Sun 18 Jul 2010
Breitling’s Head Office Reception Criticized!
Posted by The Breitling Source under Breitling[6] Comments
Just stumbled on this old 2003 article from a fellow named Paul Wolsfeld, who makes a hobby out of Cycling to different Company Head Offices, and trying to get a Tour of the premises along with tours of CEO offices and other such areas. Turns out the fellow went out to Breitling’s head office in 2003, after sending a personal letter to Mr. Theodore Schneider, and was given what he considers a cold welcome by Ms. Valerie Burgat, whom I understand is still the PR Manager.
Click here to see Original Item
Old article, but interesting to hear this… though not entirely surprised. They were probably on the defensive. But you’d think a PR person would be better at keeping things in check. Nowadays I think this would be extremely unlikely as the prominence of the internet has made everyone think twice before embarassing themselves.
July 18th, 2010 at 3:20 pm
Not surprising and still applicable. I went to the Breitling stand at the last Baselworld and was treated by arrogant staff like a street urchin.
July 19th, 2010 at 8:47 am
That’s Disappointing. I guess that’s why they make sure they affiliate with guys like Govberg to give them a shiny image.
July 21st, 2010 at 4:43 am
I had just the opposite experience @ the HQ in the US. I live only a few miles from the Breitling HQ in Wilton Ct. I went there to have my vintage 806 serviced. I approached the receptionist and asked about service. After being offered a beverage a fellow appeared in a white coat and took me to a small room where he filled out the service papers and asked ME when I needed the watch by! He then showed me around and introduced to the service person who would be working on my watch. I left w/ a brochure,hat and a bottle of water!
July 21st, 2010 at 8:50 am
Ken – That’s great to hear! I’m glad they seem to have a better idea of customer service in the US.
February 19th, 2012 at 1:11 pm
Please read below for my as yet to be responded to letter to Breitling of over a week ago…
To whom it may concern.
I need to understand how a $15,000.00 u.s. Breitling Chronograph watch, branded and priced to reflect a model of excellence in a time piece as well as a symbol of social distinction could be faulty upon purchase?
After more than 1 year of researching, I made the now regrettable decision to purchase on the 12th of January of this year, the most integral movement offered by Breitling. This purchase was to commemorate both my 50 birthday and the five year celebration of our international outerwear and accessory brand. Despite this watch featuring a stainless steel case a diamond set bezel and accompanied by corporate verbiage, claiming that this watch would be able to withstand depth pressures consistent with 600 meters below sea level, as well as having been individually tested by an international time piece certification agency for an extended period for exactness in accuracy and reserve capacity of 70 plus hours, it failed to work for one full day under normal conditions.
Despite all of these claims and or processes I ended my first day of humility as a Breitling watch owner 45 minutes behind the clock on my cell phone! Over the next four weeks the watch would either stop completely, loose an hour here and there, or as on one magical day it managed to keep within 5 minutes of most of the $99.00 cell phones that were frequently humorously displayed for me so that I could be informed of the correct time.
To make matters worse for both you and I, this watch was purchased on the eve of the commencement of my global trade show circuit and had no choice but to keep it on my wrist for fear of having it stolen if left in the hotel security boxes until the 9th of February when I finally arrived home for a two day break.
I don’t think I can adequately express in writing how humiliating it was to spend a month on the road feeling the brunt of my associates repetitive jabs as the guy who was wearing the over priced piece of “Bretling jewellery” on his arm.
My frustration was compounded further when I finally arrived at the Breitling warranty center in downtown Toronto to have the watch looked at, I was simply told “we will call you when it’s ready”. When I asked further about the now apparent frequency of this type of situation I received no response and was advised that it would “probably be ready in about four weeks!
No Apology! No Remorse! No Emotion at all and Four Weeks!!!
Not even an acknowledgement that they would make it a priority as it was a brand new watch!
To say that I expected more is a gross understatement!
I can’t think of another product or service on this planet aside from perhaps Health Care in Ontario Canada where there would be so little emotion and or concern in regards to a matter of non performance such as this! Not to mention having no provision in place to placate, commiserate, remedy or escalate a customers concerns involving a product of this alleged calibre.
It may also be helpful for you to know that I own several premium brands of automatic watches within my collection and all have worked accurately for up to 10 years without issue to date.
This was my first and likely my last, Breitling time piece.
The other concern that I now have is that the next mid life crisis purchase I have been flirting with is the Bentley Continental Sport Coupe, considering the strong cross branding relationship between your companies, I will be asking some very tough questions of them to find out if they share your complete lack of concern and commitment to the after sale process within their corporate policies and procedures.
I will be forwarding a copy of this email to their customer care mail box as well, in order to get a sense of their level of general concern with respect to customer dissatisfaction both internally as well as with their cross branding partners.
Robin John Yates
VP Nobis
February 20th, 2012 at 12:06 am
I have no doubt that this is probably posted on as many blogs and forums as possible.