A British Columbia couple demonstrated outstanding customer service after a phone number error led to grill owners being contacted directly at their home. Jim Klassen and Mirjana Komljenovic, an incredibly helpful couple from Summerland, located on the western shore of Lake Okanagan, found themselves answering inquiries for Napoleon, a well-known Canadian grill manufacturer. (Photo: CBC News) The confusion began when Klassen contacted Napoleon about upgrading a component of his grill earlier this year. Somehow, his personal phone number became linked to the company's customer service system, though how exactly this happened remains a mystery to both the couple and the company. Gary Scott, Napoleon's vice president of marketing, admits to being baffled by the situation… (Photo: CBC News) “Not only is this kind of thing rare, but it's also rare to find consumers who commit such actions,” Scott explained. Despite Napoleon's efforts to remove Klassen's information from its website, search engines continued to suggest his number to customers seeking assistance. (Photo: CBC News) The couple began receiving calls from frustrated grill owners facing various barbecue-related challenges. Instead of hanging up when customers were confused, Klassen and Komlenovic embraced their unexpected role with typical Canadian politeness. “It was quite fun… we had such wonderful conversations,” Komlenovic recalls (Photo: CBC News). The call volume grew significant, with Klassen's phone ringing up to twenty times a day. Customers called them at all hours to discuss grilling issues, and while some callers were initially upset, the couple remained patient, never being rude, or hanging up. “We're just not like that,” said Komlenovich, who owns his own maple syrup business (and no, he's not joking about Canadians—he really does that). (Photo: CBC News) When technical issues beyond their expertise arose, the couple referred customers to White's BBQ and Fireplace Centre in Kelowna, a certified Napoleon dealer they use themselves. This arrangement proved incredibly convenient for everyone involved. “[White's staff] were very helpful with any questions [customers] had. So it was just perfect,” Komlenovich told Canadian news channel CBC (Photo: CBC News). Conversations often extended beyond barbecue tips to more general topics. “Jim just started having a good time with everyone who called… I even became friends with some of them,” Komlenovic said. Many conversations evolved into discussions of the weather and politics, creating a genuine bond between strangers. (Photo: CBC News) After processing hundreds of false positives over several months, Napoleon finally managed to prevent Klassen's number from appearing in search results. The company recognized the couple's exceptional dedication by creating a special award for them. “It's a title we've never given to anyone in our 50 years of being a company, but we created a special position for them, and of course, we're stepping down from that position,” Scott announced. The newly appointed honorary customer service ambassadors will receive a premium Napoleon grill and invite company employees to their first barbecue celebration. (Photo: CBC News)
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