Horrible experience at Wempes NYC

[ObscureLight]

Originally Posted by TARDIS

I figured it might be because I was wearing Jeans and a Hoodie so I didn't think too much of it.

You go in a bank wearing a hoodie over your head and you will get attention from security. Same applies to shops with expensive gear in stock. A high percentage of robberies are carried out with perps in hoodies. They have every reason to be suspicious by your presentation.

Duh

Ummm when did I said that I had the hood over my head?

[Rolex time is money]

Whats up with guys that look younger than their actual age? make me jelous, Im 28 but most think Im much older... heck some people even think my wife is my daughter when in fact she is 2 years older than me

[caryyee]

Interesting. I don't know about US, but over here, it's regarded as highly unethical, possibly a legal privacy breach, for a business to share surveillance video to anyone outside of senior management or security personnel or police, especially when it's not in relation to a crime. I would be highly annoyed to say the least if a video of me was shared with people who are not authorized to view the tape as part of their job function. As I said, I don't know about the US, maybe it's quite legal and accepted practice over there.

[artschool]

Originally Posted by caryyee

Interesting. I don't know about US, but over here, it's regarded as highly unethical, possibly a legal privacy breach, for a business to share surveillance video to anyone outside of senior management or security personnel or police, especially when it's not in relation to a crime. I would be highly annoyed to say the least if a video of me was shared with people who are not authorized to view the tape as part of their job function. As I said, I don't know about the US, maybe it's quite legal and accepted practice over there.

same in the UK, but i think Fremstar has clarified that by saying he is ".....vested in fair practices at the shop...."

its covered by the data protection act in the uk and the rule is:

• Ensure that footage is not disclosed to anyone else without the consent of the individuals shown in it unless it is for a reason permitted under the DPA, such as the prevention or detection of crime.

does america have a data protection act?

[subtona]

Originally Posted by artschool

same in the UK, but i think Fremstar has clarified that by saying he is ".....vested in fair practices at the shop...."

its covered by the data protection act in the uk and the rule is:

• Ensure that footage is not disclosed to anyone else without the consent of the individuals shown in it unless it is for a reason permitted under the DPA, such as the prevention or detection of crime.

does america have a data protection act?

Personally, I do not believe any of us have any data protection whatsoever in this new digital cloud laden world.
I also find it disturbing that video tapes are accessed so easily & referenced in a public forum.

Also, as someone else pointed out, the absense of a follow up phone call to the OP"s inquiry about a specific watch, is the significant part of the story for me, with regards to customer service.

As far as the hoodie goes, this is nyc, there is no dress code.
Ie NYC is definitely not a place where judging a book by its cover is a good idea!

[FeelingTheBlues]

Originally Posted by dsio

I would seriously hate to be an AD owner or employee being "tested" by people just so they can give an online report card on their experience.

With all due respect I don't see where the AD in question is being "tested", as far as I'm concerned trying to trick salespeople with technical questions on watches just to humiliate then on their lack of knowledge is silly to me, however this particular case isn't about this, it's about being treated in what the OP saw (or his girlfriend) as a lack of good customer service and politeness. In my humble opinion this is very different.

Not all AD's have the duty to know every single technical detail about all the watches they carry. They are, in the vast majority, sales people and not watch enthusiasts so I personally do not make a big deal out of their lack of knowledge unless they try to impress me by saying lies on their products (although that is another story altogether). However, I do not see why one should refrain from posting about his bad experience at a particular store if the reason for this bad experience is an impolite employee who doesn't treat his customers. In this case, this is what Ritchie was writing and whether he is fully right or not doesn't change the fact that I believe he has the right to voice (or rather write) his opinion about this particular case.

[dukerules]

I've visited Wempe in NYC twice, and both times have had fantastic service, even when I told them I was just browsing. The manager at my last visit (this summer) was incredibly cool, and we talked watches for about 15 minutes, just talking, not even looking at any of the models in the store. I was wearing my BP FF on an Isofrane strap, and he knew exactly what it was...how many high-end watch store managers know what an Isofrane strap is, I wonder. Both times I visited, I was wearing shorts and a T shirt, BTW.

[cross]

Originally Posted by caryyee

Interesting. I don't know about US, but over here, it's regarded as highly unethical, possibly a legal privacy breach, for a business to share surveillance video to anyone outside of senior management or security personnel or police, especially when it's not in relation to a crime. I would be highly annoyed to say the least if a video of me was shared with people who are not authorized to view the tape as part of their job function. As I said, I don't know about the US, maybe it's quite legal and accepted practice over there.

x2!

[byeedo]

I believe the moral of the story is that everyone can have differing experiences with retailers. Some will be great, some will be less than optimal. There have been quite a few comments in threads that have bashed Tourneau's for service, knowledge and experience in the stores, however, I have had great experiences in the few I have visited. These people are definitely not all WIS's (few really know much) but I don't expect them to be.

[doubleinfive]

Originally Posted by artschool

you could go back in with a nice new watch and say
“I was in here yesterday, you wouldn’t wait on me. You people work on commission, right?”
“Big mistake. Big. Huge.”

"Pretty Woman" fan, are you?

[tigerpac]

I've had generally good experiences at Wempe. Two very good experiences with the GM Rudy and a saleswomen Marissa maybe? Both very passionate about watches and more than happy to show me watch after watch.

(I'm 30 but probably look a bit older than that... for reference.)

[Lion]

Originally Posted by Al1988

Sorry to hear about your bad experience.

I've been to that particular Wempe while on holiday in NYC and like you I am 21 and yet interestingly I had a completely different experience. Again, like you I was wearing jeans, t shirt and flip flop and if I remember correctly I was served by a chap called Federico. I'll be honest, in all of the ADs i've been to, none were as good as him - I honestly felt like he gave a damn. I think we ended up having a good half hour discussion about my Black Bay before I even told him what I had come into the store looking for!

I'd definitely recommend giving them another chance if I were you, perhaps they were having an off day? Besides in all the cities in the world, you'd think they'd be used to 20-somethings buying high end watches

Regardless of how you are dressed you should be treated with respect and kindness.....I would not give them another chance.....I was treated with disrespect by a Jared's(I also entered at two different times wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt...was followed by the security guard while in the store and could not get a sales person to wait on me) until they saw my Rolex, on my third visit, and the 'Red Carpet Treatment' was given to me. When I was done browsing I asked to see the Store Manager and gave him my constructive feedback and left. Now they will never see a dime of my 'Money' due to their attitude and they way I was treated.....
Take it easy.....Leo

[dsio]

Originally Posted by FeelingTheBlues

With all due respect I don't see where the AD in question is being "tested", as far as I'm concerned trying to trick salespeople with technical questions on watches just to humiliate then on their lack of knowledge is silly to me, however this particular case isn't about this, it's about being treated in what the OP saw (or his girlfriend) as a lack of good customer service and politeness. In my humble opinion this is very different.

Not all AD's have the duty to know every single technical detail about all the watches they carry. They are, in the vast majority, sales people and not watch enthusiasts so I personally do not make a big deal out of their lack of knowledge unless they try to impress me by saying lies on their products (although that is another story altogether). However, I do not see why one should refrain from posting about his bad experience at a particular store if the reason for this bad experience is an impolite employee who doesn't treat his customers. In this case, this is what Ritchie was writing and whether he is fully right or not doesn't change the fact that I believe he has the right to voice (or rather write) his opinion about this particular case.

Re-read what I posted in full, I was discussing the pile of threads that start off with some guy walking into an AD to give them a report card.

In nearly every one of those threads you have someone describing themselves being slighted in some way, you get one side of the story, and then a page of people agreeing with whoever posted it, supporting that person and agreeing that a boycot of that store is in order. There's no recourse, no other side, no perspective in them for the most part, just a bad review that sticks on google searches like glue.

[MoosicPa]

Originally Posted by FremStar

Excerpt directly from Rudy...

"Melanie earns high praises and the perception of this client is very contrary to what I experienced in the almost 10 years with her.

She remembers him."

If she remembers him, why didn't she remember to call him back??? Sounds like a lame excuse to me. Bad customer service and follow-up. In my business when I tell a client/customer that I will call them, then I call them.

[mtasquared]

Well, the saleslady should have called if she promised to. I'll just put in my 2 cents which is that I have received good service in the couple of times I have been to Wempe. My salesman seemed more than happy to show me and let me wear a platinum Lange 1 grand ($48K). He also noticed my classic submariner and handled it turning the bezel (harumph). Its always a little dicey when dealing with high end goods salespeople. The possibility of being treated snobbily gets the blood flowing. Still, its wrong.

[The Joker]

Originally Posted by MoosicPa

If she remembers him, why didn't she remember to call him back??? Sounds like a lame excuse to me. Bad customer service and follow-up. In my business when I tell a client/customer that I will call them, then I call them.

Yep agree, this is really the crux of it for me, and seems to me what the OP was most disappointed with in the first post. Seems silly that there has been footage studied and arguments about who opened the door etc, but no explanation as to why there was no follow up.

If I tell someone I will call them in my job, I do it. Even if it to say I haven't got an answer for them yet. Even if I was tied up and called later than I said, I do it. Even if I'm off work, I do it or organise a colleague to do it.

[MoosicPa]

In a kind of related story, back in July I went to my local Hamilton AD to order the Pioneer Khaki L.E. watch. The sales lady behind the counter had no idea of what I was talking about, and told me they didn't have in stock. I explained to her that I realized that, but would like to see if one can be ordered, as it is a limited edition piece and had not yet been released. She responded that no one cannot be ordered, and I would have to wait and see if the store receives one. At that point I thanked her and was leaving when the stores owner was walking in. He happens to be a client and friend of mine. He stopped me asked how I was doing and what was I doing there. I explained to him that I was trying to order the watch, but was informed by his sales associate that I would have to wait and see if one comes into the store. His response was "What are you talking about?" "Of course we can order it!" I followed back into the store, where he had a conversation with the sales associate, and a call was placed tot he sales rep. Needless to say, the watch was ordered and should be in later this Month.

I guess the lesson of the story is that some sales associates just aren't willing to go the extra mile for the sale.

[subtona]

Originally Posted by dsio

Re-read what I posted in full, I was discussing the pile of threads that start off with some guy walking into an AD to give them a report card.

In nearly every one of those threads you have someone describing themselves being slighted in some way, you get one side of the story, and then a page of people agreeing with whoever posted it, supporting that person and agreeing that a boycot of that store is in order. There's no recourse, no other side, no perspective in them for the most part, just a bad review that sticks on google searches like glue.

For a surprising contradiction to this common sense rational, check out the story of
<Decormyeyes, vitaly Borker, ny times>
This guy used the bad service reports to his advantage for some time before they caught up with him.


1)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/28/bu.../28borker.html

2)
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/07/bu...customers.html

[jauri]

Originally Posted by caryyee

interesting. I don't know about us, but over here, it's regarded as highly unethical, possibly a legal privacy breach, for a business to share surveillance video to anyone outside of senior management or security personnel or police, especially when it's not in relation to a crime. I would be highly annoyed to say the least if a video of me was shared with people who are not authorized to view the tape as part of their job function. As i said, i don't know about the us, maybe it's quite legal and accepted practice over there.

x100

[43builder]

take it from me - ive been buying rolex's and other expensive watches since i was 15. once the places you go to know you they are always nicer - even now, (I'm also 21) i still have a hard time getting the respect i feel they should give. - this will pass with time at least! hopefully not too quickly though

[RolexPete32]

Sorry to hear that. It reminds me of my experience when I visited CHATEAU D'IVOIRE in Montreal Canada while on some R and R. Same experience as you but in my case it was a simple Panerai watch and they did have it in stock. After looking around the store with my wife past the army of sales people my wife said to one guy can my husband try on a watch? Some snuff dude says to me which one? I pointed it out and he says "We do not discount Panerai” Long story short I would never ever return to this shop. I returned home from my time away and bought a SUB LV from my local AD which has never ever treated me this way in the past.

As a side note we were traveling around Montreal so jeans backpack sneakers etc... I left my formal wear at home so yes I do think when we visit these shops we do get judged by our appearance unless it is a shop you deal with. I could walk in my home AD shop in my bed time cloths and they would serve me based on my buying history with that store. No question

[Norcalphoto]

Post the video for all to see and we can make up our own minds. The OP can also settle the mystery if he is indeed the "man in the hoodie" that was or wasn't treated properly.

[OpusX]

just a quick reply after reading this. How do you guys know that this video even exists or was reviewed at all. I really doubt it. Probably just someone trying to protect the image of the AD incase someone is googling customer service at Wempe's. For the original poster did this guy who claims to have seen the video, did he get the brand name of the hoodie right and the color of the GF's sweater right? If so then I guess I am wrong here. Just sayin'

[yessir69]

[brian8121]

Originally Posted by OpusX

just a quick reply after reading this. How do you guys know that this video even exists or was reviewed at all. I really doubt it. Probably just someone trying to protect the image of the AD incase someone is googling customer service at Wempe's. For the original poster did this guy who claims to have seen the video, did he get the brand name of the hoodie right and the color of the GF's sweater right? If so then I guess I am wrong here. Just sayin'

Sam (FremStar) is well-known and well-respected on the forum. I have great confidence that if he says he saw the video, he saw it. (As a side note, Sam is IMHO one of the most positive/good energy people among many here on TRF.)

I'll also add that I've dealt with both Rudy and Melanie many times and have only had positive experiences - even if I'm going only to look and not to buy. And no, I'm not shilling, just sharing my experience. Not saying there aren't bad Wempe experiences, I've just not had any.

[acarriles]

I can't believe how poorly this was handled by Wempe. Not the original problem, which is a typical he-said, she-said. The REAL problem is that their response to a customer issue is not an apology -the customer NEVER got a call back- but trying to prove that the customer was wrong in his account of the story. This is plain stupid. I've been the CEO of several companies and every time I got a complaint from a customer -founded or not- my first reaction was to apologize for what the customer EXPERIENCED. That's the key word: Experienced. We (or Wempe in this case) my have not done anything wrong, but the customer EXPERIENCE was bad. I am sure that if instead of sending the video to a fellow member -vested or not in the company- and then arguing online that the customer was wrong, they would have issued an apology and a good will gesture, this thread would have a completely different tone. Not doing it is plain and simply stupid. There, I said it.

I'm sure that if Wempe had called the OP back -as they should have done in the first place-, apologized and offered to review their practices to avoid a similar situation in the future, while offering a nice "peace offering" to the OP, like "we will give you a nice watch winder case for your Vacheron" or something like "and the first service will be taken care by us" or anything of the like -low cost for the company, high perceived value by the customer-, instead of hearing how good Wempe is from FremStar, we would be hearing that from the OP.

As I said before, there is not a better customer than a convert. If you are able to turn a bad experience into a good one, the ripple effect is 10X bigger than if the company simply argues that it was never their fault. Customer service 101.

FremStar, I don't mean to offend you with my response, I am a big fan and love your posts and soap-opera type incomming stories ;) but in this case, I just think this got out of hand.

Cheers.

[MoosicPa]

Originally Posted by acarriles

I can't believe how poorly this was handled by Wempe. Not the original problem, which is a typical he-said, she-said. The REAL problem is that their response to a customer issue is not an apology -the customer NEVER got a call back- but trying to prove that the customer was wrong in his account of the story. This is plain stupid. I've been the CEO of several companies and every time I got a complaint from a customer -founded or not- my first reaction was to apologize for what the customer EXPERIENCED. That's the key word: Experienced. We (or Wempe in this case) my have not done anything wrong, but the customer EXPERIENCE was bad. I am sure that if instead of sending the video to a fellow member -vested or not in the company- and then arguing online that the customer was wrong, they would have issued an apology and a good will gesture, this thread would have a completely different tone. Not doing it is plain and simply stupid. There, I said it.

I'm sure that if Wempe had called the OP back -as they should have done in the first place-, apologized and offered to review their practices to avoid a similar situation in the future, while offering a nice "peace offering" to the OP, like "we will give you a nice watch winder case for your Vacheron" or something like "and the first service will be taken care by us" or anything of the like -low cost for the company, high perceived value by the customer-, instead of hearing how good Wempe is from FremStar, we would be hearing that from the OP.

As I said before, there is not a better customer than a convert. If you are able to turn a bad experience into a good one, the ripple effect is 10X bigger than if the company simply argues that it was never their fault. Customer service 101.

FremStar, I don't mean to offend you with my response, I am a big fan and love your posts and soap-opera type incomming stories ;) but in this case, I just think this got out of hand.

Cheers.

+1. Good customer relations is key to any business that deals with the public. The whole story of the sales rep remembering the customer, but not remembering to call him back after promising to do so say's something.... but then again Wempe is so big that they may not be concerned with this one customer.

[Wacker23]

I been to wempe in nyc a few times, i was treated very well. You should have tried the vacheron boutique uptown the last time i was there i was treated like a king. Top notch service.

[Ray6Chan8]

Hi everyone, I have not been posting for awhile but as I was reading up on a book about buying styles. It came upon me that the OP might have been sold using a style that he didn't like.

As Sam mentioned the store was a little crowded therefore the sales staff might be using a D approach which might feel more direct and cold. While the OP seems to be a High I/S client therefore leaving the OP feeling dissatisfied. Really unfortunate incident but it's happening everyday.

Happy shopping OP and congrats in advance on the VC!!

[vintagewaferthin]

It doesnt matter if you werent dressed to their "liking", you still should have been treated with respect. if i were you i definatly wouldnt go back there.