Comments on: The “Extra Dollar” Campaign http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2007/03/27/the-extra-dollar-campaign/ 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. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:06:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Ernie Kieffer http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2007/03/27/the-extra-dollar-campaign/#comment-1217 Ernie Kieffer Tue, 03 Apr 2007 20:03:13 +0000 http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2007/03/27/the-extra-dollar-campaign/#comment-1217 Just another price item to be added to our invoice when we buy new units. Look at your invoices, the RVIA seal price is added as a seperate line item. The manufacturers are expecting the retail customer to pay for market expansion so why would this extra dollar be any different? They will just add it to the invoice and expect the retail customer to pay for this training anyway. The manufacturers could at least hide this cost in the base price and let us dealers think they are paying for it! Just another price item to be added to our invoice when we buy new units. Look at your invoices, the RVIA seal price is added as a seperate line item. The manufacturers are expecting the retail customer to pay for market expansion so why would this extra dollar be any different? They will just add it to the invoice and expect the retail customer to pay for this training anyway. The manufacturers could at least hide this cost in the base price and let us dealers think they are paying for it!

]]> By: steve plemmons http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2007/03/27/the-extra-dollar-campaign/#comment-1213 steve plemmons Tue, 03 Apr 2007 16:57:06 +0000 http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2007/03/27/the-extra-dollar-campaign/#comment-1213 Well guys, I am going to have to get on my stump again, but this one causes me to speak up. It's sad to say I don't think the dollar will help, until the commitment is made to have a total quality industry. Let's face it, our industry has to little accountability to the people. We don’t want the government to regulate us, but we also are allowing anyone to build almost anything and sell it. Anyone can take an Amish barn, and start a manufacturing plant with very little regulations, or expense. It makes the manufactures like Winnebago, and others have a very tough time Competing. We have too many manufactures popping up, building any kind of quality they want, with little or no parts and service systems, and no training. Then some dealer will pick it up, and some customer will buy it. It’s free enterprise, but at what, and who’s expense? Many times the dealer will then jack the price up to the level of a quality unit, and give a huge discount, or put huge money in the trade, and kill a quality product, and dealer. then that customer tells someone else, and make a qualilty dealer look like he's ripping people off. That is a problem with manufactures. Next the problem with 80% of the dealers is all they want to do is sell something, and make a buck. We do not have enough commitment to customers for life. My dealership has made it 56 years, but it gets tougher everyday because many dealers sell junk, and more than 60% of the customers don't know the difference. You can talk all you want about people doing research on the internet before they buy, but the statistics still show over 60% don't know enough to make a good purchase Decision. They trust the dealer to be truthful, or they buy from an individual selling his junk because he is unhappy with the RV lifestyle. This RVving is a beautiful thing when done right, but I don't see the commitment to do what is right by the total industry. Yes there are a few of us trying, but it's tough, and hard to compete with the ones taking the short cuts. To the manufacturers, and dealers who don't take the short cuts, and do it right. My hat is off to you. Yes it take a lot of money, and work to do the right thing, but boy do you sleep good when you sell a quality product, keep your promises, and have a very high customer satisfaction rate. It is amazing how much you can get done in a day when you don't have to talk to unhappy customers, and handle their complaints! So somehow we have to teach the manufacturers, and dealers to do the right thing, and we must find a way to make it pay off, make them see the benefit.Our livelihoods and future depend on getting this fixed. I say it has to be a passion for the whole deal, not just sell. Well guys, I am going to have to get on my stump again, but this one causes me to speak up. It’s sad to say I don’t think the dollar will help, until the commitment is made to have a total quality industry. Let’s face it, our industry has to little accountability to the people. We don’t want the government to regulate us, but we also are allowing anyone to build almost anything and sell it. Anyone can take an Amish barn, and start a manufacturing plant with very little regulations, or expense. It makes the manufactures like Winnebago, and others have a very tough time Competing. We have too many manufactures popping up, building any kind of quality they want, with little or no parts and service systems, and no training. Then some dealer will pick it up, and some customer will buy it. It’s free enterprise, but at what, and who’s expense? Many times the dealer will then jack the price up to the level of a quality unit, and give a huge discount, or put huge money in the trade, and kill a quality product, and dealer. then that customer tells someone else, and make a qualilty dealer look like he’s ripping people off. That is a problem with manufactures. Next the problem with 80% of the dealers is all they want to do is sell something, and make a buck. We do not have enough commitment to customers for life. My dealership has made it 56 years, but it gets tougher everyday because many dealers sell junk, and more than 60% of the customers don’t know the difference. You can talk all you want about people doing research on the internet before they buy, but the statistics still show over 60% don’t know enough to make a good purchase Decision. They trust the dealer to be truthful, or they buy from an individual selling his junk because he is unhappy with the RV lifestyle. This RVving is a beautiful thing when done right, but I don’t see the commitment to do what is right by the total industry. Yes there are a few of us trying, but it’s tough, and hard to compete with the ones taking the short cuts.
To the manufacturers, and dealers who don’t take the short cuts, and do it right. My hat is off to you. Yes it take a lot of money, and work to do the right thing, but boy do you sleep good when you sell a quality product, keep your promises, and have a very high customer satisfaction rate. It is amazing how much you can get done in a day when you don’t have to talk to unhappy customers, and handle their complaints!
So somehow we have to teach the manufacturers, and dealers to do the right thing, and we must find a way to make it pay off, make them see the benefit.Our
livelihoods and future depend on getting this fixed. I say it has to be a passion for the whole deal, not just sell.

]]> By: chris beh http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2007/03/27/the-extra-dollar-campaign/#comment-1196 chris beh Fri, 30 Mar 2007 22:49:19 +0000 http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2007/03/27/the-extra-dollar-campaign/#comment-1196 Yeah, stick the consumer for another buck. Yeah, stick the consumer for another buck.

]]> By: Sean Woodruff http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2007/03/27/the-extra-dollar-campaign/#comment-1186 Sean Woodruff Wed, 28 Mar 2007 20:24:25 +0000 http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2007/03/27/the-extra-dollar-campaign/#comment-1186 I have to agree with Bob on this one. Another $1, or another $100 for that matter, isn't going to solve the systemic problem. One of the manufacturers need to step up and show some leadership in the areas Bob mentions. I think it will only take ONE and the rest will start to follow. Where is the ONE? The funny, or sad if you really think about it, thing is that the history has already been written in the auto industry. What is that about those who ignore history? That's right, they are doomed. I have to agree with Bob on this one. Another $1, or another $100 for that matter, isn’t going to solve the systemic problem.

One of the manufacturers need to step up and show some leadership in the areas Bob mentions. I think it will only take ONE and the rest will start to follow. Where is the ONE?

The funny, or sad if you really think about it, thing is that the history has already been written in the auto industry.

What is that about those who ignore history? That’s right, they are doomed.

]]> By: Milton Stevens http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2007/03/27/the-extra-dollar-campaign/#comment-1183 Milton Stevens Wed, 28 Mar 2007 15:06:14 +0000 http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2007/03/27/the-extra-dollar-campaign/#comment-1183 I am making an effort to purchase some of the FEMA trailers in order to defend myself. I hope the industry effort to auction or sell to dealers works. They had on-site auctions for hurricane Andrew trailers which protects the dealer better because the customer has to go to auction site and wait to bid. The retail buyer turn out was minimal at that time. The on line auction throws us further in the ditch. I am making an effort to purchase some of the FEMA trailers in order to defend myself. I hope the industry effort to auction or sell to dealers works.
They had on-site auctions for hurricane Andrew trailers which protects the dealer better because the customer has to go to auction site and wait to bid. The retail buyer turn out was minimal at that time. The on line auction throws us further in the ditch.

]]> By: Bob Zagami http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2007/03/27/the-extra-dollar-campaign/#comment-1172 Bob Zagami Wed, 28 Mar 2007 00:08:22 +0000 http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2007/03/27/the-extra-dollar-campaign/#comment-1172 You can't hide behind just another dollar bill. AS Wayne has pointed out, what about the revenue already beging generated on the backs of the consumer. You know every seal that goes on an RV is charged back to the buyer, so who is actually supporting the industry here? Why can't the suppliers, manufacturers and dealers just do what is right? Most of them do, but a lot of them don't. Why should the manufacturers that build quality product be asked once again to subsidize the stupidity of the RV industry? Hell, let's put another ten dollars on every poor quality RV that leaves the manufacturing floor and winds up on the dealers lot ... that will get somebody's attention. You can not simply keep adding more financial penalties to make up for the issues discussed over and over in these forums and Greg's blogs? Education should be a part of every training program, and not with another price tag attached to it. The manufacturers must train their people on how to build the RV the right way, the first time. Suppliers must implement quality control programs that assure that their products work, and don't fail, causing problems all the way down the food chain. Manufacturers must train dealers on selling value and not price. There's a reason why some RVs cost $15,000, others cost $50,000 and some a whole lot more. They are priced different because they are built different. They are priced different because they use different components. They are priced different because there is value and quality built in the product. Why do we have so many sales people that can't figure this out? Maybe because they were never taught how to sell value and quality and not make excuses for the larger price tag! Another $400,000 in the bank accounts of Go RVing, RVDA, or RVIA is not going to make a dent in the industry problem. When the industry, and its various constituents, decided that they are going to get serious about the poor quality that still exists in far too many products being sold today ... then, and only then .. might we develop the image of quality that is unfortunately just lip service for many companies in the industry today. No amount of money, whether it's an extra dollar here and there, or an extra ten dollars here and there, is going to make people change their ways until they start doing, and stop talking, about QUALITY. As I've said in other responses to some of Greg's blogs, the Go RVing campaign is simply finding new prospects and customers that replace the frustrated and fed up consumers that abandon the RV lifestyle. If it was really doing what it was designed to do it would be "expanding the market." If we are truthful with each other, we are not expanding the market. Oh we get a different demographic but they replace consumers leaving the life style. We get extreme outdoor enthusiasts that have gravitated to our toy hauler selections ... but they simply replace other consumers leaving traditional travel trailers and motorhomes on the front lawn with a "for sale" sign on them! Sorry Greg, another dollar isn't going to solve this problem! You can’t hide behind just another dollar bill. AS Wayne has pointed out, what about the revenue already beging generated on the backs of the consumer. You know every seal that goes on an RV is charged back to the buyer, so who is actually supporting the industry here?

Why can’t the suppliers, manufacturers and dealers just do what is right? Most of them do, but a lot of them don’t. Why should the manufacturers that build quality product be asked once again to subsidize the stupidity of the RV industry?

Hell, let’s put another ten dollars on every poor quality RV that leaves the manufacturing floor and winds up on the dealers lot … that will get somebody’s attention.

You can not simply keep adding more financial penalties to make up for the issues discussed over and over in these forums and Greg’s blogs?

Education should be a part of every training program, and not with another price tag attached to it. The manufacturers must train their people on how to build the RV the right way, the first time. Suppliers must implement quality control programs that assure that their products work, and don’t fail, causing problems all the way down the food chain.

Manufacturers must train dealers on selling value and not price. There’s a reason why some RVs cost $15,000, others cost $50,000 and some a whole lot more. They are priced different because they are built different. They are priced different because they use different components. They are priced different because there is value and quality built in the product. Why do we have so many sales people that can’t figure this out? Maybe because they were never taught how to sell value and quality and not make excuses for the larger price tag!

Another $400,000 in the bank accounts of Go RVing, RVDA, or RVIA is not going to make a dent in the industry problem.

When the industry, and its various constituents, decided that they are going to get serious about the poor quality that still exists in far too many products being sold today … then, and only then .. might we develop the image of quality that is unfortunately just lip service for many companies in the industry today.

No amount of money, whether it’s an extra dollar here and there, or an extra ten dollars here and there, is going to make people change their ways until they start doing, and stop talking, about QUALITY.

As I’ve said in other responses to some of Greg’s blogs, the Go RVing campaign is simply finding new prospects and customers that replace the frustrated and fed up consumers that abandon the RV lifestyle. If it was really doing what it was designed to do it would be “expanding the market.” If we are truthful with each other, we are not expanding the market. Oh we get a different demographic but they replace consumers leaving the life style. We get extreme outdoor enthusiasts that have gravitated to our toy hauler selections … but they simply replace other consumers leaving traditional travel trailers and motorhomes on the front lawn with a “for sale” sign on them!

Sorry Greg, another dollar isn’t going to solve this problem!

]]> By: George Plate http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2007/03/27/the-extra-dollar-campaign/#comment-1171 George Plate Tue, 27 Mar 2007 23:35:30 +0000 http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2007/03/27/the-extra-dollar-campaign/#comment-1171 I believe any way to easily raise money for education in our field is an excellent one.As a career Master ASE - Master RVIA technician,I am primarily self -taught in my field as there is little on-going training available at most R.V. dealers and even less incentive to seek it out.The work ethic I was taught 35 years ago of personal pride and satisfaction in a job well done along with customer relations is not even recognized much less promoted anymore.Its all about the buck,No wonder our industry is struggling,our ship is sinking and we are passing out anchors ,People today STILL expect to buy a quality product and they are NOT getting it,After all, R.V.'s ARE bought with DISPOSABLE INCOME.It can very easily go somewhere else,we should be building and selling ENJOYMENT not Headaches.By the way,my 95 Bounder class A,,,,,,,Priceless I believe any way to easily raise money for education in our field is an excellent one.As a career Master ASE - Master RVIA technician,I am primarily self -taught in my field as there is little on-going training available at most R.V. dealers and even less incentive to seek it out.The work ethic I was taught 35 years ago of personal pride and satisfaction in a job well done along with customer relations is not even recognized much less promoted anymore.Its all about the buck,No wonder our industry is struggling,our ship is sinking and we are passing out anchors ,People today STILL expect to buy a quality product and they are NOT getting it,After all, R.V.’s ARE bought with DISPOSABLE INCOME.It can very easily go somewhere else,we should be building and selling ENJOYMENT not Headaches.By the way,my 95 Bounder class A,,,,,,,Priceless

]]> By: Wayne Post http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2007/03/27/the-extra-dollar-campaign/#comment-1168 Wayne Post Tue, 27 Mar 2007 22:48:50 +0000 http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2007/03/27/the-extra-dollar-campaign/#comment-1168 Tell me if my calculations are correct: $1 extra will generate $400,000 !! So, at $59 per seal we're paying, x 400,000 units, the present fee's generate $2,360,000. Maybe the RVDA could use a share of those funds to do the project you mention. In the few years since the fee started, it has already grown a lot. Tell me if my calculations are correct:

$1 extra will generate $400,000 !!

So, at $59 per seal we’re paying, x 400,000 units,
the present fee’s generate $2,360,000.

Maybe the RVDA could use a share of those funds to do the project you mention. In the few years since the fee started, it has already grown a lot.

]]> By: Jim Palma http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2007/03/27/the-extra-dollar-campaign/#comment-1166 Jim Palma Tue, 27 Mar 2007 21:05:41 +0000 http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2007/03/27/the-extra-dollar-campaign/#comment-1166 I do not mean to sound jaded, but our culture values the dollar more than integrity so much so that we are not likely to see quality workmanship and service again until Jesus Christ comes back. I am looking forward to it. I do not mean to sound jaded, but our culture values the dollar more than integrity so much so that we are not likely to see quality workmanship and service again until Jesus Christ comes back. I am looking forward to it.

]]> By: Barry Blakely http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2007/03/27/the-extra-dollar-campaign/#comment-1165 Barry Blakely Tue, 27 Mar 2007 20:57:53 +0000 http://www.rvtradedigest.com/interactive/2007/03/27/the-extra-dollar-campaign/#comment-1165 Customer dissatisfaction comes from several different places: One, for sure is the dealer that really doesn't care about giving real customer service or providing quality service in the first place; Second, salespersons that promise that a $15,000 product will deliver $50,000 vehicle expectations; Third, the poor Service Department that has to support that same $15,000 product; Fourth, a manufacturer that spends more time & effort in creating systems to make it almost impossible for a dealer to collect warrant claims; Fifth, which then results in the dealer possibly not providing warrant work for that particular manufacturer; and Sixth, there are some absolutely just stupid customers...I don't mean just the ones that don't know any better... but those customers that should have never been sold in the first place... and you knew that going into the sale. But, you also knew that if you didn't sell them something, then someone else was going to anyway...so you might as well make the profit anyway. Let's see more manufacturers come up with Parts & Service programs like Winniebago. Let's seem them make it easier & faster to handle warranty issues and eliminate the road blocks that may exist. While I don't see anything wrong with the $1 program, it's not going to solve all the problem, but it can be a major step in the right direction from the dealer side of the issue. A customer should be proud of their vehicle. The dealer should be proud to not only to sell & service his products, but how he does it as well. A manufacturer should be even more proud of their product & how it is made; and their dealer network. "Pride is a personal commitment. It is an attitude which separates Excellence from Mediocrity." Quote from unknown source. Customer dissatisfaction comes from several different places: One, for sure is the dealer that really doesn’t care about giving real customer service or providing quality service in the first place; Second, salespersons that promise that a $15,000 product will deliver $50,000 vehicle expectations; Third, the poor Service Department that has to support that same $15,000 product; Fourth, a manufacturer that spends more time & effort in creating systems to make it almost impossible for a dealer to collect warrant claims; Fifth, which then results in the dealer possibly not providing warrant work for that particular manufacturer; and Sixth, there are some absolutely just stupid customers…I don’t mean just the ones that don’t know any better… but those customers that should have never been sold in the first place… and you knew that going into the sale. But, you also knew that if you didn’t sell them something, then someone else was going to anyway…so you might as well make the profit anyway.

Let’s see more manufacturers come up with Parts & Service programs like Winniebago. Let’s seem them make it easier & faster to handle warranty issues and eliminate the road blocks that may exist.

While I don’t see anything wrong with the $1 program, it’s not going to solve all the problem, but it can be a major step in the right direction from the dealer side of the issue.

A customer should be proud of their vehicle. The dealer should be proud to not only to sell & service his products, but how he does it as well. A manufacturer should be even more proud of their product & how it is made; and their dealer network. “Pride is a personal commitment. It is an attitude which separates Excellence from Mediocrity.” Quote from unknown source.

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