It shouldn’t be refreshing to see a company that boasts about its “lifetime warranty” and truly stands behind a product, even offering an upgrade when it fails. Reader Scott reports that was his experience with Totes, the company that made his mother’s umbrella.

You don’t really think a lot about umbrellas, or about there being a warranty on them: or maybe I buy cheap umbrellas. When Scott’s mom turned to Totes, though, she asked for an upgrade because she had trouble operating her umbrella. Couldn’t hurt to ask, right?

My Mom returned her used Totes umbrella under their lifetime warranty because it would not stay up. Along with the umbrella she added a note asking it Totes might “‘upgrade” the umbrella to an automatic because she found it physically difficult to raise umbrellas past the locking mechanism. She is 88 years old.

Totes called her at home and together they looked at the Totes website. The Totes service representative told her to pick any umbrella. ANY! Mom asked if she could pick an automatic, and the Totes representative said, “of course.” Five days later, a brand new automatic opening umbrella arrives. That is great service!

Thanks Totes, for going the extra mile to help out my Mom.

That is most excellent of them.

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