Greg Gerber posted on November 24, 2008 15:55
FAIRFAX, Va. -- The RV Dealers Association will honor 17 RV brands built by six manufacturers with its Quality Circle Award just prior to the opening of the National RV Trade Show Dec. 1 in Louisville, Ky. These brands/manufacturers received at least 15 dealer responses and scored 80 percent or above in overall dealer satisfaction in the association’s 15th Annual Dealer Satisfaction Index (DSI) survey.
The towable RV brands/manufacturers earning awards are (in alphabetical order): Carriage Cameo/Carriage/Carri-Lite/Domani/Royals; Jayco Designer; Jayco Eagle; Jayco Jay Feather; Jayco Jay Flight; Jayco Folding Campers; Keystone Big Sky/Montana/Mountaineer; Keystone Cougar/Energy/VR1; Keystone Springdale/Summerland; KZ Coyote/MXT; KZ Durango/Sportsmen/Spree; KZ Montego Bay, and KZ Sport Utility Trailers (SUTs).
The four motorized RV brands/manufacturers earning awards are (in alphabetical order): Itasca; Jayco; Tiffin; and Winnebago.
Five towable RV brands/manufacturers, and one motorized RV brand/manufacturer earned DSI Honorable Mention recognition for achieving high ratings, but had fewer than 15 responses. They are (in alphabetical order): towable: Coachmen Viking Folding Campers/Grand Haven/Trek; DRV (formerly Doubletree) Mobile Suites/Elite Suites/Select Suites; KZ Escalade; Open Range; NuWa Hitchhiker; and motorized: Pleasureway.
When rating their brands/manufacturers, RVDA asks dealers to express, confidentially, their level of satisfaction on eight core issues:
- Sales support
- Sales territory
- Vehicle design
- Vehicle reliability/quality
- Competitive price/value
- Parts support
- Dealership warranty support
- Overall dealer communications
“Dealers believe the DSI is a tool to help improve communication and the overall relationship with their manufacturers,” said RVDA Chairman of the Board Larry Troutt of Topper’s Camping Center in Waller, TX. “The survey measures dealer attitudes in key policy, product, and procedure areas that dealers say are the most important elements in their business partnerships with manufacturers. Core DSI measurements are reflective of the Committee on Excellence task forces’ recommendations to improved customer satisfaction and loyalty with the RV travel experience.”
“The DSI survey was significantly revised in 2007 to reflect the industry’s work to improve customer satisfaction, and the 2008 survey used the same methodology for rating the performance of individual brands and manufacturers,” said RVDA President Mike Molino.
The results of the 15th Annual DSI survey reflect 2,547 brand ratings from 468 dealers.
RVDA will continue the tradition of presenting the recognition awards at the RVDA Dealers Reception, which is scheduled for Monday, December 1, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Coronet Ballroom (formerly the Derbyshire Room) of the Executive West Hotel in Louisville, Ky. The awards will commence at approximately 5:30 p.m.
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