• Digital services help avoid unnecessary technician visits

• Regular software updates extend appliance lifespans

• Repairs are quicker, more cost-effective and more sustainable

To mark International Repair Day, held by Open Repair Alliance on October 18, Miele is putting its digital service solutions centre stage – thereby making a clear commitment to sustainable customer support. The company highlights how regular software updates and online support, such as short video guides, can help extend the service life of household appliances and avoid unnecessary repairs.

Every year, millions of tonnes of e-waste are generated because software updates are discontinued and electrical appliances such as smartphones and computers are discarded after only a short period of use. This year’s Repair Day, organised by the London-based organisation Open Repair Alliance, is focusing on the topic of ‘software obsolescence’. The aim is to keep electrical appliances in use for longer. Miele shares this aim. That’s why networked Miele appliances registered in the company’s app receive essential software updates for at least ten years.

The Miele app plays a central role. It combines diagnostic functions, step-by-step instructions and direct access to software updates – all in one user-friendly interface. At the same time, it is a prerequisite for the Remote Update Service. This service allows Miele to automatically update its appliances with the latest software, enabling new functions and providing enhanced security features.

Since the introduction of the Remote Update Service in 2019, customers around the world have carried out over two million software updates. These updates continually improve appliances’ functionality and make many service visits unnecessary – a real advantage for both consumers and the environment. They can also help to extend product lifespans.

Another focus of Miele Customer Service is on providing online self-help resources. “Our digital solutions enable users to resolve common faults themselves – instantly, and without needing a technician,” explains Axel Kruse, Senior Vice President Customer Service. Self-help videos on YouTube, offering practical, step-by-step instructions, are especially popular. Here are a few examples:

1. Cleaning the filters and drain pump in a dishwasher (over 1.2 million views)
2. Draining a dishwasher (over 1.1 million views)
3. Cleaning the filters in a tumble dryer (over 440,000 views)
4. Washing machines: removing laundry in the event of a fault (over 260,000 views)
5. Setting up the W1 washing machine (over 125,000 views)

In total, Miele offers over 200 self-help videos in more than 20 languages, attracting more than 5 million views each year. In addition, Miele supplies a wide range of spare parts – around 70,000 in total. Of these, nearly 500 ‘self-service’ spare parts are currently available through the online shop. These are components that customers can easily use for minor repairs, independently and with no need for special tools.

About the Open Repair Alliance

The Open Repair Alliance (ORA) is an international community of repair networks. It was established in 2017 by Repair Café International and four other organisations. The ORA combines data collected by its members to draw practical conclusions on the sustainability and repairability of everyday products. Since its foundation, hundreds of thousands of items have been fixed by volunteers, with more than 200,000 repair attempts logged in the ORA dataset.

You can find more details about Miele’s digital solutions and Remote Update Service at Miele Customer Service and Miele Customer Service – YouTube.

About Miele: For more than 125 years, Miele has lived up to its brand promise of “Immer Besser” in terms of quality, innovation and timeless elegance. Founded in 1899, the globally active company for premium domestic appliances inspires customers with pioneering solutions for the connected home. In addition, Miele offers appliances, systems and services for commercial use, such as in hotels or care facilities as well as in medical technology. With its durable and energy-saving appliances, Miele helps its customers make their daily lives as sustainable as possible. The company is owned by the two founding families, Miele and Zinkann. In the 2024 business year, Miele generated a turnover of 5.04 billion Euros with approximately 23,500 employees. Its global network comprises 19 production plants and around 50 service and sales subsidiaries (as of February 2025). The company has its headquarters in Gütersloh, North Rhine-Westphalia.