I purchased a Tissot T-Touch with the stainless steel band in 2001 or 2002. The week of January 19, I noticed that the " - quot; button on the bezel had fallen off. I brought it in to the University Mall Precision Time store and asked about repair costs.
I spoke with manager Craig at the University Mall store. He indicated it should be about $120 for repair. I agreed, and gave it to him for the repair. He filled out a form and had me sign it indicating there was nothing else wrong with the watch at the time. I also purchased another Tissot watch from him at the time, since I needed a watch while mine was in for repair.
I received the watch back on March 4, along with a charge to my American Express card for $126.09. The button was indeed put back on, but it was a terrible repair job. The button was loose and spun freely. I could move it side to side, and see up behind it. It also stuck out further than the other two buttons. Neither of the other two buttons on the bezel are like that. They are tight and precise.
I put the watch on and checked some of its functions. I discovered that the altimeter and barometer no longer worked, and that the touch screen worked some of the time, but sometimes would not. I was very upset. I called Craig about it, and he had me bring it back in. I took the watch back in the next day, March 5, and spoke with Craig again. He apologized profusely, and assured me that it would be taken care of. He assured me that the repair center had a warranty on their service for these types of things. He said that the barometer and altimeter both worked off the same measuring device, and that it had probably been broken, rendering both functions useless. He filled out another repair form for me and attached a sheet with the new problems that I had typed up. He told me that of course there would be no charge for it, since I had already paid, and that the repair center would fix it or send it off to the Los Angeles Tissot Repair Center for repair. He put down on the repair form that there would be $0.00 charged. The repair forms also state that if the watch is lost or damaged, that they will replace or reimburse the value of the watch.
The repair center called me sometime later and let me know that the watch needed to be sent away to Tissot for repair, and would cost me somewhere around $230. I informed them that Craig had assured me I would not be charged, since it had been damaged in their care. They said they would speak to Craig about it and get his approval. I waited about a week, then called back in on April 10. The young man I spoke with said all they needed was my approval. The watch was already at the Tissot Service Center and would be repaired as soon as I gave approval for them to go ahead. I gladly said that since they were taking care of the payment, I wanted it repaired as soon as possible.
I spoke with the service center again on April 27, and they informed me that they had the watch back and needed payment from me in order to release the watch back to the store so I could pick it up. I told them that since it had been damaged while being repaired last time, I was not responsible for the payment. The young lady asked me who had told me that; I told her Craig, the manager of the University Mall store. She put me on hold and called Craig, then came back on and said that Craig told her he had never authorized the payment, nor had he told me I would get the watch repaired for free. This is completely contrary to what he had told me when I gave him the watch back the second time. I explained to the young lady that my watch had gone up for a button repair, and had come back with a bunch of other stuff damaged or broken. She said she would have her manager call me the next day.
I then called Craig, hoping he could help me. I was wrong. He denied ever telling me that he would take care of the problems. He claimed that since the new problems were not related to the button problem, that it was up to the service center's discretion whether they would cover it or not. He claimed he was just a third party, and that the issue was between the service center and me. I tried to explain that I had given my watch to him for repair, and that he had then sent it up to the service center. He was responsible. He continued to deny any and all responsibility. I finally convinced him to speak to the manager at the service center on my behalf, but he made it clear he was not promising me anything.
I will never purchase another watch from them, get one repaired by them, nor would I ever refer anyone.
Thanks for "listening" to me vent.
*update*
The following day, I spoke with the service center manager, Ulysses. He was adamant that there was no way the watch was broken while in for repair or in transit. I mentioned that the service form included a warranty if the watch was broken or damaged while in service, but he declined to honor that warranty. He indicated since I had called in and given my authorization for the watch to be repaired, that I would have to foot the bill. He was very rude and condescending during the whole conversation, and in the end, he refused to allow me to talk to his supervisor (Dan Fraga).
I am at a loss as to where to go from here. They are holding my $800 T-Touch watch hostage, and there is really no way to get it back except to pay the $230 they are asking for.
I hope this serves as a warning to anyone reading that Precision Time is a company that does not honor warranties, has poor customer service, performs sub-standard repairs, and does not help out loyal customers. The company has lost all my respect.
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