Wrong Number Turns Couple Into BBQ Customer Support Heroes

A couple whose phone number was mistakenly listed as a BBQ company’s help line ended up receiving hundreds of calls from across North America at all hours of the day. But rather than get annoyed, they embraced the mix-up and started answering people’s questions.

Jim Klassen and Mirjana Komljenovic, who live in the Okanagan in British Columbia, Canada, found themselves in this unexpected role after their number was accidentally listed as Napoleon BBQ’s help line on Google and Apple.

“We would receive phone calls… they were right across North America, sometimes at 4:30 in the morning, sometimes at 8 o’clock at night,” Komljenovic told Castanet.

Instead of ignoring the calls, the couple answered every one — giving out contact details for local reps and the company’s headquarters, as well as sharing grilling tips (they own a Napoleon themselves). They even fielded questions about the Okanagan, with curious callers asking about everything from cost of living to property taxes.

When Napoleon learned what Jim and Mirjana had been doing for months, they corrected the online information and decided to thank them in a big way. The company named them Honorary Customer Service Ambassadors and gifted them a brand-new Napoleon Prestige 665 BBQ.

The couple says they truly enjoyed the experience. “We really enjoyed it because it was just pre-election… there was always lots to talk about,” Komljenovic said. “People were asking us questions about the Okanagan, how much we paid for house taxes, all sorts of questions — so we just answered. Some of them became friends. It was second nature to help out.”