:lol: Good news folks! I went to AQS in Nashville, and, through a series of meetings, met a Viking rep from higher up in company. Not sure of her exact position. She asked for samples and I supplied them the next day at the show. She said she would elevate the problem. Elevate she did.
Just a few days later, Mary from the local store, called to say she had approval to replace my machine with a new one. (Mary has been wonderful through this whole thing, but she really couldn't get any traction higher up.) I sewed free motion at the store for 1/2 an hour and NO THREAD BREAKS or problems at all!!!
I wish there was an easier way to obtain quality, first hand technical support, and trouble shooting for these computerized machines. If Viking could make customer service "job 1," I think they could sell more of these machines than they could even imagine.
I use an interactive Smartboard, gradebook.com (grades online for parents), digital photography, power point, and love technology in the classroom of any kind. BUT, there is technical support available if a problem arises. I have seen teachers that are fearful of technology light up with proper training and great technical support.
Many people who sew all kinds of things would buy buy buy if they had training and technical support. What are these sewing machine/software folks thinking? I would leave the classroom to work for a company that supported and trained women properly to use these computerized sewing machines and the complex software that accompanies them.
Photoshop with all its bells and whistles is way cheaper ($100's) than sewing software ($1,000's), and you need almost no training because of its intuitive design. There is absolutely no technical support for the sewing software. Would anyone buy computer software if they had to go back to the store where they purchased it together with their computer for technical support? How many of you have purchased this expensive software and never used it? I bet a lot, and you won't purchase any more when that happens.
The interactive smartboard people come to the school and offer as many training sessions as a school needs. They know teachers will use any tool that is powerful, easy to learn and has technical support. Once you know the basicsl, the sky is the limit. They sell a lot of boards this way. The software is a free download after you buy all the equipment. How many boards do you think they sell that way?
I think the sewing machines and their software would be the same way. We pay $1,000's for the sewing software and it is little-used or understood. This does not lead to lots of use and repeat sales.
Anyone else have solutions for this issue?