the reason that I am going to sell it now, as I would never ever recommend anyone to buy IWC watch, as this has now become for me a symbol of absolute unprofessionalism and complete lack of respect to their customers. Buy-buy, IWC.

Dear Adrian,
Thank you for your perspective and suggestion. I have tried all that you suggested, only in vain. I have talked to the IWC Customer Service, as well as the so-called Flagship Store, and did it multiple times. Some people including you who wrote back to me do not seem to understand my point here. I am not talking about my watch or my case. I am clearly unhappy about my case. However, I can handle that part without Forum. Even if you offer any help, no thanks.

Here, I am talking about more generic issue called "IWC Customer Service." Let me ask you a question. Why do you expect IWC to spend several months to fix your watch? It seems that most Forum participants tend to take it for granted that IWC repair service should take minimum several weeks for simple basic examination (not repair), and usually several months for simple repair, and up to one year for more complex issues. Most of IWC watches are as expensive as cheap cars. If your Toyota or Honda gets broken, are you going to wait for months? Why do you think it is OK to wait for several months? By contrast, many other watch brands do it generally better and much faster. You can pick up the phone and call any major watch company and test it. At least, majority if not most of them will be more responsive and faster in addressing your questions and issues.

I am raising the question about IWC service standard. I purchased my first IWC in 2003 and became a Forum member since then. At least in those early good (or better) days, IWC service was not as bad as today. My first IWC suddenly stopped working, but was repaired without any big hassle on my part and in a relatively short period of time. Ever since IWC started to advertise more, produce more, sell more, especially in Asian markets, its service level drastically dropped down. The issue now is even more pronounced in some places like China or Hong Kong. They do not pay any serious attention to customer service part of its business. I happen to be one of many victims here.

Let me get back to the most fundamental question. Given any mechanical watches are destined to be maintained and repaired, when you buy and own a mechanical time piece, isn't maintenance or repair service a critical, inevitable part of total experience? If you love IWC, you would love to see a better customer service by IWC. And if you happen to experience great service today, don't you want to see the same happen to other folks elsewhere, so every IWC watch buyer and owner truly enjoy the beauty and functionality of this legendary watch brand? That is why I am writing my opinions here, with a hope that IWC can make the right turn-around.

Thanks.

Certainly luxury watches are about emotion, one of these emotions is trust. The watches are expensive, people care about them, they quite likely feel anxious when sending them in for service. That service may take time can certainly be explained, as is the high cost: what counts is the attitude towards the customer, relating to their emotions, taking care of the issue at hand, managing the expectations. Quality is one aspect: the repair should be right the first time, no room for exceptions.

Apparently I was lucky, living in northwestern Europe, where issues are taking care of as I like and expect. My point is that that customer oriented attitude should be at the same level all over the world. Because the world of luxury goods is becoming a village because of the internet possibilities. A zero tolerance towards a cold shoulder is mandatory, the stories we read here are damaging to the image: everybody who pays the price should be happy, wherever he lives. And let's face it, these stories are no fun to read at all.

It would be great if IWC would take responsibiliy here, as obviously there is room for improvement: what we read here are quite certainly no fairy tales. IWC sometimes responds here on this forum, I guess now would be a good time to do so.

Kind regards,
Paul

Reading some of these comments, I very much fear the time when one of my IWCs is due for service or needs a repair. I certainly agree with Paul - IWC should get involved here, take the matter offline with each individual and make it right. That way each person can report back on the forum if they wish to do so.

I have seen such in many other forums in the electronics business, even at much lower price levels.

Oliver