I am an avid Weber grill enthusiast. I’ve always owned Weber grills. Even before today, I would have described myself as a loyal Weber consumer. I have a Weber kettle-style charcoal grill and a Weber-Q gas grill. The kettle is used on the weekends when time is no concern, and the Q is used during the week for a quick-fix.

My Weber Q is in bad need of repair. The flame is uneven, the igniter doesn’t ignite, and there are rust spots on the grate. So yesterday, my wife and I drove to Home Depot, where I purchased the grill, to buy some replacement parts.

That’s when we met Ted. Ted is the guy that works the grill area at Home Depot. I told Ted what I needed, and he waved us to follow him over to the customer service area, where he pulled a Weber catalog.

Ted explained that he has a Weber grill and a black lab. The black lab chewed part of the Weber grill. Ted called and told Weber what the dog had done, and Weber replaced the part at no charge. They also suggested that Ted give that dog a bone. To be clear, the Weber warranty does not cover rowdy canines (I checked to make sure), so Weber went out on a limb, made a concession, and earned bucu browny points. Ted told us that Weber made a lifetime customer out of him (and his lab), and that we should call Weber and explain our situation. He wrote down the number and gave it to me.

This morning, I called the number and talked a Weber rep named Marge. Marge took my name, my number, my grill type, and then asked me what was wrong with my Weber. I told her. Marge asked a few questions, and then gave me the diagnosis, which began with “that poor little grill.” I’ll spare you the details, but basically, it was all my fault- I simply had not taken proper care of the grill. I used the wrong brush, the wrong cleaner, the wrong type of propane bottle…basically, I abused my Weber grill and the entire world mourns its plight.

“Mr. Belt, did you read the owner’s manual?” Marge asked.

“Uhhhh…….”

“Mr. Belt, honesty is the always the best policy.”

“No Ma’am,” I conceded, “I believe the owner’s manual was still in the plastic shrink wrap when I threw it away.”

Marge laughed, and at this point, I expected to get a verdict quite different from the one Ted received. At least he had an excuse- his dog couldn’t read.

Marge proceeded to give me a crash-course in Weber grill maintenance, and even made me jot down a list of the things I would need. To cap it off, she made me repeat the procedure to her over the phone.

When she was done, she told me she was sending me the parts I would need to replace the ones I had let deteriorate. A new grate, a new burner, a new regulator, a new bottle hook, and a new igniter- over $100 in parts.

I cringed. “So what’s the damage?”

“Mr. Belt, I’m going to make a one-time concession here and send you these things. Now that you know how to take care of your Weber, you should be on the right track. All I ask is that you pay for shipping.”

No problem. Marge wished me well, and we hung up the phone.

So, Weber now has two lifetime customers. Ted, and myself. Why? Three reasons:

1. They really know their stuff. Marge is a grilling guru who knew what I had done to that “poor little grill” before I even told her.
2. They care about their consumer. Marge could’ve just shipped me the parts. But she didn’t. Instead, she took the time to explain the concept of Weber grills. She wanted me to know and understand the culture and how to make the most of what I had purchased from her company.
3. They understand the value of the experience. Grilling in your backyard is all about the experience. Marge knew that my experience counts. She knew that I would tell others about my experience- whether that experience occurs in my backyard or on the phone talking to her. Just like the guy who talked to Ted knew that even though the dog chewed the part, it was the experience that counts. If you go to the Weber web site (http://www.weber.com) , you will find several ways to share your experience with others.

This is how you create lifetime loyalty in your consumer. Sure, Weber spent some money to keep Ted happy. But it didn’t end there. Ted’s shared his experience with countless Home Depot customers, just as I’m sharing mine with you here. So, two acts of brand kindness are multiplied, thereby creating goodwill and perpetuating the notion that Weber is a quality product.

The other aspect to this is that Weber took a loyal customer and turned him into an evangelist. Remember, I went to Home Depot to buy the replacement parts. I was already sold on Weber. I would’ve been content to buy the parts and keep right on grilling. Marge (and, by extension, Weber) took that opportunity and increased it…now not only will I keep on grilling, but I’ll tell the whole world how great Weber is.

Well done, and happy grilling.