Tips & Tricks Archives

I had a lot of requests asking me to review the Phil & Teds Dash Double Stroller, the latest addition to the Phil&Teds line up of in-line buggies. If you are new to Phil & Teds in-line strollers, I suggest that you first check out my Sport Buggy Review as it covers the basic functionality of the in-line concept. The Dash stroller offers a blend of features from the popular Sport Buggy and Vibe models, plus some new additions which I hope will become standard across the line

For those of you who have waited to see if the Dash would be a good bet, I think you will be very happy with it and will find that it’s the best value in the line-up in terms of price and features.

Read the full Phil & Teds Dash Review

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The tried and true Maclaren Techno has been a mainstay for many parents both in the US and abroad for over a decade. It had been about four years since I did my last review of the Techno and even though the stroller looks the same, there are numerous upgrades and improvements which make it easier to use and more functional. I am a big fan of umbrella strollers and find that many parents who purchase fancy heavy strollers at the outset usually end up relegating those strollers to the basement or attic in favor of a lighter more compact stroller by the time their child is one to 18 months. My advice is to just go with it from the beginning.

Thanks to the folks at Maclaren and Strollers.com for sending us the latest Techno to test and review!

See the updated Maclaren Techno Review.

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Recently, we ran into a situation that I am sure is common across America. We have a swing set and our neighbors don’t. When we first put it in, our neighbors behind us (whom we don’t know very well) came by, and we—in an effort to be friendly—said they should feel feel free to use it. It seemed like the right thing to say at the time.

Everything started off fine, but we soon noticed that these neighbors were using our swing set and backyard as if it were their own. Our swing set is not very fancy, and it cannot take weight from more than a child or two at a time. I had to ask the husband not to hang off it one of the first times he was out there. One a few occasions, they sent over their kids to use the swing set with someone else such as their grandparents or a babysitter (who also hung off the monkey bars until I came out and asked her not to). They also left some toys in our sandbox and came over and used the swing set one night while we were eating with guests on our deck (who commented that it was very awkward). We also saw their kids bike through our yard on several occasions, which is something we don’t even let our own children do. And these are people we don’t even have any real social relationship with.

I was initially reluctant to say anything because I did not want to make things awkward or come across as unfriendly. And while I worried about people getting hurt, I hate the litigious nature of our society and did not want to hide behind the liability angle. Then, last Sunday, our neighbors held a big party for friends with children, and we came home to find unsupervised kids playing and biking in our back yard. Several kids were on the swing, and some were way too big for it. They were climbing on top and creating a very notable bend. We watched for a while from our window and most of the time no adults were supervising them. This was the breaking point for me. I went over and made a somewhat regrettable scene in the middle of their dinner party. I was angry because I felt they were being completely disrespectful of our property and our space. It’s one thing to invite a neighbor to use your things; it’s another for them to extend that invitation to others without your permission.

So now things are, as predicted, a bit awkward. When cooler heads prevailed, I told them I was happy for our kids to play together on the swing set, but I’d appreciate it if they wouldn’t use it without us there—so now the boundaries have been set. I also told them I don’t care if people run through our yard, but I would prefer that they keep their bikes in their own yard or driveway. The odd thing is, they don’t seem to feel as if they did anything wrong, which I just can’t understand. But, I guess that’s how we got into this in the first place.

So my question to you all is, what is the protocol when one neighbor has a swing set and the other does not? When you extend an invitation, do you need to set limits? Should the neighbor without the swing set ask each time? I’d be curious to hear people’s own stories and suggestions about how they have dealt with this issue.

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Beware the perils of Reputation Lag! Too often, companies continue to be perceived by how they used to make products, provide customer service, etc., regardless of the current reality.

Consider Dell and Hyundai, companies at two ends of the reputation spectrum. Dell once earned its reputation for well-priced computers and exemplary customer service—but times have changed. Talk to someone (such as myself) who has had a recent issue with a Dell computer, and you’ll learn that Dell’s customer service is now horrible—an endless loop of tiered and outsourced service reps who pass your problem around like a hot potato. I would never buy a Dell computer again, especially for my business, but Dell is still benefiting from its outdated reputation as a great service company.

Hyundai, meanwhile, continues to struggle to overwrite its reputation as a maker of cheap cars. About 10 years ago, Hyundai started its rebirth by offering 10-year warranties to inspire consumer confidence. At a time when Korean cars were the joke of the car industry, Hyundai poured money into R&D and worked to design cars that people actually want to drive. The company’s newest cars are packed with technology and safety features well beyond comparable models at the same price point, and Hyundai has won numerous quality awards from J.D. Power and Associates. This formula is very noticeable in the Hyundai Genesis, which at $30,000 has features and a design that compares favorably to cars from BMW and Mercedes that cost almost twice as much. Nevertheless, many people don’t consider a Hyundai because of the company’s reputation. And, although car quality has improved dramatically, depreciation rates remain poor, reflecting past performance. This factor does hurt the cars’ marketability.

The moral here is to do your homework. In today’s fast-paced marketplace, companies change rapidly both for better and for worse. Don’t buy a product based on reputation alone. And if you’re running a company, keep in mind that customers have long memories.

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If you haven’t noticed from your junk mail, there is a lot of competition these days for your phone, internet and television business as the lines blur between the companies that offer these services. Additionally, these companies have spent so much money to acquire new customers that they will go to great lengths to keep you. If your current phone, cable or internet plan is over six months old, chances are you are overpaying. Call your provider and tell them that a competitor has offered you a better deal to switch over and you are thinking taking the offer unless they can match it or do better. A good rule of thumb is to shoot for 20-30% below what you are paying currently and to name the competitor i.e. Comcast, RCN.

If they won’t budge, ask to speak with the cancellation department and tell them you want to cancel your service. These are the folks who are empowered to make a last ditch effort to keep you. Case in point, when I recently switched to Verzion’s new FOIS service, the retention department at RCN called me and offered a package that was 50% of what I was currently paying. You may have to go all the way with the bluff, however you can always pick a cancellation date a few weeks out and then call and change your mind. They will be more than happy to keep you as a customer, so you have nothing to lose.

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