Amazing Garmin customer support anecdote...

[SWriverstone]

So when the screen died on my trusty Garmin eTrex Vista Cx several months ago, I called Garmin about a repair. They said it was a flat $100 fee, and they'd probably just send a replacement.

I have an Oregon 450 I use currently, but I figured $100 for a reliable backup GPS (the eTrex Vista Cx) was worth paying for. So I got an RMA back in February, shipped it to Kansas (where Garmin's central repair facility is)...

...and never heard anything again!  

So the other day I emailed Garmin and basically said "WTF? It's been, like 2 months!!!" They emailed me back with a UPS tracking number and said "Well, it was delivered on March 3rd."   I never saw a thing.

So I called UPS...and they said it didn't require a signature, so the driver just left it on the front porch. Much to my amazement (because we live in a safe neighborhood) it appears as though it was ripped off.

So I called Garmin support back, explained what happened, gave them my original RMA...

...and they said "Okay, we'll ship another eTrex Vista Cx to you today."
 
 

I was floored. Customer service like this is RARE these days. I totally expected them to do what everyone else does—point the finger at UPS...and then UPS (of course) would point the finger back at Garmin, and you're screwed.

So...my one experience with Garmin customer service gets an A++!  

Scott

[veefer800canuck]

Wow, that's huge. Gotta love it.

I had a Gerber Multi-tool that was given to me as a safety award like 10 years ago.

about 2 years after that, one of the attachments broke off. I sent it back to Gerber, and they said "sorry, we don't make that exact model anymore, here's a brand new one that's better/faster/cooler, etc."

Give it another 3 years or so, almost the same thing happened. This time, I lent the tool to a co-worker who was opening a big strong box O' stuff in the warehouse, and he levered the thing sideways and snapped the blade off.

Sent it to Gerber, got the exact same story and the newest/latest model mailed to me Gratis!

And that last one is still going strong every day at work, strapped to my radio/tool belt.  

[Croak]

Not bike related, but Logitech has a great warranty program too.  Keyboard goes bad, mouse dies, speakers crap out, joystick brings no joy, Harmony is un-harmonious, whatever, call them up, they'll ask for the serial number, then they'll ship you a replacement (same model or closest still-in-production unit) and no need to RMA the old stuff.

[ray916mn]

4 yr. old Chase Harper Saddlebags rashed and torn in a crash. Call them up, get an RMA number send them back and get new bags. 8 yr. old Chase Harper Compac 750 tank bag, internal compression straps broke and bottom pad wore thin. Call them up get an RMA number, send them back and get new bag.

When they say lifetime warranty for any reason, they mean it and live up to it.

[veefer800canuck]

Not bike related, but Logitech has a great warranty program too.  Keyboard goes bad, mouse dies, speakers crap out, joystick brings no joy, Harmony is un-harmonious, whatever, call them up, they'll ask for the serial number, then they'll ship you a replacement (same model or closest still-in-production unit) and no need to RMA the old stuff.

REALLY???

I will have to park that tidbit of 411 into the World Storehouse of Useless Information as I have some Logitech gear, and hey, maybe they will pull through for me if/when it dies.

Thanks!  

[SWriverstone]

Ha! My only other similar experience is with Orvis flyrods.

I bought a $450 4-piece HLS rod second-hand at a flyfishing show for about $300. About a year later, I slipped on a rock and broke it. Took it to an Orvis shop, told the manager what happened, and he pulled a brand-new $500 HLS off the shelf and just handed it to me—"Here ya go!"   I was floored. No paperwork, nada.

There is nothing like this kind of service to earn fanatically loyal, lifelong customers! Too many companies fail to realize that it's WORTH doing.

Scott

[duoderf]

Been ripped off by UPS leaving my shit out there a few times. i used to live on a heavy traffic one lane road, and I am pretty sure someone just stopped when they saw a box on the porch sitting there, threw it in the car and took off. Dell was kind enough to replace the new computer I never recieved, Dennis Kirk placed the blame totally on UPS for a set of tires that never showed.

[FJRmgm]

I can add to this.

sent my Nuvi 770 in for the battery recall repair.  Received an e-mail notice that it was done and being sent back with a UPS tracking number.  Followed the tracking from Oklahoma to Houston then...........nothing.   After three more days.....stilll nothing....

Tracking said it was received in Houston and it never went any further and no further activity.  

E-mail'ed UPS and they said have Garmin request a "package investigation"..

Garmin did that and sent me a message the next day that it appeared it was lost so they were sending me a replacement unit.

Received the replacement it two days later.

That is the first and only thing that I have ever lost in either UPS or Fed-Ex.

[sodapop6620]

I left my garmin in a rental car.  I realized it when I was 3000 feet in the air.  So, when I landed I jumped on the rental car bus and went to the Avis desk and told them what I did.  They called the other Avis place and put a search on it and told me that I shouldn't leave it in the car. (yeah no $hit, I figured that one out).  Two days later Avis called me and said they have it.  Luckily I was going back and picked it up at the counter.

Now I check 3 or 4 times before leaving the rental car to make sure I have it.

[Cablebandit]

I bought a $450 4-piece HLS rod second-hand at a flyfishing show for about $300. About a year later, I slipped on a rock and broke it. Took it to an Orvis shop, told the manager what happened, and he pulled a brand-new $500 HLS off the shelf and just handed it to me—"Here ya go!"   I was floored. No paperwork, nada.

Scott

That's easy to do when they sell an item with 30 dollars worth of material for $500.00.  

[NoGear]

Back in January my laptop died. I bought a new one from Dell. They gave me a tracking number.  It never showed that it was picked up after 3 days.  I called Dell. I called UPS. Dell said "it should of been picked up". UPS said "we never picked it up and Dell says they don't have it".  On the fourth day my wife calls me and said she got it.   It went thru the system and never was tracked.

A week later Dell calls and says they are going to send another one.

After a moments hesitation, my honesty kicks in and I tell them I got the original already.

[Cricket1]

Scott-

I had a similar experience with Garmin a few years back. I had a Quest that's suction cup for car mounting let loose and it dropped onto the floor of my wifes van. Partially broke the small fold out antenna. It was about 18 months old at the time, so out of the 1 year warranty. I called Garmin and they said, it's probably about $150 to fix it,   a $300 unit. Send it in and we will see what we can do. A week later, a brand new Quest shows up at the door, with all my previous waypoints from the old unit already entered, an updated version of mapsource, and a better car mounting system!   All for no charge!  

The old unit had also been previously "pavement surfing" when I hit a deer at about 60, on the bike. Always worked fine, but had some nice rash across the top of it. Garmin never even asked about that.
Garmin has earned a customer for life.  

[SWriverstone]

That's easy to do when they sell an item with 30 dollars worth of material for $500.00.  

Ha! Yeah, true. But it's still amazing how many businesses that sell a $30 widget will whine about you wanting a replacement (or warranty repair).

Scott

[Global Rider]

So...my one experience with Garmin customer service gets an A++!  

The few times I've dealt with them in about 10 years...same experience. Top notch service!

[denydog]

I've also had good luck with Garmin, specifically in getting new replacement units.

I've had great service from several other companies when I've  damaged  a product, and sent a polite email to customer service asking about the possibility of purchasing a replacemet for the damaged piece.  Have received prompt replies stating that the component is in the mail, no charge.

The kicker though is when my $3,000 2007 Sony XBR4 46" LCD TV started acting up this past March.  This is bad news with a one year factory warranty that had long since expired.  I googled the problem and discovered that the LCD modules on this model fail at a high rate. The repair, an LCD replacement, runs about $2,000.  

After much more internet research I found a reference, and then a link to a Sony customer service notice stating that the Sony warranty on my TV, specifically the LCD panel, has been extended to October 2012!  Five years!  I contacted Sony by phone and after explaining the problem, and providing some details about the purchase, I was told the panel module will be replaced at no charge.   The work was done last week in my home.  Took about an hour, and except for the outer case and a few auxiliary circuit boards, I have essentially a new TV.  Bad news is that the Sony 46" XBR4 is trouble prone.  Good news is that Sony recognizes the problem and stands behind the customer (in this case).   Not happy that it failed, but I feel very lucky right now that it wasn't a different TV, as I could have really been left hanging on the hook.

I do have my fingers crossed that the new replacement LCD panels are higher quality than the originals.

[shootist]

I went a slightly different route with a Garmin issue.  I had  a two-year old Nuvi whose DC power cord developed a short.  I'd have to twist and bend the cord to find the power.  I went to REI where it was purchased to see if I could get a replacemement cord but they didn't sell them solo.

The REI customer service person called Garmin to special order one for me and was getting a bit of a runaround.   I thanked the REI person and said I'd handle it myself.  As I was walking out, she stopped me and asked if I had the Nuvi handy?  Told her it was in my car and she asked me to get it.

REI took the unit back as a return and gave me full credit toward a brand new, updated unit that was on sale and priced LESS than my original unit cost two years earlier.

So...bad power cord that I figured I'd pay $15 dollars for turns into a new Garmin Nuvi and 40 bucks in my pocket....which I promptly turned around and put toward a Leatherman Wave...I spend where I save.  REI fan for life.

[denydog]

+1 for REI.

I became a member in 1975, signing up at their original store, the one that was on Seattle's Capital Hill.  Though now I buy things like travel clothing instead of climbing and backpacking gear in their flagship store, I still have vivid memories of hours wandering through the old store .