Gronefeld Gives Buyers Special Delivery
When you spend a lot of money on a fine luxury watch you have a right to feel that you deserve a bit of customer service. Shouldn’t a Rolex be delivered with more fanfare than a book you order from Amazon? Dutch watchmaker Gronefeld thinks so and goes out of its way to make customers feel that they have made a memorable purchase.
According to co-founder Tim Gronefeld, every time one of the company’s watches goes out to a buyer it’s a very special delivery. He told BBC.com, “When we sell a watch we always try to deliver our creation personally to the customer, regardless of where they are in the in the world.”
That does not mean that Tim or his brother Bart will knock on your door bearing a Gronefeld timepiece. These guys really go all out to please as Tim added, “We visit them and organise a dinner or small event where we hand over the watch.”
Delivering every Gronefeld watch personally could keep the brothers and their team of 12 people hopping but the company produces a maximum of 30 pieces per year, giving them time to give each customer individual service. With each watch costing up to $188,000, the Gronefeld crew can afford to spring for a few airfares and dinner tabs.
The Gronefeld brand is currently on solid footing after a rocky start just a few years ago. Bart Gronefeld recalled that, “Launching a high quality handmade watch in 2008 was, in retrospect, bad timing.”
“Orders were difficult to come by, but we always knew that it would take 10 years to build a brand,” he continued. “Each year our production numbers have increased steadily, and today our order book is filled for the next six months.”
That means if you’re thinking of buying a Gronefeld watch for a birthday gift in 2016, get your order in now.
