Annual Dealer Satisfaction Survey Shows RV Manufacturers Improving

The Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA) recently released the results of its annual Dealer Satisfaction Survey, and this year's tabulation shows that most RV manufacturers are improving parts reimbursement policies and beefing up the quality of service technician training.

The 1998 Quality Circle Award recipients are (in alphabetical order): Carriage, Coachmen RV; Lance; Nu WA; Tiffin; and Winnebago Industries. Honorable Mention: Country Coach. Most Improved: Airstream. RVDA recognized these manufacturers at the 1998 National RV Trade Show in Louisville.

Manufacturers with DSI ratings of 80 points or higher and that received 18 or more dealer evaluations qualified for the 1998 Quality Circle Award. Manufacturers that have consistently scored high in the DSI study, but received less than 18 evaluations, qualified for Honorable Mention recognition. Manufacturers that showed the most improvement from 1997 qualified for Most Improved recognition.

Now in its fifth year, RVDA's Dealer Satisfaction Index (DSI) asks RV dealers to rate manufacturers' performance in four major categories: sales, products, management, and service/warranty support. The results of the 1998 DSI survey reflect nearly 1,763 individual manufacturer evaluations from 477 RV dealers. DSI scores are based on a 100-point scale.

The most significant area of improvement in DSI scores in 1998 was in manufacturers' parts reimbursement policies. Dealer satisfaction with manufacturers' performance with parts reimbursement jumped 5.6 points from 1997 results with a score of 68.5 points.

The quality of service technician training provided by manufacturers also improved over the past 12 months. At 61 points, dealers rated manufacturers more than 2 points higher in this category over 1997.

The average manufacturer DSI score held steady in 1998, after rising more than six points in 1997. Overall, manufacturers scores were highest in the following areas: product design (81.3 points), product quality (79 points), and innovative products (77.8 points).

RVDA chairman, Cammy Goetz of Curtis Trailer Sales, Inc., in Portland, OR, said, "The purpose of the DSI is to improve the RV industry and promote open discussion on business issues between dealers and manufacturers. The positive trends illustrated by DSI results since 1994 demonstrate that the RV industry is making considerable progress, but there is always room for improvement."

In addition, RVDA surveyed dealers on the importance of the timing of new model introductions by RV manufacturers. Dealers were asked to respond to the following statement: "A new model release date of August 1 or later is important to my business."

Of those responding, 78.3 percent agreed of which 61.2 percent indicated they strongly agreed; while 9.4 percent disagreed of which 5.9 percent strongly disagreed. Those dealers expressing neutrality on the statement was 12.2 percent.

RVDA does not reveal the names of dealers participating in the DSI survey. RV manufacturers received a detailed report of their scores in December. The complete DSI report appeared in the December 1998 issue of RVDA's membership magazine, RV Executive Today.

RVN