Sunday, March 1, 2009

Holmes Humidifiers


It's not often that consumer retail companies get positive feedback, but I have a great customer service experience to blog about involving Holmes, the makers of a variety of humidifiers and air purifiers. Back in November, I bought a little humidifier for my bedroom. It cost $31.99 and worked really well, until it didn't work at all anymore.

Right after Christmas, it broke and stopped shooting mist out of its spout. A humidifier that doesn't humidify is pretty useless, but thankfully I registered the little guy so it was covered under warranty. After much procrastination on my own part, I called to explain the situation and a lovely woman named Violet said, "No problem! Fax over the receipt and we'll send you a new one." That was February 16.

On February 27, a box the size of a small refrigerator showed up at my door. They sent me a brand new, seriously pimped out humidifier three times the size of my old broken one (see the picture for proof.) It has a digital humidity reader, all sorts of fancy buttons to set the humidity to a certain level and automatically shut on or off, a filter check gauge and lots of other fun stuff. And it actually holds enough water to run throughout the night!

It's kind of amazing. And the price? This super upgraded version normally costs $64.99 - twice my original purchase. I did not pay a penny, not even for shipping and I didn't have to bother with the hassle of sending back the broken one.

My only complaint is that the humidifier Holmes sent me requires the use of a filter, which my original one did not. So, now I have to spend money every few months on a new filter. But really, I think that's OK. Because I now have the mother of all humidifiers. Holmes, the previously dry air in my bedroom thanks you.

The Power of Female Persuasion

There is nothing like the opinions of three strong, intelligent women with only my best interests in mind to clear my head and gain perspective on a situation. Sometimes you're in a cloud, hoping that things will work out the way you want them to, even though your gut is telling you they won't. It's times like that when you really need your girlfriends.

This girl power (forgive me for the Spice Girl reference) can be applied to many problems, but it seems the most common issue involves the opposite sex. Perhaps this is because it can be so difficult for men and women to clearly communicate with each other, especially in the early stages of dating. You're thinking one thing, he's thinking another and sometimes it takes a few bottles of wine along with a lot of laughter with your best friends to see that.

So thank you, girlfriends, for helping me see the truth and make the right decision. I'd like to say that I would have figured it out on my own, but you certainly made it easier. I don't know what I'd do without you.