Posted on 01/09/2013 7:44:54 PM PST by Altariel
We’re used to dealing with companies that seem to take joy in foiling their customers, so when a company comes through, really performs above and beyond, we jump at the chance to warm a few hearts. Like say when an 11-year-old boy saves up his money for two years to buy a LEGO train set only to find out it isn’t being made anymore and is now a collectible, completely out of his price range. You better believe this one has a happy ending.
In a letter posted as part of a video on YouTube (via Buzzfeed) A Massachusetts boy with writes Asperger’s syndrome had his eye on a $100 set called the Emerald Night Train, and started saving for it more than two years ago. He used LEGO blocks as part of a playgroup that helps him with his social skills and had fallen in love with the toys.
But then recently, the bottom dropped out of his plan — the set was no longer available and prices for it skyrocketed out of his range. Bidding on Amazon and eBay proved too expensive.
He writes:
“For two years I kept all the money I got for birthday and holiday gifts, some of my allowance and some money I got for participating in a research project. At last, a couple of months ago I had my $100 and was ready to buy the LEGO set of my dreams. My mom started looking for it online and could not find any. We checked the LEGO store in our area and they didn’t have it either.
I was completely crushed. You’ve stopped making it! I got another LEGO set, thinking I could forget about the Emerald Night, but every time I see it anywhere online I get very sad and disappointed. I still want the Emerald Night so badly, but there are none to be found. Do you have any at your corporate headquarters? Perhaps I could get one that way? If you have any other ideas, I would be happy to hear them. I have never wanted a LEGO set so badly ever in my life.”
LEGO wrote back saying the set had been discontinued, but didn’t say much else. Until two days before his birthday, when a box arrived from the company holding the coveted set, along with a note.
‘The Emerald Night Train is a wonderful set, so we can understand why it is your dream to own it. I commend your willpower and patience to save money for over two years just to purchase this. We have located an Emerald Night Train for you, James, and included it in this package! I am sure you will enjoy building it and cherish your time playing with the train. Fans like you are why we are so lucky as a company. Who knows, maybe you will be working for The LEGO Group one day! You certainly have the heart and passion for our bricks to do so! Happy building, James!”
It’s not often that we’re reminded of companies that really do seem to have their customers’ best interest at heart, and for that, we tip our hats, LEGO. Making dreams come true is a pretty good way to treat your customers.
OK — LEGO officially rocks!
These are good people!
Blurry screen alert.
The history of Lego. Very nicely done and made in a way a child would enjoy. It is 17 minutes long.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdDU_BBJW9Y
I would like to know if the free Emerald lego train set came from corporate hq in USA or Europe ?
Love the Lego stores and Lego Lands in Europe.
I used to listen to an Australian who had a radio talk show in the Tidewater Virginia area. He was born and raised in Ireland but I am not sure when he became Australian.
Anyway he told a story one day which I thought was funny. He accidentally knocked over his Mother’s tea tin and it got all over the floor. The kid not wanting to get in any trouble swept it up and put it back in the tin.
Several months later a man in a suit visited them. After he left, the kid asked his Mother who he was. She said that was the man from the tea company. She had written him and told him his tea was full of dirt and debris.
He had personally brought her some replacement tea.
Times are sure different now.
My kids have evolved from Lego to Minecraft. But they STILL love Lego. This is great.
I enjoy playing legos and minecraft with my son as well. I loved lego sets as a kid!
Great company. To bad even with almost completely automated production they moved manufacturing off shore.
TWO heartwarming stories from Lego in two days. This is just great.
Hate it when that happens. You’d think computer manufacturers would rectify that problem. ;)
Legoland caters to homeschoolers with special discount days that are about 25% off regular prices. True, that does not include the first Saturday in June, but they do not shun us either.
One of my frat brothers from university has a sister who works there. Tells me that employees really love going to work there, especially the designers for Lego. They literally hand the prototypes to the employees who have kids and allow them to bring it to home with them, but the condition is to ask the kids “what do you think?”. That’s the culture there. Not even my former classmate who works at EA Sports are allowed to bring the beta versions home with them..
Here’s another story about Lego:
Yep, there’s already a thread on that one:
Boy writes letter to LEGO after losing minifigure, gets awesome response
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2976390/posts
I love LEGOs. I had a big bucket of them when I was a kid and my imagination went crazy. Even today (at 48) I like LEGOs. If I had a bucket I’d be creating things with my grandchildren. As it is they are pretty costly now so we use wooden blocks. They’ve got some pretty good ideas of things to build so far. I believe a castle is their favorite thing so far.
And of course I challenge them with questions of “how easy would it be to knock it down by removing the fewest blocks?”
Moms and Dads, don't throw the Lego away when your kids "outgrow" it. You never know when they might decide to get back into it again, and it's great having the old Lego to mix in with the new.
Last summer, I asked my brother (who is 36 but was quite the Lego collector back in the day) if I could give my oldest son, who is now 10, the large box of Legos still in his closet at our parents’ house. You would have thought it was Christmas and his birthday for five years combined when I gave my son that box! He was already a Lego freak but didn’t have enough to build the enormous contraptions he creates.
Our 8 year old daughter has played Legos with her older brother for a long time, but she started collecting the Lego Friends sets (made for girls). We gave her a 700 piece set that builds a house for Christmas. The look on her face was worth the price of the set ;)
Yep, Legos are great toys.
Their only downsides are that they (1) spread everywhere and (2) seem to have a magnetic attraction to bare feet!
:-)
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