Moan 2...

"FedEx dropped a package on the front porch," Beth said. "Do you think it's from Moen?"

"So soon? I doubt it," I said.

Last week, I shared how I emailed Moen to get a replacement for the broken sprayer on my kitchen sink.

The problem: I didn't keep the receipt. But I did email a photo of the faucet. Anyone familiar with their product line would know the age of the model.

And apparently someone did. This week, Moen came through. I got my replacement sprayer. They also threw in a couple of new faucet handles. Nice touch.

I'm impressed. They've endeared themselves to me by their responsiveness.

A few ways Moen could have improved the experience:

1.) Email me acknowledgement. I didn't know they got my email with my mailing address or that they were working on my request.

2.) Include a note. It would have been nice if they included a personalized Thank You note in the package. But this may not have been practical since it shipped from a warehouse that might not have been near the customer service center.

Don't get me wrong. These are minor tweaks. Moen had already exceeded my expectations. (But there's always room for improvement. And good communications is good marketing.)

Next time I need a faucet, I may look at Kohler or Price Pfister. But I think I will be drawn to Moen by my positive experience.

I only begrudge Moen for one thing: ruining my Saturday. I'll likely be on my back contorted into some odd position pretending I'm handy while struggling to replace the old sprayer. Then I'll likely have an ache in my shoulder or back from the project and not sleep well that night. ;)

(Maybe they should have thrown in a bottle of Aleve!)

Takeaway: Customer service is as much a part of branding as advertising, public relations, or packaging. No publicity stunt can build customer loyalty as much as good customer service can. Although I hate to admit it, often "actions speak louder than ads".