Every now and then we come across a product that truly is a cut above others that we have tried. Add to that quality product a company that provides equally impressive customer service and the result is a real WOW factor. This is a true story about an experience that our WRP associate, Steve, had with a company called USA Pan when he contacted them regarding a problem that he had with a baking pan he had purchased.
Steve describes himself as a "lazy" baker, as he bakes, serves and stores the baked goods all in the same pan. After making a fresh peach cobbler, he stored the entire pan in the refrigerator for a week. When Steve took the final piece from the pan, he noticed that the pan surface appeared to have been eaten away in small spots across the entire pan. He wondered if the acid from the fruit could have caused such a deterioration of the pan, and he contacted the company to notify them of what had happened. He also asked if they could mention that high acid foods can eat away the coating in the Care & Cleaning section of their website.
The next day, Steve received a response from Michelle, USA Pan's Retail Business Director. She apologized and asked that the pan be sent back so that they may send a replacement. Feeling slightly disheartened, Steve replied that while a replacement might solve HIS problem, it would not prevent other customers from running into a similar experience. He told Michelle how much he loved their pans and that he had wanted to buy more. After all, their pans are made in the USA from 65% recycled steel, use a safe & natural silicone coating, are PTFE & PFOA free, and they have worked wonderfully for him as a baker, providing even heat, sturdy construction and a heavy gauge.
Michelle replied within a matter of hours, explaining that returning the pan will give them an opportunity to examine it and to determine why the coating failed under the conditions that it did. As soon as USA Pan received the returned item, Michelle notified Steve that she would send out a replacement that same day. Much to his surprise and delight, when Steve opened the box, he discovered USA Pan had also included a free cookie sheet as a way of saying "Thank You" and making up for the inconvenience that the defective pan had caused.
With customer service like that, we can feel good recommending USA Pan to anyone who both loves to bake and cares about the environment. Here is a link to their site:
USA Pan
