Dickies Does it Right!

While some companies don’t exactly take care of their customers, others know how to court their patrons.  Though it shouldn’t be, it’s impressive when a company actually does something as simple as providing customer service, in a time when customer care is outsourced to foreign outlets, and every interaction with the company is reduced to a series of voice-menu options and automated e-mail responses.

More than a few years ago, I bought a pair of Dickies brand bib-overalls for wearing while working around the house.  For years, they have fit the bill nicely, holding up under all sorts of extreme conditions while I did everything from building a pallet shed to threshing out a maze in the high weeds in the hot North-East Texas humidity.  I’ve been very proud of these overalls, and they are always a go-to part of my working wardrobe.  That’s why I was crestfallen to discover that part of the overalls did not survive a recent ride in the laundry.  The little buckle that holds the strap together seemingly disintegrated in the dryer.  Crushed, I fired off an e-mail to Dickies, letting them know of my dismay, and asking where I might obtain replacement parts.  Not wanting to wear them with only one strap, I told customer support that I felt my overalls still had a few years of service left in them, and that I was interested in doing a little repair work, if they would only point me in the direction of the needed parts and an order form.

Fast forward a few weeks.

Not having heard anything from Dickies in 3 weeks, I assumed that I was just another faceless, forgotten fish in a sea of meaningless customers, just like so many other corporations make me and countless others feel.

Then I checked the mail.

In the mail, I found a plain package with “Williamson Dickie” on the return address.   Inside was a fistful of buckles and matching latches for my overalls!  I’ve got to hand it to Dickies for taking care of me by providing me with enough replacement parts to last a lifetime.  So, I’d like to take a moment to send a little love to Dickies.  I will definitely continue to give Dickies my support with my buying dollar, and I will be sure to share my feelings on the quality of their products with my friends and family.

Buy Dickies.

 

Prediction

Mark my words–in eight months, you will remember this picture and this commercial:

 

Jump Around!

Every once in a while, something comes along that is so inspired and awesome that it makes my inner child giggle with glee.  I stumbled across this excellent music video made by Jonathan Wrigley and just had to share it.  It’s a perfect blend of Bollywood and early 90′s hip-hop.   Enjoy it, and don’t fight the urge to Jump Around!

If you’re like me, that was enough to get you curious about the original music to the video. Well, with just a little research, I was able to track down the scene that was cut up to make that gem. Seeing it in its original form, just makes the editing that much more spectacular.

 

Dear Teenage Boys,

A word on personal hygiene:

That is all.

 

Sherlock Holmes

#22 Sherlock Holmes

L: How long has he been like that?

W: About 35 minutes.  I suggested we take in a movie, and he grabbed his coat and rushed me out the door, flung me into the nearest hansom and here I find myself, watching my dear friend stand in the middle of a video store staring at a wall of movies.

L: Has he been at the pipe again?

W: I fear so.

L: Look! It seems as though his trance is broken; here he comes.

H: I wish I could say it was a pleasant surprise to see you here.

L: Have you figured out what movie to rent?

H: I have, indeed, not made a final decision as of yet.  I believe I am in the mood for an animated film, circa 2001, starring that blonde gentleman who later went on to portray a certain British secret agent.  I surmise the film was French in origin.  Would you be so kind as to go and fetch it for me, so that I might be on my way and distract you from your own search no longer than necessary.

L: It would be my pleasure to assist the great Sher–

H: Go!  Go!  Speed is of the utmost importance!

W: But–but–we watched that not more than 14 months hence.  It is not like you to rewatch a film such as that without purchasing it.

H: A mere ruse to distract our dear inspector from renting the very same movie I intended to take home this very night.  You see, there was only one copy left on the shelf and he was clearly interested in watching it, no doubt hoping to pick up a few pointers, as it were.

2 hours later

W: I say, how DO you do it?  How on earth did you know that would be the perfect movie?  Though some of the special effects were obvious, and the story was more action oriented than the books, the movie was an excellent example of an adaptation done well.  What I can’t figure out, is how the deuce did you know they’d get it so right?

H: It was really quite simple–a mere matter of deduction.  You see, the absence of any other copies on the shelf indicated that this movie was popular enough to have garnered good word of mouth, but not so popular as to have been consumed by the masses in entirety within mere moments of being made available for rental.  The muted tones and faux aged appearance of the illustrations on the cover indicated that this movie was being marketed with a proper sense of nostalgia and respect for the genre in which it belongs.  The prominence of the title, which, not coincidentally lacks a subtitle, suggests that this adaptation of a classic literary tale extrapolates from the entirety of the works, and not just from one short tale, thus serving as an excellent introduction to the characters and story as a whole.  The actor chosen to portray the lead role, while a little unorthodox in that he looks nothing like the character in question, is just different enough to make the character fresh again.  It is an added extravagence that the actor in question has a history of drug abuse, wild living, and a smarmy charm unequaled by his peers, not unlike our protagonist.  The director has chosen to render his name in small font on the back of the case, thus denying himself the privelege of bragging.  This told me that he either did not want to draw attention to the fact that he made this movie, and thus was not proud of it, or that he understood that the real draw of this film would be the stars on screen.  Since he was married for a time to a dance hall girl and performer of some considerable fame who later, unfortunately took leave of her senses, I can only believe that he has learned to accept his station in life and prove his skills in a quiet fashion.

W: You got all that from looking at the cover?

H: Well, that and the cute girl behind the counter suggested it to me yesterday.