The only class that I still try really hard to go to now is my serger class, because every time I go I learn something new. I own a Viking emb machine and have spent over 10,000 in that store and from the time I bought my first machine, and then the very expensive software and then the second machine, I've been promised to have classes on one of my days off, Thu thru Sat and after over 4 yrs they still have no classes for emb during this time frame for me. I've done some of thier weekend retreats for emb which requires me to take Sundays off. I even told them I was going to sell my machine because if I wasn't going to get classes like promised then I could have bought from Walmarts and spent alot less. I used to go to monthly emb club, which requires an hour drive after working a 10 hr shift at work to catch the last hour of class. but for over a yr most of the classes are things they've already taught and I know so there is no point to waste gas and time for something I already know how to do. Finally I told them I wasn't giving them any more money for anything since they could care less about what I need. With me having 3 days off a week I'd think there would be a way of scheduling at least one day a month so that I could get more training on what I need. My serger is thru a different company and they have several stores and have classes on different days. The store closest to me even switched which day they would have the serger class to make it easier.
The other problem is that my machines are big and heavy and sometimes when my back is really bad its hard to pick it up. I know that once I get to the store I'm good and someone will take it in for me but I don't always have someone to load it for me. The serger store will use a store serger when I have a problem like this. Its not as new as mine because mine is the latest but it is new enough it will still do all that mine can do. This store cares about its customers and shows it. If I do miss a class, I can go out to the store and they'll give me the instructions to do it at home and the only time I have to pay for anything (besides thread and fabric) is if there is a pattern involved and I get a discount.
I do the you tubes and internet but love the class involvement and the one to one instructions. I need to know that I'm learning something new, not just a pattern but new techiques. Maybe you should have your shoppers do a sign up to what they might like. My serger stores tells us all the time if we want to see something different to let them know and they'll either teach a class or help us learn. If you use more than one brand of machine as in sergers or emb machines, let them know that anyone can come. I've heard alot of people complain that the only store around them is not for their machines. People want a variety and to be able to learn. My longest and favorite class was the civil war class, where the beginning our teacher would teach us about some of the war and our blocks. I was in several classes with her until her store closed down. She was so approachable that you knew you could ask her anything and wasn't made feel dumb.