Bernina Dealer of the year award…
Goes to my dealer, the Quilt Sampler, in Springfield Missouri. I posted pictures yesterday of how my presser foot was off center after having taken the machine up for servicing on Monday. (My dealer has a fairly new technician). It was off center already, and had been so since the day I brought it home, but was worse after having been adjusted.
Because my dealer is so far away, and Jim leaves for New Orleans on Monday for a month, I can’t go back up as that’s too long for me to leave the dogs (although I suppose the chickens would survive), especially since there’s always the chance they won’t be done in time for me to drive home before dark, at which point I end up staying overnight at my parents as I’m totally night blind.
I was going to take the machine down to a dealer in Benton, but I’d not only have to leave it for a week or so, I’d have to pay for it as well. So I emailed my dealer with pictures, not really sure what to expect…
She’s sending one of the technicians to my HOME! That’s a three hour one way drive! I am beyond impressed, and while I’ve always been extremely happy with the service I’ve received from my dealer, this goes to show they are at least a notch above and beyond the typical dealer.
I’m so glad I sew on Bernina machines. I have had the BEST experience to be had, between wonderful machines, an extremely supportive dealer, and Bernina themselves. I will be writing a letter again to Martin Favre, about my dealer’s exemplary service.
Wow that is impressive! I was able to visit Quilt Sampler last week when I was in Springfield and loved the store. I also visited the Merrily We Quilt (sp) and thought it was nice too. You can’t beat that kind of service.
Marla, now that you’ve visited “home” to me, and have seen the super stores I used to have access to, you can imagine how left out of the loop I feel down here, LOL. There are no quilt stores or dealers like that anywhere close by!
They are both great store. Merrily We Quit Along is fairly new at being a Bernina dealer, The Quilt Sampler took over the Bernina business when the original store that had the dealership closed down about 10 years ago. They picked up support on my 170, and I’ve been with them ever since.
Wow, you are one lucky gal….I’m shopping for the 830, (Christmas present from DH) too bad I’m not near Springfield.
Valarie, awesome! It’s such an amazing machine. There are just so many really cool features on the machine, and not just “fluff” either, that it really makes sewing a pure joy. Wait til you get a load of the absolute positioning in embroidery… once it clicks and you see how it works, you’ll fall out of your chair in amazement.
Amazing! It’s too bad other Bernina dealers are not that customer friendly. Whenever I go into our dealer, all they want to do is sell me a new machine. And I love the machine I already have. But it makes me hesitant to go into their store, for any reason. They are the only ones around unless I want to drive an hour away
So consider yourself fortunate to have such a great dealer, even if you do have to drive such a long ways.
CJ, Awesome service! My HQ dealers tech comes to my home for routine cleaning and he one hour one way in Pelham, NH. Bits-N-Pieces if anyone is in the NH area.
CJ,
What a wonderful dealer!! No wonder you drive three hours one way to deal with them. That is service above and beyond. Dealers like that are few and far between. Hope this time you will get your foot fixed correctly.
Jocelyn, I can fully appreciate your reticence, high pressure sales make me nauseous!
Ann, glad to hear that, isn’t it nice to know good old fashioned service can still be had? I’d like to see our country step back in time a bit and embrace that concept again. Perhaps with our sluggish economy, people will slow down and once again realize quality is better than quantity.
Mary Ann, amen! I think that’s pretty amazing!
When the dealer I’ve dealt with since my first Bernina, the 200/730, had been opened for one year – they received the same award (I believe it was the same).
Susie and Hank (owners of “Sew From The Heart”, have had H.P. Ueltschi at their shop, on more than one occasion.
Two of the times I’ve been able to be there with the last time having “one on one” time with him. He honesly asked – AND – listened to me about my Berninas. At that time I had the 430, 630 and the 200/730. I’ve got the history of Bernina Book signed by him….LOL…Scott was the one who won it at the drawing that night……..and NO WAY was I letting him keep it…..LOL
That evening special customers were invited to come and have wine and finger food to meet him.
Like you, CJ, I LOVE my dealer. And I LOVE the tech!!!!! He’s so much younger than me and knows so much more. He grew up in a Bernina household. His mom owned a Bernina shop for years before she retired. I’ve never had anything but quality, first rate service there. I’m about an hour and a half away from them.
Okay, sorry to ramble.
Hmmm– House calls. That is amazing they would do that. I’m happy for you — eager to find out how that all works out.
BTW — I forgot to ask. Why would the other shop charge you to fix this. Your machine is under warranty isn’t it?
Lucy, there’s no parts to replace, it’s simply an adjustment, so it’s just labor and doesn’t fall under warranty work.
OK, CJ! Now you have me curious….I couldn’t find an email address to email you directly, but where are you now? I have gone to the Quilt Sampler since they opened and also to Merrily’s. In fact, my “entry” into the virtual Quilt show at Park City Girl was an old 2002 First Saturday BOM from the Quilt Sampler that I finally finished a couple of years ago…how funny is that? LOL
Nice to have a home connection!
Bari
Hi Bari, there’s a link to email me over on the right side in the “Misc Debris” section. Jim took a “6 month” contract at Arkansas Nuclear One (Russellville AR) 5 years ago, and we’re still here!
Not sure whether to say it’s good Jim’s in New Orleans or not! Sounds like that means little time together. If you get the RV fixed, will you guys be there for a bit? Hope it all works out.
We’ll haul the RV back to our dealer in MO when Jim is done with the outage next month Janice, for repairs. At that point, I have no clue what the plan is, as his contract will be out of funds again as far as we know.
Wow CJ, that is service. While my dealer is OK, but I know for sure they wouldn’t send a tech to my house and I only live 20 minutes a way.
Yes Renee, I thought it beyond impressive myself! I wouldn’t have been able to use my machine for over a month until Jim got home, as I can’t be gone long enough to make the trip without someone here to watch the dogs.