While we’re on the subject of customer service, let me tell you about my BBQ grill. I got my first Weber at a garage sale. It served me for several years. www.weber.com

When it finally rusted out I decided to buy a new one. I even splurged the extra $5 to get red instead of black. I got it home and unpacked it and noticed a couple small bubbles in the paint. No big deal. But being a business owner I value customer feedback. So I actually filled out the customer registration card (which I rarely do) and mentioned the paint bubbles.

A couple days later I got a phone call from Weber. The woman told me the product was guaranteed for life and that I could return it for a new one. It really wasn’t a problem I said, very small and only cosmetic. Besides I’d already put mine together and didn’t want to lug it back to the store.

That didn’t satisfy her. She said she’d be happy to send me the new parts free, and I wouldn’t even have to send the bad ones back. It was obvious she didn’t have to check with anyone for approval to make this offer. Well, the parts in question were the bowl and the top which make up the guts of the unit (except for legs and grills). So they practially sent me a whole new unit for free, just to keep me happy – which I already was. I ended up giving the new “grill” away to our nanny and her boyfriend.

I’ve moved a few times since this happened, and I don’t remember where the red weber is (I think my ex-wife has it). But I can tell you I still cook on a weber. I’ve got two of them in fact.
Takeaways:

• They used to say that advertising doesn’t cost – it pays. I think that’s true of customer service. Especially when you treat people like people.