Comments on: Complacency or Concern? http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2006/11/07/complacency-or-concern/ 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 20:11:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Bret Folkman http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2006/11/07/complacency-or-concern/#comment-102 Bret Folkman Wed, 08 Nov 2006 16:31:46 +0000 http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2006/11/07/complacency-or-concern/#comment-102 Greg, I have been in this industry for over 20 years and marvel each year that growth occurs despite the poor attitude and support of RV maunfacturers. The 70's were an example of where we could be, but buyers soon found out how they were treated and left the life style. We have counted on the boomer generation to buy for quite some time but how long can we treat quality this way and get away with it? Owners, being sales driven, choose to ignore this. They do have to tell people "it is a great product". Parts and service people have no power since they do not buy the units. So we continue on down a road where customers buying new units, having been told "1 year warranty", bring their 91 day old unit in because the roof leaks. They customers are told "the 1 year warranty does not include maintainance." The dealer knows they will not collect to reseal the roof so the industry looses another buyer. Maybe they buyer who just spent $250,000.00 on a coach should understand why the manufacturer has lost the parts order 3 times and besides that, it is on back order right now and will be another 2 months? No, it is not apathy, just owners and manufacturers turning their head to an ugly problem. It would be tempting to give the lines you carry a steller review. What a sells tool it would be to show the award off to anyone shopping a different brand. I have worked with one of these award winners and am suprised they are there. Maybe the requirements are still not strict enough. Thank you and a few other in the industry who are bringing this to the front. Lets all keep trying to improve and promote the industry through training, education, awards like this one, and a lot more listening to the customer. Bret Folkman Parts and Service Director Ray Citte Inc. Greg, I have been in this industry for over 20 years and marvel each year that growth occurs despite the poor attitude and support of RV maunfacturers. The 70’s were an example of where we could be, but buyers soon found out how they were treated and left the life style. We have counted on the boomer generation to buy for quite some time but how long can we treat quality this way and get away with it?

Owners, being sales driven, choose to ignore this. They do have to tell people “it is a great product”. Parts and service people have no power since they do not buy the units. So we continue on down a road where customers buying new units, having been told “1 year warranty”, bring their 91 day old unit in because the roof leaks. They customers are told “the 1 year warranty does not include maintainance.” The dealer knows they will not collect to reseal the roof so the industry looses another buyer.

Maybe they buyer who just spent $250,000.00 on a coach should understand why the manufacturer has lost the parts order 3 times and besides that, it is on back order right now and will be another 2 months?

No, it is not apathy, just owners and manufacturers turning their head to an ugly problem. It would be tempting to give the lines you carry a steller review. What a sells tool it would be to show the award off to anyone shopping a different brand. I have worked with one of these award winners and am suprised they are there. Maybe the requirements are still not strict enough.

Thank you and a few other in the industry who are bringing this to the front. Lets all keep trying to improve and promote the industry through training, education, awards like this one, and a lot more listening to the customer.

Bret Folkman
Parts and Service Director
Ray Citte Inc.

]]> By: Burt Gearhart http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2006/11/07/complacency-or-concern/#comment-99 Burt Gearhart Wed, 08 Nov 2006 06:16:35 +0000 http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2006/11/07/complacency-or-concern/#comment-99 Greg: can get a of all of the results to the survey?? Greg: can get a of all of the results to the survey??

]]> By: Bob Zagami http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2006/11/07/complacency-or-concern/#comment-97 Bob Zagami Wed, 08 Nov 2006 05:44:27 +0000 http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2006/11/07/complacency-or-concern/#comment-97 Congratulations to the award winners, and shame on everybody else! This is a well publicized award and one that many companies treasure each year. RVDA does a wonderful job managing the program, but they can't manage the dealers who don't respons or the manufacturers who obviously don't communicate with their customers ... and as Greg pointed out ... the dealer is their customer! Where are the manufacturer's reps who are supposed to be in constant contact with their dealers? Don't these reps have enough common sense to engage a dealer in a discussion about this award and what it means to his/her company? When these results came out this year it jumped out on many of us who report on the industry. This is a disaster waiting to happen and somebody has to step up and take responsibility for the dismal reporting from the dealer community. Several issues come to mind immediately to when reviewing the RVDA survey results. 1) The manufactuers did a horrible job of managing the process so that their company had a chance to receive an award based on their dealer's input. 2) The manufactuer's reps need a stern discussion with the sales managers to find out why their dealers are not participating. 3) The dealers are simply apathetic and probably disgusted with the quality of the product or the relationship they are experiencing with the manufacturer. 4) There is a hugh disconnect between the people who make the product and the people who sell the product. If this level of apathy is allowed to continue, then the awards will simply disappear because their will be no meaning left to them ... and that is not fair the companies that actually pay attention to these results every year. I'd like to see what reasons the dealers have for not participating this year. How about it guys/gals? Congratulations to the award winners, and shame on everybody else! This is a well publicized award and one that many companies treasure each year. RVDA does a wonderful job managing the program, but they can’t manage the dealers who don’t respons or the manufacturers who obviously don’t communicate with their customers … and as Greg pointed out … the dealer is their customer!

Where are the manufacturer’s reps who are supposed to be in constant contact with their dealers? Don’t these reps have enough common sense to engage a dealer in a discussion about this award and what it means to his/her company?

When these results came out this year it jumped out on many of us who report on the industry. This is a disaster waiting to happen and somebody has to step up and take responsibility for the dismal reporting from the dealer community.

Several issues come to mind immediately to when reviewing the RVDA survey results.

1) The manufactuers did a horrible job of managing the process so that their company had a chance to receive an award based on their dealer’s input.

2) The manufactuer’s reps need a stern discussion with the sales managers to find out why their dealers are not participating.

3) The dealers are simply apathetic and probably disgusted with the quality of the product or the relationship they are experiencing with the manufacturer.

4) There is a hugh disconnect between the people who make the product and the people who sell the product.

If this level of apathy is allowed to continue, then the awards will simply disappear because their will be no meaning left to them … and that is not fair the companies that actually pay attention to these results every year.

I’d like to see what reasons the dealers have for not participating this year. How about it guys/gals?

]]> By: Steve Plemmons http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2006/11/07/complacency-or-concern/#comment-96 Steve Plemmons Tue, 07 Nov 2006 20:24:34 +0000 http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2006/11/07/complacency-or-concern/#comment-96 Hi Greg, I agree that it is sad that our manufacturers are producing sub-quality products, but I also think it is sad that many many dealers don't take a minute to fill out the survey. I also wonder it RVIA, and RVDA have any plans to go back to the manufacturer and discuss their scores. I wonder if quality would improve if all scores were published. I wonder how the manufacturers would feel if the scores were available to the public! That would cause some of them to step up. Like consumer reports, somebody needs to let everyone else know how everyone scored. Then dealers, and customers would make more wise choices on purchases. thanks, Steve Hi Greg,
I agree that it is sad that our manufacturers are producing sub-quality products, but I also think it is sad that many many dealers don’t take a minute to fill out the survey. I also wonder it RVIA, and RVDA have any plans to go back to the manufacturer and discuss their scores. I wonder if quality would improve if all scores were published. I wonder how the manufacturers would feel if the scores were available to the public! That would cause some of them to step up. Like consumer reports, somebody needs to let everyone else know how everyone scored. Then dealers, and customers would make more wise choices on purchases.
thanks, Steve

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