Garmin - A tale of woes!
Posted: 22 February 10 10:13 pm
I will preface this post by saying that I have raised these concerns with Garmin and received little feedback or commitment to change. I write this post as a warning to other Garmin users and to relieve a lot of frustration before I happen to bump into the Garmin rep at the mega event and go to town!
<rant>
In December 2008 I purchased a Garmin Oregon 300 series with Mapsource and Oz Topo. It was purchased as our Vista C was worn out and the accuracy was going. I could be up to 10 m out of accuracy from a GZ compared to a new Oregon, Vista HCx, or a 76c. We thought the Oregon would be the answer to our problems how wrong could we be?
After the first 3 months the unit stopped working. (See this post) Garmin did get the unit back and in under 2 weeks I had a new unit back. It took a bit of stuffing around to get the software changed to the new unit (couldn't this be done before the unit left?). But I thought that would be the end of it, a one off blip in the system.
Unfortunately it turns out that this was not a once off and this is where I started to get really frustrated. I was on a caching trip in Wagga when the unit gave up the ghost. It would still work as a GPS but wouldn't accept the power cable and would not connect to the computer. We continued to cache but on return I couldn't get the field notes off the unit. I did the logs the old fashioned way and then did a bit of DIY trying to fix the unit based on what I could find on the Oregon Wiki up to forcing a firmware change. On this I was a bit nervous so I rang Garmin after waiting on hold for longer than 20 minutes and they said to go with it as there was little else left to do. I did and the unit self disconnected half way through the process and the unit was then completely US. I was then forced to send it in.
I sent the unit via overnight priority and I have a signed POD that the unit arrived at Garmin at 9:45 Monday 8th Feb. In that package I included a cover sheet(s) that included all the things I had tried and my contact details. I waited until Thursday 11th to ring and follow up on the unit after not hearing from anyone. I again waited 28 minutes for my call to be answered and spoke with a person who very dismissively said that the unit only arrived yesterday, nothing had been done. I then informed him that the unit actually arrived 72 hours ago, he back-pedalled and said "oh well it was only booked in yesterday". When I asked what would happen with the unit I was told that nothing would be known until next Wednesday 17th and someone would be in contact then. A very short call for such a long wait. The frustration grows and the first lie.
I call on Thursday as I hadn't heard from any one on Wednesday and had to sit on hold again for 23 minutes. I was told the unit was repaired, the person I spoke with was unaware what the problem was and said that the unit had left Garmin Wednesday and should be here today. I was not at home so I expected to return home to an AAE (Australian Air Express) card saying they had missed me and I could collect it from Australia Post. No card when I got home and what was to be lie number 2.
On Friday morning around 10am I ring again to get the AAE tracking number as the parcel had not arrived and knowing that as we use AAE at work they deliver to my area early in the morning that the parcel was not coming today (Shell was at home waiting) I rang again and after 30 minutes waiting, I was cut off! (Steam) I rang back again and after 12 minuets I got through and spoke with a woman who confirmed the unit had left and gave me a consignment number. (Lie number three). I try AAE's website and they have no record of the con note. Faced with ringing Garmin again to sit on hold I ring AAE and sit on hold to them for about 12 minutes only to confirm what I thought, no record of the con note in their system.
I ring Garmin back again and speak with a man and explain the whole story, he tells me the reason that the person may have been just trying to satisfy me and wanted to help me out, I asked how by each person lying to me it was helping me and the additional time I had to spend following up and how dissatisfied I was. I didn't even get an apology. I then asked where my unit physically was. I was told it was waiting to be collected by AAE and would be shipped today. I then restrained myself suitably not to let fly with a torrent of abuse and thanked him and hung up.
The unit arrived today and it turns out that Garmin had replaced the unit with a new one (small smile). I only find this out because I insert the SD card with my maps on it and the unit tells me that it can not unlock them. I then get the pleasure to ring Garmin again. Another 15+ minutes (to be honest I was over timing it at 15 minutes) on hold and I get the unlock codes for Mapsource. I also notice at the same time that they have not noted the change in unit details on the service report and I get them to email me the change of details. I then email thar to JA-GPS and they email me back their unlock codes within 15 minutes. (One company knows how to provide good customer service)
I know that I now have a functioning GPS and that I should be happy but frankly the whole event has left a bad taste in my mouth and I'm not normally a person who speaks out about bad service but to me this is a whole new level. Garmin need to understand that over promising and under delivering only serves to upset people. How about actually ringing someone when you say you will? I would also suggest that when they receive a unit with Mapsource on it and they change it over that they send out the new key to the owner as part of the replacement process. This saves them ringing for the 50th time. Finally shortening their waiting time would go a long way to reducing the level of frustration of callers.
Thanks for listening. Anyone want to place a bet on how long this unit will last?
</rant>
<rant>
In December 2008 I purchased a Garmin Oregon 300 series with Mapsource and Oz Topo. It was purchased as our Vista C was worn out and the accuracy was going. I could be up to 10 m out of accuracy from a GZ compared to a new Oregon, Vista HCx, or a 76c. We thought the Oregon would be the answer to our problems how wrong could we be?
After the first 3 months the unit stopped working. (See this post) Garmin did get the unit back and in under 2 weeks I had a new unit back. It took a bit of stuffing around to get the software changed to the new unit (couldn't this be done before the unit left?). But I thought that would be the end of it, a one off blip in the system.
Unfortunately it turns out that this was not a once off and this is where I started to get really frustrated. I was on a caching trip in Wagga when the unit gave up the ghost. It would still work as a GPS but wouldn't accept the power cable and would not connect to the computer. We continued to cache but on return I couldn't get the field notes off the unit. I did the logs the old fashioned way and then did a bit of DIY trying to fix the unit based on what I could find on the Oregon Wiki up to forcing a firmware change. On this I was a bit nervous so I rang Garmin after waiting on hold for longer than 20 minutes and they said to go with it as there was little else left to do. I did and the unit self disconnected half way through the process and the unit was then completely US. I was then forced to send it in.
I sent the unit via overnight priority and I have a signed POD that the unit arrived at Garmin at 9:45 Monday 8th Feb. In that package I included a cover sheet(s) that included all the things I had tried and my contact details. I waited until Thursday 11th to ring and follow up on the unit after not hearing from anyone. I again waited 28 minutes for my call to be answered and spoke with a person who very dismissively said that the unit only arrived yesterday, nothing had been done. I then informed him that the unit actually arrived 72 hours ago, he back-pedalled and said "oh well it was only booked in yesterday". When I asked what would happen with the unit I was told that nothing would be known until next Wednesday 17th and someone would be in contact then. A very short call for such a long wait. The frustration grows and the first lie.
I call on Thursday as I hadn't heard from any one on Wednesday and had to sit on hold again for 23 minutes. I was told the unit was repaired, the person I spoke with was unaware what the problem was and said that the unit had left Garmin Wednesday and should be here today. I was not at home so I expected to return home to an AAE (Australian Air Express) card saying they had missed me and I could collect it from Australia Post. No card when I got home and what was to be lie number 2.
On Friday morning around 10am I ring again to get the AAE tracking number as the parcel had not arrived and knowing that as we use AAE at work they deliver to my area early in the morning that the parcel was not coming today (Shell was at home waiting) I rang again and after 30 minutes waiting, I was cut off! (Steam) I rang back again and after 12 minuets I got through and spoke with a woman who confirmed the unit had left and gave me a consignment number. (Lie number three). I try AAE's website and they have no record of the con note. Faced with ringing Garmin again to sit on hold I ring AAE and sit on hold to them for about 12 minutes only to confirm what I thought, no record of the con note in their system.
I ring Garmin back again and speak with a man and explain the whole story, he tells me the reason that the person may have been just trying to satisfy me and wanted to help me out, I asked how by each person lying to me it was helping me and the additional time I had to spend following up and how dissatisfied I was. I didn't even get an apology. I then asked where my unit physically was. I was told it was waiting to be collected by AAE and would be shipped today. I then restrained myself suitably not to let fly with a torrent of abuse and thanked him and hung up.
The unit arrived today and it turns out that Garmin had replaced the unit with a new one (small smile). I only find this out because I insert the SD card with my maps on it and the unit tells me that it can not unlock them. I then get the pleasure to ring Garmin again. Another 15+ minutes (to be honest I was over timing it at 15 minutes) on hold and I get the unlock codes for Mapsource. I also notice at the same time that they have not noted the change in unit details on the service report and I get them to email me the change of details. I then email thar to JA-GPS and they email me back their unlock codes within 15 minutes. (One company knows how to provide good customer service)
I know that I now have a functioning GPS and that I should be happy but frankly the whole event has left a bad taste in my mouth and I'm not normally a person who speaks out about bad service but to me this is a whole new level. Garmin need to understand that over promising and under delivering only serves to upset people. How about actually ringing someone when you say you will? I would also suggest that when they receive a unit with Mapsource on it and they change it over that they send out the new key to the owner as part of the replacement process. This saves them ringing for the 50th time. Finally shortening their waiting time would go a long way to reducing the level of frustration of callers.
Thanks for listening. Anyone want to place a bet on how long this unit will last?
</rant>
from them instead.
An interesting price note - if you send your Magellan direct to Next Destination (Perth), the minimum charge, even if it cannot be repaired, is $110. But if you send it via your dealer, you might avoid that charge as I did. ](./images/smilies/eusa_wall.gif "Brick Wall"){kind=small}
