NEW! Best Industry Service and Support Provider
Provider: Miele Remote Assist
Entry Statement
Why Miele developed this initiative
When a household appliance stops working, customers want clarity and reassurance quickly. Before February 2025, UK customers typically waited around five days for a technician visit, even for issues that could be resolved quickly once diagnosed. Customers wanted faster answers: to understand what was wrong, whether it could be resolved immediately, and whether a home visit was necessary.
Many appliance issues do not require a physical repair. Pilots in other markets showed faults such as reset procedures, blocked filters, incorrect settings or minor user adjustments could often be resolved when a technical expert could see the appliance and guide the customer in real time.
Consumers increasingly expect convenient, transparent, and digitally accessible services that reduce time and disruption. To meet these needs, Miele UK launched Remote Assist allowing customers to connect via video call with trained technical experts to diagnose and resolve issues safely and efficiently.
Miele’s aim was simple: to provide faster reassurance, clearer diagnosis and fairer service decisions, giving customers the choice to resolve minor issues immediately without waiting for a technician. Remote Assist puts the customer firmly in control of their service journey.
For retailers, Remote Assist improves the overall ownership experience for consumers, strengthening confidence and creating a more efficient and sustainable aftersales model. More broadly, it demonstrates how digital innovation can modernise appliance aftercare and deliver faster, more transparent and customer-focused service.
Actions taken
Launching Remote Assist required a full redesign of the traditional appliance service journey.
Miele trialled systems and processes with field technicians to test how remote diagnostics could support customers safely and effectively. This helped identify which issues could be resolved remotely, how appointments should be scheduled, and how outcomes could feed into technician visits when needed.
A dedicated team of Remote Assist specialists was established within Miele’s Customer Contact Centre. They received training in:
• Visual diagnostics via video
• Appliance fault recognition
• Customer-guided troubleshooting and safe adjustments
• Clear remote communication
Training was developed with Miele’s Technical Academy and experienced field engineers to ensure technical accuracy and customer safety.
A new service triage process escalates eligible cases to a scheduled Remote Assist appointment. During the video call, specialists visually assess the appliance and guide customers through troubleshooting steps, which may result in:
• Immediate resolution, where the issue can be fixed with expert guidance
• A technician visit, if a physical repair is required
Diagnostic information, such as images, notes, and likely parts required is shared with field technicians, ensuring engineers arrive prepared, improving first-time-fix rates and reducing repeat visits.
To ensure transparency and fairness for consumers, Miele implemented a simple pricing structure. Remote Assist is free for appliances under warranty. Out-of-warranty customers pay £59, deducted from any subsequent technician visit, so no one is disadvantaged financially for trying the service.
Success and benefits
Remote Assist has delivered measurable benefits for consumers within its first year.
Over 10% of all service requests were supported through Remote Assist, demonstrating strong adoption of this new service model.
Crucially, 55% of cases were resolved without a technician visit, avoiding approximately 6% of all service visits. This saves customers time and disruption while freeing up field service capacity.
The average time to resolution for these cases was 1.2 days – significantly faster than the typical five-day on-site wait. Customers benefited from quicker appliance recovery, reduced inconvenience, and immediate reassurance.
When a technician visit was required, pre-diagnosis during the call meant engineers arrived with clearer information and likely parts, contributing to a 5% increase in first time fix rates and reducing repeat visits.
Customer feedback frequently references the speed of support, expertise of advisors and reassurance of having an expert who can see the appliance remotely.
“Very attentive service. Lots of opportunity for me to ask questions. I didn’t feel stressed or hurried.”
“Having someone on the phone the same day we reported the problem was excellent. We were talked through the settings and the issue was resolved.”
“I was doubtful the problem could be solved remotely, but the assistant guided me through it and I fixed it.”
CSAT scores approached 70% in the first year, reflecting strong feedback on professionalism, knowledge, and speed.
Beyond convenience and cost savings, Remote Assist supports sustainability. Each successful case eliminates a technician van journey, reducing carbon emissions while preserving resources for customers needing in-home repairs.
Most importantly, Remote Assist represents a fundamental shift toward consumer empowerment. Instead of waiting days for answers, customers receive immediate expert guidance, transparent advice and faster solutions. With ongoing developments, Miele anticipates Remote Assist could eventually support over 40% of service requests.
By combining digital technology with Miele’s expertise, Remote Assist delivers a service that is faster, fairer, transparent and convenient, placing the consumer’s time, needs and experience at the centre of every decision.
Entry ID: 5746
