Kudos to Clif Bar & Company – Outstanding Customer Service
effective communication, marketing February 10th, 2009
Got this letter from Clif Bar in response to my inquiry about my favorite Nutz Over Chocolate Luna Bars. Nicely done, Clif Bar & Company.
Great copy notes:
- Sincere works
- Took responsibility
- Proactive in voice and tone
- Answered the unarticulated questions of their consumers
- Took a stance for quality
Dear Friends,
As athletes and outdoor adventurists, Kit and I are no strangers to challenging
situations. They may be tough to get through, but they show us that we can achieve more than we ever
thought was possible.Today, we’re facing a different kind of challenge. Clif Bar expanded its voluntary recall due to a broader date range of potentially affected peanut products manufactured by Peanut Corporation of America, the focus of the FDA’s Salmonella investigation.
We know that our voluntary recall has shaken people’s confidence in our products. And we are deeply sorry that it has caused concern and inconvenience among our consumers, retailers and business partners.
While there are many players in this complicated situation, we are not interested in finger pointing.
We are accountable for the food we make. At this time, we can tell you that none of our recalled products has tested positive for Salmonella. But in light of the FDA’s investigation and mounting consumer confusion, we are taking the following actions immediately:
Clif Bar is taking a break and temporarily suspending production and shipments of our recalled products with peanuts and peanut butter. Now and during this break, consumers can enjoy our 91 other products that do not contain peanuts or peanut butter.
We’re reviewing our own business practices to ensure that we’re doing all we can to continue raising the bar in food quality and safety.
By doing this, we hope to cut through the confusion and give consumers peace of mind and confidence in future purchases of our products containing peanut ingredients.
In the coming months, the country’s food safety system will undergo intense scrutiny and potential changes. We currently meet or exceed the food industry’s safety requirements, and we look to set and achieve higher standards than those required by governing bodies.
We appreciate that you hold Clif Bar – and us personally – to high standards. As we face this challenge head-on, we thank you for your understanding and the support you’ve given us over the years.
Sincerely,
Gary Erickson & Kit Crawford
Co-Owners, Clif Bar & Company
February 11th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
This is great! Thanks for sharing. Clif Bar is a heroic company in my opinion. Just read “Small Giants” by Bo Burlingham. Their story is inspirational to all small businesses. Doesn’t surprise me that they would do the “right thing” when it comes to the peanut recall.
February 11th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Indeed. And yet all companies have the opportunity to do the right thing yet some still run from doing it. Thanks for the comment.
May 6th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Update: 5/6/09 Still using this as an example of stellar customer service. Used my free coupons the other day and fell in love with a new flavor. Continued kudos Clif Bar & Company!