Buying a brand is buying quality - that's especially true for outdoor equipment.
With this belief, I purchased a pair of Timberland hiking boots that said "Waterproof" on a piece of official-looking metal attached to them. I then ended up with wet feet during an 8-day trek in Patagonia where it often rains - that sucked.
With my toes literally swimming in water within the boots, after a soppy wet day of a 19km hike, I was not a happy camper. However, my perception of Timberland took an 180 degree turn for the better.
Having bought the boots in southern Chile in a Bata store, having used them extensively and been disappointed and upset by them, I ran into a Timberland brand store 2,500km away from where I bought them, still in Chile. I went and complained about my disappointment in these supposedly "waterproof" boots, and I was offered the chance to exchange them for a brand new pair that is indeed waterproof, paying only the small price difference between the two pairs.
This is operationally remarkable:
I don't know how it's like in the US, but in Canada, returns and exchanges wouldn't be possible cross provincial borders. Yet, in this case, it was not a problem.
With this belief, I purchased a pair of Timberland hiking boots that said "Waterproof" on a piece of official-looking metal attached to them. I then ended up with wet feet during an 8-day trek in Patagonia where it often rains - that sucked.
With my toes literally swimming in water within the boots, after a soppy wet day of a 19km hike, I was not a happy camper. However, my perception of Timberland took an 180 degree turn for the better.
Having bought the boots in southern Chile in a Bata store, having used them extensively and been disappointed and upset by them, I ran into a Timberland brand store 2,500km away from where I bought them, still in Chile. I went and complained about my disappointment in these supposedly "waterproof" boots, and I was offered the chance to exchange them for a brand new pair that is indeed waterproof, paying only the small price difference between the two pairs.
This is operationally remarkable:
Different stores (Bata vs Timberland)
I bought them in Bata, which is a popular international brand that happens to carry the Timberland boots. However, I was able to exchange them in a Timberland own brand store. Given the receipts I got from the Timberland store says "Bata" on it, I suspect the two are operated by the same company. However, as a western audience, can you imagine buying something in Gap and then returning in Banana Republic (same mother company)?
Different cities and provinces
After the 14-day exchange period without the paper receipt
It was at least 3 weeks after the original purchase date, while the receipt stated a 14-day exchange period. I also didn't keep the paper receipt (trying to be light while travelling), but I had a photo of it on my phone. This I was able to email to them to enable the processing. Again, can you imagine this to happen in a western country?
"Waterproof" ≠ "Gore-Tex"
Finally, for everyone's learning, apparently, if it only says "waterproof", it's not waterproof. Only if it says "Gore-Tex", then it's actually waterprof.
I went into the Timberland store only to vent my frustration. I was positively flabbergasted when they offered to exchange for a new pair. Not only is the customer care commendable, but operationally that this could happen is something I would never have expected. They basically went against all the rules I know that would make this infeasible in western countries. Yet, the teens that worked at the Timberland store were willing enough to find ways to help me, a foreigner with broken Spanish, so I would have this outstanding experience and be happy with the decently expensive pair of hiking boots. How they keep the books straight on this transaction is beyond me, 'cause surely they are running Bata and Timberland as two separate business entities.
The result: Timberland now has a new loyal customer. This is an outstanding example of great customer care made possible by some well-integrated and smooth operations.
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2 comments:
Two comments from a Chilean:
1) Never buy a Bata. bad move right there.
2) I am glad you are happy about the experience but I am sure this has everything to do with you being a foreigner and speaking with a cute accent. You experience sounds *highly* unfeasible for a regular Chilean consumer. Now, if you did this return in the Magallanes region this scenario becomes a little more feasible, as they are very accommodating people and are used to tourists.
You are likely right that I got a good treatment by being a foreigner. It was returned in Puerto Montt, by the way. Not an overly touristic city.
However, someone else has confirmed a very positive experience with Timberland in North America as well, where they were very helpful when she brought back a pair of shoes with broken zippers.
I think operationally they can pull it off in Chile is amazing, and there are two possible reasons:
1) it is indeed possible and the two brands, Timberland and Bata, are truly well integrated,
2) the very helpful staff somehow managed to get around the "system", so this foreign complainant can go away happily thinking good things about Chileans.
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