A new level of customer service.
 

I'm a bit lost for words.

I bought a very cool shirt the last time I was in Byron Bay, Australia (I love this place). And it was my most favorite shirt ever. Somehow :( it got a small rip on a sleeve. Probably one of the dogs jumping up or playing games. I was heart broken but thought I'd send the manufacturer and email and see if I could buy a replacement sleeve or bit of fabric to fix it.

I've just received a package, airmailed from Australia, with a complimentary new shirt, the same size, color, pattern as my ripped one.

Wow. The company is Okanui Classics and the owner Dick Ash sent it to me.

Wow! That's pretty Amazing!

I had been expecting a no-reply to the email or a "sorry your ripped your shirt, but that's what happens..."

Good looking girl working in the surf shop in Byron Bay said she knew the manufacturer and that the shirts were really good quality, but this sort of warm hearted service is something else.

we need to see a picture of the girl..... and the shirt.

Customer appreciation is awesome! Several years ago I ordered a hat from Dyson Racing and a couple weeks passed and it never showed up. I sent them an email about it and they said they would send another. A few days later a package arrived with the hat and a real nice sweater with embroidered patches. A couple days after that the original hat that I'd ordered (apparently lost in the mail) showed up. I sent them an email offering to send it back. They said keep them both.

Is it the "canoes" shirt, Bill?

http://www.okanui.com/media/images/c...gallery930.jpg

Nice :D but this is the one I got.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1409101741.jpg

I was with the GF at the time so I had to be reasonably discrete, so I could do nothing more than stare like a salivating idiot.

Better choice than the canoes, for sure. :)

Back in the day when I wore ties, one unraveled in the back. I took it to Nordstrom's where I thought it came from. The salesperson showed me a Macy's tag on the back. I said "sorry" and proceeded to leave. He said I'll have our tailor fix it. I said, but it came from Macy's. He said doesn't matter. If you can wait 5 minutes, we'll fix it. They sewed up the tie and while I was waiting I spent about $100 on a shirt and slacks.

Customer service is worth something.

That's how smart people do business :)

Companies along the same lines..

Leatherman - Made in Oregon.
EMG Pickups

Calphalon replaced a saucepan of mine that was probably 20 years old when I wrote them and complained that the anodizing was gone and the saucepan was "silvered"

And then there were the Bose 901 I bought from Aafes when I worked over in the sandbox in the late 70's early 80's...

After a number of moves I discovered all the foam surrounds for the 901 drivers had disintegrated.

Bose sent me a new set of 901 (exchanged for my old ones)...

The speakers were about 15 years old at the time...

Say what you want about Bose, but they stand behind the product..

A month ago, I got an email from a customer with a pair of shorts that after describing color and style, turned out to be from Spring 12. Her son ripped them and wanted to know what we could do about it. Sent her a pair of Spring 14 overstock, she was happy.

I've been to Byron Bay. We've got friends in Gold Coast, and some who live out by Lismore. Beautiful area.

Maybe 5 years ago I bought an expensive pair of GoreTex waders from LL Bean (about $270). I've worn these things in rivers in Montana, hiked through manzanita in the Sierra and severely abused them in Alaska. They began to leak.

I tried to fix the leak with AquaSeal and that held for a trip or two but on a recent trip to Colorado they started to leak again. I sent them back to LL Bean with a note asking them to fix the waders for me. In the note I offered to pay for the repairs and I specifically mentioned that the waders had out performed my expectations and if they could not be fixed, I'd buy a new pair.

LL Bean sent me a brand new pair of waders for free.

This is not the first time they have done this type of thing. They have replaced broken fly rods and fixed jammed fly reels. All free of charge. When I need new fly fishing equipment I never shop price. My first call is always to LL Bean. They have created some serious corporate Karma.

I had a five year Ryobi sabre saw that had seen a lot of work. I'd dropped it from the top of ladders a number of times. It was really rough. It needed a new part so I took it to the hardware place and they phoned Ryobi for a price on the part. Ryobi said they fit the part for free as it was a bit tricky. I thought this was way cool of them. A few weeks later they sent me a brand new one as they couldn't supply the part within their own customer service standards. I often buy Ryobi now :)