Well, still nothing from Fortress, so I went ahead and dialed the number on the Contact Us page of their website. I got a recording with extension options and an "I'm sorry, this number is not in service" message when I try to select any of them. So far, not so good. Fortress is on it's way to a failing grade in customer service.
Next up, I'll speak with a friend who owns a retail shop and get the sales rep's info. I'll be back with more...
(This post was edited by j_ung on Jun 4, 2007, 6:47 PM)
I'm sponsored by Fortress Watches (for skiing, not climbing). I gotta say that they are sweeter than the Timex's I was wearing before.
So do you have some contact information for them? Even just a sales rep? My friend said he hasn't been contacted by a Fortress rep for some time and questions whether or not they're even still in business. Pretty pissed at Fortress right now.
(This post was edited by j_ung on Jun 6, 2007, 1:10 PM)
Okay, I dug deep to find a name of their CEO: Andy, and his email address. I sent this email:
In reply to:
Andy,
I'm a Fortress Watch owner with a warranty problem. To boot, it appears to be impossible to contact anybody at your company. The phone line states that all extensions are out of service and your website's contact form yields no response. I like my Fortress watch, but my patience is almost gone. Please put me in touch with your customer service team.
Thank you, Jay Young
I got this auto response instantly:
In reply to:
IMPORTANT.....PLEASE READ!!!!
Andy Palmer no longer works for Fortress and emails sent to this address will not be answered. If you wish to contact him please email GRIPUSA02@hotmail.com If you are trying to contact Fortress please get in touch with ROBERT O'DONNELL AT 760 918 9113 OR robert@fortressworldwide.com
I sent a similar email to Robert. I would have called, but I think they're in Cali, which means their office is almost certainly not open yet. If I don't hear back by noon my time, I'll call.
Fucking ridiculous. I got another auto response stating something that's probably to personal to post here. (Fortress may not have any fucking class, but I do.) The latest auto response directed me to a colleague's phone number (and even gave out his wife's cell). Fuck noon. I'm calling now.
Jay, did you try going through the store that you bought it at? We get people bringing bonk watches in all the time at the shop, and we contact and send them out to the compay for them. Likely, it would be Fortresses parent company they'd go through. Try your local fortress carrier and they should have all of the updated contact info.
Jay, did you try going through the store that you bought it at? We get people bringing bonk watches in all the time at the shop, and we contact and send them out to the compay for them. Likely, it would be Fortresses parent company they'd go through. Try your local fortress carrier and they should have all of the updated contact info.
Thanks, biner, but that was the friend I called day before yesterday who thinks they might be out of business.
Jay, did you try going through the store that you bought it at? We get people bringing bonk watches in all the time at the shop, and we contact and send them out to the compay for them. Likely, it would be Fortresses parent company they'd go through. Try your local fortress carrier and they should have all of the updated contact info.
Thanks, biner, but that was the friend I called day before yesterday who thinks they might be out of business.
that's probably why the watches are always on steep and cheap. If they are in business, nothing like shitty customer service. Jay give backcountry.com a call, they might be able to tell you if the company is in business or not. They helped me with questions about moonstone a while back.
FWIW, i wear a highgear watch. some people bad mouth the watches, and recommend suunto over them, but when the o ring went on the watch they sent me a new watch within the week.
Update: via a convoluted stream of auto responses and inferences, I managed to find and contact the Fortress customer service guy. His name is Colin. Colin assures me that if I just send the watch in to him, he'll get me a new one ASAP; probably send it out within 24 hours of receipt of the old watch.
To be completely honest, I haven't decided to do this yet. The watch still works, it just has some moisture in it. And I'm a little worried that, if I send it in, I'll never hear from Fortress again.
Update: via a convoluted stream of auto responses and inferences, I managed to find and contact the Fortress customer service guy. His name is Colin. Colin assures me that if I just send the watch in to him, he'll get me a new one ASAP; probably send it out within 24 hours of receipt of the old watch.
To be completely honest, I haven't decided to do this yet. The watch still works, it just has some moisture in it. And I'm a little worried that, if I send it in, I'll never hear from Fortress again.
WWRC.cD?
(What would RC.com do?)
You had this much trouble just getting ahold of a live body there to give you an answer. Just imagine the issues you are going to have if they decide to say "what watch?" when you call up to find where your replacement is.
Tough call on sending the watch in. If the casing lets in moisture, how long will it be before that impacts the internal components? Will you get everything you want out of the watch considering it's not water-tight? On the flip side, what's the likelihood of your customer service experience doing a 180 and them getting it right?
Do you have this guy's direct line and email? Can you specifically get in touch with him since he's the one making promises? I might risk it in that case, but I guess I'm a bit of an optimist.
I'm just curious, is there something about these watches that make them climber specific? Is there some functionality about these things I'm missing? Seems to me they are just jewelry that keeps time... if they are working.
i like the idea of marketing heavy, easily-scratched metal watches to people who take their shirts off to save weight during the send and who thrash around on sharp rocks all day. i can just see some gumby carrying a little pouch to keep it clean when it's in his pack at the crag.
Nope, nothing climber specific. I just wanted something a bit beefier than the cheapo watches I was buying, so I paid a little more for this one. Fortress advertises their watches as tough and durable. Turns out I didn't get what I paid for. And actually, it was a particularly cold day on the river that did the damage. Not climbing at all.
i like the idea of marketing heavy, easily-scratched metal watches to people who take their shirts off to save weight during the send and who thrash around on sharp rocks all day. i can just see some gumby carrying a little pouch to keep it clean when it's in his pack at the crag.
joe kinder has one? i'll take three.
I've always tried to remember to take my watches off when I climb. But climbing isn't the only sport I participate in. I also snowboard, paddle, cave, trail run and amble about town, none of which really requires me to shave ounces.
To be completely honest, I haven't decided to do this yet. The watch still works, it just has some moisture in it. And I'm a little worried that, if I send it in, I'll never hear from Fortress again.
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