Terrible Service for Apple Watch Hermes
I have been an apple user for many years. I bought an Apple Watch Hermes just last year, and one of the screws on the watch band broke. I've been sent back and forth between Apple and Hermes for service, and I have not gotten any support as they keep sending me to each other. Does anyone know anything I can do? I'll describe my experience below:
1. The problem first occurred when I was using the Apple Watch. I was wearing it, and it suddenly just fell off my wrist. Luckily, I was at home at the time, or else I would have lost it without knowing. This was the first time I had noticed that the screw had come loose. I managed to save the screw at the time. I did the first logical thing I could think of, and contacted Apple online support. They said that they were able to have an express replacement band shipped to me, but later said that their system didn't allow them access to the correct stock to ship me a replacement, and they suggested I call Apple support because they “had different tools”
2. I called Apple Support the next day, and waited on hold. Once I had gotten through, the advisor looked around, and couldn’t find the stock to help replace my Apple Watch band. I thought, “This is just a screw, do they really need to be replacing the entire band?” After almost an hour on the line with phone support, they said they couldn’t help me, and referred me to Hermes Support, saying that they were unable to provide the support I needed.
3. I called Hermes Support, and their phone line simply read a pre-recorded message back to me, saying that their call centers were busy and that I should email for help. The email I got back from them said that they were not accepting repairs at the moment, and that I couldn’t get a repair.
4. I thought since it was a simple screw, and I didn’t have the tools to fix it, that Apple would. So I went to the Apple store in Oakridge Center, and after waiting about an hour, they were able to let me into the Genius Bar, where they put the screw back in, and fixed the watch band for me.
5. Two weeks after that, my watch fell off my wrist again. It was the same screw, same problem. Luckily I was having dinner at home, or else I would have lost it again. At that point, I was afraid to get it fixed again and wear it.
6. I waited about a month until the Hermes Store in Vancouver (where I live) opened, I then called them, and they said that although their store was open, they were not accepting repairs. In the following weeks, I called two more times to follow up to check if repairs were accepted. On the third time I called them, I asked them to call me when repairs would be available.
7. A week later, someone from the Hermes store called me back, and told me that although repairs were not available, if I came into the store, they would replace the watch band for me. I went to the store, and they told me that they did not have the stock to replace my specific watch band. I asked them if they could hold onto the band and ship me a replacement when it was available, but they refused, and said also that they rarely receive Apple Watch band stock. They told me to visit the Apple store in Richmond (which I was a little offended by, because they had assumed that since I was asian, that I lived in Richmond) even when there was an Apple store a block away at Pacific center. They said that Apple would have the stock to replace my watch band.
8. After getting useless replies and support from Hermes, I walked to the Apple Store in Pacific center (also because I was picking up my new iPad Pro to use for college), and as I was picking up my iPad I asked them for help. They referred me back to Hermes, and said that they couldn’t help me.
9. I thought that maybe the Pacific Center apple store didn’t have the stock to help me with a replacement, so I went to the Oakridge Center store again. I told them my entire story, and the staff kindly took me to the Genius Bar, where someone came to help. He explored options to help me for about an hour, and couldn’t find any help. He said that my only option was to either call Apple Support again, or go to Hermes (which already had been no help).
10. I called Apple support again on the same day, and they transferred me to a senior advisor. The advisor told me he would call Hermes when they opened, and call me back the next day with a solution. The next day (today), I received no call-back, and received an email that Apple had tried to reach me. I followed the email and called Apple with my case number, who told me again that they were not able to help me, and that I had to go to Hermes for support.
This whole process has lasted about two months, and it's been really frustrating. I need some help...
Apple Watch Series 4, watchOS 6