A word about warranties. I recently got around to sending in my Tumi laptop backpack into their repair center. Tumi offers a lifetime warranty on their bags, so why not take advantage of it. It's one of the reasons I bought it. It's not that the bag was trashed, but one of the shoulder straps had started to rip away from the bag after years of use, so it made sense to have it fixed.

The way they handle the warranty is what's really remarkable about Tumi. After I sent the bag in, I get a phone call from their service center telling me that they've decided to replace the bag and not repair it. Fine. They then tell me that I have a credit, with which I can select a new bag from their lineup. So, I find a couple of bags that I might like, one of which costs more than the credit, and I call them back. They answer the phone with a person, and that person tells me that I certainly can get any bag, but I'll just have to pay the difference.

Odd thing, I was hoping he would say that! Really. I knew that I wanted to upgrade, and I knew that I wanted to stay with Tumi, but I didn't want to have to get a bag I didn't want, turn around and sell it on eBay, and then use the cash to get what I really want (another Tumi bag, only better). Which, is what I've experienced with some 'warranty' programs in the past.

The Tumi warranty offer a piece of mind, but it also offers you a way of staying connected to the company. If I'm allowed 'freedom' within the warranty to use it the way I want to, the company has made it very easy for me to continue to do business with them. Wow!

Another word about warranties. My wife and I just bought a cross trainer. It's a good one (really good one) We save for some time, cancelled our YMCA memberships and went out and got a cross trainer. It come with a 10 year warranty, and the retailer, who's a reputable one and came highly recommended, offered to match to 10 years on parts with 10 years on labor. I now have the piece of mind that for 10 years, I'm taken care of. Just like I had the 'lifetime' piece of mind that I'll always have a good functioning laptop bag.

To Have in Mind:

I don't think warranties get enough attention in what some have called our "throwaway or disposable society". To me, a warranty is just saying, "yeah, we'll take care of you." Look at the auto companies. You had the Korean's offering crazy warranties and saying "yeah, we'll take care of you", and now GM and the American auto makers have taken the bait and followed to.

So what if you don't make 'products'? So what. The point is, are you showing, telling and illustrating to your customers that "yeah, you'll take care of them."