Last year, I found myself in the picturesque town of Daylesford in country Victoria, where I was scheduled to speak at an event. My husband Chris and I decided to make the most of our time there, and once my speaking engagement was wrapped up, we had the entire afternoon to explore the town’s shops and galleries.
As we wandered down the main street, we stumbled upon the gallery of celebrated Australian artist David Bromley. The moment we stepped inside, I was captivated. A beautiful large painting depicting six children gazing over a fence captivated me and within a few minutes I could already see it hanging in our lounge room.
The gallery manager was super friendly and assured us that they could professionally pack the painting and have it shipped to our home in Noosa.
A week later, the painting arrived, but as soon as I saw the box, my heart sank. It was clear that, despite the gallery’s meticulous packaging, the box had been severely damaged—likely dropped during transit. I carefully unwrapped the painting, fearing the worst, and was relieved to find only a tiny scratch on the back of the frame. No damage of any significance
I immediately reached out to the gallery manager to let them know what had happened. It was obvious that the fault lay with the courier company, not the gallery. Despite their best efforts to protect the painting, a part of the process beyond their control had let them down.
A few days later, a surprise package arrived at our door. Inside was a stunning original bronze Bromley statue, accompanied by a heartfelt note from the gallery manager, apologising for the damaged delivery. This gesture was completely unexpected and utterly unnecessary, yet it spoke volumes about their commitment to the customer experience.
This experience was a powerful reminder that even when parts of the customer journey are out of our control, they are still our responsibility. The gallery didn’t just meet my expectations; they exceeded them in a way that left a lasting impression and created a raving fan for brand Bromley.
