Talex accused of dodgy dealing

[nuttynurse]

I too use the Speed Sentry interface on my Ipaq 2210 with the pocketgpsworld database and think its a great combination abeit a bulky solution all told. Road Angel, Snooper and the likes are likeable packages but let down by their inferior databases and poor customer service and of course you can't install the pocketgpsworld database on them to overcome this problem. Flashing lights on the Inforad K1 may be a cheaper and smaller alternative and made reputable by pgpsw database but its falls down for me by not having the array of graphical information Speed Sentry give you displaying the speed limit, camera type, direction etc. Having to use a Satnav such as TomTom or Garmin in order to use the pgpsw database to be reminded of speedcameras on ones daily routine trek is ok but still not the best graphical display for showing camera types, position etc when you don't need the map capabilities of the system for travelling. The Pogo Alert is perhaps the nearest thing to what I would like to see in a single package though of course combining a Speed Sentry and PGPSW database within a cube instead.

I once owned a Pogo Drive, which I returned. It would have been an ideal combination of speed camera detection and satnav system had both parts of the equation been of better quality. Satnav was awful in its routing and to limited in its options compared with its then rivals and the database was not as comprehensive as pgpsw by any means and also had restrictions placed upon it as to the types of cameras it would alert to, for what ever logic. I think, if I remember correctly mobile cameras where not included in its database, by the whims of its owners.

I'm personally hoping that Pocketgpsworld will one day expand its horizons and perhaps via partnership with Inforad, or whoever else it may take to achieve the task, extend its thinking towards creating its own Speed Camera or Speedcamera/Satnav package

[Wheetman]

Having just bought the new 2009 Talex from this firm I wanted to write about my experience, which, I believe, may serve to redress the balance somewhat. Let me first say that I am in no way connected with Mr. Blair or his firm and like many of the other posters, have had my doubts previously about his marketing techniques.

I opted for the deal to 'trade-in' my old GPS (Road Angel) for a new (2009) Talex for £67. No requirement was made of me to send my old unit in before being sent out the replacement and to date I have not done so - I want to ensure that the new Talex is going to live up to its promise and then I shall comply with mine.

The unit didn't arrive when I expected it to despite payment having been taken. AND I share the concern of those that find it frustrating that there is no human answer from the main helpline number. This is a real minus and one that Mr. Blair may care to consider. Having e-mailed the support desk, I received a very prompt, courteous, and apologetic reply from a lady called Sally. Within a couple of days my unit arrived. I had asked for and was sent the tracking details, but the unit had arrived before I had opened my e-mails. I signed up for the updates and was pleased to discover that payment was via direct debit mandate arranged online at the advertised monthy amount with payment not starting until 1st of next month. Being a direct debit mandate I can stop it whenever I choose and if anything goes wrong I am covered by the direct debit guarantee. So far so good. Next I downloaded the update software - PC only. I am a Mac user, but found that it installed without a hitch under Parallels virtual machine. The unit was immediately recognised, as were my subscription verification details and the download process was over in a blistering 2 minutes. That's fast compared to the last time I updated with Road Angel.

So far, after the initial non-delivery hiccough, which was down to their computers having missed some orders, I have been pleasantly satisfied with the service I have received. My advice to anyone experiencing difficulty with their order is to send Sally an e-mail at Adam Blair Customer Support support@adamblaircrm.com Keep cool, be polite, and clarify in as much detail as possible precisely what the problem is. If you have an online receipt or acknowledgement of your order then attach this with your e-mail as it will connect you to your order.

Best of luck.[/b]

[nuttynurse]

Good thing about being a nuttynurse, I know all about feeling paranoid! I wouldnt go out and buy a Talex on the experience of one very new member when so many older members have had bad experiences, WOULD YOU?

Perhaps Mr Blair would like to rectify all the complaints from those disatisfied customers (above) as a matter of priority, or get Sally to. Showing his commitment and reformed customer service to dealing with existing customers complaints will do more to convince me of his credibility than one new member to the site. Don't get duped into buying....

[Wheetman]

Nuttynurse: I specifically joined this forum because I felt that my experience with Mr. Blair's company was different to those posted by the more senior and no doubt, venerable members who must, of course, know better than me. Has it occurred to you that just maybe customer relations are starting to improve? Still, keep grinding that axe of yours if its what presses your buttons.

I realise now that it was a mistake joining this forum to try and bring some balance to the debate. I hadn't realised that paranoia was a prerequisite to membership or that I would be expected to be as bitter and twisted against Mr. Blair as some to fit in.

I shall waste my time no longer.

I'm out of here.

Keep taking the tablets.

[nuttynurse]

Nice that you have had a good experience and your happy. But the invitation is for Mr Blair or Sally to contact the trail of disatisfied customers, who have by the way, sought but failed to receive the satisfaction you were so fortunately to get.. I'm sure you would be shouting as loud as they had you been treated thus.

Why do you think people who have been treated badly by this company should not have their say in exposing such poor customer service or their products?

The benefit of this and other forums is that it exposes the poor service and shoddy products we find ourselves landed with when the adverts and promotions promised otherwise.

By all means speak of your good experience, but don't expect others to share your enthusiasm for a company that has given them poor service and done nothing to rectify it. If Mr Blair wants a good reputation then let him earn it. Maybe Trading Standards will help to clear his name after they have reviewed the complaints against him..

Perhaps you would like to direct his attention towards this page, if your not already reading it, so that he can take the initiative to deal with his unhappy customers

By the way the Paranoia is just part of my Psychosis and not a prerequisite of the forum. They just very kindly allowed me to join anyway.

[BigPerk]

Wheetman has just provided an opinion - a right we are happily all agreed on. He has ALSO provided a bit of useful information for others to use, if they want to. It is certainly NOT his responsibility to enter into a crusade on behalf of others. They are all "big and ugly" enough to take their problems up with Talex themselves , just as you can too, nuttynurse, with any problem you've had, with the helpful info he has given.

It seems a shame to give Wheetman the impression that he is being pilloried for no real reason. Even if there is a suspicion that he is connected with Talex, that doesn't necessarily stop his info being useful.
_________________
David
(Navigon 70 Live, Nuvi 360)

[Darren]

Well said David. Regardless of personal feelings against Mr Blair or Talex, we ought not to be directing our ire at a poster simply because his opinions are at odds.

Whilst I understand that suspicion may be aroused as to a possible connection between posters and the company they post in support of, we might also have concerns that those posting in complaint could equally be working for s competitor!

In the absence of any evidence we ought to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. The complaints and anger are for the company and not posters who have opposite opinions.
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Darren Griffin

[RobertV]

I notice that some people had an issue with the need for an external antenna with their Talex unit. I don't know about the newer units but for my unit from the original company I found that I could buy from them a suction mount with a metal plate on it to affix the Talex with its magnet. I placed the mount high on the windscreen so the Talex was in the area clear of the Athermic coating. I no longer use the Talex since I started using SatNavs and now use the Pocket GPS World database.
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Garmin NUVI 660 with 2010 maps, Navman 550, Garmin Etrex Vista, Garmin 775

[M8TJT]

[camrg]

Talex now being given away but requires a 10 month subscription to the database. Sounds good but not what was originally advertised, to quote them:

Simple. It's a marketing test. On Thursday 21st we're giving away 1000 Talex's for absolutely nothing, on the assumption that most people who ask us for one will sign up to the Speed Camera Database updates and so hopefully become long term Talex clients.

Is there a minimum contract on the database updates?

No, there is no contract at all

Also interesting to look at their website, the promotion is at:

http://btst.co.uk/AdamsBlog/

but on the page at http://www.btst.co.uk/ (signed at the bottom by Adam Blair) we find:

Why don’t I sell ‘GPS’ detectors?

Simply, because they are less effective and (much) more expensive. They are effective but you have to pay a monthly subscription fee. And if a new speed camera is installed before you do the monthly update or the Police set up a mobile unit, you will not have this information in the systems database, making it less than 100% reliable.

[Darren]

His marketing emails are hilarious and I've been avidly following the build up to this launch.

I suspected he would require a subscription agreement in order to receive the 'free' device despite clearly suggesting there would be no such tie-in.

As the devices cost him no more than £20 a unit and a subscription costs £39.95 for the 10mth min he can't lose can he!

His claims as to the amount he spends on his data gathering are similarly ludicrous.

Still we can be sure many will be taken in by it even though there is no such thing as a free lunch
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Darren Griffin

[talexuser]

he still advertises his talex's on the site for £127.

Interestingly they are no longer sold on Halford's website, which now advertsie Novus hardware instead. So it looks like the very cheap Talex's on Halford's a while back were indeed stock they just wanted to get rid of.

It would be interesting to know the reasons.

[talexuser]

if you google talex complaints there are plenty of interesting stories on the web about adam blair:

http://www.talex.me.uk/guestbook/

gives a flavour

[talex_sucker]

DO NOT BUY A TALEX
I was sucker into buying one, then it needed to be upgraded, so sent it back, was told it would cost another £126 to upgrade so sent a cheque this has been cashed back in september, now they dont reply.........
They WILL take your money! I wish I found this site sooner as I could have saved nearly £250, or have one machine that needed to be upgraded.........
Adam blair, and adam blair group, as it is now known, need to take care of their customers instead of changing the company name!
PLEASE DO NOT BUY A TALEX UNIT, they will take your money and you hear no more from them, you have been warned by someone who has been rip off by them.

[Kremmen]

I find it interesting that the Talex database is still being updated considering the bad press about the state of the company.

I updated mine a month ago to find that the M25 western section now has live camera's, according to Talex.

I posted here a while ago that I had noticed a 'flash' in one location (close to junction with M4, anti-clock) as a car sped by. I've also noticed another flashing set nearer to the M3, also anti-clock.

Both these locations are now on the Talex daatbase and they weren't when I performed my last update in November.

Novus have the M25 cameras but they didn't have 2 fixed cameras that I pass daily that have been there for over a year so I switched back to Talex.

Novus does seem the better organised company IMO though.
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Satnav:
Garmin 2599 LMT-D (Indoor test rig)
DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3
Car Average MPG :

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