THE MANAGER OF SHERWIN WILLIAMS in Faribault just called.
He was curious about issues we had with the Cashmere paint we purchased this weekend at his store. (See my February 6 “Paint problems” post.)
Josh explained to me that, in the darker shades, like the “Whole Wheat” we chose, the colors don’t mix as well into the thinner Cashmere paint. Flecks of color were floating on the surface of the paint, even after a return trip to the paint store for extensive shaking.
Had we poured the paint into the paint tray and begun rolling it on the walls, it should have been just fine, Josh said. He knows from experience. But no one at the store (Josh was not there on Saturday) told us that and no one apparently knew.
So we ended up substituting SuperPaint for Cashmere and the color easily incorporated into that thicker paint.
While I love the new paint color, I don’t like the chalky feel of the SuperPaint, preferring instead the gliding Cashmere.
Josh asked how the whole situation was handled. My husband dealt with the paint issue and, I said, didn’t have any complaints. However, I told the manager I had expected a partial refund or store credit for our hassle.
He wanted to make things right. He wants a happy customer. He stands behind his paint. So Josh offered us a full refund on our two gallons of paint or future credit. I accepted the refund. He thanked me for bringing the issue to the store’s attention, adding that he hopes we will be back. We will.
This, folks, is an example of excellent, hometown customer service. Hats off to Sherwin Williams in Faribault.
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Wow! That is not something you will see happen as easily in the big city. Got to give the manager kudos for listening to you AND offering a solution.
Yes, this manager impressed me with his response to our concerns and his solution. That’s part of the reason why shopping local is often better than going out of town.
Wonderful service, indeed, and you’ve done a great thing in acknowledging a job well done.
Such excellent customer service seems to be a thing of the past and I thought this manager deserved kudos for his handling of the situation. Thus the post. Perhaps other retailers can learn from his example.
This is awesome! After a horrible customer experience this past weekend at K-mart, this restores my faith in the fact that keeping a customer is better than losing one, and that stores really do care about their customers!
I wish more businesses understood the value of great (even good) customer service. It seems to be a rare commodity these days.
I also want to tip my hat to Lamperts in Faribault (John specifically) which has given us great customer service regarding issues with our home improvement project. Great customer service is one of the reasons I try to shop local.