I bought a Breville Blender back in umm I think it was 2006.  It’s been great – a powerful motor that met my needs and hasn’t conked out on me and it came with a quality glass jug.

All was great until a crack developed at the bottom of the jug, you may have seen it if you’ve watched any of my videos as I’ve pointed it out before.  Well recently it finally reached the top and voila – end of the jug’s life.  *Sobs*

I immediately went looking online for where to buy a replacement. Simple.

Ummm no.

It seems that although I have been able to easily buy parts in the past – I had to replace the lid once as the plastic bit accidentally got blended *cough* – it wasn’t going to be that easy this time.

Below is a copy of my correspondence with Breville.

I am NEVER going to buy another Breville product.

It is an interesting lesson for any business though on what bad customer service is, which is why I am sharing my correspondence with you here.

Key points of interest for me are:

• Listen to what the customer is asking for – sometimes this is not immediately obvious
• Acknowledge any concerns they have
• Make it personal – USE THEIR NAME and your name
• Be bothered. If you can’t give them what they want, offer alternatives.  This could be in the form of alternative products, contacts or information. And remember goodwill gestures such as discount vouchers can not only keep your customer but increase the chances of a new sale.
• Be helpful. If they need to contact someone else, if you can, send all the information you have so far to the person they need to be speaking to and let the customer know you have done this so they don’t have to.

If you do all this, you could not only KEEP your existing customer but generate more business and new customers when they tell their network about their experience.

Now on with the Breville Blender jug cautionary tale…

—–Original Message—–

On 7 Jul 2010, at 15:26, Ann Holme wrote:

Good Afternoon,

We are sorry but we do not recognise the model number you have quoted

With Regards

Customer services

—–Original Message—–

From: Sarah Cairncross

Sent: 07 July 2010 16:40

To: Ann Holme

Subject:  Re: breville cbl25 blender

Ok that has got to be one of the worst customer service replies I’ve ever had.

If you don’t know what your own product number is – then please google it

Breville CBL25 comes up in the search.

I’d appreciate a more helpful response as I need a new jug.

Thank you.

Sarah

—–Original Message—–

On 8 Jul 2010, at 09:36, Ann Holme wrote:

Good Morning,

Thank you for the link.    As stated this is not a Breville UK product it is a Breville US product.

All the Breville companies are independent of each other and do not sell the same products.

With Regards

Customer Services

—–Original Message—–

From: Sarah Cairncross

Sent: 08 July 2010 11:39

To: Ann Holme

Subject: Re: breville cbl25 blender

Dear Ann

I am presuming your name is Ann as Ann Holme is coming up in my To: field… I’m not sure though as you keep signing your name as Customer Services, which is a bit odd.

By the way, my name is Sarah.. oh I told you that in my first email didn’t I but you don’t seem to think it would be courteous and friendly to use my name hmm… even more odd.

Well your latest ‘customer service’ response is even more arse than the last one.

I did not give you a link.

You did not ‘state’ that the product is a US one and not a UK one.

I live in the UK.

I bought the blender in the UK.

To be honest I don’t CARE if Breville companies are independent of each other.  I didn’t know this before and knowing it now, makes NO DIFFERENCE.

I am a Breville customer.  I am asking a simple question that would probably not take you that much effort to contact someone to find out the answer for me.

If you are incapable / can’t be bothered to find this information out for me, please give me contact details for someone in your company who can be.

All I want is to find out the cost and how to replace a jug for the Breville CBL25 blender – please help me.

Thank you.

Sarah

—–Original Message—–

On 8 Jul 2010, at 12:54, Ann Holme wrote:

Good Afternoon,

We are sorry but the only thing we can suggest is that you contact askus@brevilleusa.com as stated it is an American product, which we found out by googling the product as you suggested below.

With Regards

—–Original Message—–

From: Sarah Cairncross

Date: 8 July 2010 13:03:39 GMT+01:00

To: Ann Holme

Subject: Re: breville cbl25 blender

Dear Ann

Thank you for completely ignoring my concerns and my request for contact details for someone in your company who can be bothered to help me.

I shall be publishing this ‘customer service’ exchange on my website and investigating who to send my complaint to at Breville.

Regards

Sarah

—–Original Message—–

From: Sarah Cairncross

Sent: 08 July 2010 13:26

To: Press Enquiries

Subject: Fwd: breville cbl25 blender

Dear Breville Press Office

I thought you may be interested in this ‘customer service’ exchange I’ve had.

I’m not impressed.

If I had been that customer service representative I would have:

* used the customer’s name

* used my own name in correspondence

* acknowledged the customer’s concerns

* made some effort to answer the questions

* if the product part could not be replaced, offered an alternative with a discount voucher as a gesture of goodwill

Ann Holme did not care – and that is putting it kindly.

I will be making investigations into who I can bring my complaint to as to say I’m dissatisfied with this ‘service’ would be an understatement.

Regards

Sarah

—–Original Message—–

On 13 Jul 2010, at 16:09, James Sizer wrote:

Dear Ms Cairncross,

I am sorry that you don’t feel that our Customer Service’s response to your enquiry was adequate. Of course we do aim to help customers wherever possible and our Customer Services team has a superb track record and an excellent reputation. I can only apologise that on this occasion you feel that your needs weren’t met, and your comments will be passed on to the relevant members of staff.

However, in this instance our Customer Services representative was correct in her response. The model number you are referring to (CBL25) is indeed a USA model. Breville UK and Breville USA are completely separate organisations with separate products, and separate customer services departments. As such our company is unable to provide a replacement part, and nor would we be in a position to provide a discount voucher in its place. We did not manufacture nor sell this product, and as such are unable to directly assist you in this matter.

If you bought this model in the UK, then it must have been purchased through an importer. May I suggest that you get in touch with the seller and ask what their customer services procedure would be? Alternatively you could directly contact Breville USA at the address we have already provided (AskUs@BrevilleUSA.com). They will be able to tell you how to replace the jug and what cost.

I am sorry that we are unable to help you further, but we simply do not have access to the replacement part you are seeking and therefore the best way we can help is by directing you to Breville USA who I am sure will be able to help you with your enquiry quickly and efficiently.

Kind regards,

James Sizer

Communications Manager

Breville, AWT by Breville, Nicky Clarke, Hinari, Dirt Devil

Pulse Home Products Ltd.

—–Original Message—–

From: Sarah Cairncross

Date: 13 July 2010 17:41:42 GMT+01:00

To: James Sizer

Subject: Re: breville cbl25 blender

Hurrah and thank you for an intelligent response.  It was a shame your customer service representative seemed incapable of giving me a response like this to my initial enquiry and thank you for passing my comments on.

I find it weird though that I can’t get parts when I have done before when I broke the plastic part of the lid about 3 years ago.

Anyway, I am not paying for a glass jug to be delivered from the states if it’s a ridiculous amount of money (probably) but ok, I will contact the stateside company.

If that’s the case then the Breville is going in the recycling and sorry to say I won’t be spending any more money with your company again.

Ever.

Thank you

Sarah

—–Original Message—–

From: Sarah Cairncross

Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 2010 10:04 AM

To: AskUs Breville USA

Subject: breville cbl25 blender

Hi

I’ve been having a real saga trying to find out the cost of a replacement jug for a blender I bought in the UK – a Breville CBL25 – as the original developed a crack which recently made it to the top and promptly fell apart.

As you can see from my email exchanges with the UK Breville company (who I understand are completely separate from yourselves), they advised me to email you direct as they don’t give two hoots about customer service.

If you are able to provide the replacement part, please let me know how much it would cost including price of shipping and tax to the UK.

Thank you for your help.

Sarah

—–Original Message—–

From: AskUs Breville USA

Subject: RE: breville cbl25 blender

Date: 4 August 2010 15:46:50 GMT+01:00

To: Sarah Cairncross

Dear Sarah,

Thank you for contacting Breville USA.   Unfortunately, due to Breville’s constant innovations, this product has been discontinued for several years and we no longer have replacement glass jars available. We apologize for any inconvenience that you may have encountered. Please visit our website at www.Brevilleusa.com for future product updates and to use the retail locator to find potential retail outlets with remaining inventory of this  part. You may also check Amazon.com.  Please feel free to contact us at 1-866-BREVILLE (273-8455) Monday-Friday 8am-5pm P.S.T. if you should have any further questions.

Regards,

Breville USA

Consumer Services Dept.

————————————————————-

THE END

And that, my dear friend, was the crappest customer service experience I’ve had in a long time.  What has been yours?

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