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About six months ago, while in the midst of looking for cocoa powder in the cabinet containing bottles and containers of drinks to be consumed at home, I discovered that the coffee powder had caked up. I thought it was only a small amount, but then it turned out that the coffee powder in the whole bottle had hardened. Since it was the first time for something like that to happen, I was quite shocked. It simply means no more chance of making coffee. A little chat with my parents made me realise they had bought it about two months earlier before such an occurrence.

After a few days of consideration, I decided to look online for the appropriate form on the manufacturer’s website that will allow me to convey this experience to them. After discovering how simple the process was, I typed in the necessary details and waited for the company’s response. Actually, I was prepared for no response at all! The manufacturer is, after all, well-known for coming up with various snacks and tummy-filling products. Would you believe me if I told you I submitted the required at midnight?

Well, guess what?

I found out that a representative from the company wrote back to me within eight hours after I relayed my situation. How prompt!

Based on the reply from the company, the procedure is that the customer will need to furnish them with further details about the product before a representative can actually deliver a new replacement directly to the customer.  So, I followed the steps, as requested.

As it was a public holiday the next day that also marked the beginning of a long weekend, the person-in-charge from the company took quite some time to get back to me. In fact, my mum was beginning to think that it didn’t matter if the company wasn’t willing to replace the bottled product, anyway.

Well, you’ll be happy to know that a representative from the company eventually turned up with the new bottle of decaf coffee somewhere in the following week. The representative, probably in his 50s, even asked me about my drinking habits and suggested that I drank two cups a day so as to prevent the same thing from recurring. I was tempted to ask him if he could actually do the same but decided to be silent. In fact, I wanted to tell him that it was someone else in the household who likes coffee, but he left before I could say anything more.

So, what happened to the new replacement, you might be asking?

I can only say this: the contents inside have caked up again!

Well, the one who delivered it wasn’t lying. I’ve also just learnt that high levels of humidity can cause coffee powder to cake up.

I’m not sure I’ll be writing to the company again.