Where to send complaints on a bad experience from an AP service center?

[azanza]

Hi all. Where do you normally send a complaint from a terrible bad experience from an AP service center? Mine was from the AP House in HK. Tia

[DonLee]

oh no. What happened? could you not be honest with your SA of what happened?

[azanza]

Originally Posted by DonLee

oh no. What happened? could you not be honest with your SA of what happened?

I had my AP watch serviced at AP House Queens last 2020. I had a hongkong resident friend picked up my watch and sent it to me via courier due to Covid restrictions, travelling was impossible at that time. When I received the watch, 2-3x of using it, showed that the watch still had the same problems when i brought it in. I emailed and reported it immediately. Offered that I could send it back thru fedex but this arrangement is not allowed by them. So I requested for an extension of the warranty until my next visit to HK, which was accommodated and confirmed in email. I had set an appointment on Feb. 8.

And to my horrible surprise when I got there, they informed me they are now on new management and that they cannot accept the extension of my warranty that was confirmed in the email. And it was all miscommunication in email. To add to my frustration, Ricky Cheng even had the audacity of asking me to why not bring the watch to Singapore when it was easier to travel to before HK. And was also instructed to complain instead in email to have it escalated as they cannot do anything about my case. They made me come back the following day, Feb. 9, only to be told the same. Also, Ricky Cheng was not even the manager as he was previously introduced to me. When I asked for the manager, i was told she's on her off and she too won't be able to help me. There was no empathy nor sincerity and a far cry of customer service from the previous management if I may say; as I have been a regular client for many years now.

Imagine the trouble of me travelling all the way from my country and to be in this predicament. This was the main reason I flew to HK as I had the appointment with them. They will only accept back my watch for servicing/repair if I would agree to pay again and with the new increased service pricing.

*will also post the email screenshots

[dauster]

Originally Posted by azanza

I had my AP watch serviced at AP House Queens last 2020. I had a hongkong resident friend picked up my watch and sent it to me via courier due to Covid restrictions, travelling was impossible at that time. When I received the watch, 2-3x of using it, showed that the watch still had the same problems when i brought it in. I emailed and reported it immediately. Offered that I could send it back thru fedex but this arrangement is not allowed by them. So I requested for an extension of the warranty until my next visit to HK, which was accommodated and confirmed in email. I had set an appointment on Feb. 8.

And to my horrible surprise when I got there, they informed me they are now on new management and that they cannot accept the extension of my warranty that was confirmed in the email. And it was all miscommunication in email. To add to my frustration, Ricky Cheng even had the audacity of asking me to why not bring the watch to Singapore when it was easier to travel to before HK. And was also instructed to complain instead in email to have it escalated as they cannot do anything about my case. They made me come back the following day, Feb. 9, only to be told the same. Also, Ricky Cheng was not even the manager as he was previously introduced to me. When I asked for the manager, i was told she's on her off and she too won't be able to help me. There was no empathy nor sincerity and a far cry of customer service from the previous management if I may say; as I have been a regular client for many years now.

Imagine the trouble of me travelling all the way from my country and to be in this predicament. This was the main reason I flew to HK as I had the appointment with them. They will only accept back my watch for servicing/repair if I would agree to pay again and with the new increased service pricing.

*will also post the email screenshots

I am sorry about your experience I emailed AP via there general email before and my issue was resolved https://www.audemarspiguet.com/com/e...ontact-us.html

[psm11]

Would def email AP corporate and let them know the situation. I’d also let them know the names of the specific individuals involved. This was their screw up and there should be consequences. Especially given the games these people play.

[DonLee]

Originally Posted by azanza

I had my AP watch serviced at AP House Queens last 2020. I had a hongkong resident friend picked up my watch and sent it to me via courier due to Covid restrictions, travelling was impossible at that time. When I received the watch, 2-3x of using it, showed that the watch still had the same problems when i brought it in. I emailed and reported it immediately. Offered that I could send it back thru fedex but this arrangement is not allowed by them. So I requested for an extension of the warranty until my next visit to HK, which was accommodated and confirmed in email. I had set an appointment on Feb. 8.

And to my horrible surprise when I got there, they informed me they are now on new management and that they cannot accept the extension of my warranty that was confirmed in the email. And it was all miscommunication in email. To add to my frustration, Ricky Cheng even had the audacity of asking me to why not bring the watch to Singapore when it was easier to travel to before HK. And was also instructed to complain instead in email to have it escalated as they cannot do anything about my case. They made me come back the following day, Feb. 9, only to be told the same. Also, Ricky Cheng was not even the manager as he was previously introduced to me. When I asked for the manager, i was told she's on her off and she too won't be able to help me. There was no empathy nor sincerity and a far cry of customer service from the previous management if I may say; as I have been a regular client for many years now.

Imagine the trouble of me travelling all the way from my country and to be in this predicament. This was the main reason I flew to HK as I had the appointment with them. They will only accept back my watch for servicing/repair if I would agree to pay again and with the new increased service pricing.

*will also post the email screenshots

I'm sorry you had such an experience. AP is world-wide, so I would have assumed if you couldn't come to HK, you could have brought the watch in again to a different AP location couldn't you? Nonetheless, if the warranty offer was given by AP, they should honor it. May I ask, was it that you bought the watch originally from an AD, and it was an AD that gave you that warranty offer and not AP themselves, since AP is now in-house.

[TunaTuna]

I'd fill out the email contact form on the AP website, I'm sure they will read it an

[chris_choi]

Originally Posted by azanza

To add to my frustration, Ricky Cheng even had the audacity of asking me to why not bring the watch to Singapore when it was easier to travel to before HK.

I'm sorry you've had this experience with Ricky.

I didn't think about posting my experience here because I thought I might have been too sensitive towards the way he treated me. Ricky was/is my SA. I always found that he represented the brand very poorly. He would tell me that I need to buy a bunch of watches I don't want in order to even get any steel royal oak. He would say things like "you have to take the bones with the meat" referring to ROO and Codes as the bones. I did end up getting what I wanted after buying a couple things I absolutely did not want.

But in the end I just decided to stop buying AP and stick with VC and PP. Life is too short to deal with people like this.

Hope you get your situation resolved.

[azanza]

02/14/2023 Update: After sending my complaint email, Hong Kong H Queens AP House Boutique Manager, Ms. Michelle Lam have called me up and courteously apologized of the incident. She then informed me that they have honored the warranty extension and will not charge me with the repair that has to be redone to the watch. This made my day. I have always believed in the brand - AP and have always loved their watches. I consider this a minor setback that has been sorted out.

[azanza]

Originally Posted by chris_choi

I'm sorry you've had this experience with Ricky.

I didn't think about posting my experience here because I thought I might have been too sensitive towards the way he treated me. Ricky was/is my SA. I always found that he represented the brand very poorly. He would tell me that I need to buy a bunch of watches I don't want in order to even get any steel royal oak. He would say things like "you have to take the bones with the meat" referring to ROO and Codes as the bones. I did end up getting what I wanted after buying a couple things I absolutely did not want.

But in the end I just decided to stop buying AP and stick with VC and PP. Life is too short to deal with people like this.

Hope you get your situation resolved.

Yes, I'd agree. He had even told me that AP's movements are really bad. Unless the newer ones like 2022 and onwards. I was stunned that he said that. We felt the same, he doesn't speak as if he is from AP. People can change, I hope he does better moving forward.

[ryehn]

AP's service seems to be consistent wherever you go. My experiences are the same even with boutiques

[johnsonsxusfrt]

Originally Posted by ryehn

AP's service seems to be consistent wherever you go. My experiences are the same even with boutiques

agree, have had good experience with servicing multiple pieces

[lusfort]

Originally Posted by azanza

I had my AP watch serviced at AP House Queens last 2020. I had a hongkong resident friend picked up my watch and sent it to me via courier due to Covid restrictions, travelling was impossible at that time. When I received the watch, 2-3x of using it, showed that the watch still had the same problems when i brought it in. I emailed and reported it immediately. Offered that I could send it back thru fedex but this arrangement is not allowed by them. So I requested for an extension of the warranty until my next visit to HK, which was accommodated and confirmed in email. I had set an appointment on Feb. 8.

And to my horrible surprise when I got there, they informed me they are now on new management and that they cannot accept the extension of my warranty that was confirmed in the email. And it was all miscommunication in email. To add to my frustration, Ricky Cheng even had the audacity of asking me to why not bring the watch to Singapore when it was easier to travel to before HK. And was also instructed to complain instead in email to have it escalated as they cannot do anything about my case. They made me come back the following day, Feb. 9, only to be told the same. Also, Ricky Cheng was not even the manager as he was previously introduced to me. When I asked for the manager, i was told she's on her off and she too won't be able to help me. There was no empathy nor sincerity and a far cry of customer service from the previous management if I may say; as I have been a regular client for many years now.

Imagine the trouble of me travelling all the way from my country and to be in this predicament. This was the main reason I flew to HK as I had the appointment with them. They will only accept back my watch for servicing/repair if I would agree to pay again and with the new increased service pricing.

*will also post the email screenshots

Hi Azanza,

I would be frustrated for the watch not to be performing up to mark post servicing. However from the details provided, you had two years from the date of servicing from 2020 to perform the warranty work at any AP service centre globally. Therefore it kinda begs the question why you waited almost 3 years to travel to the worlds most covid restrictive region (HK) to get the subsequent job done. Asking why you haven’t gone to SG is therefore a valid and logical question.

If your last correspondence with AP house HK was in 2020/2021, might it not be normal for them to think that your issues might have been resolved already?

Whilst you might be right in feeling that you haven’t been respected, I feel that naming and shaming staff members on a public forum of your perceived rudeness is not the right approach here. A simple google search would have displayed the means of contacting AP directly.

I frequent AP house in HK often, and their customer service is nothing short of stella. Ricky has always been friendly, professional and knowledgeable. You calling staff members out publicly is unfortunately just an loaded way of trying to get to your desired outcome


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[lusfort]

Originally Posted by chris_choi

I'm sorry you've had this experience with Ricky.

I didn't think about posting my experience here because I thought I might have been too sensitive towards the way he treated me. Ricky was/is my SA. I always found that he represented the brand very poorly. He would tell me that I need to buy a bunch of watches I don't want in order to even get any steel royal oak. He would say things like "you have to take the bones with the meat" referring to ROO and Codes as the bones. I did end up getting what I wanted after buying a couple things I absolutely did not want.

But in the end I just decided to stop buying AP and stick with VC and PP. Life is too short to deal with people like this.

Hope you get your situation resolved.

Chris, in all honesty. Do you think VC and PP don’t have such implied rules as well. Every Brand or AD has their own modus operandi

At the end of the day, no one has put a gun to your head and forced you to buy these watches.

The most ironic thing is that your even said you eventually got the watch you wanted. Most people would be thrilled to even get their foot in the door with AP.

At the end of the day. AP is a business, they sell Watches, not just Royal Oaks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[l_chissle]

Originally Posted by lusfort

At the end of the day, no one has put a gun to your head and forced you to buy these watches.

It sounds like his main issue was how the non RO-watches were basically described as crap (I have never heard the bones expression in German, sounds funny to me). As much as people complain on this forum, it sounds like in Europe/NA this would probably never happen. Maybe a gentle or not so gentle push in that direction.

I don't know if it's cultural, but being someone who is a big AP fan, I'm disappointed that someone who works for AP would describe any of their watches this way.

[lusfort]

Originally Posted by l_chissle

It sounds like his main issue was how the non RO-watches were basically described as crap (I have never heard the bones expression in German, sounds funny to me). As much as people complain on this forum, it sounds like in Europe/NA this would probably never happen. Maybe a gentle or not so gentle push in that direction.

I don't know if it's cultural, but being someone who is a big AP fan, I'm disappointed that someone who works for AP would describe any of their watches this way.

I don’t think any trained salesperson would be openly vocalising this.This isn’t their first rodeo. AP staff and highly trained in what they can and cannot say.

I’ve only had great experiences with Ricky. Given that this interaction is between two parties conversing in conceivably in their non-mother tongue. I can see how meanings and subtleties can be lost in translation.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[conkers]

All the staff members at the two APHs and IFC Boutique with whom I have dealt have always been exemplary professionals and highly courteous. I have witnessed them being treated quite poorly by customers on several occasions (which is painful to watch and hear - on a couple of occasions in the past I have even been tempted to intervene), and they always remain calm and professional.

[VogelPhoenix]

Originally Posted by conkers

All the staff members at the two APHs and IFC Boutique with whom I have dealt have always been exemplary professionals and highly courteous. I have witnessed them being treated quite poorly by customers on several occasions (which is painful to watch and hear - on a couple of occasions in the past I have even been tempted to intervene), and they always remain calm and professional.

Many SAs have stories about people showing up with their lawyers in tow (no disrespect to present company ) or having to explain to local celebrities that, no, they can't sell them the watch that Kevin Hart or LeBron were wearing. Not an easy job, and I have been impressed by the enthusiasm of most of the AP SAs I have met.

[conkers]

Originally Posted by VogelPhoenix

Many SAs have stories about people showing up with their lawyers in tow (no disrespect to present company ) or having to explain to local celebrities that, no, they can't sell them the watch that Kevin Hart or LeBron were wearing. Not an easy job, and I have been impressed by the enthusiasm of most of the AP SAs I have met.

Yes indeed - they do a good job of handling the DYKWIA crowd, and others with, let's say, over-optimistic expectations (myself included on several occasions!).

[DonLee]

Originally Posted by conkers

Yes indeed - they do a good job of handling the DYKWIA crowd, and others with, let's say, over-optimistic expectations (myself included on several occasions!).

honestly, for the DYKWIA crowd, if they have such confidence in themselves, they should just go elsewhere and try their luck, perhaps they get lucky, perhaps they get another humbling experience.

I did have a time where my SA completely ignored my message to see a particular limited watch, and by the time he replied me some months later, it was already sold out. I was a bit bummed but I figured, it's fate. I'm not going to force anything. These SA's probably get so many msgs every day. It's not easy for them to keep track of all their clients.

[lao33]

I remember reading this thread a long time ago. Seeing my local AP house and SA specifically named and shamed. I then recently went through an ‘unusual’ service experience myself, involving the same individuals. Thought I’d add on.

Apologies this is very long.

For context I am a foreigner living in Hong Kong and do not speak Cantonese.

My first ever AP was a 26420SO Taupe which I obtained via the Hong Kong AP House. This is not an incoming post so I’ll spare the details. But I LOVE this watch. And the experience obtaining it via AP House Hong Kong was excellent. At no point was I pressured to buy other watches or made to feel I was treated differently as a foreigner. After showing my interest through a couple of discussions, popping in to drink their beer a few times, and some months of waiting I got the call.

Within a month however my watch developed a mechanical fault. The minute sub-dial hand continued to rotate when the chronograph was not (meant to be) engaged. I told my SA about this. He took the situation very seriously, apologized profusely and immediately sent it off for repair. Now while the mechanical defect was not an ideal introduction to the AP brand, it was dealt with in the best possible way by my SA.

Upon being reunited with my watch there was a problem. The two ‘brushed steel ends’ of the case had large diagonal scratches the entire way across. There were 2 on one side and 1 on the other. It looked like a tool or similar had slipped during service. How the watch was released by the service centre in this state I have no idea. My SA proactively spotted this. He was clearly concerned and immediately pulled up a video on his laptop of the watch condition prior to service. It was pristine (basically a new watch). Without prompt he once again apologized, said this was not representative of the brand etc. And off it went for refinishing. If this SA was indeed anything like the previous poster had suggested he would not have done this. I have zero proof of the prior watch condition. I felt very much he was on my side.

Now I am finally reunited with my watch. It looks and works great. The watch has of course now been ‘polished’ and is no longer pristine. That is not lost on me. But what I would say is the SA and AP House in Hong Kong did everything to resolve this without pushing back or alleging the scratches were preexisting etc. I had no proof myself. Again I’m a foreigner and sometimes when you can’t speak the language (my fault not theirs) there’s potential for miscommunication leading to a bad outcome. Overall the SA in question and the AP House Hong Kong manager did everything I could possibly ask to resolve this for me. I am very grateful to them and wanted to put the other side across.