Manufacturers closing plants... a solution?

[Chateau_Nomad]

Keystone in Indiana is closing two plants resulting in the loss of over 330 jobs. This is becoming a common practice among factories. I have a proposal:

It's a known fact how dealers cannot keep up with warranty work/repairs on RVs of all types. Forums are full of posts how customers typically must wait several months for any type of repair work, many times on NEW units they just purchased.

This is an indication that either dealers are woefully understaffed, lack facilities and equipment, or both. Is it any wonder that the RV industry has a black eye in the quality department? I guess the original Honda mindset didn't rub off here...

So... Here's my proposal: Gather those 300 workers together and offer them a deal. We (the manufacturer) are going to notify all of the owners needing service work to bring their rigs back to our factory... before we do, we need a commitment that you will accept the challenge of taking on this work to satisfy our customers.

Since the dealers obviously cannot fullfil their commitment for warranty work (we are paying them), we are willing to pay YOU to do this work here at the factory... which may require retraining to do different tasks than you're used to. This is all contingent on customers willing to travel the distance required to come back to the factory. Are you committed to this to continue your employment?

The factory could do a mass mailing with this announcement to ALL owners. A scheduling system would need to be implemented to handle and organize a possible mass influx of customers.

Granted, this is a completely different arrangement and mindset for the factory. However, considering the dismal opinion of RV quality industry wide, this COULD be an excellent opportunity to reverse the perception of awful quality control.

Rigs get fixed... employees keep their jobs... customers are happy. What are the REALISTIC downsides?

[The Gritz Carlton]

..What are the REALISTIC downsides?...

Distance, uncertainty and cost of operation. The distance, cost of travel and the time necessary for the turn around for the owners and the uncertainty that things will get fixed right the first time. These are the same people that created most of the issues we have with shabby construction practices...right? Why would we think they could get it right the second time? Plus, most of the work would be warranty work which would require huge inventory or parts and would generate nearly zero income. If they can't make it building what should be a profitable product at that location...why would they jump in such a bottomless pit? People will continue buying RV's regardless as long as they make them and will continue complaining about quality but finding a resolution somehow on their own. They know this.

[Chateau_Nomad]

Inventory parts... generate zero income.

Inventory is the same parts which manufacturers now ship to dealers... so it must already be in parts bins somewhere. So if anything, it would be cheaper not having to ship parts all over the U.S. to dealers.

Generate zero income? Someone is reimbursing dealers for warranty work... pay your own workers instead of farming it out.

There's a guy who lives fairly close to me who has a home remodeling business. He has a small crew of laborers who have worked for him many years... even through rough times. He ALWAYS has something for them to do to earn their pay. They might be spreading mulch at his house between jobs... but they ALWAYS know they have paid work, and he knows they'll show up every day. To me, that's the old fashioned American way... you just don't see loyalty like that anymore.

[EA37TS]

Actually inventory has a huge cost. That’s why many manufacturers have turned to just in time supply and don’t carry the inventory you think they have in bins.

Employees are a huge burden for manufacturers. There is a lot of indirect cost associated with employees.

I for one would not consider any product that I had to drive half way across country for warranty service even if the manufacturer paid travel costs.