IDS 2022 RV Industry Trends Report

I see the entire industry transitioning away from the sales side of things being a profit center, much like a car dealership – the profitability and new unit sales is going down as internet marketing is taking off. For the last few years—and we’re certainly going to continue—we’ve been streamlining processes, procedures, increasing efficiency, implementing different incentives, and payment plans for Parts and Services staff. Something you can’t get on the internet is service. You can have a great buying experience but after the fact, when something breaks and you need warranty work or anything like that, you cannot get that service through a screen. That’s where we’re trying to be a bit ahead of the curve and be a very profitable Parts and Service-forward dealership.

MATT FERKEY Greeneway RV Sales & Services

VIRTUAL SERVICE DIAGNOSIS Video calls are a part of our everyday lives now. Two years ago, if you had asked an RV owner to hop on a Skype call so you could “hear or see” a problem, you might have been met with reluctance. Now, after pandemic social distancing restrictions forced people to move to online communications, more people are comfortable with using video chat. Instead of asking customers to drive a unit in, your Service Advisors can get on a quick video call to make sure your shop has the right parts and the bandwidth to take care of the customer. Not only that but we also see video playing a more important role in documenting the condition of the unit to counteract claims of damage happening when it’s in your possession and possiblywarranty claims in the future.

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