Comments on: Sifting Out the Chaff http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2006/08/21/sifting-out-the-chaff/ Welcome to RV Weekly where the editor of RV Trade Digest will be updating you on the latest news, trends, and products important to the RV industry. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:44:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: mark vanostrand http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2006/08/21/sifting-out-the-chaff/#comment-13 mark vanostrand Mon, 09 Oct 2006 13:50:24 +0000 http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2006/08/21/sifting-out-the-chaff/#comment-13 Owners and managers that are paying attention have already reduced the number of name brands that they choose to represent. I disagree that only mega dealers will allign themselves with fewer companies. Consistently good quality and strong support from the manufacturer remains one of our biggest challenges, but in the end, most dealers have to ask themselves "Am I making money with this product"? Owners and managers that are paying attention have already reduced the number of name brands that they choose to represent. I disagree that only mega dealers will allign themselves with fewer companies. Consistently good quality and strong support from the manufacturer remains one of our biggest challenges, but in the end, most dealers have to ask themselves “Am I making money with this product”?

]]> By: Alan Cezar http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2006/08/21/sifting-out-the-chaff/#comment-7 Alan Cezar Wed, 04 Oct 2006 12:11:25 +0000 http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2006/08/21/sifting-out-the-chaff/#comment-7 This is so true. I was one of the first to have a website for the RV business. Service and quality products are where it is at. I have been doing this in the san Jose area since 1985 and wseen the dealerships fold from 13 in our area to now 2 of us!! We carry only quality products for our customers that the factories support. Simple quality and service, price is important but not the first factor in any sale This is so true.
I was one of the first to have a website for the RV business.
Service and quality products are where it is at. I have been doing this in the san Jose area since 1985 and wseen the dealerships fold from 13 in our area to now 2 of us!!
We carry only quality products for our customers that the factories support.
Simple quality and service, price is important but not the first factor in any sale

]]> By: Jim Gauthier http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2006/08/21/sifting-out-the-chaff/#comment-6 Jim Gauthier Tue, 03 Oct 2006 18:47:47 +0000 http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2006/08/21/sifting-out-the-chaff/#comment-6 Not sure I agree about your assessment that the industry in 3 years will be dominated by megadealers. The bigger a dealer gets the more product lines they want to tie up and the more fragmented the management becomes and less customer oriented because the guy running the store doesn't always have a financial interest in the dealership like someone who owned the store and was there everyday dealing directly with customers. Lots of the big guys seem to lose the personal touch really needed with the RV type customer. Manufacturers and dealers need to move towards a single source warranty to shortend the process for processing claims and headaches from the dealers point with the exceptions being motors,chassis and transmissions on motor homes. If dealers are not able to get warranty work done chassis type problems than the responsbility for warranty should revert back to the manufacturer that built the motorhome. We are presently in the process of passing such a law in Louisiana with lots of support from other state associations. Some manufactures already follow single source warranty procedures but only a couple and RVIA needs to get on board and should strongly work towards getting the manufactures accept single source warranty. Standardized forms would also be a major help. Online filing of claims works great for a few manufactures but if more manufactures would attempt to handle claims online maybe someone would design a program for everyone to use. Great use of RVIA and RVDA resources if they could get together. Not sure I agree about your assessment that the industry in 3 years will be dominated by megadealers. The bigger a dealer gets the more product lines they want to tie up and the more fragmented the management becomes and less customer oriented because the guy running the store doesn’t always have a financial interest in the dealership like someone who owned the store and was there everyday dealing directly with customers. Lots of the big guys seem to lose the personal touch really needed with the RV type customer.
Manufacturers and dealers need to move towards a single source warranty to shortend the process for processing claims and headaches from the dealers point with the exceptions being motors,chassis and transmissions on motor homes. If dealers are not able to get warranty work done chassis type problems than the responsbility for warranty should revert back to the manufacturer that built the motorhome. We are presently in the process of passing such a law in Louisiana with lots of support from other state associations. Some manufactures already follow single source warranty procedures but only a couple and RVIA needs to get on board and should strongly work towards getting the manufactures accept single source warranty. Standardized forms would also be a major help. Online filing of claims works great for a few manufactures but if more manufactures would attempt to handle claims online maybe someone would design a program for everyone to use. Great use of RVIA and RVDA resources if they could get together.

]]> By: Rich Stockwell http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2006/08/21/sifting-out-the-chaff/#comment-5 Rich Stockwell Tue, 03 Oct 2006 17:21:22 +0000 http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2006/08/21/sifting-out-the-chaff/#comment-5 Same is true of RV Parks and RV Resorts. If the park has too narrow of sites, too little amperage, and poor cutomer service, Baby Boomers are moving on. As an industry we need more modern parks. We are putting together an investment group to build modern parks and Resorts throughout the USA. Any suggested locations will be looked at. Thanks, Rich Same is true of RV Parks and RV Resorts. If the park has too narrow of sites, too little amperage, and poor cutomer service, Baby Boomers are moving on.

As an industry we need more modern parks. We are putting together an investment group to build modern parks and Resorts throughout the USA.

Any suggested locations will be looked at.

Thanks,

Rich

]]> By: Allan Day http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2006/08/21/sifting-out-the-chaff/#comment-2 Allan Day Thu, 14 Sep 2006 19:45:41 +0000 http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2006/08/21/sifting-out-the-chaff/#comment-2 There is going to be more fatigue between the Manufacturers and Dealers in the near future with RVUSA's better price button. We know the flaws of it and what will happen if not corrected. Just so the record is straight, Tim Lowry of North Trail RV Center Ft Myers FL. found the dealer/mfg agreement loop-hole! RVData.com just implimented it in for them and many other RV Dealers last May with "e-mail me a better price!" As we only allowed this for the dealers web site and not to the classifieds and Portals we will now be providing this feature for ALL RV Web sites with dealers as RVUSA.com has it now. There is going to be more fatigue between the Manufacturers and Dealers in the near future with RVUSA’s better price button. We know the flaws of it and what will happen if not corrected.

Just so the record is straight, Tim Lowry of North Trail RV Center Ft Myers FL. found the dealer/mfg agreement loop-hole! RVData.com just implimented it in for them and many other RV Dealers last May with “e-mail me a better price!” As we only allowed this for the dealers web site and not to the classifieds and Portals we will now be providing this feature for ALL RV Web sites with dealers as RVUSA.com has it now.

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