Salesmanship

The RV Experience

We are All in This Together -- Right ?

How many times do you go to a sales meeting and listen to your sales manager tell you how important the trio is?

How many times have you sat at the RVIA Outlook breakfast meeting and listened to Dave Humphreys and Mike Molino tell you how important the trio is?

How many times have you been to a manufacturer's open house and listened to how important the trio is?

You do know what the trio is -- right ?

Manufacturers, dealers and campgrounds/RV resorts.

You know -- that close knit group that all work so hard for the betterment of the RV industry and all its constituents.

Not quite.

Manufacturers just want to push product out the door.

Dealers just want to push product off the lot.

Campgrounds and RV resorts just want to fill every site, every day.

Could they all meet or exceed their objectives if they just worked closer together to assure that the ultimate customer -- the person buying the RV -- has an outstanding RV experience each and every time they use their RV?

When will the industry be ready to seriously address the total RVing experience and role each of these three components play in the success of each other.

Let's start with the manufacturers. Are you building relationships or just building product? Do you really care what happens with that product once it leaves the manufacturing facility?

If you really care about the product after it leaves the facility, then you should really care about it before it leaves the facility. Stop delivering products that never should have passed a professional and diligent quality control process. The dealer is not your QC department.

Build it right the first time down the line. If you don't, it causes problems for the dealer and the consumer. The buyer demands quality. When it is not there, it reflects poorly on the dealer that sold the product and the company that made the product. Eventually, it reflects poorly on the entire industry.

If the experience is bad enough, the new customer will drive into and out of our industry as quickly as they go through the fast food drive-thru window.

As the manufacturer, do you have a professional customer service department to resolve issues immediately?

Do you have the appropriate technical support at the factory if a dealer runs into a pre or post-delivery problem?

Do you have an abundant supply of spare parts on hand so that a customer with a problem will be back on the road again in a minimum amount of time?

Does your company have a fair and equitable policy on warranty parts and labor claims? Can a customer obtain fast and professional repairs from any authorized dealer that sells and services your product?

Are your manufacturer sales reps really doing their job? Are they working in the field and developing dealers, educating dealer sales personnel, resolving dealer/manufacturer problems, and providing assistance at open houses and seasonal shows?

Finally, as the manufacturer, are you actively involved in the various organizations that serve the RV industry? Some companies make things happen. Some companies wonder what happened. Get involved and help change the industry. Stop watching from the sidelines and hoping that everyone else comes up with a solution for your problems.

Now let's take a look at the dealer community.

One of my pet peeves in any dealer/manufacturer relationship is the dealer that wants the manufacturer to do all the work, but still expects their full profit on the sale. There is a reason why the dealer cost is lower than the retail-selling price -- the difference is the profit you are allowed to make for advertising, selling, and supporting the sale of the RV. If you are going to ask the manufacturer to do all the work, then you don't deserve the profit.

Dealers should do their own prospecting -- you know where the customers are. Dealers should present a professional showroom and staff it with professional sales representatives who understand the products they are selling and where they fit in the marketplace.

Dealers should have clean and well-appointed facilities that invite the customer to visit often and become a regular visitor while building a long-term relationship.

Does your lot project an image that makes the consumer want to stop, or just drive on to the next dealer down the street? Do you frequently change the arrangement and showcase different RVs in a prominent location? Is the lot clean and manicured and the RVs ready for viewing each day?

Dealers must also have a dedicated professional customer service operation. Today's buyers demand service, and it is up to the dealer to provide it in a manner that will resolve problems quickly. We must provide service in a manner that they have come to expect in all their business relationships -- it is the norm, not the exception for the next generation of RV buyers.

Service and after-sale support are the most critical components of any dealership in this economy. Do you have trained service technicians working on the valuable RVs that customers bring to your dealership? Do you take advantage of manufacturer training courses that will improve the professionalism of your technical personnel? Do you support after-hours educational programs that provide an expanded view of technology and business disciplines that will enhance the value of your employees?

Is your parts and accessories store clean, well stocked and managed by someone who knows the business and cares about the customer? Do you staff this department with a minimum wage clerk who can't spell accessory never mind understand it, or do you put one of your best and brightest in charge so that customers become very comfortable that you know what you are doing and will come back again and again. Are you trying to build a relationship from this department or is it a necessary evil in the eyes of your employees and management team?

When you deliver the RV to the new owner, do you allow sufficient time to instruct them on the proper use of an RV? Do you use the kid hanging around the lot or do you have a professional team of people who will take the time -- whatever time is necessary -- to assure that the customer is very comfortable with their major investment in the RV industry.

The product has now been manufactured, delivered to the dealer, and ultimately sold to the consumer.

The critical third member of the trio may be one of the most important -- the campground or RV resort that the customers will visit to enjoy the RV lifestyle.

There is serious, justifiable concern in the RV industry today for the complete trio to deliver an exceptional RVing experience to bring us all into the mainstream and out of the "niche" category when it comes to spending discretionary income.

Campgrounds and RV resorts must address the concerns and expectations of the next generation RV enthusiast. We cannot take any aspect of this business for granted and must work together. We can no longer just hand them the keys and hope they find someplace to park their rig.

The visit to a campground or RV resort will ultimately determine if the RVer becomes a true customer for life.

The customer expects clean restrooms and courteous personnel. They expect up-to-date water, electric, cable and telephone hook-ups.

This doesn't mean that every campground must be a luxury resort. Just the opposite. It means that they want a pleasant experience in a clean and friendly environment.

Just as there are many different types of RVs, there are many different types of RVers.

We must treat them all alike, but don't have to provide the same type of services and amenities at every campground or RV resort. The customer will ultimately determine the type of facility they want to frequent. We just have to make sure it is a pleasant experience.

We must have rural facilities for those who truly want to rough it. We also need family-oriented facilities for that weekend away or destination camping for seasonal relaxation away from their hectic daily routines.

Older RVers may enjoy a park that is dedicated to mature adults and provides services and activities suited to their relaxed lifestyle without kids. There is a growing need for more "adult only" type facilities given the age and lifestyle of many people who are just discovering the RV lifestyle.

Let's be realistic, a pop-up camper may not fit in an upscale RV resort and a million dollar motorcoach won't enjoy dirt roads with low overhanging trees.

Each facility should be geared toward a particular type of RVers and they should all work closely with the rest of the industry to make sure that people know what their offerings are and whom they are geared toward.

In the end, each member of the trio must work with the other two. Together the industry will continue to prosper and deliver the products and services expected by the next generation of RV buyers.

Solo performances are out -- you cannot be a lone ranger in the RV industry. Duets are nice, but not when it leaves out a critical third ingredient. The RV industry needs a trio to grow and prosper in the new millennium.

The more each group knows about the other, the better our chances of delivering a quality RV experience that will keep our customers coming back for more.

Work together and make beautiful music for all RVers.

Good luck and good selling.

RVN