Have you ever accidentally become the go-to guru for an entire community? That’s exactly what happened to a couple from Summerland, B.C., who found themselves swimming in a sea of BBQ-related phone calls, all because of a mysterious mix-up!

This charming couple, Jim Klassen and Mirjana Komljenovic, have been dishing out kindness and grilling advice to confused callers after their phone number was mistakenly listed as the customer service line for Napoleon Grills, a well-loved Canadian barbecue brand.

It all started when Jim, a passionate griller, reached out to Napoleon about upgrading a part on his trusty grill. Little did he know that his number would soon become a beacon of hope for BBQ enthusiasts in distress. Jim's casual conversation with a company representative somehow led to an avalanche of calls—people desperately seeking help with their grilling dilemmas!

“It was kind of fun,” said Komljenovic, laughing. “We would have these wonderful conversations.” However, these weren’t just any calls; they sometimes came from frustrated grillers, ready to flame up their complaints. Yet, the couple maintained their composure, never hanging up, even when tempers flared.

Gary Scott, the vice president of marketing at Napoleon, expressed his bewilderment over the situation, stating, “Not only is it rare to have something like this happen, but it's rare to have a consumer who took the actions that they did.” As it turned out, search engines like Google had latched onto the incorrect contact information, automatically directing BBQ troubleshooters to Klassen's phone. Imagine getting bombarded with up to 20 calls a day about charcoal challenges and grill gas leaks!

But instead of losing their cool, the couple embraced the chaos. “It’s just not who we are,” Komljenovic explained. With Jim’s easygoing nature, conversations often drifted from grill tips to topics like the weather and politics. It was a real community outreach effort, albeit unintentional!

For those questions that stumped them, they would redirect callers to White's BBQ and Fireplace Centre, a local dealer for Napoleon Grills, ensuring callers got the help they needed. These chats created a unique connection, a network of grillers supporting each other through a shared passion.

Eventually, after countless calls and exchanges, Napoleon Grills made the necessary changes to their website, removing Klassen's number and stopping it from being suggested in searches. To honor this couple’s outstanding patience and kindness under pressure, Napoleon has officially named them Honorary Customer Service Ambassadors, a title they’ve never bestowed upon anyone in over 50 years!

As a token of appreciation, the couple will receive a top-of-the-line grill from Napoleon, and to celebrate, they’re inviting the Napoleon staff for a barbecue, marking the end of this unexpected saga.

In a world where tech glitches can lead to frustration, it’s heartwarming to see how kindness can turn a mishap into something special. Jim and Mirjana not only kept their cool; they turned an inconvenience into a community-building experience—a true testament to the saying, 'when life hands you lemons, make lemonade'…or should we say, 'when life hands you grilling calls, fire up the BBQ'!