Completely Let Down By Waterman France

[Chrissy]

Waterman have suddenly become hopeless and unreliable.

 

I bought myself a brand new Waterman Carene on Amazon.co.uk, and it had a M nib. As I'm not a great fan of M nibs, I phoned someone at Waterman, who has been very helpful to me in the past, and asked if they had any Stub nibs for the Waterman Carene.

 

I was advised that yes they had Stub nibs for the Waterman Carene, and that I should send my brand new pen off to Newell Rubbermaid for a free nib exchange.

 

I even received an email detailing the measurements of Waterman Carene Stub nibs.

 

I carefully packaged it within 10 minutes of receiving it from Amazon and duly sent it off by Royal Mail next day Special Delivery, fully insured at a cost of £6.40

 

Over two weeks passed and I received an email saying my pen was on it's way back to me by UPS. Sadly that email came on a Friday, so it didn't arrive until Monday.

 

As soon as I opened the package, I saw that the nib looked very fine. It was labelled EF, and the job envelope confirmed it was an EF nib????!!!!!

 

I immediately phoned up and said I had been sent the wrong nib. I was advised I needed to send my pen back again so that they could fit the right Stub nib. At this point I was very reluctant to part with my pen again, as I had seen it for less than 10 minutes since I had bought it, and I said that I could easily line up the button with the nib section. It's not something that is beyond anyone after all. But no, they insisted on having the whole pen back so they could line it up themselves. So that was another £6.40 worth of Royal Mail next day Special Delivery. They advised me they would compensate me by sending me a double pen pouch, that they keep specially for situations like this... Really??? On reflection, I think I might have rather had a cheque for the additional £6.40 it would cost me.

 

Anyway another 2 weeks have passed, so I made contact with them to see when my pen is being returned.

 

Unbelievably, they say they can't return it yet because they don't have any Stub nibs in stock. I expect that even includes the one they were specially keeping for me before they sent me the EF one by mistake!! Never mind they say, they will send me a pack of cartridges by means of compensation????!!!! Unbelievable.

 

I recommend that you NEVER send your Carene pen to Waterman for a nib exchange. Just say you will send them the nib and say you will fit the new nib and line it up with the button yourself. Otherwise, you may be like me and not have seen your pen for the first 4 weeks that you have owned it.

[Left FPN]

I assume the pen was posted to a UK address who forwarded it to France, which does take a couple of weeks.

 

I have only ever sent one pen back for a medium to stub section exchange and it went very well, though I wish I had kept the medium.

 

They will only change the section if the whole pen is returned.

 

Did you complete a returns form when you posted the pen to them and if so did that form clearly state what you wanted done.

[Chrissy]

I assume the pen was posted to a UK address who forwarded it to France, which does take a couple of weeks.

 

I have only ever sent one pen back for a medium to stub section exchange and it went very well, though I wish I had kept the medium.

 

They will only change the section if the whole pen is returned.

 

Did you complete a returns form when you posted the pen to them and if so did that form clearly state what you wanted done.

Yes, sadly you have to post it to Newell Rubbermaid. There is no other option. However, it takes one day to get to them, and another day to then get to France. I know they received it quickly.

 

There was no returns form They asked me to send them a letter stating which nib I wanted. Which I did. It also said on the web-site to confirm they had 'unusual' nibs in stock. So I did that too. In fact I followed carefully, all of their requested steps, to no avail. Nowhere in my letter could a Stub nib be construed by anyone as an EF nib.

[inkstainedruth]

I was seriously unpleased with Newell-Rubbermaid's customer service when I returned a Parker Urban (under warranty). Hard to find the contact info on Parker's website, and they wanted the pen sent with very strict requirements for shipping -- but returned the pen in a bubble wrap envelope (although the telescoping pen container inside wasn't too bad). I had tried using what turned out to be an older style twist converter and it broke, and they were snotty about how I had used the "wrong" converter and sent me a slide converter, after no contact as to the status. When that converter got stuck in the barrel I got torqued. And let the chick in France I'd been dealing with no that in no uncertain terms. Including the fact that I had access to an internationally read pen forum (i.e., FPN) and that they should be *more* concerned about one mouthy American broad than all the millions of Chinese they planned to sell pens to.... Also told them that the Parker brand name *used* to stand for quality.

They ended up sending me a Priority Mail box (I still had to pay for insurance), and replacing the pen (again, with no status reports other than a cryptic work order about the barrel being "defective"). They gave me another (slide) converter, a box of cartridges, and a fairly nice leather 2 pen case. And when I didn't realize they had already installed the converter and complained they sent me another one. But the new pen leaks at the nib unit.

At this point it might not be under warranty any longer and I'm considering pitching it -- I'd feel guilty selling it or doing a PiF because it's such a piece of junk....

So your experiences with Waterman don't surprise me one bit.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Barkingpig]

And yet I have been happy with a used Phileas purchased on Ebay for only $20 (after I finally got it cleaned out for perhaps the FIRST time in it's life! ) I had wanted to try one after hearing all the rave reviews from owners here. Afterward purchased a new Carene from the Online Pen Company because they offered a Stub nib @ no surcharge & free shipping if I remember correctly. Has been a pleasure from the start & remains inked after probably 6 months (even tho some more expensive pens have been cleaned & put away after only a couple of fills.) I like the weight of it & yet have no desire for the Edson or even the unique Serenite altho I certainly applaud it's "style."

I guess they have produced so many pens sometimes they make a "dud" or maybe I just got lucky!

[pajaro]

I was seriously unpleased with Newell-Rubbermaid's customer service when I returned a Parker Urban (under warranty). Hard to find the contact info on Parker's website, and they wanted the pen sent with very strict requirements for shipping -- but returned the pen in a bubble wrap envelope (although the telescoping pen container inside wasn't too bad). I had tried using what turned out to be an older style twist converter and it broke, and they were snotty about how I had used the "wrong" converter and sent me a slide converter, after no contact as to the status. When that converter got stuck in the barrel I got torqued. And let the chick in France I'd been dealing with no that in no uncertain terms. Including the fact that I had access to an internationally read pen forum (i.e., FPN) and that they should be *more* concerned about one mouthy American broad than all the millions of Chinese they planned to sell pens to.... Also told them that the Parker brand name *used* to stand for quality.

They ended up sending me a Priority Mail box (I still had to pay for insurance), and replacing the pen (again, with no status reports other than a cryptic work order about the barrel being "defective"). They gave me another (slide) converter, a box of cartridges, and a fairly nice leather 2 pen case. And when I didn't realize they had already installed the converter and complained they sent me another one. But the new pen leaks at the nib unit.

At this point it might not be under warranty any longer and I'm considering pitching it -- I'd feel guilty selling it or doing a PiF because it's such a piece of junk....

So your experiences with Waterman don't surprise me one bit.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

That's what you get for not buying a Waterman.

 

Had you bought a Kultur, you might have been happier. The recent Parkers nibs seem so flimsily made, trying to save metal(?), that several have warped on me and have creases.

 

The Kultur, on the other hand, has a stronger nib and a nice young-at-heart (juvenile) look but writes nicely. I like the kidsy Lara Croft Tombraider pens best. They work generally better than a Sonnet.

[Sasha Royale]

Assuming that everything you report is truthful and accurate, I sympathize, but am not quite ready to

employ the term ' STUPID '. However, I have a lifetime dealing with US Government agencies and

the Postal Service. We have no shortage of " STUPID ".

 

I also wonder if " EU " is the common abbreviation for the land know as " Babel ". The beauty of

international diversity is not always beautiful. A common language is a blessing.

[Left FPN]

Stupid....is when you write to Amazon UK to inform them that your father has passed away and please close his account and you receive the following,

 

I am replying with the information you requested to the e-mail address associated with Amazon.co.uk account. For security reasons, we can only take action on an account when the request comes from the e-mail address related to that account. This is the only way to be certain that the request is coming from the account holder and that all personal information is protected. We're sorry for any inconvenience this causes.

When I clearly stated the account holder has passed away.

[RMN]

Stupid....is when you write to Amazon UK to inform them that your father has passed away and please close his account and you receive the following,

 

I am replying with the information you requested to the e-mail address associated with Amazon.co.uk account. For security reasons, we can only take action on an account when the request comes from the e-mail address related to that account. This is the only way to be certain that the request is coming from the account holder and that all personal information is protected. We're sorry for any inconvenience this causes.

 

When I clearly stated the account holder has passed away.

 

Yes, but I am sure they receive loads of prankster emails.

 

Online bullying in the form of mock orders or mock closing of accounts etc happens all too often.

 

So use his old email address. When my mum passed away I held her emailaddress going for some months just for these kind of things.

Another possibility would be sending a death-certificate. Had to send that to some banks, and a good thing it is too, although a lot of work.

 

 

@ Chrissy: Sorry you had this experience. When I bought a Carene 2 yrs back in a B&M I asked about a stub. The owner got on the phone to NR-Netherlands, and I could come and collect the stub 3 days later in the shop. Great service at no cost except for the busride into town...

 

 

D.ick

[Chrissy]

Update:

 

After posting this on here, I emailed Waterman again and said that I would like them to send me my pen back with either a OM nib or a B nib, (just in case either of those was out of stock) and to enclose with it a self addressed, postage paid envelope. Then, when they get some Stub nibs in stock, they can send me one and I will return the OM or B nib in their postage paid envelope.

 

I have heard back: They don't make OM nibs for the Carene. So if I would like to choose either OF or B, they will return it to me with that nib today. Then, when they have a Stub nib, they will send me that, and I don't need to return the nib that they are sending me now.

 

So that's now turned into a good result, but for the fact I haven't written with my pen that's already over a month old.

Edited February 10, 2015 by Chrissy

[pajaro]

Assuming that everything you report is truthful and accurate, I sympathize, but am not quite ready to

employ the term ' STUPID '. However, I have a lifetime dealing with US Government agencies and

the Postal Service. We have no shortage of " STUPID ".

 

I also wonder if " EU " is the common abbreviation for the land know as " Babel ". The beauty of

international diversity is not always beautiful. A common language is a blessing.

 

After working for a city government in Florida in the IT field, I find no STUPID in local government, nor in the USPS, but in the federal government, plenty of it. Secret stuff, black stuff, etc, is rife with illogic. When I was in the Air Force they jerked me around enough that I declined to work for them afterwards. Better to serve close to the people -- they keep you straight because you are close at hand.

 

Private enterprise, on the other hand, is a mass of STUPID that I regret having taken retirement jobs with. They think they do it right, but they squander resources in internecine competition, where local government is resource poor and has to do it right the first time. We hired consultants to help in the city, private enterprise hires relatives.

[Barkingpig]

Stupid....is when you write to Amazon UK to inform them that your father has passed away and please close his account and you receive the following,

 

I am replying with the information you requested to the e-mail address associated with Amazon.co.uk account. For security reasons, we can only take action on an account when the request comes from the e-mail address related to that account. This is the only way to be certain that the request is coming from the account holder and that all personal information is protected. We're sorry for any inconvenience this causes.

 

When I clearly stated the account holder has passed away.

I had the privilege of speaking to an agent for the natural gas company that supplied fuel to the address my Father was in residence @ the time of his death. Since I owned the house & was executor of his estate I requested the service be changed to my name & got the same response. I pointed out he was deceased for three months @ that time & I had been paying the statement from his account which was jointly in both our names. Didn't matter".....to discuss the account with ANYONE other than him was a violation of his privacy." I asked how he utilised privacy after death? And as he was dead how could they discuss the change of account with him? I swear I thought the woman would hang up on me!

I then pointed out if I hadn't told them they wouldn't even know an account holder was deceased! AND she replied" "Oh, we HAVE our ways...." The resolution was that I had to pay a deposit to have the account transferred to my name even though I had owned the property for almost 30 years. My deposit was returned after 1 year but it seemed the most difficult part of "settling" an estate I encountered. Of course the company office was located 2,000 miles from my address as the local offices had all been closed for years. I think an electronic response would have felt more understandable than the reality of a "live" human conveying the same information to me. I often imagine the electronic communication standard replies originate in a central facility which supplies the "one size fits all" response & would surely be different when applied to "interpersonal" communication. I guess "stupid" comes in "all sizes!"

[Shaporama]

I love this thread, although it has veered so far off-topic! Someone should start a "STUPID is . . ." thread in the Chatter Forum.

 

Meanwhile I can relate to all of those who've had first-hand experiences with STUPID when a loved one passes. Try dealing with a hospital and its collection agency that have spent the last two years dunning your dead mother for the cost of a medical procedure that she never had in the first place. They threatened to ruin the credit rating of a women who had passed away almost a year before the first bill was ever mailed! You gotta love it.

[inkstainedruth]

I love this thread, although it has veered so far off-topic! Someone should start a "STUPID is . . ." thread in the Chatter Forum.

 

Meanwhile I can relate to all of those who've had first-hand experiences with STUPID when a loved one passes. Try dealing with a hospital and its collection agency that have spent the last two years dunning your dead mother for the cost of a medical procedure that she never had in the first place. They threatened to ruin the credit rating of a women who had passed away almost a year before the first bill was ever mailed! You gotta love it.

My great aunt died of complications from surgery. She'd had a ruptured appendix that hadn't been caught during the first time they opened her up (for something else), and then someone miscounted sponges to boot; the sponge left in her got spotted on an x-ray when she went back in complaining of stomach pains (abject apologies from the surgeon).

My dad got a bill from the hospital sent to him, which IIRC was forwarded by her estate executor (who was pretty much useless -- my dad had to deal with everything; my mom said my great aunt was probably turning over in her grave, because the executor had been a personal friend as well as an attorney). Dad called the billing department and spoke the magic words "malpractice lawsuit" --and we never heard from the hospital EVER again....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth