I brought my Miele vacuum to Mr. Bernier on a Thursday afternoon and explained that while the electrical on/off switch was good, the plastic housing it was in was broken. I got the distinct impression he wasn't listening to me, but he assured me he would be happy to fix it. He apologized and asked me to call back the following week for an estimate because there were many repairs before mine.
I called the following Thursday. After having it a week, Mr. Bernier still did not have an estimate for the time or the cost to repair my vacuum. He asked me to call back on Monday. On Monday, I called during lunch and he said he would call me right back. Two hours later, I called him again. I should emphasize that if the conversations that followed had gone differently, I would not be writing this review. I understand repairs can be delayed, but things went so far off the rails and Mr. Bernier behaved so unprofessionally that I am still in disbelief.
Monday was a full 11 days after I had dropped of my Miele. Mr. Bernier still had no information about when the repair would be completed or how much it would cost. I told him I was no longer interested in having my vacuum repaired and to please put it back together for me to pick up the following afternoon. Mr. Bernier became angry and condescending, repeating that if he just put the vacuum back together, it would not be fixed. I cannot fathom how any person would not understand that concept, but Mr. Bernier felt the need to repeatedly try to explain it to me. Throughout the conversation, he interrupted me, talked over me to the point that I could barely finish a sentence, raised his voice, and offered me a loaner vacuum over and over after I made it clear I was not interested.
It felt like he was holding my vacuum hostage. I called him back a third time to make it clear I would be picking up my machine and told him I would even take it if it was still in pieces because the only thing I wanted was my property returned to me. He repeated several times that I should call him the next morning for the estimate and to pick up the loaner. It was infuriating.
When I went to pick up my Miele the following afternoon, there was a couple in the store who were about to sign paperwork to buy a new vacuum from Mr. Bernier. I am convinced this is the only reason he kept his composure at all. When I went into the back to pick up my vacuum, he grabbed it before I could touch it and "explained" to me that it wasn't the switch that was broken, it was the housing--he literally told me the exact thing I had told him when I dropped it off 12 days previously.
He even had the audacity to tell me I needed to give him a deposit for the replacement part, while still holding my vacuum in his hand. He didn't tell me how much the part would be, just that he needed a deposit, all after I had told him many times that I no longer wanted him to repair my vacuum and was no longer interested in buying the part from him to repair it myself. I was dumbfounded. After almost a full minute of me repeating "No, thank you" and asking him to please hand me my vacuum, he finally gave it back. He then followed me as I tried to walk out of the store and asked me if I needed any vacuum bags. I politely but firmly declined, and he said, "Well, you better buy them somewhere else!" As if I would ever think of giving him my business again.
I called All Brand Vacuum in Portland to ask about the repair. In the course of a two-minute phone conversation, I explained what was broken on my vacuum, and the employee quoted me for the part, the labor, and the time it would take to repair. In the 12 days Mr. Bernier had my vacuum, he was able to give me none of that information. And when I decided not to leave my vacuum with him any longer, he treated me so unprofessionally and with so much disrespect that I am astonished he didn't go out of business decades ago. I regret ever setting foot into his store and urge anyone reading this to avoid doing so. read more
