Map quality

[jirik]

We found the TomTom map of Thailand to be surprisingly detailed and reasonably up-to-date. However, the classification/rating of the roads is completely wrong. The map often does not make difference between large roads and tiny, even unpaved ones. Therefore, in many cases the proposed route is completely unusable, leading along tiny unpaved roads even if there are major roads nearby. Following TomTom navigation wasted us many hours on our trip, instead of helping us and saving us time. At the end we put away TomTom navigation and used our road atlas that we fortunately brought with us.

TomTom refused to refund us for their defective product.

[Megalos Exalted Voyager Expert (Map quality)]

Which version of the map do you have? Could you tell this?

[jirik]

From December 2011.

[Megalos Exalted Voyager Expert (Map quality)]

Okay, so a very old map is not the problem here. I think the best thing you can do in this case is reporting the issue here on the forum (you already did that) and perhaps make one report on the online MapShare Reporter (just a general report saying that the road categories need to be updated). Then the next step is just to wait and hope TT will improved those areas soon. I don't think you can do anything else unfortunately. 

[jirik]

The issue is that TomTom refused to give refund for a defective product, a product that does not do what it is advertised to do.

[Zsolt Elite Voyager]

Try to contact their Head Office in Netherlands. Or just push it a bit harder with your local customer service. Obviously you are not going to Thailand every day to ask for an updated map. Damage had been done, Tomtom should bite the bullet and refund it, and thank you for reporting the issue.

[Zoe]

Hi jirik,

I'm sorry to hear about your experience with our Customer Care team, I've also looked into this incident and I agree it's not up to the usual standards we expect - so I am sorry about the overall experience you've had.

I'll forward this on for further investigation and I'll get back to you when I have more information on this.

Thanks,

Zoe

[Shorty]

I agree with you jrik - the classification of any road is THE primary component of any routing exercise (I rank it even above street names and numbering.  The reason being is if the classification is wrong, then routing will yield the result you mention.  I will be making direct ciontact with the Production Team responsible for Thailand.- just need to scavenge for an e-mail addie.

[jirik]

Thank you Zoe for following up on this. The incident # is: 120123-001056.

From the sequence of email exchanges in this incident you can see how TomTom Customer Support just keeps sending canned or computer generated responses.

[Shorty]

Well I trust this won't be one of them

On query of the road classification Thailand this note came directly from the Production Team.  In another (internal msg exchange) the person in charge of the Roads Team there was tasked to review all Road data.:

We have done some fine-tuning on FRC classification in 2011  As such, the overall network is good and should not lead to major issues*. The only area of potential concern could indeed be in remote areas where tourists might go to visit some touristic villages (eg Golden triangle area) and where unpaved roads are not described as such leading to poor routing. This is something we will need to work upon in the course of the year.

* You mentioned that the maps of Thailand were detailed ... but

The Team asked me to thank you for that part of your original post