As we look ahead to the 2018 Holiday season, you may find yourself already looking back on 2017 for some perspective. You remember 2017, don’t you? The year of the exploding batteries? Everything from Hoverboards to phone chargers to, yes, even Fidget Spinners. In 2017, pretty much everything seemed to be catching on fire due to batteries overheating. If you sell electronics (and who in our industry doesn’t?), you know that not only are you expected to stand behind the quality of the device, but you are expected to stand behind the batteries that power it, as well. The problem is that some suppliers are not as forthcoming with battery information as they are with the manufacturing specifics of the electronics they power. But bottom line, when you have a product failure—and you will—the battery problem is yours to deal with. Your battery problems are your problems.
That’s why I was a bit surprised to see Lime, one of the largest scooter manufacturers, had waited until this month to announce they pulled thousands of electric scooters off the market this past summer because a few batteries were at risk to fail and catch fire. Lime pointed the finger squarely at Segway, the scooter battery manufacturer, saying there were problems with a weld that caused the batteries to short-circuit.
Segway immediately released a statement saying its engineers who specialize in battery technology concluded that faulty welding “will typically stop a battery from charging or discharging, but it’s highly unlikely to cause a battery to short circuit.” Welding is utilized to place a conductor on Segway batteries that manages the flow of electricity. “Over the years we have sold multiple millions of Segway’s self- balancing vehicles and a million kickscooters, all of which used the same battery technology without such incidents,” the statement added. “We cannot agree with Lime’s diagnosis stated in the article. We think the statement was not based on a good understanding of battery technology.”
Unlike the hoverboards last year, while there were no reported injuries as a result of the scooter battery issues this summer, unfortunately, the issue still illustrates a point. When it comes to doing right by your clients, it will serve you well to have your proverbial ducks in a row—and that means having your documentation of battery manufacturers up front and ahead of a product failure. The alternative is to find yourself in a battle of finger-pointing with your supplier and there’s no question that that will not make you look good in front of your client. More importantly, it’s the right thing to do.
Speaking of looking good in front of your clients, a follow-up to our recent conversation about the value of sourcing recycled plastic promotional products for your customers with an eye towards corporate social responsibility. I was pleased to see Leed’s announce a new brand partner, Parkland, a Vancouver-based design-driven bag company. Parkland, which committed to a new sustainable model this year, uses fabrics developed with recycled plastic bottles to create “exceptional products designed for individuality, fun and everyday life.”
"It takes up to 1,000 years for a plastic bottle to break down in a landfill," said Sean Miller, Sales and Business Development Manager for Parkland. "We are committed to reducing the impact of this worldwide problem and are pleased to partner with a company like Leed's, who understands the need for these types of products, to get our bags into the promotional products channel."
While it was slow to get off the ground, there is a growing demand for sustainable products in the promotional products industry. It’s safe to say that it was driven initially by the end-users, but if you are not on this trend now, you really need to give it a good look.
Jeff Jacobs has been an expert in building brands and brand stewardship for 40 years, working in commercial television, Hollywood film and home video, publishing, and promotional brand merchandise. He’s a staunch advocate of consumer product safety and has a deep passion and belief regarding the issues surrounding compliance and corporate social responsibility. He retired as executive director of Quality Certification Alliance, the only non-profit dedicated to helping suppliers provide safe and compliant promotional products. Before that, he was director of brand merchandise for Michelin. You can find him volunteering as a Guardian ad Litem, traveling the world with his lovely wife, or enjoying a cigar at his favorite local cigar shop. Connect with Jeff on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram, or reach out to him at jacobs.jeffreyp@gmail.com.