"Blame the Customer" Support Exposed

schneid · Regular Visitor Joined: Dec 03, 2004 Posts: 147

After excitedly waiting for TT Nav 6 PPC US/Canada DVD last fall I was very disappointed when I received it. The 1.4 gb North America map was "grayed out" and would not install and Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico would install but not activate. I spent a while with both their telephone and online support and was told it surely was "my fault" as there were no problems with the product. They suggested everything from me entering the code wrong even though the states, regions, and less detailed US/Canada map installed and activated. They said I could not install the North America map as I did not have enough storage even though I had a 4gb SD card with 2gbs free.

Funny thing. Today I receive the ver. 665 DVD. I installed a CA_NV, North America, Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico and they al load and run without problem.

Funnier thing. I did not even have to use the new Product Code to Activate the new maps.

So much for me using the wrong code and having deficient memory. Remember, you are the CUSTOMER, you are inherently stupid, don't have a clue about your software and hardware, and any problems are ALWAYS YOUR FAULT as their "BLAME the CUSTOMER" SUPPORT is always right as they have a canned script to read that says so.

I am always puzzled why companies allow their good reputation to be sullied by uncaring and unknowledgeable support bots. I would rather eat dirt than have to deal with them.

TT has redeemed themselves with me as the ver. 665 DVD works great. TT Home even runs on Vista and that is really something.

trevor.dowle · Lifetime Member Joined: 16/06/2003 05:22:14 Posts: 412

superseagulls · Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 8:15 am Post subject: how / who

How / who did you get the replacement from? The retailer or TOMTOM themselves? I posted this when I first got my TT6 usa & canada (probably the week it came out to buy). I purchaswd mine online from a usa store, what do you think the chances are of getting it replaced? I have personally grown sick of TOMTOM now, I have always purchased a ligitimate version rather than a cracked one and feel the package being sold to us the consumer has become somewhat diluted over the years! Is it to much to ask for one single map of the usa (1.4Gb) rather than the diluted 'full' map on the DVD (0.8Gb) lacking useable POI's etc?
I hope to get mine changed for the disc that allows the full version!

pharmamike · Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 3:07 pm Post subject:

They will continue to treat customers in this way until "we" stop buying their products. Why should they care whether the product instals or works properly so long as sales continue and the profit rolls in.

Profit, not customer dissatisfaction, drives companies. When people stop buying TomTom, they will act quickly. Don't expect anything to happen until then.

Mike

schneid · Regular Visitor Joined: Dec 03, 2004 Posts: 147

I think you can get the 665 Update here:

http://www.tomtom.com/products/maps/promo.php?Lid=4

jimbo_hippo · Frequent Visitor Joined: May 18, 2005 Posts: 444

It's predictable that when companies go through periods of rapid growth they lose it with telephone/online support. The sudden jump in recruits on the support team along with the lack of knowledgeable people to train them always results in the same. UK Mobile network Orange was identical. Suddenly the flavour of the month and 1 year later you were on the line for 1 hour waiting for help.

It doesn't excuse it but it's predictable. Recruiting untrained people and getting them knowledgeable is best done steadily and it's VERY difficult to do in periods of exponential sales. I predict that as the company adopts a 'big' approach to their structure I bet support improves rapidly. I've sat through many a company conference for different firms due to the nature of my work and you can bet your life the next Tom Tom annual conference will be all about how they are failing in support due to rapid growth. I could probably write the damn speech for them! And soon some expert in managing rooms full of battery hens will sweep in, heads will roll and a team of script-reading robots who get the job done will be put in place.

Also, my views on PowerLock are well documented in other parts of this forum. If you want to feel better send an email to the Destinator support team and watch the tumbelweed roll by. Its so bad its almost funny. At least from Tom Tom you get a rubbish reply. With Destinator you wonder if they've closed down.
_________________
Tom Tom GO 720
Orange M3100, Orange SPV M5000
TomTom Navigator 6, Destinator 6
Holux GPSslim

schneid · Regular Visitor Joined: Dec 03, 2004 Posts: 147

Whenever I don't know the answer to a question, I have always found it an effective form of communication to say I DON'T KNOW. If it is my responsibility or otherwise in the interest of me, friends, associates, or my employer, I will follow with I WILL SEE IF I CAN GET YOU THE ANSWER. Whether I succeed or not, I get back and tell them so. Candor is always the best policy.

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