Not many appliance brands can attest to having their own showroom that is open seven-days a week with weekend concierge services and gourmet academy chefs at your beck and call. This is the level of supreme after-sales service Swiss luxury brand V-ZUG prides in and one that its customers can truly testify to.
The promise on V-ZUG’s stellar customer service even extends to the chef personally coming to your home to cook for you or orientate you around your new appliances. V-ZUG is also the only appliance brand that conducts cooking classes at its flagship store with the occasional appearance by celebrity gourmands!
Here, these proud V-ZUG owners share why they chose the Swiss manufacturer over so many other premium brands in its price category.
Interior designer stamp of approval
If it was not for their interior designer from The Monocot Studio — who has worked with V-ZUG before — a young couple who wish to be known as Mr and Mrs Huang would not have known the excellent product offerings by the Swiss brand.
“We were actually considering a mainstream brand but our interior designer told us to check out V-ZUG. It was definitely more beautiful to look at and with better features. At the showroom, the salesperson took the time to get to know us and our lifestyle and only recommended the appliances she felt we really needed,” says the husband.
The couple own a V-ZUG CombairSteam oven, induction hob and hood as well as a dishwasher in their con- dominium at Novena, which is designed to resemble a mini ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) with light wood furnishings and matching cabinetry that seamlessly blend with the exquisite mirror finish of V-ZUG’s appliances.
“When our kitchen was fully done, the V-ZUG chef personally came down to run through the appliances with us and teach us how to use and clean the machines. She taught us some tricks and tips on ways to reheat different food. We were really impressed by how versatile the cooker is,” says the wife. “It’s not every day that a chef pays a visit to your home and gives you one-on-one advice. We feel we really made a good choice going with V-ZUG.”
She adds: “We also took the extended warranty which gives us 10 years of coverage for a nominal fee. I think when you’re dealing directly with the brand itself, rather than a third party dealer, this gives us better confidence and assurance of a product.”
Mr and Mrs Huang’s condominium is designed to resemble a mini ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) with light wood furnishings that seamlessly blend with the exquisite mirror finish of V-ZUG’s appliances
The Huangs fitted their kitchen with V-ZUG’s dishwasher to make cleaning easier as they have no domestic helper
Beautiful design, compact size
Human resources professional and cooking enthusiast Christina Yap has an open kitchen concept, which is the heart of her home located in the Tanjong Katong area. She stumbled upon V-ZUG during one of her online searches and found the design of the appliances really stunning to look at and blends well with her interiors.
“It’s important to choose appliances that are well-made and nicely designed so that they can be showcased front and centre as part of the whole design concept,” says Yap, who owns the Combi-Steam, Combair and cooker hood.
The appliance that she uses the most is the Combi-Steam to steam an array of healthy dishes. “I was looking for a good steam oven and found that V-ZUG has a much larger internal space for cooking compared to other brands, yet looks compact from the outside. It is also easy to use because it comes with pre-set cooking programmes,” she adds.
Yap also finds V-ZUG’s cooking classes beneficial as they help reinforce how to use the appliances and pro- vide alternative cooking ideas. “I would recommend this brand for its beautiful aesthetics, easy-to-use functions and fantastic after-sales support. It’s really a joy using V-ZUG appliances.”
Genial service with a personal touch
Parents of three kids, Patrick and Tracy Hu — who work in the banking and finance sectors — purchased the Combi-Steam and Combair ovens, and induction stove and hood for their new terrace home at Tanah Merah.
The couple praise V-ZUG’s sales team for helping them choose the right items for their needs. “The sales person was very attentive and slowly took the time to get to know us and understand our needs. She definitely gave us lots of suggestions and things to think about that we didn’t think about in the first place. At the same time, she wasn’t pushy at all and I think that helped because it gave us the space to consider things,” says the wife.
No stranger to the Swiss luxury brand, as her parents own a V-ZUG appliance, Tracy is impressed with the brand’s sustainability features such as cooking from a cold oven (no preheating needed) which helps to promote heat efficiency. As for Patrick Hu, he really loves the classic look and avant garde spirit of the ovens which offer both digital features and a classic mechanical knob.
“V-ZUG is in the premium range but it’s not over-the-top and you get a lot of value within this high-end segment. Our appliances help us to be more efficient cooks, while still being able to entertain our guests, without any need for a helper,” he says.
Reliable and responsive concierge service
A self-professed foodie, account manager Richard Ng fitted V-ZUG’s CombairSteam oven and induction hob and hood into this contemporary penthouse maisonette located along Thomson Road. He chose V-ZUG — which he affectionately calls the BMW of kitchen appliances — for many reasons. Firstly, unlike most appliances bought through third party vendors, V-ZUG is sold directly at its showroom which is also the V-ZUG customer service centre.
Open seven days a week, you are assured personalised care and attentiveness from its staff even on weekends, while other brands only offer post- sales service on weekdays. Another factor is the availability of stock and quick turnaround of technical support — something other brands cannot guarantee, especially at the height of the pandemic when there was a supply and manpower crunch.
“Service at V-ZUG is amazing. Staff at megastores are like car salesmen, they just want to close the deal. But the people at V-ZUG really want to know what your needs are and will even advise what you need and don’t need,” says Ng.
“It’s not about getting service when you want it, but knowing that there’s someone there to address concerns when you need it. During the Lunar New Year holidays, I accidentally chipped off a piece of glass from the induction stove and texted the concierge for help. Very quickly I got a reply, and the next working day, someone came over to help replace it for me. Although V-ZUG is more exclusive, there are people always there when we need them and that gives me a lot of confidence.”
PHOTOS: Albert Chua/The Edge Singapore
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