Fossil (the watch company) has amazing customer service

Once in a while a company does right, and I think rather than just whine online about when things go poorly, sometimes we should mention the folks who do right, too.

I have worn Fossil watches since the late 90's, partially because until recently they had a license to make Superman watches.  One day I'll show you my collection.

About five years ago for Christmas my mother (The KareBear) gifted me a Superman watch that I absolutely loved.  I wore it every day.  I only replaced the battery two times.  It kept great time, and it was a trusted little piece of machinery.  Looked great, too.

While I was in San Francisco, I was standing and applauding Ms. Angie Dickinson when suddenly my watch just fell off my arm.  Weird.  I think my sweat had just rusted a part after five years of wear, plus the constant abuse something on your wrist takes after a while, meaning that some part of the watch, where the band met the watch proper, had failed and was not something I could repair myself.  

I brought it to a jeweler, who was unable to help, and he told me to send it to Fossil.

So send it in I did with a written note about what had gone wrong.

That was only about two weeks ago.

Yes, some of us still wear watches.  It is not just a fashion piece (although if you're going to wear a watch every day, you should get one you like a lot.  Like glasses.).  Nor do I wear a watch as a status symbol.  Its how I get through my day.  Yes, smart guys, I know I have a phone, but I don't want to pull it out of my pocket for the 487 times per day I check the time.*  Apparently I fall into some Meyers-Briggs grouping that thinks a wrist watch is a must.**

Tonight my trusty Superman watch showed up in a package with a pile of paperwork, still broken.  At first I was crestfallen.  However, the final piece of paper said "we are very sorry we could not fix your watch.  Here's a gift code worth the original value of your watch, plus $10 because we feel badly".

Amazing.

So, in a few days, I will be getting a new watch in the mail.  Plus a wallet, because the watch I picked out didn't equal the total value of the watch.  Its a nice wallet, too.

Yes, my watch was under some vague warranty, and I HOPE that companies will respect a warranty, but, you know how it usually works.  You know how most companies dodge their own warranties or make it impossible to redeem them.  Not these guys.

Fossil did the right thing out of the gate, and I will wind up with a very nice new watch out of the bargain.

Thanks, Fossil.com!



*I have three clocks in my one 10'x10' office at work, two in my living room and three in my bedroom.  But you know what?  I'm also rarely late.
**At my last job they pointed out that every single person working as a project manager wore a wristwatch when nobody else in the company wore one anymore.