Richemont staff not very professional?

[L3stat]

Hi guys, just an observation over the last few times I was there. The staff don't wear gloves when handling your watch, which is kinda strange. If the ADs do that, then obviously it's not too much to ask of the service center staff. One of them actually wears a pretty big ring, and you can hear the clack of the ring on the watch when she's handling it. Makes me nervous.

Secondly the staff is always quick to claim any additional stains on the watch were there before they took it in, despite their documentation stating nothing of that sort. And mind you that's after their inspection with a loupe, vs your naked eye. I've about had enough today and gave the service staff a piece of my mind.

Am I expecting too much? Is there a feedback channel for us to voice our complaints?

[KuchingKu]

Think you are asking too much. Patek service staff and Rolex service staff also don't wear gloves. How to be numble with hands to inspect the watch if wearing gloves?

[L3stat]

Maybe so. How about wearing clunky jewelry that can scratch your watch during handling, coupled with the automatic blame shifting?

[Mille]

i noticed that too. you must have kena-ed the one on the right

thats why i stopped going to richemont ; i send my watches in through the boutiques or authorised dealers

[Oceanklassik]

I think TS has a point in terms of professionalism in the providing of service. I can understand why those in sales wear gloves and not those who repair but wearing of hard, chunky objects when handling expensive watches can be a little worrying. Imagine sending your precious ride (Ferrari, Porsche) to a car-groomer who wears big-stoned rings and coarse bracelets/bangles on his wrist, who has to wash and polish your ride

[KuchingKu]

Maybe so. How about wearing clunky jewelry that can scratch your watch during handling, coupled with the automatic blame shifting?

This is an area of concern, especially if the service person is nonchalant about it. When I go there, I look for Daphne only. Else, I go back another day.

As for telling about all the scratches here and there before taking in, I think is their protocol. All these years, I always kenna.

[triton]

i feel that wearing of rings for any purpose is @ sole discretion of individuals. i dont think anyone can advise the individual to wear or otherwise. however, i do feel that any ring can be a potential hazard to a watch. i dont believe that wearing a glove can totally eliminate any risk because there can be a coarse grain stuck to the fabric of the glove and when used to handle any watch, it can be hazardous.

whether or not wearing a glove can allow fingers to be nimble or not also depends on the task(s) need to be perform. i dont visit richemont service centre often, but on several conditions that i was there, counter service staff picks up the watch, looking for the serial number if any with loupe with other hand, examine the general condition of the watch. these tasks do not require fingers to be nimble.

if asking them to wear two gloves to work may be too much to ask for, however wearing one glove on the hand that is going to be used to handle a watch is considered reasonable. however, we do note that they are require to input data into the system. by wearing a glove, it would impede them typing. so there could be 'time wastage' by wearing and removing them for each time they want to handle a watch. this would lead to another potential problem - longer time to serve each customer which will lead to longer waiting time. some may argue that how much time can be used? another 2-3 mins more? dont forget that there is usually a queue, if you are the 6th customer in line, each customer in front of you requires another 3 mins more which can lead to another quarter of an hour more.

so as end customers, are you prepared to wait for a longer period of time in exchange for them to handle your watch with more care? is it fair for customers to request service staff to work with bare hands? there will be for and against. what is most important is that how should end customers handle such situations when encountered.

i like to thank thread starter for raising this issue so that other watch lovers are aware of such situations. what i would do the next time when i encounter a service staff with such item(s) on finger(s), i would kindly request the service staff politely to remove the item(s) before handling the watch(es) and explain my reason(s) for such a request.

[pegasi]

Maybe so. How about wearing clunky jewelry that can scratch your watch during handling, coupled with the automatic blame shifting?

I support you. Maybe glove isn't really necessary, but no clunky jewelry isn't too much to ask for. As a matter of fact there are some jobs where those stuffs are not allowed.

I also kena before scratches after servicing of a watch which I was very sure weren't there before (come on, some of us know our watch better than the body of our woman, hehe). Those were probably caused by the technician but the usual blame shifting like you said.

[L3stat]

I'm not advocating that they restrict their staff on what accessories they wear, especially if these things carry special meanings or for religious purposes. All I ask is they respect their customers' property and take the right precautions. If you have to wear a ring then please wear a glove. Doesn't take more than 15 seconds to put on and remove a glove.

As for the blame shifting, all it says is that they won't stand by their work or take responsibility for their mistakes. If you f*ck up, man up and correct it, and not shift blame. And it looks really stupid when they documented the watch as perfect on inspection with a loupe before taking it in, and then insinuate that those stains were there before. Not sure how well that works for a service centre, or any business for that matter. A brand is only as strong as its after-sales support.

Does anyone know if Richemont has a feedback channel? Or are they too big to care?

[L3stat]

This is an area of concern, especially if the service person is nonchalant about it. When I go there, I look for Daphne only. Else, I go back another day.

As for telling about all the scratches here and there before taking in, I think is their protocol. All these years, I always kenna.

I don't have an issue if they point out defects before taking it in. But what they did was insinuate defects were there before, when clearly they were not.

So far I see 4 different people, but I don't know their names. The plump girl is very detailed in her work, and careful. The slim girl with glasses looks pretty new in her role so I can't tell. I have an issue with the girl with short hair who wears a big ring. Her attitude leaves much to be desired. The last one should be Daphne? She's probably the most eye pleasing of the lot.

[L3stat]

i noticed that too. you must have kena-ed the one on the right

thats why i stopped going to richemont ; i send my watches in through the boutiques or authorised dealers

That's a good idea really, but unfortunately I don't have enough pull with either. ADs for sure won't, but would the boutique help if you didn't buy the watch from them? The service centre experience is getting more and more unpleasant that I'd like to avoid it altogether.

[pegasi]

Erh...sending in through the boutiques or AD...wouldn't that mean the watch is likely to be handled by more people and plus the transportation and hence higher risk of causing scratches/damage to the watch?

[L3stat]

True on the handling part, but 2 benefits I can see. They would be more professional in conducting business. And the onus is on them to solve any f*ck ups, insulating you from the service centre nonsense. Unfortunately I haven't spent enough money there to make this an available option to me.

[rayleh]

Just sent my PAM to JW for servicing and they told me it will take 4 to 5 months. BTW they will be moving to International Plaza in May.

[Oceanklassik]

Tx for sharing the info