My Three Bro’s: Great Customer Service in the 21st Century

Frequent readers will remember my previous post about my Squirrel Buster bird feeder’s unfortunate encounter with a hungry bear.  It was fun to write and share.  I never expected much to come from it except some cute comments and sympathy.  So, imagine my surprise when I received a comment on my website from the Customer Service Department of Brome Bird Care, the manufacturer of the Squirrel Busters, asking if I needed a replacement tube.

It had been my plan to order a replacement tube but I had not yet gotten around to it.  I was still in shock that something could come along and so efficiently maul something so innocuous.

I replied that I had not yet done so and fully expected to receive an email with a direct link to their parts department. Instead I received this reply:

Alice,

Normally bear damage is not covered by your warranty. However, as a goodwill gesture, we will send a seed tube free of shipping/replacement charges.  Please provide us with your address. Thank you for your interest in  our product.

Well, hot dang, that is just a nice thing to do, don’t you think? In an age that seems to be spinning out of control with companies doing every last thing they possibly can to extract yet another few pennies from the consumer, here is a company that has a true Customer Care Department.

A few days later the tube arrived and it was a simple matter of swapping out the damaged tube for the new one.  Brome also sent a new top, which I would not of thought to order.  The old one looked fine but I discovered it would not attach properly because of a slight bend in the hanging rod.  Brome obviously has more experience with this than I.

So a heartfelt “Thank You” to Brome Bird Care.  I love your products.  I have had the Classic Squirrel Buster for at least five years, maybe more.  Here is a picture of My Three Bro’s, all filled and ready to go.  It is particularly nice to have the Super model back in business.  It is fledging season here and the feeders are packed with nervous young birds learning to make their way in the world.  They are eating like all children do…incessantly.  Having the Super Brome back in service means a little less work for me in terms of keeping up.

And also “Thank You” to Maureen McKinnon, Customer Care Manager at Brome, for reaching out to me with a little help from Google Alerts.  The 21st Century has given us so many new tools that can be used in so many ways — some good and some bad.  For those unfamiliar with Google Alerts, they allow an individual to set a specific phrase or topic of interest and receive notifications of any new activity on the Web that relate to the topic.  It is a great tool that I often use.

The birds of the air may never sow or reap but manufacturers do and I think Brome will continue to reap goodwill and loyal customers because they 1) make great products, and 2) they care.  The only one who loses is the squirrel.  ❧