Advice on new kitchen products

Now that we are into the new year, I thought I would offer all you new owners of kitchen products a small piece of advice.

Please follow the manufacturers instructions that are enclosed in the package or on the cover.

Why? First of all, reading through any and all instructions give you necessary information about the piece you just bought or were given. Secondly, as a card carrying member of the retail world, I can tell you that should something go awry with your product having done what the company recommends, gives you a better bargaining position when trying to get a replacement or repair. If you didn’t do what they instruct as proper usage or preparatory actions, you will be viewed as suspect.

Even if you have used similar products in the past, take it from me, each manufacturer is different. For instance, some coffee makers have different maximum amounts of coffee grounds depending on which filter you use; paper or gold tone. By not following these instructions, the product doesn’t work properly.

And please, please, please take proper care of your products!! Clean them regularly and according to instructions. I can’t tell you how many times people have returned items to our store claiming they simply stopped working and as we inspected the product found it needed to be cleaned! Some products I have rescued took upwards of 40 minutes to an hour of cleaning. Regular maintenance is easier for you the user and better for the longevity of the product.

Thirdly, you may find by reading the instructions that what you have always done in the past was wrong. That’s right, you might just learn something you didn’t know.

I can sympathize with your counter arguments; not all instructions are helpful or informative. In fact, some are downright lacking, but better to have done the right thing and be in a superior bargaining position.

Another tip from a retail veteran: during the warranty period please contact the actual maker of the product and not the place you bought it. The manufacturer wants to make you a satisfied customer. They know that a happy customer is a better sales person than any retail employee. It’s not that retailers don’t stand behind the products they sell, it’s just that warranties are given by the manufacturer (the exception here may be glassware or plates and the like). I have found very few companies that won’t work with you to solve your problem. In fact, an increasing number of manufacturers are advising people not to return a product to the place they purchased it as they want to trouble shoot the problem with you.

And along those lines, remember that the person on the phone is your friend not your enemy. You may be mad at the company, but taking it out on the phone rep’ isn’t going to help. They are just the messengers. Remember this in retail stores as well. Being a good, polite customer will go a long way toward getting good service. And remember if you take the polite high road, you are in the better negotiating position and the type of customer people will go out of their way to help.

Just a little tidbit from your friend Kitchenboy.