Ever since I spent time in Houston consulting to the energy industry I have worn Lucchese boots. After visiting the CEO of a large pipeline company a few times he decided he needed to buy me a pair of boots and took me over to a store that sold Lucchese boots. From the minute I put them on I loved them. Beautiful workmanship, extremely comfortable, and…being of a normal height…they made me 2 inches taller.
I have worn them ever since. Currently I have a couple of newer pairs and a few pairs that are worn out and only usable for non-business occasions. I almost always buy the same kind: Classic goatskin with the most pointed toes in a dark mahogany color. They go great when I have to wear a suit or other formal attire and yet are perfect with jeans.
A few weeks ago I noticed my newest pair, worn so little that they still had the original heal pads, were tearing where the leather met the sole. I don’t know much about making boots so after much perusal realized that I needed to send them to the experts.
I called Lucchese and spoke with the pleasant fellow who answered the phone. He listened for a minute and then sent me right to a wonderful man, Albert Resendez. I shared my story with Albert who without any hemming or hawing immediately asked for my email and told me he would send me information on how to send the boots to Lucchese and would include a UPS label I could print out and put on the box. He told me it would only take a few days after they arrived to decide what to do and then he would let me know.
So calm, so clear, so ready to help.
I send off the boots hoping that perhaps they will fix them for free but expecting to hear the damage was due to something I did or perhaps the salt that has been used so much this ridiculously snowy and icy year in my part of the world and I will have to pay a repair charge.
UPS tells me my boots will take 5 or 6 days to get to the hospital so imagine my surprise when 8 days after sending them I get a note from Albert saying:
“Good News.
Your boots have arrived at our Lucchese warehouse.
They will be sent to our production floor to get repaired.
I have an estimated shipping date of 3/03/14
I will try to get these to you as soon as possible.”
Such responsiveness. But even beyond this, imagine my amazement when I received another email from Albert a week later that reads:
“Great News!
Your new Lucchese’s boots have been shipped.”
You read that correctly. With these few words Albert told me that Lucchese had decided my boots had a defect that was their fault and they were sending me a brand new pair.
I sit here typing this wearing my new Lucchese boots. I have shared this story with quite a few people I have run into since they arrived some days ago…well ahead of the day I was first given. And now I share the story about a great company with the mass of my readers and the readers of those who re-post my missives. I imagine thousands will hear it in talks I give or read it through the passing along of this missive.
I’ve been thinking quite a bit…and spreading the word…about those who lead Lucchese and the culture they set. Highest quality product, highest quality service, and most importantly…highest quality people.