Free map updates - How did we fare?

Won't go though all the details again, but the totals stand now at:

Total number of update requests: 62
Total number of free updates received: 58
Total number of 1/2 price updates: 3
Total number of refused updates: 1

The lesson here seems to be: DON'T GIVE UP!

It hasn't been quite a month since I submitted my request. I haven't gotten a rejection or an acceptance. Just patiently waiting.

How long did it take to get your update from the time you submitted your request?

Of those approved, what was the oldest purchase date of the unit? I bought my c530 in Dec. 2006. I doubt they would update me no matter how long I pester them.

WOW... nice listing!

You can add AMANDA to the list of reps to approve WITHOUT hassle.

And just as an aside, if you should get her as a tech-rep, consider yourself lucky. She's great.

Cheers!

Honestly, I don't have that data for many of the units I collected. I did notice that if you bought your unit before May 2007, you are pretty much out of luck, but that doesn't mean don't try.
I guess it would be reasonable to say that you got a good 8 months out of your existing maps, so a free upgrade might be a bit of a stretch.

BTW, I am now up to 64 units, 60 got free updates, only 4 did not. I have a few more tech support agents listed now.

Approved without hassle: Lori, John, Joe, Julie, Ryan, Tranika, Gerald, Tim, Pete, Amanda, Paul.
Rejected: Nathan, Joshua, Thomas.

Okay...here is the scoop...AGAIN...

Purchased after May 1, 2007, shouldn't be a problem. Before May 1, it's a problem.

If you have a C330, you are not getting a free update, unless you just purchased it in teh last few days. The C330 will not hold the entire mapping and we are NOT going to be giving map updates for it, except under extreme circumstances (don't shoot the messenger).

The reps you mentioned are spot on. The numbers are about right. The percentages are about correct. Some of the reps will take it to heart in the best interest of Garmin, others are just not going to be flexible.

Mapping will start shipping again August 24. IF you get a map update prior to that, consider yourself lucky.

IF you are happy with a rep, get good technical support and enjoyed speaking with the rep, it is EXTREMELY important to talk to the rep's supervisor. A good rep is a treasure, and the supervisors need to know when a rep does a great job.

The reps want to be there for you, but often feel like we are caught between you and the upper powers. We need to know if we screw up, but more importantly, when we do good, it needs to be shouted. We always get reminded when we make mistakes, but we rarely get the pat on teh back. Think about it, 100+ calls/day, 25% of the calls from ANGRY people that are upset because they can't figure the GPS out, and being yelled at because the Nuvi's antennae must be out before satellites will be acquired, or that you have to plug an address in before it can route, yes, these calls come in. We have customers that want the GPS to route without having an address put in...don't ask me.

Anyway, thanks for the update, and for gosh sakes, sing the praises of a tech that goes the extra mile, get them noticed for doing good, tell the managers who you like, and tell the rep thanks!

I have talked to a lot of users on here, and for the most part, you are all great. I hope I have been as well, but please, PLEASE let the management know when we do good...we want to hear good things too!

Thanks

I'd love to provide the positive feedback you mention, however, so far it's been very difficult to actually SPEAK to a supervisor. I have asked for one on two occasions, including this morning. Both times, the agent I was dealing with just came back on the line and said that he/she had spoken with the supervisor and had solved the issue.

I suggest that a feedback mechanism is needed. Either a web page where we can send an email to managers regarding our experience, or maybe a "survey" email sent to the customer after dealing with tech support. I even left a voice mail for a manager to call me back, but never received a call.

Also, for everyone reading this thread: Don't take the names I listed as being a true measurement of the attitude of an agent. I only got agent names in 14 cases out of 65. No name was repeated even 1 time. So all we really have is a single example of how one agent handled one request. It's entirely possible that Nathan, for instance, actually approved several of the updates that are uncredited, and Lori or Ryan may have turned down many others. This data is pretty much meaningless until we have the names for every single case reported.

I'm in Canada. Bought the unit in the US... do you have any demographics on that info? Or to put it more selfishly, how likely am I to succeed in getting my update if I am in Canada?

My results:-
Bought Nuvi 670 19th June 2007

1st Phone call - Sorry no free updates.

Sent e-mail 14 days no response.
Sent 2nd e-mail 14 days no response.
Sent 3rd e-mail 7 days no response

After no response to e-mails. 2nd phone call - Yes you can have one.

Then received reply to 1st e-mail - Yes you can have one.
Reply to 2nd e-mail - No
Reply to 3rd e-mail - Yes and order placed despatching 24th August 2007.

So now all OK, I have been very polite in all e-mails and phone calls and thanked the sender of the 3rd e-mail.

My research did not include the locations of the members who posted their experiences. However, since the update for Canada is the same as the update for the U.S., I would imagine your chances to be about the same. If you bought it after May 1, 2007, I'd bet you would be able to get a free update, if you are persistant.

Edited: I did a quick scan of some of the posts I used to build my info. I found at least 4 Canadians who had successfully received a free update. (BTW, if you guys would just give in and become the 51st state, then Texas and Alaska would have to stop bragging about how big they are. What do you think?)

You should have no problems updating from Canada, I got my update in 2 weeks after my second call (the first call said no), the second tech was very nice (female, can't remember her name), I gave her my serial #, it was already registered on the Garmin site and that was it. purchase date May 15.

I continue to stumble upon more posts from folks who requested a free map update from Garmin. I found info in these threads:

• 5492
• 5223
• 5098
• 4827
• 5851
• 4934

With the lastest posts added to the survey, the numbers are:

• Total units: 75
• Free updates: 70
• Full price paid: 1 (did not appeal)
• 1/2 price paid: 3 (2 did not appeal)
• Refused, did not update: 1 (I3, all appeals rejected)

Thats more than 93% success. Who knows what the rate would be if every owner had appealed their initial rejection. Might have been as high as 97%.

Please note: I did not include any data from owners who freely admitted that they had bought their unit more than 90 days earlier. Naturally, many of these were probably denied. This survey was intended to cover only owners who IMHO should rightfully be entitled to a map update. (Meaning they purchased a NEW Garmin product within 90 days of the update being released.

There does need to be a method for feed back, both good and bad. Generally speaking, if you want a supervisor, ask. No, it doesn't always work, but most of the time it will.

As far as names go, just ask. We give our names, most first and last initial, some like myself give first and last name. If you don't hear it, just ask.

Lastly, as for the mapping. We are getting requests from people that "accidently" registered in October but meant to wait, and then ask if they can change the registration date to get a free map. We get people who send in doctored receipts that have obviously been whited out and changed, and other characters. We have people who are trying to cheat the system, and we want to help you, we want to get the mapping to everyone who deserves it, without getting jerked around by the ones trying to cheat the system.

Okay, off the soap box.

First, I truly appreciate your participation in this discussion, and your insight into the workings of the Garmin system. I don't want my comments to be misconstued as critical of you or any other tech support agent. I would be glad to provide a very positive feedback about you to your supervisor, if that is possible. I would do the same for 3 others I have dealt with recently, I think you all do a great job, particularly in the tech support arena. I don't really think that qualifying customers for map updates is a tech support function, but apparantly you have been tasked with doing it.

The problem with this method of feedback, is that it is often only AFTER the call has completed that we find out whether or not it was successful. As you have read here many times already, there is no question as to the courtesy and professionalism experienced when dealing with Support. It is the content of their message that varies widely from one to another. How one agent can determine that a customer is ABSOLUTELY NOT entitled to a free update, and another agent, (working from the same "play book"), can make just the opposite decision is what I don't understand.

Let me clarify this point in case there is a misunderstanding. I am not suggesting that ANY Garmin Tech Support agent has ever withheld his/her name. When I refer to data where the name was unavailable, that only means that in the forum post where I "mined" the information, the poster did not mention the name of the agent. I am sure that in most cases, the name was known to them, but did not make it into their forum posting.

I can see this as a problem. The same problem that every company which markets a licensed product has to deal with. I think demanding un-doctored proof of purchase date is a great solution. But even this is not consistantly used. Many members reported being sent free updates without ever providing proof of purchase, while others experienced denials and hassles, even when valid proof of purchase was provided. The fact that each agent seems to have his/her own "version" of the policy creates a real credibility issue when dealing with multiple customers who communicate to one another. We have been told: 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, "no free updates - EVER", and the ever polular, "let me see what my supervisor will let me do for you." I view this as a leadership issue. If the agents were given clear cut, measurable parameters with which to work, then we would see a consistant response to every customer who calls in or emails.

I fully believe that 98% of your tech support staff truly wants to be helpful. After all, as you have pointed out, making a customer angry is just the ticket for getting a complaint lodged against you. The real problem seems to me to be that you are all left to drift in a sea of ambiguity. I imagine that if every agent had to write down the corporate policy regarding updates, fold it up and put it into a secret ballot box, you would find at least 20 different versions. Maybe you would like to invite a supervisor or manager to come onto this forum and tell us how it is SUPPOSED to work? There is no place on Garmins web site where a person can read the official policy regarding updates.

Examples:

• of 12 "C" series Streetpilots, 9 were approved without question, 3 had to be re-submitted, and were all approved on the second try.
• of 60 Nuvi models, 51 were approved on first contact. 5 were approved on second try, and 3 did not make a second attempt.

What made the units which were denied the first time different from the majority? If they were truly not eligible for a free update the first time, why did most of them get one by trying again? There just is no consistency.

I purchased these for Christmas gifts. I registered them after the holiday.

Still no word if and when I'll get the update.

Okay, points made. I appreciate what you said, and let me give a VERY short reply.

We have only recently been provided with a firm decision on how to handle this issue. Our policy was just released a very short while ago and now we have to play by the rules.

If we have a situation that is unique, we do have to get approval. We may or may not get said approval. If a customer is extremely rude or demanding, the rep may not want to get approval so he/she will advise the customer was rude and he/she will not get approval. No, this is not entirely fair, but when you are being an oaf, you get what you get. The cut off date is firm as of May 1, and some limits are being stretched a little.

Part of the problem is that there was no set policy, some of the techs/customer svc folks were afraid to do anything. We had no policy in place and rumors were flying. I'm being extremely candid here, but we are in business to make a profit, and without knowing the policy, and all the changes, we had to go with our "gut" feelings. Not everyone had the same gut feelings.

Now there is a policy that is set in stone. In the next few days, you will see a form on the website that will allow you to put your serial number in and either be granted access to the "man behind the curtain" or be denied. IF you are denied, you are out of luck. The purpose of the web link is to take the tech out of the mix, if you are entitled, you are entitled, if not, then that's the way it goes.

You are correct that you never know how the call is going to go, that is why some of the techs have a "fan club" of people. We have groups that will talk to no one else, because we have provided good service. Garmin has mostly great techs, but like everywhere, we have a few that are learning. We do not hire "warm bodies", but hire qualified competent techs, so that is part of the reason for the wait times. People calling in and trying again for updates got lucky and reached someone that hasn't been caught not following policy yet, that is changing quickly.

Okay, so there are problems with consistency, problems with the policy and problems with quality of service. I really suggest talking to supervisors if you have a particularly bad, or good experience. Techs put up with a lot, from a lot of directions. We do all we can to help you, WANT to help you, but are sometimes hamstrung by pollicies or other issues that are out of our control.

Some of you know me, and know I am just one of many who want to help. Most of us will take how ever much time you want, will give email addresses and many times even extension numbers.

Consistancy is an issue when you have over 300 techs answering the phone. Policies not in place cause us to have to think on our feet, some are better than others, some willing to go further outside the box than others, some willing to take chances on making the customer happy rather than supervisors happy. THIS is why it is important to let the management know you are happy with the tech, because YOU are the boss...and they have to be reminded of that.

GT, I really appreciate your candor. What you described is as I suspected, and having been in support myself, I can relate to that fear of doing the wrong thing when rules are vague. I don't think being tougher on someone who has behaved like a jerk is wrong, it's fair. What goes around comes around. Keep up the good work, and take pride in your very effective role as informal ambassador to this user community.

My questions are all answered, Thanks again.

BTW, I'm glad you didn't decide to post a VERY LONG reply!

I can say it was really hard, after being denied by one rep and her supervisor on the phone, but I managed to get the map update for the c330 I purchased on 7/29/07 after emailing Garmin. A rep named John D replied and ask that I fax in a copy of the receipt and he sent me the update. I receieved it sometime last week. I can't say how happy this made me as a new customer to Garmin products. I had been thinking about buy a Garmin GPS for years and when at first I was denied the map update I wasn't sure I made the right choice choosing Garmin. But after dealing with John D I know I made the right choice. Garmin really is a truly great company who looks out for their customers.

Thanks to all who replied. I will have to order this soon, thanks! I'm also really surprised no one has put it up on bitttorrent yet!

Maybe it's because the majority of users, if not all, of this site are honest? Besides, you'll need an unlock code for the maps to work anyway...

I'm not saying it should be there, I'm just saying I am surprised it's not. On the other hand, it would make more sense for Garmin to make it available that way if all you need is an unlock code. Would certainly be cheaper, and more environmentally friendly to distribute it electronically.

Jamie

Just got off the phone from talking to 'Joe' at Garmin.

I had to wait about 15 minutes on the line but it was worth the wait as I am told I qualify for the free update DVD. Also told that Mapsource is on the DVD and can be installed on my pc.

I purchased my StreetPilot c550 on June 25/07 online here in Canada from RadioWorld.ca

Very pleasent experience. Exceptionally nice person very helpful and good sense of humour.

Should have my DVD in 7 - 10 days.

I must be one lucky or persuasive person.
I got the free update by being very polite.
I purchased my NUVI 350 as a referb on February 4th and received my update at the beginning of August.

Double Tap

You did very well! I purchased a Zumo 550 in Jan 07 and emailed Garmin asking for a free update. Charles D emailed back last Friday (8/17) stating that I would need to buy the update. I orderded it from Provantage.com for $53.64 + $4.95 shipping, it will arrive tomorrow 8/22. See the following link:

http://www.provantage.com/garmin-010-10989-00~7GRMM01N.htm

"I must be one lucky or persuasive person.
I got the free update by being very polite.
I purchased my NUVI 350 as a referb on February 4th and received my update at the beginning of August.

Double Tap"

I faxed my request in, with no reply as of yet. I'd like to make a request by phone.

The Garmin rep that posted on POI forum mentioned that many Garmin customers have favorite representatives and ask for them by name.

Any chance you'd share the name of the customer service rep you spoke with? Email me if you prefer.

Thanks
(crossing my fingers)

Ryan R.
However my request was in conjunction with a problem I was having. Ryan R. was great about the problem and to show my appreciation I kept telling him in our series of email communications how good he was and that I valued his help.

Double Tap

please help, who should I email? what's the address?
thank you

Requested mine at the end of July and still waiting for it.

http://www.garmin.com/garmin/cms/site/us/supportcontacts

I received my c330 as a wedding gift this last Saturday, Aug. 18. I registered the device this Monday. I did the software update this week and then learned (from Bobby @ Garmin tech support via phone) that I'm not eligible for the 2008 map update. He was very polite, as was I, but . . . this is very disappointing. He did offer 1/2 off and was very sympathetic and patient but . . . I can only guess how much my wife's grandmother paid for this device. I went to amazon's website and my jaw dropped. Gees! Anyway, Bobby suggested I return it and upgrade to the C340 so I can get the accurate up to date 2008 map. However, after discussing it with my wife, there's no way we're going to go back to my wife's 92 year old grandmother to ask for the receipt to return the device. She's not going to understand and, I'm sure, will misinterpret our intentions.

We have been impressed over the last couple days with all the features in this little device. Everything from the resolution of the 3-D screen to quick finds of various locations (e.g., finding the closest mechanic's address and phone number within seconds on Monday when my air blower/fan went out on our car). That was very cool. Oh, and I looked up the phone number for a vet hospital yesterday. Very hand for a minor emergency. And, thanks to efforts of members of this website I have nearly 3,000 Custom POI's. Thanks. I really should be writing my dissertation but it's hard not to check out every neat little feature ASAP.

So, I was driving my wife to work this morning and the device told me to take an on-ramp onto the Dan Ryan (Chicago highway 90) that hasn't been available for nearly two years. Hmmmm. When I got to work I did a few "Spell Name" searches for restaurants that have moved or gone out of business in the last two years. And, just as I suspected the v. 8 map loaded on my brand new device did not have this information up to date. I'm curious if 2008 has these updated.

Anyway, despite what happened this morning, I still really like the device but . . . a one week old device with maps that are 2-3 years old?

I did mention to Bobby that I've learned (primarily from this webiste) that other c330 owner's have received the update for free. Bobby explained that . . . that was then and this is now. Again, he was very polite/professional and suggested that these people may have had special circumstances.

Bobby explained further that Garmin's new position is that since the 2008 map is not totally compatible (i.e., won't load 100% of the update - choice of 48 states or Canada, perhaps Hawaii and Alaska) that I'm not eligible for a free update. Why is it that when I login to "myGarmin" that the link from my account to "map updates" takes me to the "Map Update 2008 City Navigator North America NT". And, I looked at a couple webshots of the this new softwares box - C330 is listed as one of the compatible devices. Man! I'm really confused now.

I did send emails to garmin tech support yesterday -one before I spoke to Bobby and one after I spoke to him.

Am I fighting a windmill here?

Man of La Mancha - Aka, Kevin

The maps in your GPS are lastyear's, not 2 or three years old. Note that updates sometimes take a long time, so, particularly on the built in POIs, you probably would not see that big of an improvement. As far as streets, there are some changes, but, for example, in my area several Toll Roads that have been open for 8 months or more are not on my v2008 maps. (I have reported it to Navteq). BTW, I paid for my new maps as I had purchased my unit in November.

My suggestion is that you might try with another tech, although it appears Garmin has solidified their policy recently. In any case, most users wait 2 to 3 years to update their maps as the changes are not that dramatic (based on where you live, of course). Think of it as using last year's map atlas (book) as opposed to purchasing a new one every year.

You make some good points Mkahn. I wonder if anyone from Chicago has any experience with the benefits of the latest map update. I grew up in a small rural town in eastern Washington state so driving around Chicago is often a little intimidating. It would be nice if I could have a little more confidence in the accuracy of the maps.

Perhaps, this isn't the best analogy but here goes. I bought a laptop and a desktop about one month after Microsoft Vista came out. I went to two different computer stores. With one exception all the computers came with Vista and most with Office 2007. And, that one exception came with the promise that they'd throw in the Vista software for free. I think most people would be a little upset if they put down hundreds or thousands of dollars for a computer and it didn't come with the latest software or a promise of a free upgrade.

Oh, well. It's a handy device and I'm looking forward to using it more. Thanks for the reply.

Kevin

Bought my Zumo 450 7/27, registered it at Garmin.com day I received it, emailed techsupp@garmin.com on 8/3 with copy of receipt attached asking about the update, Amanda L replied early morning 8/4 that she'd be happy to send me a complimentary update. Received it the following week. Personally, couldn't be happier with Garmin.

It really does matter who you get as a tech I believe. The day I had talked to Garmin on the phone a new memo had come out stating that they would not offer the free upgrade for the c330 and a few other models that they were discontinuing. Ofcourse I got the same response that they could not give me the free update but offered 1/2 off. Needless to say I was pretty upset that I just bought this unit at the end of July and it did not have the most current maps. So I emailed Garmin tech support to express how unhappy I was. I got a response from a tech who told me to fax him a copy of my receipt and he would send me the maps. He followed through on his word and I got them. This changed my feeling about Garmin for the better. Try emailing them and see what happens.

Thanks. I will try that. However, I think I'll wait a couple more days for Garmin to respond to my emails.

Crossing my fingers.

Got the big phat NO..... I bought mine June 3rd had the old maps and was told no by not 1 or 2 or 3 but 4 different people.... So for now I will not be buying it as well I think it stinks to high heaven that I am getting the shaft.... o well...

Was this in reference to your Nuvi 350, or some other model? In my digging, I found posts from 17 Nuvi 350 owners. 15 got their free update on the first try, and the other 2 got it free after trying again. Not sure I can understand any reason they would disallow that one.

I hope you prevail, but I think I understand what has happened, and you may be just a victim of unfortunate timing. When the new maps were announced last month, Garmin had just cancelled their old policy on updates, and had not really established a new one. The tech support reps were left to fend for themselves, and of course, many took the path of least (customer) resistance. (Hey, leave it up to me, and I will always choose the option that doesn't make someone mad at me.) Now, however, Garmin has published (at least internally), an "official" policy on updates, and the C330 is apparantly on the list of units that are not eligible for a free update. It's not that it's not compatible, you saw yourself that it is, it's that it won't hold the "entire" map set at one time. Maybe this causes a licensing issue for Garmin with Navtech, who knows. At this point, the 1/2 price option might not be such a bad deal, if your appeals don't get results.

To check to see if the new maps solve your accuracy issues, go to:
http://www8.garmin.com/cartography/
Look for "Mapsource Map Viewer", and select City Navigator North America 2008. Go to the places in question, and see what the new map says is there. In my area, the new maps fix a whole bunch of problem areas. Good luck.

Nuvi 360 here... purchased less than a month ago. Got a yes on first try using the web form on the Garmin site. Thanks all for the advice!

I received my c340 on 4/07 I tried calling 2 times about 3months after I got it once I was left on hold forever finally I gave up and hung up. Try number 2 I finally got through and I asked about the update and was told that I had had it to long, was very nice and explained to them I love my garmin I go every where with it but still no luck.
Finally gave up and ordered the dvd $70 and 5 days later i got my DVD.

Great posts all. Not many before 5/1 as GT says above. No luck here as a pre May person as well with the 350.

matt

got a update for my c550 from a superviser.very nice guy and work after hours so i have no problem getting a hold of him. got it legit though.

I also had no problem getting the free map update through an email inquiry after I registered the unit. Just needed to send a scan of the sales slip. Since I am from Canada, there was just a small problem with the way Garmin did the paperwork and had to pay 12 dollars to the government for duty. All in all, I am very happy with garmin

I also called on 8/21 and had to wait about 15 minutes to talk to someone. Told the rep I had purchased my 660 in June and registered it on their site. She said I'm qualified for the free upgrade and would ship it out in the next day or two, which should take 7-10 days to arrive. I received it on 8/23!

I'm glad I waited until they had their policy straightened out to call. I first learned about this whole discussion on the GPS Review Forum. I wouldn't even have known about the updated maps if I hadn't stumbled across that thread. From reading other posts, it seems that phoning is the way to go, not email. Yes, you're put on hold -- but not for days or weeks. By the way, the first few times I tried to call, all I got was a busy signal. I thought I might have had the wrong number.

My computer has gone south...permanently, I fear. As soon as I get my new machine I'll be giving Garmin CS a call. Wish me luck.

Miki

I called and talked with Julie. Since I made it just by the May 1 cutoff date with a May 2 purchase, she placed the order. It arrived faster than expected. What was slow was the install. When it says it may take 2 hours, it means 2 hours. I have checked for some streets that were not in the prior version and they are in the upgrade.

Thanks Garmin.

Hey all,

I just logged into http://my.garmin.com and there was a link on the page saying my Nuvi 680 was eligible for the map update. I clicked the link and it took me to a map update order page that had all my info in it and after a couple of clicks they said the update was ordered and will be on its way!

I didn't get an order number or confirmation email yet... so we'll see what happens!!

Stevo

This has been a HUGE help for the techs! You may find that you registered and you can not get it, but that is beecause they are tracking serial numbers. If the unit was built way back, you may have to send proof of purchase, but for the most part, this saves you time and effort, and saves me from trying to decipher the info so that you and I understand it.

You'll be getting your mapping disk (DVD) in a week or so.

I called GARMIN earlier this month and talked to Mark in tech support about verifying my current map revision from the NUVI 350 I recieved this past Father's Day.

Mark confirmed my serial number and registration. He told me I was eligible for a free upgrade and proccessed my update as we spoke. He gave me an order confirmation number and said the map would ship around August 24th.

Gilbert

Garmintech, I'm actually having quite a few issues trying to install the 2008 map update to my Nuvi. I'm really impressed by your knowledge & "know how".

Would it be possible for me to call and get your assistance?