Customer Service at its best...

Competitors rescued each other this weekend. I bought a pair of Katahdin Engineer Boots from L. L. Bean over the winter, and they quickly became a prized part of my wardrobe. The fit was excellent, and the look was more of what I wanted.

Then the dog got hold of them.

And destroyed the insoles.

This weekend, on the advice of Bean's customer service, I took the boots to our local REI to find a new insole. Not only did we work through multiple insoles and sizes, the salesman took the time to really focus on what would feel best for me in the long run — for a product they hadn't even sold me — while several other people waited not-so-patiently.

For the same reason that Bean has made me a customer for life, REI now has my allegiance. When someone takes the time to make sure you get the best product you can, I appreciate it. He might have lost a $300 one-time sale for his attention to us, but  the company gained brand loyalty for life from a family who appreciates it.