Ask An Insider - Round 2

[The Joker]

Originally Posted by The GMT Master

Not a silly question at all, Wes There are plenty of head office jobs that can be done for a watch company, basic admin, financial etc., and more product based ones. The big ones (which are the next step up from front line sales) are account management and visual merchandisers. The former are an ADs main point of contact, and will deal with orders, establishing how the business will move forward and generally dealing with any issues the AD might have, whilst the latter will deal with display and, quite often, product training. I'd be excited to do either of these jobs, but I think product training would be where I could deploy my knowledge to its best effect. Rolex are improving their training schemes now, but "back in my day", there was absolutely nothing, I'm almost entirely self-taught, which would explain the rather patchy levels of knowledge from dealership to dealership

All the best,

Chris

Thanks Chris

Really hope you find your way into one of those jobs. You certainly deserve it.

[NorthernPike]

Originally Posted by MovieGuy

Nothing is returned to Rolex when a watch is sold. No idea why they wouldn't give you the tag.

What country are you in? My Canadian AD kept the tag. Said they had to return it to Rolex.

[impalass]

Originally Posted by NorthernPike

What country are you in? My Canadian AD kept the tag. Said they had to return it to Rolex.

My Canadian AD also likes to keep the green tag stating that they send them back to Rolex, although all I had to do was ask and no problem, I have my tags.

[Eggsy]

What a brilliant thread this is. Really interesting reading.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[NorthernPike]

Originally Posted by impalass

My Canadian AD also likes to keep the green tag stating that they send them back to Rolex, although all I had to do was ask and no problem, I have my tags.

My mistake was that I didn't notice until after I got home. I watched him put all the bits into the box, including the red tag, so I could wear my watch out the door. Only later did I realize that one piece was missing. He gave me the explanation over the phone. Had I been there I probably would have been more insistent.

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by Spartacus

Are the DSSDs really the most immediately flipped or returned Rolex? I've heard stories on various forums that the DSSD is the most discouraged model and most buyers complain or flip within months.

Thanks!

In my experience, the DSSD was a good, solid seller - I can't speak for what people decided to do with it further down the line, but we didn't get many (if any) returns on it. It sits roughly in the middle of the sports range sales-wise, about the same as the old Sea-Dweller

Chris

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by Explorador

Thank you for offering us your time and knowledge, Chris. Very constructive.

At this moment is also on the front page of the forum the case of Andrew, who has an issue with the 3186 movement and a conflict with an AD. Perhaps he could use your advice. It`s my constructive idea to help this other member.

Thank you very much in any case, wether you have any advice for him or not.

Marcelo.

I'll have a look, thanks for the heads up

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by MovieGuy

I'll chime in here as well. I'm a current employee at a Rolex AD. I'd be happy to answer questions as well. Like Chris, I won't answer any questions that would be of a confidential nature for the store where I work or the like, but I'll also provide any other information that people may be interested in.

Always glad to see another fellow AD employee on the boards - there are a few of us lurking in the shadows Just out of interest, which country are you based in? It's always good to get different opinions from across the globe

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by Rolexwatch

Hi Chris, so thrilled to have the pleasure of reading round II of Ask an Insider, really.

A question for you: when I bought my DSSD last may 2012 at Madrid (Barajas airport) AD they refused to give me the hang tag along with the watch as I requested. They said they couldn't handle it to me because they should return it to Rolex after each watch sale. I said then "please, make a photocopy" and give me the original but no. As I insisted they were even willing (very courteously so) to turn the sale off, but they won't give me the tag. No and no.

So, what's the real story with this hang tag? Why is it so important to the AD? Is it that important really?

Thanks a lot my friend!

For the shop I worked at, the hang tags went with the customer - we had no need of them once they were sold, we had our own in-house POS system. Rolex may want details of the serial numbers detailed on the green hang tag depending on the country you are in - I guess it would give them a heads up as to when a particular watch moved out of the AD network and into private hands. They might be keen to see where certain watches end up to try and discourage dealerships selling to the grey market too much

Chris

[terrywoods]

Did you make flippers take off the seals on the SS Daytona's before they left your shop?

Could you spot the flippers when they came in and what's the best tale they told you?

What the most watches you have sold to a customer in a single sale?

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by terrywoods

Did you make flippers take off the seals on the SS Daytona's before they left your shop?

Could you spot the flippers when they came in and what's the best tale they told you?

What the most watches you have sold to a customer in a single sale?

We always left it up to the customer whether they wanted the stickers on or off - I forget if there were any cases with Daytonas where we left the stickers on specifically by the customer's request, quite often they were kept separately and sold without being resized etc. When it comes down to it, if someone just spent £7000 on a watch, it wasn't up to us to dictate what they could and couldn't do with it!

There were some customers we suspected might be flippers, I remember one whose family seemed to be receiving new watches on quite a regular basis

In one single sale, it was four watches - I'm proud of that one!

Chris

[MovieGuy]

Originally Posted by The GMT Master

Always glad to see another fellow AD employee on the boards - there are a few of us lurking in the shadows Just out of interest, which country are you based in? It's always good to get different opinions from across the globe

South of Canada.

[seand442]

Curiosity has gotten the best of me. With a number of posts about discounting, and the wrath faced if Rolex knows you are discounting a watch, how do they find out what discount you gave who? Did your shop keep specific records of all Rolex's you sold or did Rolex have some audit authority?

[MovieGuy]

They require a copy of the warranty be kept along with a copy of a receipt/bill of sale for each watch. They can ask to see those records at any time.

[Camel]

[QUOTE
In one single sale, it was four watches - I'm proud of that one!

Chris [/QUOTE]

Must have been a "red letter" day at the shop !

[T. Ferguson]

Originally Posted by MovieGuy

They require a copy of the warranty be kept along with a copy of a receipt/bill of sale for each watch. They can ask to see those records at any time.

I would think there are ways around it for an enterprising AD though, to avoid obvious large discounts that might incur the wrath of Rolex. For example, the sale could have included an overvalued (and maybe non-existent) trade-in. Somehow Grey dealers are getting product at good enough prices to offer good deals and still make a profit; and ultimately every single watch has to come from an AD.

[seand442]

Originally Posted by MovieGuy

They require a copy of the warranty be kept along with a copy of a receipt/bill of sale for each watch. They can ask to see those records at any time.

So I'm assuming its written into their AD contract. Do any other brands have this same criteria?

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by MovieGuy

South of Canada.

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by seand442

Curiosity has gotten the best of me. With a number of posts about discounting, and the wrath faced if Rolex knows you are discounting a watch, how do they find out what discount you gave who? Did your shop keep specific records of all Rolex's you sold or did Rolex have some audit authority?

Over here, they print the name of the AD on the warranty card - if they happen to find a grey dealer with a lot of stock from the same dealership, it's a pretty easy thing to work out. I believe this has happened to a British AD relatively recently

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by Camel

[QUOTE
In one single sale, it was four watches - I'm proud of that one!

Chris

Must have been a "red letter" day at the shop ![/QUOTE]

That was a good day - the result of a lot of hard work, always nice to see something you've put effort in work out

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by The Joker

Thanks Chris

Really hope you find your way into one of those jobs. You certainly deserve it.

Thanks Wes, much appreciated

[The GMT Master]

Just a quick thankyou for everyone's kind words of support - I'm glad you all appreciate it so much, it's nice to give something back to a forum that has moulded me into the formidable Rolex encyclopaedia that I am

[Mercman1]

Originally Posted by The GMT Master

I'm in two minds whether they will do something - the first Cosmograph appeared in 1960, although the Daytona name wasn't added until 1963. So if it is going to happen, it'll have to be this year

I think it'll probably be another dial, maybe offering the ceramic bezel as an additional option across the range. I doubt we'll see a full revision, the current Daytona is hardly old by Rolex's standards. In any case, we'll know for sure in a few weeks

Chris

[mrhy]

hi,i have a ten year old gmt master with black bezel insert,I would like to get a red/blue insert .I have called the rsc here in new york and they say bring it in no problem.I mentioned this to someone at work and he said they wouldnt do it forhim.......His watch is from the mid 80's..........What do you think..........THANKS

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by mrhy

hi,i have a ten year old gmt master with black bezel insert,I would like to get a red/blue insert .I have called the rsc here in new york and they say bring it in no problem.I mentioned this to someone at work and he said they wouldnt do it forhim.......His watch is from the mid 80's..........What do you think..........THANKS

I know parts can be somewhat difficult to get hold of in the US, in the UK you can get a new GMT insert without any problems at all, with no need to swap either. The best thing to do is speak to them, find out exactly what the terms are, and go from there. I understand that the bezel is specified on the guarantee in the US, whereas European ones do not show this

[mmmmp]

Originally Posted by adamlea

Thanks for all of your time and effort Chris. I read the first thread cover to cover and have been enjoying this one as well.

The quote above reflects my thoughts word for word. Many thanks, Mark.

[Dr. Robert]

Originally Posted by The GMT Master

Evening folks,

After chatting to some of my good friends on here and the positive comments I had about the original Ask an Insider thread (click here to see the first thread), I have decided to bring the concept back and give it another go

As some of you may know I am not actively working at the AD any more - however, I still have my quite considerable knowledge base and my friends who still work there, so you can throw what you like at me. Anything you might want to know about what it is like working at an AD, any product related questions, you name it, I will answer it - there are a few exceptions, however. I will not be answering anything regarding dealer costs/margins, discounts or anything that might get me into trouble - my former employers know where I live

So, throw a few questions at me, I'll answer them, and let's see how we get on with this!

All the best,

Chris

Darth Chris.......can you use your influence to get Rolex to bring back lug holes?

[jot_]

Great thread! As an Air King fan - how was it as a seller? I've heard that it's either a great seller... or a poor one. Kinda curious what the truth is!

[The GMT Master]

Originally Posted by Dr. Robert

Darth Chris.......can you use your influence to get Rolex to bring back lug holes?

I'll have a word with them at Basel

[terrywoods]

Originally Posted by The GMT Master

We always left it up to the customer whether they wanted the stickers on or off - I forget if there were any cases with Daytonas where we left the stickers on specifically by the customer's request, quite often they were kept separately and sold without being resized etc. When it comes down to it, if someone just spent £7000 on a watch, it wasn't up to us to dictate what they could and couldn't do with it!

There were some customers we suspected might be flippers, I remember one whose family seemed to be receiving new watches on quite a regular basis

In one single sale, it was four watches - I'm proud of that one!

Chris

Four watches in one well done, I hope your boss happy that day