Customer service is one of our key values, and we’re excited to spend some time getting to know Lina this month!
Lina has been a Customer Service Manager with Zojirushi for almost two years and she brings freshness and passion to her role.
Lina, can you tell us a little bit about your role as a Customer Service Manager?
My primary job is to make sure that I help customers with their Zojirushi product, whether they need support finding the right product to fit their needs or whether they have questions after they’ve bought their product, like how to use certain features or what recipes would be great, or even finding replacement parts. I have to be a product expert to do my job well, so I also learn about each product, give input to R&D and help with warranty and repair requests.
Sounds like you have a lot going on! How did you get into this role?
I grew up with Zojirushi products. Since before I even knew the name, I can remember seeing the elephant on all our household products. I’m proud to work for a company I believe in and can recommend to everyone.
Zojirushi products are stocked in the customer service area that allow representatives to walk through processes with customers over the phone
We’ve heard that from everyone we’ve interviewed this year… that Zojirushi is a great company to work for and that our corporate values are embodied throughout the organization. How do you see our values and our corporate philosophy of Creating a Quality of Life translate into your role?
I believe our values of quality and attention to detail make this company. We get customers calling in about rice cookers and bread machines they have had for 20 years which are still working in great condition! I have seen all the thought and effort that goes in to the design of new products to allow for the best aesthetics and functionality. We try our best to assist customers to ensure they are satisfied with their products whether it be by troubleshooting any issues they may have or providing them with step by step instructions on how to operate their products. We have actual units we use that allow us to ‘walk through’ with the customers so we see the exact same thing they see and can better assist them. We really pay attention and I think that makes all the difference.
Along with our values, our corporate tagline is Inspirations from Everyday Life. How do you see everyday inspirations reflected in Zojirushi products?
There is an increasing awareness and interest in gluten free breads and various grains for cooking in the rice cooker. Our newest bread machines reflect this and are designed to bake gluten free breads. Our newest rice cooker has a quinoa setting. We also just released a water boiler with an all-stainless steel interior. We are always developing our products to suit the needs and requests of our customers.
Daikon Pork Layered Hot Pot
You’re so passionate about our products! Do you have a favorite product or favorite recipe you’d like to share with us?
Vacuum mugs!!! I cannot live without mine. I fill it with coffee, tea or water and it helps keep me hydrated and caffeinated in the most stylish way. The mugs are so minimalistic, light, and durable. I never realized how much I would love and need it until I actually used it. Best gift to get for anyone.
And I love the Daikon Pork Layered Hot Pot. It is a beautiful dish to look at and tastes even better!! Give it a try! The Japanese have a saying that ‘you eat with your eyes first’ and this is definitely a sight to behold!
That does sound delicious! We love hearing about everyone’s recommendations. Since Zojirushi is a Japanese company, do you have any insight into the culture you’d like to share?
I recently had the opportunity to visit the Zojirushi Headquarters and Factory in Japan. It was truly a wonderful learning experience. What always impresses me about the Japanese is their dedication to their craft. They focus on one thing and really perfect it. And trust me when I tell you EVERYTHING tastes better in Japan! It’s always a fun and delicious experience when I visit there.
We can’t wait to visit Japan, either, and hope that you enjoyed learning about Lina and her perspective. Stay tuned for our next Voices of Zojirushi!
We bought a Zojirushi 10C rice cooker last year and loved it. But all of the sudden the rice turns smelly and sour the next day with some condensation at the bottom. Tried cleaning the cooker with cream of tartar and water cycle and another cycle with water only but issue not resolved.
Hi Thao, would you mind reaching out to our customer service department? They may be able to offer some suggestions. https://www.zojirushi.com/app/customer_service/entry Thank you!
I Purchased your bread machine a year and a half ago, it worked beautifully up until yesterday. One of the paddles is frozen and will not turn. Can this be repaired?
Hi Beth,
Would you mind reaching out to our customer service team? They should be able to advise you on how to unfreeze the blade. Glad you’re enjoying the breadmaker!
https://www.zojirushi.com/app/customer_service/entry
Did you get a response on how to fix this. Mine is doing the same think only one paddle working.
Hi Debbie,
Please reach out to our Customer Support. They will be able to assist you removing the kneading blade. https://www.zojirushi.com/app/customer_service/entry
Thank you!
I also have this problem with my bread machine. However it is an older model that they don’t make anymore. I use to love my Zorjirushi bread machine until I had this problem. The customer service is no help. It is an OLD machine (they don’t make parts for anymore or at least you can’t buy them) and I just wanted to try to get a part to see if I can fix it myself before I buy a new machine. I think it is just the belt that keeps slipping off (so the paddle won’t turn), BUT you can’t even get a belt from them. I was told you have to send it to the service center. So that means I have to spend the money to send it the service center for them to tell me what’s wrong (even though I already know). Doesn’t make me want to ever buy Zojirushi again.
Hi Susan, we are sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, internal parts for any of our electric products are not available. The breadmakers can be a bit difficult to take apart and repair so we always recommend to send it in to a service center for inspection and repair. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Zojirushi Authorized Service Centers: https://www.zojirushi.com/app/service_centers
Hi. I bought a Zojirushi rice cooker (NL-BB05) from Japan. I need help with the translation on the control panels. Can you please help me with that?
Hi Jackie, the NL-BB05 is not a Zojirushi America product (it is a foreign Zojirushi model), and unfortunately we will not be able to provide support for your product. Zojirushi America can only provide product support, repair services and replacement parts for models manufactured for use in the U.S. and Canada.
We apologize for the inconvenience.
I tried baking the apple cake in my Virtuoso using the recipe in the manual and the cake cycle. When the cycle completed the cake was still liquid in the centre . Why would this happen?
We are sorry to hear you are experiencing inconsistent results with your bread machine. Please use a digital kitchen scale or try fluffing the flour with a fork to aerate and then sprinkle the flour in to a measuring cup before leveling off. This will prevent the dough from having an imbalance of ingredients and will allow for consistent results each time.
Answers to frequently asked questions may be found here: http://www.zojirushi.com/app/faq/breadmakers. Please contact Zojirushi America Customer Service at 1-800-733-6270 for further assistance or email support@zojirushi.com so we may troubleshoot the issues you are experiencing. We look forward to the opportunity to assist you.
Hi, my coffee maker just stopped working. And I noticed the unique screws, so now I cannot try to fix it , The machine does go on but not heat up.
I really like this little machine and do need to replace the filter too.
Hi there. We are sorry that you have been experiencing this. Please give our knowledgeable Customer Service team a call at 1-800-733-6270 for better help assisting you with this matter. Thank you.
I’m looking for a little part inside and above the bowl but under the cover. It’s falling to the sink and damaged. Can you help to have replacement by any chance?
Thank you very much for your attention.
Ning
Hello, assuming you’re looking for the inner lid, yes, they are available as a replacement part. Please check your model number (usually printed on the control panel), and visit our parts store at https://www.zojirushi.com/app/spare_parts/category/list. Please let us know if you have any trouble locating the model number or the part!
I bought a bread maker from Amazon. Years ago.It has a coil around the edge of the inside under the bread pan. During kneading the butter or the milk spiled over and over the years it has built so that last time I used it, it was smoking and giving off a terrible smell that I turned it off 33 minutes before the bread was done. Can u tell my how to clean it up
or tell me where to mail it from Brandon Manitoba, Canada R7A3C6
Hi Laurel, we would recommend spraying a cleaning solution like 409, Fantastic or a mild oven cleaner onto a well wrung damp cloth and then wiping the oven and around the heating element.
Please do not spray directly on to the heating element. (Some customers would first use a vacuum cleaner hose to vacuum any bread crumbs from inside the oven).
For additional inspection and/or repair inquiries, please contact the following authorized service center directly:
Beaver Creek Electronics
155 E Beaver Creek Rd#17
Richmond Hill, Ontario Canada L4B 2N1
(905)731-1872
Thank you for using our breadmaker!
Identifying an old Zojirushi with Nihongo markings. Goodwill $10 find. I can post a photo if that option is available. It is a larger cooker. Below the cook/keep warm switch is a dial with numbers. It looks like a timer, but it doesn’t make a ticking sound, so I think it might be a temperature selector (?). When the dial is set to 0, the normal cook switch operates, but when the dial is turned past 0, a green light comes on, and the cook switch is disabled. There are no English markings.
Hi Chris, we can try and identify the rice cooker for you. Please reach out to our Customer Service team with photos of your rice cooker: https://www.zojirushi.com/app/customer_service/entry
Thank you!
just received my Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus Breadmaker. can i use frozen butter in the recipe for Rapid light rye bread as i don’t have unfrozen ready.
Hi Barbara, we haven’t tested the recipes using frozen butter but if you only have frozen on hand then it’s better if it is cut into smaller pieces and placed at the bottom of the pan along with the liquids. Doing so will give it a chance to reach room temperature during the Rest/Preheat. Please let us know if you have any questions!
My deceased father gifted us with your one pound machine years ago and we have loved it. We have to make some gluten free bread, and read that It wouldn’t work with out one poundmachine. Why.?
I thought in a hevmodel we have s the BBCC-Q10.
It’s still wonderful!
Hi Jan, great question! Our older models didn’t have a HOMEMADE setting where a course could be customized. Gluten free bread recipes don’t need as much rising time and need less kneading. If made in the regular courses, they usually don’t turn out well. They tend to be extremely short. The HOMEMADE setting was first introduced with our larger models and this is why our 1lb models wouldn’t be able to successfully bake gluten free recipes. However, our newer BB-SSC10, a 1 lb breadmaker, has a gluten free setting included along with the HOMEMADE feature. Hope this helps!