Coach: A Positive Customer Service experience

I am so pleased to be able to share the positive customer service experience that I recently had with Coach. Note that this is not a sponsored post! I imagine the only way that Coach will know I wrote about this is if they google themselves.

Last Mother's Day, J gave me the below City Tote:

It was perfect for schlepping my stuff to work! 

While on a business trip, one of the handles detached from the bag. Since it was the beginning of my trip and I did not have a spare bag, I made do. Thanks to the staff at the Marriott, I used electrical tape to reattach the handle. It worked beautifully, albeit it was definitely unsightly.

Coach has a program where they will make repairs on any of their products. You do have to pay a $20 shipping and handling fee. You include a form, found here, where you detail the nature of your repair.

I kept forgetting to send my bag in. But finally, I sent it for repair about two weeks ago. 

Today, I received the following letter from Coach:

I really feel that sending me a new bag was an example of excellent customer service. The repair did not look especially complicated. However, I suspect that the residue from the electrical tape was hard to remove. Even though I'm the one who put the electrical tape on it, they still felt that it was the right thing to do to send me a new bag.

Coach may not be the hippest bag brand in blogland (ahem Kate Spade Beau bag, Celine, Prada etc). However, I have a new found respect for them and will continue to shop them in the future.

And by the way, J got an email that I have a delivered from Coach set for tomorrow!

The resolution I'll end up breaking

Inspired by C's post on getting real, I'm sharing the resolution that I know I'll end up breaking.

I wrote about judgment back in March 2013. I'm really trying not to judge, especially on social media. The two topics that I'm most judgmental on are spending habits and lemmings.  If someone wants to spend their money on numerous "Fill in the blank" brand, so be it. Someone else's debt isn't my debt. Truthfully, I'm probably jealous! If someone wants to kiss a big blogger's rear end, so be it! If they want to wear army pants and flip flops like Cady Heron, it doesn't hurt anyone.

But if I am honest with myself, I know I'll still do it. And hate myself right afterwards.

Fiscal Friday: The Look for Less!

For my first #fiscalresponsibility post for 2014, I decided to cover one of my favorite topics: finding the Look for Less. On an aside, did you ever watch "The Look for Less" on Style Network? I loved Elizabeth Hasselbeck on that show (much more so than her current roles). She would take runway styles and do inspired looks using items from the local mall.

I put together a Polyvore of two of my favorite "Look for Less" finds!

Look for Less: Shirtdress by natylite78 featuring a safari shirt dress

The Look for Less I by natylite78 featuring Joie

As I continue the journey of #fiscalresponsibility, I will continue to see more cost effective ways to wear the styles I like. Please share some of your favorite finds with me!

A Better Daughter

My dad turned 75 this past Sunday. Something about his birthday and recent circumstances have me reflecting on my role as a daughter. Being a daughter was the first role I ever had. Since then, I've become a sister, friend, wife, aunt, and mother. But daughter...that's where it all started.

I have not always been a "good" daughter. In fact, I'd say I spent a large percentage of the first 27 years of my life not being a good daughter. I broke curfew. I didn't listen to my parents. When I lived away from home, I didn't call when I said I would. In fact, there was one weekend in college where I partied the whole time and ignored an answering machine full of messages from my parents. I did not value the time I spent with my parents.

Then my dad got sick. Suddenly, all the time I thought I had to be a good daughter was slipping away.  I realized how lucky I was that I could see my parents whenever I wanted. That they were
 there to say "Hello, I love you." I found myself wanting to find things that would make them happy.  I realized that being present and engaged with them was what mattered most.

I know that our time is not forever. But at least I have it.