Angry Customer Silenced in the Most Amazing Way by Company Co-Founder

'Tis the season for people to take out their gripes on innocent customer service reps. And while a lot of companies sit back and let their employees get chewed up one side and down the other, this company's co-founded wasn't having any of it and silenced an irate customer in a way I've never seen before.

Last week a really angry woman left the following message on the Facebook page of Liberty Bottleworks:

DON'T DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY IF YOU WANT IT HANDLED RIGHT. THEY WAIT OVER A WEEK TO LET YOU KNOW-THEY LOST YOUR PAYMENT-THEY PROVIDE A PHONE NUMBER THAT NO ONE EVER ANSWERS. IF YOU HAVE A DEADLINE-LIKE CHRISTMAS- FORGET ABOUT IT. product is great-COMPANY is NOT.

 

Company co-founder and COO Ryan Clark let it go for a bit and then he just knew he had to step in and step up for his employees.  Here's Ryan's response:

Ryan Clark, Liberty's Co-founder and COO, here. I normall do not hop into Facebook rants but this one needed addressed.  First of all, Ms. **** thank you for your order and your desire to support American Companies, Job Creation, Green Manufacturing and the Hiring of Vets. We did recieve your numerous voicemails and emails. The buck stops with me. This will I am sure will upset you but...my customer service team will not be helping you on the weekends. Your voicemail stated "it is the holidays and you should be working" and your email stated, "instead of doing my Christmas cards and enjoying the holiday spirit, I was dealing with this." Perhaps, you need to spend a bit more time embracing the holiday spirit. You see, my employees were home with their families doing their cards, baking cookies, etc. Family first, product second. If you want immediate service on a Saturday, try supporting a local your local retail establishment, such as Bill and Paul's Sportshaus, People's Food Co-op, Barnes Ace Hardware. As to your original complaint, we emailed within 24 hours of your order concerning Paypal issues. Second, we called your first thing this morning in response to your angry voicemail but you hung up on us when we introduced ourselves saying "I never want to speak with anyone from your company." Ms. ***, we pride ourselves on doing things well, we pride ourselves on doing things right, we pride ourselves on doing things the American way. Not instant gratification, 24 hour shopping on Thanksgiving type of American way, but family and country type of American way. The way our grandparents did things type of American way. I am sorry you are upset and I will gladly give you your money back, but I am not not sorry our employees were enjoying the holidays. That right is not exclusive to you. If you would like to discuss this on the phone, you may call my personal cell phone- 509-***-****.  If I do not get back with you right away understand I may be eating dinner with my wife and kids.  Please be advised we will not be shipping you your order, you will not be charged. I will not do business with anyone who threatens my employees the way you have.  Merry Christmas!

 

It's interesting to me that Ryan mentioned voicemails and emails. I've heard people bash on him for his words to this customer because of the mentality that the customer is always right, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that there's probably quite the temper tantrum trail that came before the customer posted on Facebook that we haven't been privy to.

Is the customer always right? No. Is the company always right? No. Is standing up for what you believe in always right? Absolutely. If you've found yourself doubting that there are still those in powerful positions who value the basics of life, may this prove to you that there are still some who believe that relationships, and building lasting ones,outweigh the mighty dollar.