Unfulfilled customer expectations
By Eddieelcid73. Thursday, April 13, 2006 4:07:37 PM

Until recently, I've always used a "bagged" vacuum. It's had the paper bag inserts that you can throw and replace. My life has gone something like this:
1)Bag fills with junk
2)Replace bag- wait, I'm out.
3)Go to store
4)Which store sold them again (for my model)?
5)Can't find my vacuum bags anywhere, so I get a generic or "closest fit"
6)Cut or otherwise manipulate the bag to fit right
7)It never does, a mess ensues when I return to steps 1 and 2.
Having been duped by that process one too many times, I decided that I wanted something more "user centered." I got myself a bagless vacuum from the Home Depot. (Everstar Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner-Model VC9550 Pictured right). I realize it's inexpensive, but I have a small apartment and didn't need the black hole/vortex generating Dyson. I got this thing specifically because I had the expectation that emptying my vacuum was going to be a better experience for me. No more bags/stores/bad fits. I just walk to my trash can and push a button or two.
Thing was working great. Nice vacuum for the money. Until it got time to empty the canister. I easily ejected the "gunk" cannister and walked it to the trash can. Pressed the button and.... nothing. Nothing at all. The bottom escape hatch didn't even open. I had to pry it open with my hands to get the lid to open. I expected that once I did this, I would get a rush of dirt spilling out, so I wisely used caution as I pried. But no, still nothing. I cautiously peeked inside. There is lint and gunk all clogged inside around the center filter.

You see where I'm going with this. I had to reach in to start pulling this stuff out. Now I've actually made my experience slightly worse than it was before. Sure I have one less thing to put on my shopping list, but an ideal user experience (in my mind) does not include pulling the inner junk of my vacuum out with my bare hands.
I feel let down by this experience. If your product design implies that something is going to be easy to use, it should be easy to use- at the very least, your product's improvements shouldn't turn out to be detriments. Don't leave your customers with unfulfilled expectations.
Ok- I'll fulfill my end of the bargain and empty more regularly, if you have a pet with even a small amount of shedding, that's probably not going to help any.


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walterbugscout # Thursday, April 13, 2006 7:36:58 PM
i use a bagless cyclone vacuum cleaner, the filter is in the middle and the surface of the filter is only about 20% of the surface if you use a bag.
so i have to empty and clean the vacuum very often.
think i will have to buy a new one!
Anonymous # Saturday, May 20, 2006 4:48:45 PM
Anonymous # Monday, June 5, 2006 10:27:45 PM
Eddieelcid73 # Tuesday, June 13, 2006 2:15:15 PM
Maybe someday though.
vlad2344_1 # Saturday, July 29, 2006 9:19:42 AM
The cost? It will pay for itself, will bring you new customers, will get you extra money on the side, will make you friends with the opposite sex, and will save you money on your taxes.
How's that for a return on your investment?
Eddieelcid73 # Monday, July 31, 2006 2:43:40 PM
I heard that was an urban legend.
Anonymous # Wednesday, August 9, 2006 1:03:05 PM
Anonymous # Sunday, September 3, 2006 9:05:18 PM
Eddieelcid73 # Wednesday, September 6, 2006 10:26:01 PM
My had an internal filter thing break as well.
Anonymous # Wednesday, November 29, 2006 2:06:13 PM
Anonymous # Tuesday, December 19, 2006 1:22:23 AM
Anonymous # Sunday, December 31, 2006 4:38:27 PM
Eddieelcid73 # Tuesday, January 23, 2007 10:28:52 PM
Oh well, we get what we pay for.
Anonymous # Thursday, February 22, 2007 4:04:27 AM
Anonymous # Monday, February 26, 2007 1:14:22 AM
Anonymous # Tuesday, March 13, 2007 2:06:37 AM
Anonymous # Thursday, April 19, 2007 5:41:01 AM
Anonymous # Thursday, April 26, 2007 6:34:08 PM
Anonymous # Wednesday, May 2, 2007 4:49:30 PM
Anonymous # Wednesday, May 16, 2007 9:25:24 PM
Kenneth Maagekmaage # Monday, May 21, 2007 11:13:33 AM
We do have the Dyson DC20, and the motor and suction and emptying are all good. However the hoses and attachments have a "cheap" feel at times. Frustrating because of how much we actually spent on it.
Anonymous # Tuesday, June 12, 2007 1:23:01 AM
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akiba37 # Thursday, November 1, 2007 7:30:43 PM
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haiki # Thursday, January 31, 2008 3:24:03 PM
Yes, I have a Hoover Empower upright, works great. It's great all except for the price of the Hepa filter, $29. I soon realized that the filter became extremely dirty after it's first cleaning and saw that replacing this Hepa filter will be soon and often. Built almost like automobile filters, as well as other paper filters. How I solved the replacement, cost problem. Go buy a roll of Bounty paper towels- 2 ply . Take one sheet, (not the half sheet) and separate the ply sheets. You end up with 2 separate sheets of ply. You will notice how the one ply is constructed of many small fine holes, enough for air to pass through, just like a filter. Wrap one sheet around the round, approx. 12 inch Hoover Hepa filter. There will be an overlap. To secure it tape it in 3 spots. Save the other ply for your next vacuuming. The paper ply sheet will stop much of the real dirt from reaching your filter, but it will suck dirt just fine, and will prevent replacing this Hoover Hepa filter because it's clogged with dirt. After each vacuuming, tap the Hoover filter to clean out any other small dirt it many have accumulated, and replace the paper ply filter. You may find you may never have to replace this costly filter. Try it, you’ll like it!
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