based on his
personal experience
with…
BITTER? - well a little bit, if the truth be
told
In late 2020, one of our local pubs, The Hadley Bowling
Green, became part of the Butcombe Pub Family, and
having worked for a couple of Bristol-based companies, I
was aware of just how good their fine ales are. We are
sixty miles north of Bristol, and so I was looking forward
to my first local pint of draught Butcombe Bitter, but
given how because of lockdown we couldn’t go to the
boozer for just a drink, why, I thought, don’t I support
the new guys and buy some Butcombe Beer and Lager to
enjoy at home? So I did.
But on delivery day, only one of my two expected parcels
turned up, The box, containing a 24 bottle mix of 3
different ales was, according to the FedEx driver, still in
their depot as it was dripping sticky beer. Furthermore,
it would be ME that needed to report the loss and
damage to Butcombe. So I did.
The following day FedEX, who had repacked the unbroken
bottles into one of their own boxes, delivered the
remaining 21 bottles to me. On their website, FedEx
state that “We are proud of the exceptional ability of our
team members who help make each and every customer
interaction outstanding.”
When my 24 ales were damaged in transit, three of the
bottles were broken with such impact that beer and glass
shards went everywhere. How do I know this? Because
the company that “help make each and every customer
interaction outstanding” delivered the remaining 21
bottles with sticky beer and glass shards all over them.
As well as stuck on the bottles and labels, there were
glass shards in the box, and the way the bottles had been
repackaged did not present a professional courier
company in the best light, nor did it make my interaction
with them outstanding.
Now in law, my contract is with Butcombe and not FedEx.
It’s up to Butcombe to put it right, and I reported to
them, on 17th December 2020, that not only were there
just 3 bottles missing, but that I had to pop the
Marigolds on and carefully wash the beer and glass shards
from 21 bottles. It’s up to FedEx to compensate
Butcombe for such a poor customer interaction.
For my trouble, and the half-an-hour spent at the sink in
bright yellow Marigolds carefully washing away glass
shards, I fully expected Butcombe to send me the 3
missing bottles and maybe ‘a little something to
compensate for my time and trouble.’ But alas no such
good customer service. Just an email on the 18th
December stating that I would get a refund for the 3
broken bottles.
A refund that on 4th 19
th
January 2021 I’m still waiting
for…
And so, in answer to the marketing email that I received
from Butcombe today, asking if I was “ready for a top up”
and wanted to place another order, the answer is NO.
…the BUTCOMBE BREWERY SHOP….