The Future: The way RV Service should be

[dkoldman]

I got this in an email from my Boat Dealer today. In many ways boats are made very similar to RVs. People don't go months or longer getting a boat serviced or repaired (not counting delays due to part shortage of recent).

But I thought I would share, because I know that most cases calling a Mobile Tech is likely the preferred option. But I wonder why Dealers can't do that and struggle so much to seemingly not even wanting new customers. I should mention that the boat dealer (Phi Dill Boats) will give boat owner free ice just for dropping by.


Other Language in the email.

Keep your boat maintenance on schedule, properly tuned up, and ready to last without giving up time on the water.

Our mobile service crew will come to you and take care of basic service, warranty work, and other repairs. Call us at XXX-XXX-XXXX to schedule your service or request an appointment here:

ICE FOR LIFE
Did you know you get FREE Ice for Life with any boat purchase for Phil Dill?

Just swing by on your way to the lake and grab some ice from your cooler.

Maybe this is in the Future for all RV Dealers.

Note: This dealer services multiple boat mfgs

[wrapped]

Maybe if everyone on this forum calls this guy we can talk him into doing RV's.

[Scubawise]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

I got this an email from my Boat Dealer today. In many ways boats are made very similar to RVs. People don't go months or longer getting a boat serviced or repaired (not counting delays due to part shortage of recent).

But I thought I would share, because I know that most cases calling a Mobile Tech is likely the preferred option. But I wonder why Dealers can't do that and struggle so much to seemingly not even wanting new customers. I should mention that the boat dealer (Phi Dill Boats) will give boat owner free ice just for dropping by.


Other Language in the email.

Keep your boat maintenance on schedule, properly tuned up, and ready to last without giving up time on the water.

Our mobile service crew will come to you and take care of basic service, warranty work, and other repairs. Call us at XXX-XXX-XXXX to schedule your service or request an appointment here:

ICE FOR LIFE
Did you know you get FREE Ice for Life with any boat purchase for Phil Dill?

Just swing by on your way to the lake and grab some ice for your cooler.

Maybe this is in the Future for all RV Dealers.

Nice you are fortunate. We will visit for a ride

[EA37TS]

One dealer doesn’t represent an entire industry.

RV industry, as long as consumer are stupid, yes stupid, enough to drive a substandard unit off the dealers’ lot without an adequate PDI then the industry will never change.

Dream on

[The Gritz Carlton]

I get those all the time from my dealer I bought last boat from. Big difference is the NMMA vs. RVIA. National Marine Manufacturers Association is nose deep in the build process and holds highest standards for quality. RVIA is a joke...they do nothing regarding quality assurance or safety mandates. Yes, they are built similarly in function but worlds apart in quality. Nobody cares what come off the line the the RV business...and...as a result of this, dealers don't want to assume the manufacturer's shortfalls. Once they take it i their shop...they are on the hook.

[The Gritz Carlton]

Originally Posted by EA37TS

One dealer doesn’t represent an entire industry.

RV industry, as long as consumer are stupid, yes stupid, enough to drive a substandard unit off the dealers’ lot without an adequate PDI then the industry will never change.

Dream on

PDI is important but more issues are related to poorly stapled, inferior materials that give up quickly and hidden faults that surface once you start rolling. Do a YouTube search on Haulover Inlet down in Miami. Watch some of those boats fly 3 feet in the air and crash back down on the water...and keep going. Now...try this at home with your RV.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by wrapped

Maybe if everyone on this forum calls this guy we can talk him into doing RV's.

This seems to be easy fix. Larger RV Mfg should allow established company owned Service Centers akin to what they do in Indiana & Iowa. They should expand gradually by region. They can still allow existing dealerships to sell them and pretend to service, but it may offer better path for new RV owners to at least get at the right answers. I think the local RV shops and Mobile places would not be impacted to much.

[Chateau_Nomad]

The only mailings I get about RVs are sales oriented... or "trade your RV for top dollar" and nothing about service.

If there was money to be made in RV service/repair, you would see shops springing up like pizza joints. Extended warranties are prolific simply because they are NOT service oriented... they have perfected the art of denying claims using technical language.

Automobile service at dealers is backed/supported by the manufacturer. Due to Thor being an investment venture that happens to own certain RV manufacturers, the structure is different.

With a few exceptions, RV dealerships sell a myriad of brands... which is somewhat of an illusion. There aren't as many different manufacturers as you are led to believe. Countless RVs are literally identical with simple badging differences.

So... manufacturing is basically building widgets... some widgets happen to be furniture, some are automobiles and some are RVs. Some widget manufacturers have an exclusive dealer support network... that STARTS at the manufacturer parent company. Why is this important?

Because the buck doesn't have very far to travel... there's no middle men to place blame. If you have a FORD, call a Ford dealership... who is backed by Ford trained techs and uses Ford parts. Same for a La-Z-Boy recliner. They have their own stores/service. Ford is a financial entity. Ford has many separate manufacturing plants. BUT.. if you buy a Ford, a Ford service center at every Ford dealership (generally) will service/repair your Ford "widget" regardless of it's manufacturing origin.

Why doesn't Thor have "Thor Authorized Service Centers" at RV dealerships... wouldn't that be a logical step to build customer relationships? Wouldn't it be awesome to see that Thor logo on the dealership's sign out front?

[ducksface]

So,
Just guesses, nothing else.

Average rv owner buys an rv once, ever.
Non average buys one every say...9 years.
Average person does not own an RV.
Average rv owner has no need for brand loyalty in the slightest of slights and is influenced more by toilet paper holder position than being loyal.

Chances of any mid to low line brand selling another rv to their existing customer based only on brand loyalty(since there is no prestige factor involved)...close to zero unless toilet paper holder influenced them.

We're fast food.
They don't need to love us.
We just need to be filling a void.

A car(the inevitable comparison) is not relatable.
Three+ cars per kid-riddled household. Three+ cars sold every whatever the average is.

As I've said before:
Pay retail so they have the funds to install service ports, or don't.
If you got a $15,000 discount, there's your service port, right in your pocket.

You bought cheap, then ground them down further.
Free enterprise, choice, loyalty(building service bays) works both ways.

If the rv had been expensive enough to support that person who's been to service 5 times for nonsense...you wouldn't have bought the RV.

It's as simple as it needs to be.
Simply:
You didn't pay for anything but skeleton service.

That boat guy is giving free ice.
He isn't giving free loaner boats and fuel for the week you're in the shop.
Do we know why?
No margin for it.

You stepped as tall as you dared on the rv purchase.
Boat guy is stepping as tall as he dares.

[Scubawise]

Originally Posted by ducksface

So,
Just guesses, nothing else.

Average rv owner buys an rv once, ever.
Non average buys one every say...9 years.
Average person does not own an RV.
Average rv owner has no need for brand loyalty in the slightest of slights and is influenced more by toilet paper holder position than being loyal.

Chances of any mid to low line brand selling another rv to their existing customer based only on brand loyalty(since there is no prestige factor involved)...close to zero unless toilet paper holder influenced them.

We're fast food.
They don't need to love us.
We just need to be filling a void.

A car(the inevitable comparison) is not relatable.
Three+ cars per kid-riddled household. Three+ cars sold every whatever the average is.

As I've said before:
Pay retail so they have the funds to install service ports, or don't.
If you got a $15,000 discount, there's your service port, right in your pocket.

You bought cheap, then ground them down further.
Free enterprise, choice, loyalty(building service bays) works both ways.

If the rv had been expensive enough to support that person who's been to service 5 times for nonsense...you wouldn't have bought the RV.

It's as simple as it needs to be.
Simply:
You didn't pay for anything but skeleton service.

That boat guy is giving free ice.
He isn't giving free loaner boats and fuel for the week you're in the shop.
Do we know why?
No margin for it.

You stepped as tall as you dared on the rv purchase.
Boat guy is stepping as tall as he dares.

Good points:

We're fast food.
They don't need to love us.
We just need to be filling a void.

[ducksface]

I think fast food/reasonable expectation is a fair comparison.

We all know:
If you bought at cw it's like 7/11. Tampons to scorpion lollipops...and expected.

If you bought at a larger chain you bought k-mart. Three brands of beans from store brand discount to too much money due to branding.

You can't wish for a Japanese flown-in tuna poke bar at 7/11 where the roller dogs reside.(well you can but we'll just laugh at you for being unaware)

You knew. You had to know.
I'm not sure how genuine the 'surprised and mystified' service posts are.

[Beau388]

NIRVC is starting to stock some of the major failure parts in the coaches they sell. The say it will cost about $2,000,000 for each dealership for parts and storage when fully stocked. It seems that people who spend a million dollars on a new coach do not like to wait very long to have warranty work done. Since NIRVC has a better working relationship with the manufacturers than most other dealers, they are willing to except the loss if the manufacturer denies their warranty repair. It will be interesting to see if other large dealers like Lazydays will follow suit.
Tom Johnson RV in Marion, NC has always been the premier dealership in the mid-south catering to the NASCAR crowd. The only dealership I know of with a 200 coach rally area (full hook ups on 100 sites) and 120 site campground (level 20 x80 foot concrete slabs) on site. The food in their restaurant is great and the campground had marble lined shower enclosers with waterfall showers. I have to admit I haven't been there since it became Tom Johnson's Camping World.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Scubawise

Nice you are fortunate. We will visit for a ride

I am here waiting. Lake Lewisville, if you ever have flown into Dallas, you have seen it.

Originally Posted by wrapped

Maybe if everyone on this forum calls this guy we can talk him into doing RV's.

Next time I go the lake and get ice, I will asked that question. I bet they have thought about it.

Originally Posted by EA37TS

One dealer doesn’t represent an entire industry.
RV industry, as long as consumer are stupid, yes stupid, enough to drive a substandard unit off the dealers’ lot without an adequate PDI then the industry will never change.

Dream on

I was just offering a future solution, you don't think we can fix stupid

Originally Posted by The Gritz Carlton

PDI is important but more issues are related to poorly stapled, inferior materials that give up quickly and hidden faults that surface once you start rolling. Do a YouTube search on Haulover Inlet down in Miami. Watch some of those boats fly 3 feet in the air and crash back down on the water...and keep going. Now...try this at home with your RV.

Yes that can be nerving too when you hit those wakes, the boats also get abused being bumped around on trailers. My NAPA batteries 5 years old never been an issue, no rust, I have never even bothered to check the water, and they are FLA.

To your point, the Boat Service Dealers are fishing for work, pun was intended

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

I am here waiting. Lake Lewisville, if you ever have flown into Dallas, you have seen it.
Attachment 38355



Next time I go the lake and get ice, I will asked that question. I bet they have thought about it.



I was just offering a future solution, you don't think we can fix stupid



Yes that can be nerving too when you hit those wakes, the boats also get abused being bumped around on trailers. My NAPA batteries 5 years old never been an issue, no rust, I have never even bother to check the water and they are FLA.

To your point, the Boat Service Dealers are fishing for work, pun was intended

No I don’t think you can fix stupid and stupid is actually highly contagious.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Beau388

NIRVC is starting to stock some of the major failure parts in the coaches they sell. The say it will cost about $2,000,000 for each dealership for parts and storage when fully stocked. It seems that people who spend a million dollars on a new coach do not like to wait very long to have warranty work done. Since NIRVC has a better working relationship with the manufacturers than most other dealers, they are willing to except the loss if the manufacturer denies their warranty repair. It will be interesting to see if other large dealers like Lazydays will follow suit.
Tom Johnson RV in Marion, NC has always been the premier dealership in the mid-south catering to the NASCAR crowd. The only dealership I know of with a 200 coach rally area (full hook ups on 100 sites) and 120 site campground (level 20 x80 foot concrete slabs) on site. The food in their restaurant is great and the campground had marble lined shower enclosers with waterfall showers. I have to admit I haven't been there since it became Tom Johnson's Camping World.

Man what a tease, this post had me fist pumping all the way through until the last 4 words

I am 2 miles from a NIRVC in Dallas, I have been there a few times, but thus far yet to buy anything from them. My location didn't sell any RV I was looking to buy. The closest they had was the Bay Sport, but an outside kitchen with TV, and the TV placement in main coach on wall behind dinette was critical to us. I heard rumor that some locations are selling Winnebago's? I sure wish they would sell and be authorized service center for them. Actually since I am out of warranty the latter does not matter anymore

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by Beau388

NIRVC is starting to stock some of the major failure parts in the coaches they sell. The say it will cost about $2,000,000 for each dealership for parts and storage when fully stocked. It seems that people who spend a million dollars on a new coach do not like to wait very long to have warranty work done. Since NIRVC has a better working relationship with the manufacturers than most other dealers, they are willing to except the loss if the manufacturer denies their warranty repair. It will be interesting to see if other large dealers like Lazydays will follow suit.
Tom Johnson RV in Marion, NC has always been the premier dealership in the mid-south catering to the NASCAR crowd. The only dealership I know of with a 200 coach rally area (full hook ups on 100 sites) and 120 site campground (level 20 x80 foot concrete slabs) on site. The food in their restaurant is great and the campground had marble lined shower enclosers with waterfall showers. I have to admit I haven't been there since it became Tom Johnson's Camping World.

A friend bought a Super C from NIRVC in Las Vegas and has had nothing but headaches from their service department. Says they are all incompetent individuals that don’t know how to breathe let alone repair RVs.

[ducksface]

We used to have a saying about Las Vegas residents and how they got there:

'Things are lookin up for me ma. I'm going to steal a car and Rob liquor stores all the way to Vegas!'

[Chateau_Nomad]

Originally Posted by ducksface

We used to have a saying about Las Vegas residents and how they got there:

'Things are lookin up for me ma. I'm going to steal a car and Rob liquor stores all the way to Vegas!'

Living in the middle of a desert... alrighty then...

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by ducksface

We used to have a saying about Las Vegas residents and how they got there:

'Things are lookin up for me ma. I'm going to steal a car and Rob liquor stores all the way to Vegas!'

Doesn't make sense to steal a car knowing you gonna rob liquor stores. That is a sure way to get a DWI ticket. If you must rob liquor stores headed to Vegas, I suggest getting a cab. In some municipalities, I believe the city will pay for.

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

I got this in an email from my Boat Dealer today. In many ways boats are made very similar to RVs. People don't go months or longer getting a boat serviced or repaired (not counting delays due to part shortage of recent).

But I thought I would share, because I know that most cases calling a Mobile Tech is likely the preferred option. But I wonder why Dealers can't do that and struggle so much to seemingly not even wanting new customers. I should mention that the boat dealer (Phi Dill Boats) will give boat owner free ice just for dropping by.


Other Language in the email.

Keep your boat maintenance on schedule, properly tuned up, and ready to last without giving up time on the water.

Our mobile service crew will come to you and take care of basic service, warranty work, and other repairs. Call us at XXX-XXX-XXXX to schedule your service or request an appointment here:

ICE FOR LIFE
Did you know you get FREE Ice for Life with any boat purchase for Phil Dill?

Just swing by on your way to the lake and grab some ice from your cooler.

Maybe this is in the Future for all RV Dealers.

Note: This dealer services multiple boat mfgs

I'll put a propeller in the hitch if he will come to illinois