Suunto appalling customer service !

[Paullyfuzz]

Suunto appalling customer service.
Ive had a Suunto Vector watch for a few years now and it suits me well whilst canoeing, being in the mountains etc. A few weeks ago the plastic bezel fell off and I've since lost it. I contact Suunto who stated I had to send it back. I didn't really agree with this, but sent it off anyway.
Cost estimation comes back from Suunto....87 euro to replace the bezel !
Bearing in mind that it is a very simple plastic snap on bezel which my 5 year old son could fit, I think 87 euro is a tad expensive !
I contacted the so called Suunto helpdesk who basically said tough. When I asked her who to complain to she stated, ' me ' !
I am now fuming with Suunto. I don't have a problem with having to pay but this is just a blatant rip off.

Any advice.

[John Fenna]

Wow - that is poor!

[Toddy]

For a snap on bezel ? and that's the Helpdesk's response ?

So not good.

I'd put your complaint in writing, including the unhelpful 'help' desk response, and get on line and find a manager's name. Send it addressed to him or her.

I'd be more than tempted to tell them to send your watch back to you, it seems to function fine without 87 euros being spent on it ....and then tell them that you'll put the money towards buying a watch with a recommended better service

Damned shame that this is how they've dealt with a simple problem.

cheers,
Toddy

[rancid badger]

I don't use facebook or twitter myself but apparently, more and more companies are using 3rd parties to scan the web for mentions of their name, in particular looking for people complaining. BT actually contact the complainants and publicly offer to sort out the issues.

It might well be worth bad mouthing Suunto in as many places as possible, to try to get a similar resolution.

On the subject of who to complain to; just ask to speak to their manager or supervisor and if that fails; contact the company direct via post.

R.B.

[Paullyfuzz]

Suunto are on Facebook, but ya can't post anything.

[resnikov]

suuntolistens is the Suunto Help Desk on twitter.
So if you post anything on twitter use the hashtag i.e. #suunto

[atross]

I too have had major issues with sunto, bezel has fallen off my vector. Want to return it but as I am a sales rep and I dont have a place of work for them to collect from they want £8 to collect from my house.

I phoned their help desk and got a similar response, baisically tough!

Very difficult company to deal with!

Ash

[pastymuncher]

I'm not questioning your experiences, but I find it odd that Suunto are behaving so poorly, as their diving instruments seem to get very good responses on customer services.

[Paullyfuzz]

I'm not questioning your experiences, but I find it odd that Suunto are behaving so poorly, as their diving instruments seem to get very good responses on customer services.

I know what you mean and I thought I was in for the same kind of service, but alas not .

[santaman2000]

Suunto are on Facebook, but ya can't post anything.

You don't have to post it on Suunto's FB page. You can post a complaint on your own page. As long as you mention their name the companies scanning program will pick it up and they'll contact you to try to eliminate the bad publicity. At least that's the theory; it assumes they are actively scanning for negative publicity.

[Paullyfuzz]

Well I've found their FB page.

[atross]

Tried the twitter, they responded to my tweet by telling me to return it to a retailer. Responded telling them that the independant retailers find them difficult to deal with and who would they recomend. Havent had a response

[backwoodsman]

i thought suunto were very good,! if its an internal thing i.e. software problem i have heard they get a delivery guy to pick up and its back in the week all free. Maybe different for cosmetic damage.
I got a battery for life thing from Thimpsons the other month but when the guy was putting the battery cover back on he damaged the lugs on my old suunto, so when i went up in an areoplane the back popped of a tiny bit and it switched of.
Took it back to them and as it could not be repaired, old design, i got a check for £265!!!!! im now sporting a very nice core military off amazon for £180,, quids in!!!

[suuntolistens]

Hi everyone,

At Suunto we do take our customer service very seriously and I'm sorry to hear you've had bad experiences. I've been in touch with @Paulfuzzy and we'll try and sort this out. The 87 euros covers a new bezel, repair, shipping to and from Finland and testing, as we test all products for water and make sure everything's alright. I agree 87 euros is a lot of money, but in return you get a watch which is almost as good as new.

At Suunto we do monitor what is being said about us, but not only for bad publicity. It is also so that we can participate in the discussion and to see what our customers think about us. It is actually possible to post on our Facebook wall (unlike someone thought), so please feel free to take part in the conversation that way!

You can also find is on Twitter (@suunto_moves and @suuntolistens).

Best regards,

Aku from Suunto (www.twitter.com/akuvaramaki)

[Paullyfuzz]

Cheers Aku, will be in touch and hopefully sort something out.

Will keep this post updated folks.

Paul

[John Fenna]

This is looking better!

[Muddy Boots]

BT appalling customer service!

well it's worth a shot.

LOL

[FGYT]

This is looking better!

is it all they have done is confirm the price is still 87euros which was the original beef

that said i pay £25 to have a battery changed in my Watch (Not suunto) which I'm happy with cause i know when i go diving with it again it wont flood at 40 m (or at 5m which is more likely ) as its done by the UK watch smith with all the correct seals lubs and proper pressure testing to check its right (twice and an extra long 5m test as i actually dive with mine )

ATB

Duncan

[rancid badger]

He shoots.............He Scores!!!!

I told you dint I?! big brother really is watching you!

You'd think Aku, might sort it our for free, as a "goodwill gesture" mind you

I think that would score many, many "brownie points" on here and elsewhere

best wishes

R.B.

[UKdave]

VERY interesting

[Lithril]

Watching with interest. I've been toying with the idea of getting either the Vector or the Core. Core would be my preferred by I keep hearing mixed reviews about quality and service so it'll be good to see how this is resolved.

Matt

[Toddy]

I'm with fgyt with this tbh. Returned to have a small outside part replaced.....a bezel that fell off.....yes ?
and suddenly it's become a full service too ? for a hefty 87 euros ?

Might be alright if he'd requested that service, or in replacing the broken piece, which is presumably no longer under guarantee, they had to entirely dismantle the watch. According to Paullyfuzz though it's a snap on piece.

Backwoodsman ? did you get the £200+ from Timpsons for their damage to your watch ?

cheers,
Toddy

[John Fenna]

I'm with fgyt with this tbh. Returned to have a small outside part replaced.....a bezel that fell off.....yes ?
and suddenly it's become a full service too ? for a hefty 87 euros ?

Might be alright if he'd requested that service, or in replacing the broken piece, which is presumably no longer under guarantee, they had to entirely dismantle the watch. According to Paullyfuzz though it's a snap on piece.

Backwoodsman ? did you get the £200+ from Timpsons for their damage to your watch ?

cheers,
Toddy

At least there is an explaination for the costs - which seemed lacking in the first instance!

[gordonmac]

Core would be my preferred by I keep hearing mixed reviews about quality and service so it'll be good to see how this is resolved.
Matt

Haha, I already have a Core, and have to say that it is a most excellent watch! I've never had any requirement to contact their customer support though!

[backwoodsman]

yes timpsons paid me!!!
and as for suunto guy watching, holly sh** he may become a new poster can admin find out the ip address to make sure its not a wind up!!!


plusnet are a con!!!!!!

(fingers crossed) lol

[British Red]

I was considering a Suunto. If Suunto thinks its retasonable to charge a customer $85 for a piece of plastic that the user can clip on themselves, I will look elsewhere. I want to deal with a company that stands behind its products - not one that seeks to foist a service upon me that I do not want or need - all the OP wanted was a part. It appears that Suunto see a problem as an opportunity to force a customer to purchase services they neither want, need not ask for. Very poor. They should look into how Leatherman do business.

Red

[pastymuncher]

I was considering a Suunto. If Suunto thinks its retasonable to charge a customer $85 for a piece of plastic that the user can clip on themselves, I will look elsewhere. I want to deal with a company that stands behind its products - not one that seeks to foist a service upon me that I do not want or need - all the OP wanted was a part. It appears that Suunto see a problem as an opportunity to force a customer to purchase services they neither want, need not ask for. Very poor. They should look into how Leatherman do business.

Red

Must admit I've only ever heard good things about Suunto, and while $87 seems a bit steep, if it includes a full service etc then it's not so bad.
I have to pay £50 to get just a battery change and pressure test in the U.K. for my watch and SWMBO's watch is the same (different manufacturer).

[nitrambur]

Must admit I've only ever heard good things about Suunto, and while $87 seems a bit steep, if it includes a full service etc then it's not so bad.
I have to pay £50 to get just a battery change and pressure test in the U.K. for my watch and SWMBO's watch is the same (different manufacturer).

But it's a full service the owner doesn't want or need, that's the problem, they only offer one thing, a full service, take it or leave it. Would you be happy to pay for a pressure test when you have a new strap fitted? It's an external, owner installable part, it doesn't need to be sent to Finland.

[British Red]

Fine - when you need to open the case. A snap on bezel does not require a pressure test. If a part on my Leatherman breaks, free repair. If my Zippo breaks- free repair. Stu mitchell service on my knife? Free. I can go on. Serious out door manufacturers stand behind their product. I thought Suunto were a serious maker. If a plastic part outside the pressurised element costs that much - when an extruded plastic part costs less than a Euro, then they are making money, not a tool they will stand behind.

[johnboy]

Fine - when you need to open the case. A snap on bezel does not require a pressure test. If a part on my Leatherman breaks, free repair. If my Zippo breaks- free repair. Stu mitchell service on my knife? Free. I can go on. Serious out door manufacturers stand behind their product. I thought Suunto were a serious maker. If a plastic part outside the pressurised element costs that much - when an extruded plastic part costs less than a Euro, then they are making money, not a tool they will stand behind.

I have a Vector,

It's an excellent bit of kit and has given good service. It's well made, and the support for the product is good also IMHO.

It's not a 200m diving watch machined from a billet of SS with a Helium release valve etc. It's water resistant to 30m with an injection moulded plastic case. However it is full of gubbins such as the mechanisim for the compass and also the barometer. I'm betting it would be 'Goodnight Irene' if that lot got wet. Perhaps Suunto feel that if the watch has lost the bezel then if it's comming back for that to be replaced then a quick check to see if it's got the potential to leak is a good idea.

Leatherman do offer an excellent replacement service... Everyone of the 5 tools that have broken on me or were incorrectly assembled and then broken they have replaced often after a bit of correspondence.