Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

First upright from Miele

29 February 2008 This summer, Miele will launch its first range of upright vacuum cleaners – the S7.  It will consist of about six models, all of which feature ultra large dust bags and  “a unique swivel body, which makes it easy to manoeuvre in even the trickiest  of room layouts”. According to the company,  the decision was made following  numerous requests from customers that wanted to buy Miele  but would only use  an upright model. Text: courtesy ERTweekly.com Picture: courtesy Miele.co.uk, 2009 Edited 21st March 2009; reason: loss of original image.

Just got an email from eBay today. About 10 Miele S7510s are up for sale in the UK for the equivalent of slightly under $500 each (GBP 359.58). Is that a deal? I checked online by way of Argos and some other online vendors but don't see Miele uprights in their inventory though several canisters are offered.

Thanks,

Venson

Venson wrote:

Argos don't stock the more expensive Mieles - no powernozzle models, for instance.

The S7510 can be found brand new on eBay for as low as £295, plus £8 shipping. Looking at online retailers:

- appliancenet has it for £289.48

- Buyers & Sellers has it for £299

- Redhill Appliances has it for £308

- electricshop.com has it for £309.99

- Hughes Direct has it for £320

- Kitchenscience.com has it for £323.18

- appliancesdirect.co.uk has it for £325.92.

- 365electrical has it for £329

Some have slight additional shipping charges, but even factoring that in, all of them seem to cost less than £359.58. Since the TOL AutoCare HEPA S758 can be found from online retailers as low as £344, the eBay deal you mention doesn't sound like such a bargain!

Model2 wrote:
Thanks Model2,

I was trying to get price comparisons for Europe and the U.S. Here, prices range as high as $950.00 for the two top S7 models.

Best,

Venson

Hiya Melanie,

Any news yet?

Venson

Hi,

I've been looking around for vacuum news of interest. Haven't found a lot but was most surprised to learn that March is National Vacuum Month.

AND - - the following link leads to an article regarding an inventive Miele dealer down Texas way. He's going for a "Spring Cleaning Kick-off" event.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/prweb/20090316/bs_prweb/prweb2230394_1

Venson

HEY! MIELE! ARE YOU LISTENING?

As a group the regular posters to this forum are some of the most vac savvy and thus influential people in the vac buying decisions of family, friends, aquaintances, and co-workers. This delay is not setting well with me, for sure, and I have already informed no less than three people to hold off buying a vacuum and to expand their research into other brands besides Miele. Unresolved complaints about vacuums in particular seem to linger on the net. Look at the sheer volume of Kirby complaints alone that are still there after 2,5,even seven years. And not just Kirby, there is plenty of well deserved blame to share. GET OFF YOUR DUFFS AND GIVE THIS WOMAN A NEW S7! Live up to your reputation, prove you are for real. "Immer Besser" must apply to customer satisfaction, as well as product or it is meaningless. This really is a deal breaker, and you have no way of knowing how much damage your delay has already done, but the only way for Miele to come out a winner is to exchange out Catlady's Miele S7. DO IT! If you think you are winning by delaying, you have already lost, and the end has already begun. It's how it always starts, "You can't please everyone, so a few dissasisfied customers don't really matter." Really? Ask Circuit City about that.

Trebor

Hear hear.  Well said.  As is this short blessing appropo for the feast day of St. Patrick who it is said quipped that a little non-sense in a saint's life is good for the soul.

St. Patrick's Toast:

May those who love us, love us.

And those who don't love us, may the Lord turn their hearts.

And if He can't turn their hearts,

May He turn their ankles, so we'll know them by their "limpin."

Carmine D.

Hey Carmine!

Thanks for sharing, I had heard that before, but was unaware that it was attributed to St. Patrick.

I have always loved St. Patrick's Day, I'm half Irish.

Erin go Braugh (Gaelic for 'Ireland Forever)

Trebor

Trebor wrote:
A bit harsh, don't you think Trebor? Miele is very good at standing behind their products. After all, it was the VAC SHOP problem as well. Miele has already stated to her that they will replace the hose and Catlady has been in talks with the proper departments. I don't think they are "delaying the process" on purpose. What else do you want them to do? If Miele decides that a new S7 is in order for her, then I am sure they will handle appropriately.

Rad 1,

The Miele rep has the authority to make the call to replace the customer's S7. As I said, I personally witnessed  a Miele rep authorize  a cordwinder replacement seven years after the sale, and a wand replacement four years after the sale. The reasoning? "A 700.00 vacuum should not have these kinds of mechanical failures. We are not talking solely about a mechanical failure, we are talking about an error on the part of the retailer, who should have either looked up the repair procedure, or called upon Miele's repair resources. The customer paid for a new vacuum, and has every right to expect it to be returned to her without damage inflicted by the shop that is supposed to be qualified to repair it. I am not saying it was intentional, but I am saying that anything less than immediate exchange is unacceptable. There simply is no justification or excuse for anything else. Every company has people who handle escalated complaints, even Miele. Melanie just has not gone high enough yet. I think the problem lies in the rep's inexperience in dealing witha situation of this nature. Heck, at this point the DEALER should exchange it out and argue about the cost with the rep and Miele later. The number one rule of retail is "satisfy the customer." Once in a while you get taken adavantage of, but it is more cost effective to make the customer happy, and ask later, "How can we avoid repeating this event?" rather than delaying a satisfactory resolution. By the time what should have been done right away finally is done, it no longer seems satisfactory because of the time aggravation and  frustration involved in trying to get the issue resolved. By now, I would have called the BBB about the matter. I'm livid and it's not even my vacuum. Melanie, it's time to take off the gloves and get it done. Call Miele customer service and tell them, politely but firmly you want to speak to someone who has the authority to settle customer satisfaction disputes of under 1000.00. You will permit them to transfer you ONE time. Explain, again politely, that you do not want to be transferred just to be shoved off onto someone else, that you want someone with real authority to resolve your issue.

And if that doesn't do it, call your local TV consumer reporter. Trust me, the shop will not be abe to give you a new vacuum fast enough. Be sure to give ALL the names of everyone you spoke with at Miele, including the Miele rep. Lots of people who have never even heard of Miele yet are potential customers. Think about it, do they really want the first time someone hears the Miele name to be negative? You are in the driver's seat, and if they don't see that, they are already in the ditch.

I was a branch manager for FOUR years for Electrolux. I fixed a lot of customer issues by simply saying, "Every penny you save on customer satisfaction is one more penny of the golden name of Electrolux turned to tin. It's not her fault we sold her a cheaper product on the reputation we used to be worthy of. It is not the customer's abuse of her machine that is at issue here, it is our abuse of her trust." I had my own file in James McCain's office full of letters from satisifed customers who were thrilled with the service they received from my branch. Time is of the essence in these matters.

Trebor