MILWAUKEE, Sept. 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- As homeowners
in Texas and Florida braced for recent Hurricanes Harvey
and Irma, Briggs & Stratton Corporation increased customer
support efforts to ensure outdoor power equipment owners were
prepared before, during and after the storms.
As the world's largest manufacturer of gasoline-powered engines
for outdoor power equipment, and a leading supplier of portable and
standby generators, Briggs & Stratton understands the need to
ensure the safe and reliable operation of outdoor power equipment
in storm situations like Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Over the last
several years, Briggs & Stratton has donated nearly
$1 million of generators and pressure
washers to 183 American Red Cross chapters in disaster-prone
locations nationwide, like Texas,
Louisiana and Florida. The Red Cross stores this equipment
in distribution centers so it can be easily deployed as natural
disasters occur, allowing these products to be some of the first on
scene before and after disaster strikes.
Both prior to the storm and in the midst of the storm,
homeowners turned to the Briggs & Stratton website for help. In
Texas and Florida, the Briggs & Stratton website
included targeted "How-to" tips and a dealer locator to ensure
portable generator owners had performed routine maintenance prior
to the storm so their generators operated properly. "In the current
digital age, we understand homeowners are turning to self-help
content, either through their desktops, tablets or phones," states
Rick Carpenter, vice president of
corporate marketing. "Our web traffic increased two- to three-fold
in Texas and Florida, respectively, immediately prior and
during the storm."
For customers who chose instead to call, Briggs & Stratton
increased their Answer Center workforce by more than 20 percent.
"Sometimes people just want to hear a voice so they can feel
reassured they are following the right measures to prepare their
generators in a storm situation," Carpenter said.
And for those folks who need help after the waters recede, they
can turn to a robust network of dealers. Briggs &
Stratton has more than 15,000 dealers in the U.S., all served by
Power Distributors, the single national distributor of Briggs &
Stratton® engines, parts and whole goods for dealers and
select retailers. As part of its commitment to servicing the dealer
network, Power Distributors reached out to more than 1,000 dealers
in the storm-affected areas to ensure they weathered the storm, and
to provide assistance dealers needed to take care of their
customers.
Briggs & Stratton is also there for customers as they clean
up after the storm. Homeowners oftentimes use pressure washers to
clean dirt and debris on the outside of their homes. For first-time
pressure washer users, Briggs & Stratton recommends carefully
reviewing operator's manuals to ensure safe and proper usage, or
going online at briggsandstratton.com for information on "Pressure
Washer 101."
And after homeowners have moved back into their residences,
Briggs & Stratton recommends they consider a standby generator
as a more permanent solution to power outages. Standby generators
are permanently installed, operating on either natural gas or
liquid propane. Both natural gas and propane generators provide a
seamless transition from utility to backup power. "Portable
generators can provide an immediate solution to an impending storm
if homeowners don't have a standby generator," says Carpenter. "But
a more permanent solution, a professionally-installed standby
generator, gives homeowners the peace of mind needed in a storm
situation because they operate automatically and eliminate the need
for a homeowner to add gasoline."
With almost 110 years of expertise in delivering outdoor power
equipment solutions, Briggs & Stratton provides the highest
level of customer support to those in need during a
storm.
Briggs & Stratton reminds everyone to use portable
generators safely. Portable generator users should never operate a
portable generator indoors, in a garage or in any other enclosed
structure, or near open windows. If portable generator users
experience dizziness, fatigue, headache, nausea or irregular
breathing, Briggs & Stratton advises users to turn off the
portable generator, get fresh air and seek medical attention
immediately. As a member of the Portable Generator Manufacturers'
Association, Briggs & Stratton invites homeowners to visit
www.TakeYourGeneratorOutside.com to learn more about portable
generator safety.
For additional information on selecting, using or maintaining
portable generators, pressure washers or standby generators, please
visit www.briggsandstratton.com.
About Briggs & Stratton Corporation:
Briggs & Stratton Corporation (NYSE: BGG), headquartered in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is focused
on providing power to get work done and make people's lives better.
Briggs & Stratton is the world's largest producer of gasoline
engines for outdoor power equipment, and is a leading designer,
manufacturer and marketer of power generation, pressure washers,
lawn and garden, turf care and job site products through its Briggs
& Stratton®, Simplicity®,
Snapper®, Ferris®, Vanguard™,
Allmand®, Billy Goat®, Murray®,
Branco® and Victa® brands. Briggs &
Stratton products are designed, manufactured, marketed and serviced
in over 100 countries on six continents. For additional
information, please visit www.basco.com and
www.briggsandstratton.com.
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SOURCE Briggs & Stratton Corporation