These days, companies seem to fall over themselves to keep the customer happy. But when you get some truly outstanding customer service, you have to spread the word.

I bought a Derwent Super Point Manual pencil sharpener recently as a different way of sharpening my pastel pencils. Tried it a couple of times when I got it home and was impressed with the job it did. So naturally, I took it apart, as per the manual, to examine the workings and see how to clean it. When I put it back together, disaster. It wouldn't sharpen with a pencil in the mechanism. I examined it, tested it and tried all sorts but couldn't get it to work properly.

So I got in touch with Derwent, who that said if I sent it back, they would examine it and send a replacement, plus a small gift to cover the cost of postage. I received a report of the problem and they duly sent both the replacement sharpener and a very generous gift to accompany it.

But the best part was that they didn't need to do it at all. The original sharpener that I sent was not faulty. All that had happened was that a piece of one of the pencils I had tested out had broken off and got caught in the mechanism, which I failed to spot. I told them that I would have been quite happy just to have the old one back, but they sent the new goodies out anyway. Brilliant. They've just gained a loyal customer.