Customer Service Garmin v TomTom>>>

 

TomTom = A
Garmin = F-

Needed help from TomTom...called the toll free number, waited no more than a minute (each of the two times I called) and got two very friendly people who could not do enough to resolve the issues presented.

Need help from Garmin...their map update site crashed in the middle of my download...was just going to ask them to send me the disk (gratis)...wait times over 1/2 hour...waited patiently (on speakerphone) for about 40 minutes...still no response so I finally got disgusted and hung up...seems Garmin has no clue that the vast majority of us have better things to do than wait until they finish their coffee breaks sad

I like the 1490T but have to tell you that I am totally disgusted with Garmin. I guess it takes a rocket scientist to figure out a message on the phone that they are aware their map site crashed and it will be fixed in xx mins/hrs is asking too much.

Bravo for TomTom!

BTW...if the TomTom graphics were even close to as nice as the Garmin graphics...based on my use of the 530S XXL and the 340S XL recently...I'd dump all the Garmins and go strictly with TomTom...TomTom has better maps and a better lane assist/junction view selection...at least in the Philadelphia area.

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"You can't get there from here"

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Oh lordy. You had better seek shelter TMK. Cause the Garmin fanatics, and there are tons of them on this site, are gonna come after you now.

I own multiple Garmin and

I own multiple Garmin and TomTom units, since the early 2000's. I've found customer service to be slightly superior with Garmin.

Maybe you just happen to call at a heavy volume / bad time??

A single bad experience doesn't mean a whole lot.

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http://www.poi-factory.com/node/21626 - red light cameras do not work

How many companies would be gone?

Is there a single national company of any size that would still be around if the company was rated on 1 single call or bad experience/incident with a customer?
The wait times seems way to long but on the other hand if the site crashed how many hundreds of people would unexpectedly be calling in at the same time as you?
You have a right to be upset but given the situation I don't know of many companies who would handle a sharp rise in calls within a short period any better.

This is not my first experience with Garmin >>>

Frside007 wrote:

Is there a single national company of any size that would still be around if the company was rated on 1 single call or bad experience/incident with a customer?
The wait times seems way to long but on the other hand if the site crashed how many hundreds of people would unexpectedly be calling in at the same time as you?
You have a right to be upset but given the situation I don't know of many companies who would handle a sharp rise in calls within a short period any better.

though it is with TT...Garmin has uniformly disappointed when it comes to this map updating nonsense...it seems there is always a problem, never goes smoothly and, frankly, I gave up last time...this time I am going to pursue it. The Garmin people have been very nice...but the frustration level created by not doing a simple thing like a message on the website and phone is simply silly.

I finally did get through and, once again,the young lady was very nice...but the 5 hours (on and off) it took is maddening.

They should think about that!

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"You can't get there from here"

Hmmmmmmmmmm!

TMK wrote:
Frside007 wrote:

Is there a single national company of any size that would still be around if the company was rated on 1 single call or bad experience/incident with a customer?
The wait times seems way to long but on the other hand if the site crashed how many hundreds of people would unexpectedly be calling in at the same time as you?
You have a right to be upset but given the situation I don't know of many companies who would handle a sharp rise in calls within a short period any better.

though it is with TT...Garmin has uniformly disappointed when it comes to this map updating nonsense...it seems there is always a problem, never goes smoothly and, frankly, I gave up last time...this time I am going to pursue it. The Garmin people have been very nice...but the frustration level created by not doing a simple thing like a message on the website and phone is simply silly.

I finally did get through and, once again,the young lady was very nice...but the 5 hours (on and off) it took is maddening.

They should think about that!

That surprises me. I have never ever waited longer than 30 minutes and most times 15 to 20. I have owned 3 garmin units and will have to say I have not had to call them more than 5 or 6 times. I call as early in the morning as possible and of all the companies I have dealt with they are at or very near the top in customer service. If you spent 5 hours getting through you should look at how you were going about it. If they say 20 to 30 minute wait you can't hang up after 15 and then start all over which it sounds like you are doing (only a guess)...If you feel so strongly about the poor service at Garmin I would think you should go with TT. There isn't any sense in being so frustrated. By the way I also have a 1490T and love it..

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Bobby....Garmin 2450LM

I waited 40 minutes >>>

farrissr wrote:

If they say 20 to 30 minute wait you can't hang up after 15 and then start all over which it sounds like you are doing (only a guess)...

thought I was pretty clear about that in my first post.

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"You can't get there from here"

Calling Garmin TS

In my experience with calling Garmin, if you call them first thing in the morning, you get right through to someone in Tech. Support. If you call later in the day, you will wait for a while. I hung up after 15 minutes or so and called back in the morning. Everyone I've talked to has been very nice.

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Nuvi 765T, Nuvi 2350LMT

Hung up...

TMK wrote:
farrissr wrote:

If they say 20 to 30 minute wait you can't hang up after 15 and then start all over which it sounds like you are doing (only a guess)...

thought I was pretty clear about that in my first post.

You were pretty clear that you hung up..You were probably next in line...Can you please explain the five hour thing? Thanks...

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Bobby....Garmin 2450LM

After the intial 40 minutes >>>

farrissr wrote:
TMK wrote:
farrissr wrote:

If they say 20 to 30 minute wait you can't hang up after 15 and then start all over which it sounds like you are doing (only a guess)...

thought I was pretty clear about that in my first post.

You were pretty clear that you hung up..You were probably next in line...Can you please explain the five hour thing? Thanks...

I was too busy to have my line tied up...so I'd call, try to get through and then hang up after 10 mins,,,or 15 or 5...depending on how busy I was....finally at about 4 pm (started at 11 am) I was able to get through.

--
"You can't get there from here"

Lucky...

TMK wrote:
farrissr wrote:
TMK wrote:
farrissr wrote:

If they say 20 to 30 minute wait you can't hang up after 15 and then start all over which it sounds like you are doing (only a guess)...

thought I was pretty clear about that in my first post.

You were pretty clear that you hung up..You were probably next in line...Can you please explain the five hour thing? Thanks...

I was too busy to have my line tied up...so I'd call, try to get through and then hang up after 10 mins,,,or 15 or 5...depending on how busy I was....finally at about 4 pm (started at 11 am) I was able to get through.

Now really how can you blame Garmin when you were constantly hanging up? If you are in the position that you can't wait 20 to 30 minutes you should wait until you have the time. Well I am happy you finally made it through...good luck...

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Bobby....Garmin 2450LM

Yes...how silly of me...to let working get in the way>>>>

farrissr wrote:

Now really how can you blame Garmin when you were constantly hanging up? If you are in the position that you can't wait 20 to 30 minutes you should wait until you have the time. Well I am happy you finally made it through...good luck...

of waiting for Garmin...I didn't deserve any help and apologize profusely to Garmin...

/rolling eyes

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"You can't get there from here"

I see

TMK wrote:
farrissr wrote:
TMK wrote:
farrissr wrote:

If they say 20 to 30 minute wait you can't hang up after 15 and then start all over which it sounds like you are doing (only a guess)...

thought I was pretty clear about that in my first post.

You were pretty clear that you hung up..You were probably next in line...Can you please explain the five hour thing? Thanks...

I was too busy to have my line tied up...so I'd call, try to get through and then hang up after 10 mins,,,or 15 or 5...depending on how busy I was....finally at about 4 pm (started at 11 am) I was able to get through.

That must have been your problem.

Imagine trying to stand in line for service, and then constantly leaving the line and coming back later to stand at the end of the line.

Can't blame Garmin for that...

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http://www.poi-factory.com/node/21626 - red light cameras do not work

Garmin map downloads ARE

Garmin map downloads ARE extremely long, veerrrry long........

I can't speak for Tom Tom,

I can't speak for Tom Tom, and my single incident may not be indicative of actual customer support experiences...

I had to contact Garmin tech support a couple of weeks ago, here is how it went.

Yes, the wait time was longer than I would like at around 25 minutes.

HOWEVER when I did get a rep: she was knowledgeable, listened to my problem, listened to what I had already tried, didn't treat me to a 'script', and quickly created an accurate RMA for my traffic cable.

When the RMA department received my cable they quickly shipped back my replacement. My total time was less than one week, and I'm in Central FL.

With as well as everything else went, I could forgive them the long-ish wait time.