Durability and Repairability of Grinder Coffee Makers: Behind the Scenes of Jura’s Elite Aftersales Service

In the hospitality center in Gennevilliers, near Paris, the Swiss brand Jura gave us an appointment to present to us after-sales service operations. This concept and rewarding venue for the high-end brand blends showroom (shop) and repair shop, to the point of sometimes thinking of selling cars of a prestigious and even luxury brand.

We will also quickly see that the manufacturer leaves nothing to chance, with a welcome aesthetic that is specific to the customer. This allows the brand to write machine support scripts into the after-sales service, so that this chore — which we know is more pleasant than returning a machine to the manufacturer for repair — becomes an enjoyable experience. And we must admit, it’s very successful thanks to a set of turntables, aesthetic and refined diagnostic screens … and a small coffee shop, of course.

Jura doesn’t believe in a planned obsolescence

“The brand wants to develop this hospitality center concept in all countries where it is established with sufficient market share. To date, we have centers of this kind in about fifty countries.Anna Laglese, Jura’s director of marketing and communications, told us.

She strongly refutes the idea of ​​Jura’s planned obsolescence and says she generally doesn’t believe in it in the home appliance market. She also explains that the whole business of the brand is precisely to create, from generation to generation, a reputation and a loyal customer, which can only be passed on through durable and reliable products whose longevity speaks for itself.

The demand for sustainability on the part of the brand is explained, according to Anna Lagleize, by its anchoring in the single-product market: “When you sell only automatic coffee machines, you need to constantly innovate to renew yourself and be on the market. And when I say innovations, I mean things that matter to the customer, that actually facilitate and improve his use of the product or the quality of the coffee he drinks”.

when repair is needed

We can never repeat it enough, and it is valid for any device: the product is more sustainable from an environmental point of view because it lasts over time. In fact, three-quarters of their environmental impact generally corresponds to the manufacturing phase alone. However, a product that lasts is one that is reliable and easily repairable. So it is easy for us to impose on Jura the argument of self-repair; Furthermore, Jorah quickly refuted it with the result that any personal initiative was discouraged by annulment ipso facto warranty once an amateur repair attempt is discovered.

Other, more technical means are also implemented. Anyone who has ever tried to disassemble a Swiss press knows that the process requires specific tools and special parts.

Jura explains: “Maintaining some of the internal elements of the machine, such as the percolator, requires certain technical knowledge. How is it completely disassembled? How is it reassembled?” We then prefer that our customers go through our network of repairmen who are equipped, trained and approved by Jura, especially since we ensure accurate traceability of each machine during its life cycle.

Remember the diagnostic screen? If the one shown to the customer is relatively brief and understood by all, the five-pin plug attached to the coffee machine connects to a black box and also reveals to the technician many other information about the life of the machine.

Sasha, technician at Gennevilliers Hospitality Centre, explains: “In repair, the most problematic machines we have to deal with are those that have been tampered with by users. This also poses a problem for our support, because we cannot be held responsible for a serious later defect if the machine has been modified before going to our workshop”. Because you know your Jura will keep in your memory the name of the duly sworn technician who will handle it, always for questions of traceability and liability. Again, we understand the brand.

Spare parts are available for at least 8 years

In terms of longevity, the duration of availability of spare parts is of paramount importance. In the aftermarket part of Gennevilliers’ Jura reception center that we were able to visit, parts storage racks take up about half the space. We are committed to providing spare parts for eight years.Anna Lagleize tells us, specifying that depending on the actual availability of parts and compatibility with newer parts, older machines can still be salvaged from recycling or trash by the brand’s technicians.

We also learn that some parts can evolve while remaining compatible. Without necessarily having a recall program, it is already possible to make repairs with new compatible parts to correct a small defect in the first series. “This is the advantage of having a lot of trackable data about our after-sales operations. We will be able to quickly identify a recurring problem, put our R&D on the spot and suggest a solution” Sasha explains.

However, do not think that you will restore the luster of your masterpiece Jura Rio d’Oro Automatica Plus by sending it to Gennevilliers or an authorized repair center. “We try not to exceed 2 hours of intervention on each device”According to our interlocutor. But still, according to him, with a bit of luck, we can get all of 2003 back on their feet.

Carbon Effect, a “modern” concept for Jura

“The concepts of sustainability from the point of view of climate, carbon balance, etc. are ultimately fairly recent concepts and there is no doubt that we are still making progress on this point. But what is key to understand is that without talking about the environment, in the Jura The idea of ​​a robust, repairable product that will last over time has been in our DNA from the very beginning.”Get to know the Marketing Director. For information, the Ademe (Environmental Transformation Agency) estimates the emissions of an automatic coffee maker at 190 kg CO2e over a five-year use cycle. In Jura, this is a calculation that we obviously haven’t done yet.

“As technicians for the brand, we recently visited the R&D center in Jura in Switzerland and were able to get an overview of the tests carried out before mass production of our models of coffee makers. You should know that everything is tested over 25,000 cycles of use. We are in In reality, we simulate the production of 25,000 cups of coffee through the design of the machines.Sasha says. On the other hand, it is impossible to know whether the concept of eco-design has been addressed in research and development approaches. Undoubtedly, the process of opening, repairing and maintaining the machines is important for the brand, given the level of training of technicians and repairmen, but in the absence of a desire to give the keys to repair to the consumer, we doubt that the brand will go further than that.

As we expected, Jura charges quite a bit for its elitist circuit after-sales service. Not to mention the benefits of semi-professional machines. Staying on consumer coffee makers, know that after the 25-month warranty, a basic maintenance or cleaning fee of €99 is charged. Repair packages range from €189 to €259 before 10,000 cups, and from €229 to €299 over 10,000 cups. Prices to which transportation costs (45 euros) must be added if the customer is not able to bring their own equipment and take advantage of the reception at the Hospitality Centre. All interventions as well as any replaced parts are guaranteed for 12 months.