p a g 1 0 - rvda...international convention/expo p a g 1 0 p a g e 1 2 p a g e 2 0 5 september 2012...

SEPTEMBER 2012

New exhibitors, more work-shops, and a special book-signing have been added 4

Special Feature: Why Your Dealership Will Soon Have Its Own Smartphone App Page 16

ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES

Dealers Gener

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Twenty-One Re

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Show Tips

Ten Secret

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RV DEALERS INTERNATIONALCONVENTION/EXPO

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September 2012

24 Convention/Expo Exhibitors

25 2012 RV Dealers International Convention/Expo Sponsors

30 Go RVing Sweepstakes

33 Sullivan Is Awarded RV Learning Center Scholarship

33 Focus Group Celebrates 25th Anniversary

35 RVDA, FRVTA Renew Online Training Partnership

A L S O :

10 RVDA Dealer SurveyDealers say the RV retail market has cooled slightly sinceApril, but they’re still upbeat, especially about towables.

12 Twenty-One Retail Show TipsFrom Pinterest to popcorn, emails to Elvis, this treasuretrove of marketing ideas combines technology andpromotionals to get the most traffic to your show space.

14 The Convention/Expo Is About to Begin!The 2012 convention is only a month away – check outupdates to the agenda and learn more about the returnengagement by retired Navy commander Kirk Lippold.

16 Smartphone Apps and Your Dealership Why will your dealership have its own app within thenext 12 months? Because your customers never leavehome without their smartphones.

18 Finessing the Financing AgreementMake sure your financing agreements are clear-cut,complete, and legal.

20 A Post-Recession Review of the Ten Secrets If you were following these tenets of financial successfour years ago, you probably weathered the downturn inbetter shape than most. Even in good times, they’re thekey to a successful operation.

23 Getting CreditPlenty of customers with past credit problems still havegood incomes and the desire to buy an RV. The trick isfinding them a unit that’s a good financial fit.

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RV DEALERSINTERNATIONALCONVENTION/EXPO

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I N E V E R Y I S S U E :

6 Looking ahead7 Chairman’s report8 Officers, directors, and delegates9 Industry trends32 RV Learning Center contributors36 RVDA endorsed products38 RV industry’s training calendar38 Advertisers index

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I f the nation’s pollsters have dubbedwhere you live a “swing state” in theupcoming presidential election, I feel yourpain. I live in Northern Virginia, and bothpolitical parties are fighting it out over theairwaves and elsewhere for a victory in the“Commonwealth,” as Virginia is known.

I as I write this column, pollsters alsosay Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada,Iowa, Colorado, and Ohio join Virginia astoss-up states. These states likely hold thekey to the outcome of the presidentialrace, because the other 43 are entrenchedas either “red” or “blue” states, say thosewho keep track of Electoral Collegecounts.

As divided as Americans are oncertain issues, there are many that unifyour great country. One key area of unityidentified in a new survey of likely votersby the National Park HospitalityAssociation is the love of the greatoutdoors…and the national park system inparticular.

The study said that “support fornational parks is an issue that is personalfor millions of Americans – more thanfour in five voters report having visited anational park at some point in their lives,and nearly nine in 10 say they are inter-ested in visiting in the future.” Nearly twoout five respondents hope to camp at anational park, and 79 percent of thosesurveyed say they value parks as “placeswhere people can have fun, be physicallyactive, and enjoy themselves.”

As I looked at the study in moredetail, it also confirmed that the GoRVing “Away” national advertisingcampaign is aimed squarely at theseuniversal themes of freedom, flexibility,and fun – and there’s no better way toenjoy all the great outdoors has to offerthan in an RV.

America’s love affair with nationalparks and other public lands is good newsfor the RV industry and an importantmessage that elected officials in bothparties should understand, if they don’talready.

As American Recreation CoalitionPresident Derrick Crandall said in hisanalysis of the national park survey, “theissues that divide us as we approach theNovember elections should not obscureparks and other issues where there isnational unity.”

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President: Phil Ingrassia, CAE

Vice President forAdministration:Ronnie Hepp, CAE

Editor:Mary Anne Shreve

Graphic Designer: Ginny Walker

RV EXECUTIVE TODAY

RV Executive Today is published monthly by theRecreation Vehicle Dealers Association ofAmerica at 3930 University Drive, Fairfax, VA22030-2515. Periodicals postage paid at Fairfax,VA 22030 USPS No. 062450. Issued monthly toall RVDA members as a membership benefit paidfor by their dues.

Postmaster please send address changes to: RV Executive Today, 3930 University Drive,Fairfax, VA 22030-2515 The annual subscriptionrate of $30 is a part of membership dues.

Editorial/Business Office: 3930 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030-2515Phone (703) 591-7130 FAX (703) 359-0152

RV Executive Today (ISSN #1088-873X) Volume 16, Issue 9

For advertising information contact:Julie Newhouse, Marketing Manager, (703) 591-7130 x 103

RVDA STAFF

Chuck BoydDealer Services Manager

Hank FortuneDirector of Finance

Jeff KurowskiDirector of Industry Relations

Julie Anna NewhouseMarketing Manager

Brett Richardson, Esq., CAEDirector of Legal and RegulatoryAffairs

Julianne RyderMarketing Communications Specialist

Butch Thomas Field Representative

Patricia WilliamsAccounting Clerk

RV LEARNING CENTER STAFF

Karin Van DuyseChief, RV Learning Center

Liz ShoemakerEducation Coordinator

Tony YermanRV Service Consultant –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Isabel McGrathTechnician Certification Registrar

6 RV Executive Today

“One key area of unityidentified in a new surveyof likely voters by theNational Park HospitalityAssociation is the love ofthe great outdoors…andthe national park systemin particular.”

Looking for SomethingMost Americans Agree On?Try the Great OutdoorsBy Phil Ingrassia, CAE, president

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D uring the Go RVing Coalition meeting this past June,attendees got to see a presentation of the year’s

numerous media stories about RVs. Many of these clipsfeatured local TV news stations interviewing our fellowRVDA dealers. There were many different topics andstories told by these dealers to the media. In one case, adealer sold a trailer that was featured on the news. AndRVIA also generates lots of buzz for RVs by getting onsome national media programs.

The RV story really never gets old. There are so manyplaces to go, so many ways to use RVs, and so manyfeatures to highlight that RV travel has been a magnet formedia coverage over the years. But local reporters may notknow this unless someone reaches out to them. That’swhere local dealers can make great things happen.

During the past couple of years, our dealership hasfound ways to get some positive attention from the mediathrough our work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, theBoy Scouts of America, Habitat for Humanity, ExtremeMakeover: Home Edition, and other such organizations.There are many ways to generate good press in your localcommunities if you’re creative and persistent.

During the convention next month, consumer outreachwill be the topic of a special session presented by RVDA,RVIA, Go RVing, and The Richards Group ad agency. It’stitled “Go RVing: Research-Based Strategies to MotivateToday’s RV Buyers.” Go RVing’s new “Away” nationaladvertising campaign is much more than TV commercialsand print ads. Working with industry representatives onthe Go RVing Coalition, The Richards Group developed amulti-media approach to reach consumers, based on what

people say they’re looking for in leisure, vacation, andpersonal travel. Attendees will get an insider’s view of thestrategies Go RVing is using to grow the market. They’llalso hear about:

· The latest consumer research behind the “Away”campaign media buying strategy

· Messages dealers can use in their own markets tomotivate customers

· How mobile applications and social media fit into acomprehensive consumer outreach program

On another topic, this is my last column as chairman.It’s been an honor to serve in this role for the past year. Ireally have enjoyed working with and getting to know somany different dealers and people in our industry. It was ayear of transition in leadership–I came onboard workingwith Mike Molino and leave now with Phil Ingrassia asour president.

I was very fortunate to be able to work with Mike. Hewas a great leader and positioned RVDA for the future. Itwas a very smooth transition. Phil has done a great job andwill continue to do so. We have a strong board and staff atRVDA that work hard for us every day. I’ll continue to beactive in the association and work to ensure that RVDAremains relevant to all dealers.

Your Role in Getting Outthe RVing StoryBy Andy Heck, chairman

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Take Advantage of Your RVDA WebsitesThe RVDA and RV Learning Center websites arethe dealership employee’s complete onlineresources. These innovative, interactive websitesprovide easy access to the critical resources thatassist dealers and their employees in running thedealership efficiently and effectively.

Visit both sites to download fact sheets ondealership best practices or the latest retailstatistics, search the listings of training opportu-nities, and purchase CD-ROMs, publications,videos, or webcasts to enhance your dealership’s

knowledge. RVDA member dealerships and anyof their employees can have24/7 access to most ofRVDA’s dealer specific infor-mation (broken down bydepartment).

Make www.rvlearning-center.com andwww.rvda.org your firstsource for all dealershipinformation.

September 2012


ChairmanAndy HeckAlpin HausAmsterdam, NY (518) [email protected]

1st Vice ChairmanJeff HirschCampers Inn of KingstonKingston, NH (603) [email protected]

2nd Vice ChairmanBob BeenAffinity RV Service Sales &RentalsPrescott, AZ (928) [email protected]

TreasurerJohn McCluskeyFlorida Outdoors RV CenterStuart, FL (772) [email protected]

SecretaryJohn MyersMyers RV Center, Inc.Albuquerque, NM (505) [email protected]

Past ChairmanTim O’BrienCircle K RVs, Inc.Lapeer, MI (810) [email protected]

DirectorDarrel FriesenAll Seasons RV CenterYuba City, CA (530) [email protected]

DirectorAmy PenningtonRV Outlet MallGeorgetown, TX (512) [email protected]

DirectorLindsey ReinesReines RV Center, Inc.Manassas, VA (703) [email protected]

DirectorBrian WilkinsWilkins R.V., Inc.Bath, NY (607) [email protected]

RVRA RepresentativeBert AlankoMBA Insurance, Inc.Scottsdale, AZ (800) [email protected]

RVAC ChairmanTom StinnettTom Stinnett Derby City RV Clarksville, IN (812) [email protected]

RV Learning CenterChairmanJeff PastoreHartville RV Center, Inc.Hartville, OH (330) [email protected]

PresidentPhil Ingrassia, CAERVDAFairfax, VA (703) [email protected]

DELEGATESAlabamaJim Dandy CooleyDandy RV Superstore, Inc.Anniston, AL (256) [email protected]

AlaskaKevin BrownArctic RV & Interior TopperFairbanks, AK(907) [email protected]

ArizonaDevin MurphyFreedom RV, Inc.Tucson, AZ(520) [email protected]

ArkansasDoug BoydstonMayflower RV, Inc.Mayflower, AR (501) [email protected]

CaliforniaJoey ShieldsPan Pacific RV Centers, Inc.French Camp, CA (209) [email protected]

ColoradoTim BilesPikes Peak Traveland, Inc.Colorado Springs, CO(719) [email protected]

ConnecticutChris AndroHemlock Hill RV Sales, Inc.Milldale, CT (860) [email protected]

DelawareRyan HorseyParkview RV CenterSmyrna, DE (302) [email protected]

Florida Ed SchneiderOcean Grove RV Sales, Inc. of St.AugustineSaint Augustine, FL (904) [email protected]

GeorgiaDoc AllenC.S.R.A. Camperland, Inc.Martinez, GA (706) [email protected]

IdahoTom NelsonNelson’s RVs, Inc.Boise, ID(208) [email protected]

IllinoisRichard FlowersLarry’s Trailer Sales, Inc.Zeigler, IL(618) [email protected]

IndianaNathan HartWalnut Ridge Family RV SalesNew Castle, IN (765) [email protected]

IowaJeremy KetelsenKetelsen RV, Inc.Hiawatha, IA(319) [email protected]

KansasBill HawleyHawley Brothers, Inc.Dodge City, KS (620) [email protected]

KentuckyNeVelle SkaggsSkaggs RV CountryElizabethtown, KY (270) [email protected]

LouisianaJim HicksSouthern RV Super Center, Inc.Bossier City, LA(318) [email protected]

MarylandGreg MerkelLeo’s Vacation Center, Inc.Gambrills, MD(410) [email protected]

MichiganTim VeurinkVeurink’s RV CenterGrand Rapids, MI(616) [email protected]

MinnesotaWill JarnotPleasureLand RV Center, Inc.St. Cloud, MN(320) [email protected]

MississippiStephen (Snuffy) SmithCountry Creek RV CenterHattiesburg, MS(601) [email protected]

MissouriSheri WheelenWheelen RV Center, Inc.Joplin, MO (417) [email protected]

MontanaRon PiercePierce RV SupercenterBillings, MT(406) [email protected]

NebraskaTony StaabRich & Sons Camper SalesGrand Island, NE (308) [email protected]

NevadaDarcy Walker-FitchJohnnie Walker RVsLas Vegas, NV(702) [email protected]

New HampshireScott SilvaCold Springs RV CorporationWeare, NH (603) [email protected]

New JerseyKevin StoneStone’s Camping WorldBerlin, NJ (856) [email protected]

New MexicoRick SchollRocky Mountain RV WorldAlbuquerque, NM (505) [email protected]

New YorkBrian WilkinsWilkins R.V., Inc.Bath, NY (607) [email protected]

North CarolinaSteve PlemmonsBill Plemmons RV WorldRural Hall, NC (336) [email protected]

North DakotaMichelle BarberCapital R.V. Center, Inc.Minot, ND (701) [email protected]

OhioBarry ChironAll Seasons RVStreetsboro, OH (330) [email protected]

OklahomaRon ShepherdCamperland of Oklahoma, LLCTulsa, OK (918) [email protected]

OregonGeorge SuttonGeorge M. Sutton RVEugene, OR (541) [email protected]

PennsylvaniaGreg StarrStarr’s Trailer SalesBrockway, PA (814) [email protected]

Rhode IslandLinda TarroArlington RV Supercenter, Inc.East Greenwich, RI (401) [email protected]

South CarolinaGloria MorganThe Trail CenterNorth Charleston, SC (843) [email protected]

South DakotaLyle SchaapSchaap’s RV TravelandSioux Falls, SD (605) [email protected]

TennesseeRoger SellersTennessee RV Sales & Service,LLCKnoxville, TN (865) [email protected]

TexasChris HooverRon Hoover RV & MarineCentersRockport, TX(361) [email protected]

UtahNeil CitteRay Citte, Inc.Roy, UT (801) [email protected]

VermontDavid McGinnisPete’s RV CenterSouth Burlington, VT (802) [email protected]

VirginiaLindsey ReinesReines RV Center, Inc.Manassas, VA (703) [email protected]

WashingtonRon LittleRV’s Northwest, Inc.Spokane Valley, WA (509) [email protected]

West VirginiaLynn ButlerSetzer’s World of Camping, Inc.Huntington, WV (304) [email protected]

WisconsinTimothy WeggeBurlington RV SuperstoreSturtevant, WI (262) [email protected]

WyomingSonny RoneSonny’s RV Sales, Inc.Evansville, WY (307) [email protected]

VACANTHawaiiMaineMassachusetts

At Large DelegatesPeter AlbanoAmerican RVOlive Branch, MS (662) [email protected]

Randy CoyDean’s RV SuperstoreTulsa, OK(918) [email protected]

Mick FerkeyGreeneway, Inc.Wisconsin Rapids, WI(715) [email protected]

Darrel FriesenAll Seasons RV CenterYuba City, CA(530) [email protected]

David HayesHayes RV CenterLongview, TX(903) [email protected]

Ed LerchLerch RVMilroy, PA(717) [email protected]

Troy PadgettAll Valley RV CenterActon, CA (661) [email protected]

Amy PenningtonRV Outlet MallGeorgetown, TX(512) [email protected]

Rod RuppelWebster City RV, Inc.Webster City, IA (515) [email protected]

Larry SchafferRivers Bus & RV SalesJacksonville, FL (904) [email protected]

David SothanApache Camper Center, Inc.Roca, NE (402) [email protected]

Earl StoltzfusStoltzfus RV’s & MarineWest Chester, PA (610) [email protected]

Glenn ThomasBill Thomas Camper Sales, Inc.Wentzville, MO (636) [email protected]

Bill WhiteUnited RV CenterFort Worth, TX(817) [email protected]

Participating PastChairmenBruce BentzCapital R.V. Center, Inc.Bismarck, ND (701) [email protected]

Randy BilesPikes Peak Traveland, Inc.Colorado Springs, CO (719) [email protected]

Debbie BrunoforteLittle Dealer, Little PricesMesa, AZ(480) [email protected]

Rex FloydFloyd’s Recreational VehiclesNorman, OK (405) [email protected]

Jim FogdallAce Fogdall, Inc.Cedar Falls, IA (319) [email protected]

Crosby ForrestDixie RV SuperstoreNewport News, VA (757) [email protected]

Ernie FriesenAll Seasons RV CenterYuba City, CA (530) [email protected]

Rick HorseyParkview RV CenterSmyrna, DE (302) [email protected]

Larry McClainMcClain’s RV, Inc.Lake Dallas, TX (940) 497-3300

Dan PearsonPleasureLand RV Center, Inc.St. Cloud, MN (320) [email protected]

Cammy PiersonCurtis Trailers, Inc.Portland, OR (503) [email protected]

Joe RangeRange Vehicle Center, Inc.Hesperia, CA(760) [email protected]

Dell SandersJ. D. Sanders, Inc.Alachua, FL (386) [email protected]

Marty SheaMadison RV CenterMadison, AL (256) [email protected]

Jim ShieldsPan Pacific RV Centers, Inc.French Camp, CA (209) [email protected]

Bill ThomasBill Thomas Camper Sales, Inc.Wentzville, MO (636) [email protected]

Larry TrouttTopper’s Camping CenterWaller, TX (800) [email protected]

Fran Van PeltSpader Business ManagementHilton Head Island, SC (843) [email protected]

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D ealers’ towable inventories expanded in May 2012, but at aslower rate than in May 2011, and at a significantly slower

rate than in early 2012, according to market research firmStatistical Surveys/The Thrive Group.

The inventory index for towables was 83.6 in May 2012,compared with 76.8 a year earlier. After the first five months of2012, the inventory index for towables was 65.2, compared with64.8 after the first five months of 2011.

In the case of motorhomes, theinventory index in May 2012 was 75.9,which indicates motorhome inventorieswere building at a faster rate than in May2011, when the motorhome inventoryindex was 81.5. When the first fivemonths of 2012 are compared with thesame portion of 2011, motorhome inven-tories grew at a slightly slower rate, asindicated by an inventory index of 78.9after the first five months of 2012,compared with 76.1 during the same portion of 2011.

Dealers retailed 21,643 towables in May 2012, comparedwith 18,736 in May 2011, a 15.5 percent increase.Manufacturers shipped 25,900 towable units in May 2012, a 6.1percent increase from the 24,400 units delivered in May 2011.

Dealers retailed 2,200 motorhomes in May 2012, the samenumber dealers sold in May 2011. Manufacturers shipped 2,900motorhomes last May, a 7.4 percent increase from the 2,700units shipped in May 2011.

Based in Grand Rapids, MI, Statistical Surveys/The ThriveGroup tracks RV retail sales for the RV industry. For more informa-tion, contact Tom Walworth at (616) 281-9898. The Thrive Groupis a partnership between Statistical Surveys and Spader BusinessManagement. n

For the latest RV Inventory Indexreport, visit www.rvda.org.RV INVENTORY INDEX

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Towable Inventory Growth Rate Slows,Motorhome Inventory Growth Rate Picks UpBy Thomas Walworth, Statistical Surveys/The Thrive Group

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When the RVInventory Index isbelow 100, there isa build in dealerinventories. Whenthe index is above100, there is a

decline in dealerinventories.

September 2012 9

Did You Know?XtraRide offers pet assistanceup to $250 within four areas:

• Removal of pet

• Transporting of pet

• Handling of pet

• Boarding of pet

The benefit applies inconjunction with amechanical breakdown.As with other XtraRidebenefits, the pet benefit is notsubject to a deductible nor isthere a limit on the number ofcovered occurrences. Pets are

defined as domestic animalsincluding horses. Please con-tact your local XtraRide agentor call us as (800) 670-6032 formore information.


R V dealers surveyed in late July andearly August felt that the retail market

had cooled off slightly since April, but theyremained generally upbeat, as indicated bya higher percentage of respondents sayingtheir inventory levels were too low.

Fifty-two percent of survey respondentssaid the RV retail market was better in July-August than it was during midsummer in2011, and 32 percent felt it was about thesame as it was a year earlier. Sixteenpercent of respondents said the market was

worse than it was a year ago. In April, when the survey was last

conducted, a little more than 61 percent ofdealers believed the RV retail market wasbetter, 6.5 percent felt it was worse, and alittle more than 32 percent believed it wasabout the same as a year earlier.

Towable market in good shape

The majority of midsummer surveyrespondents – 72 percent – felt that the

retail market for towable RVs was betterthan it was a year ago. In the April survey,61 percent said the market was better. Inthe latest survey, 8 percent believed it wasworse, while in the April survey no onebelieved it was worse. Twenty percent ofthose answering the latest survey believedthe towable retail market was about thesame, while 39 percent of those respondingin April felt it was about the same.

For motorhomes, 14 percent ofdealers said their first half 2012 sales

DEALERS REMAIN UPBEAT ABO By Jeff Kurowski

RVDA D EA L E R S URV EY

IS THE RETAIL MARKETBETTER THAN A YEAR AGO?

HOW ARE MOTORHOME SALESCOMPARED WITH A YEAR GO?

FOR CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS, YOUR INVENTORY IS:

HOW ARE TOWABLE RV SALESCOMPARED WITH A YEAR AGO?

11September 2012

were better than their first half 2011sales, almost 62 percent said they wereabout the same, and almost 24 percentsaid they were worse.

Fifty-six percent of dealers whoanswered the midsummer survey believedtheir inventory levels were “just right,”while 16 percent felt they were too high.Twenty-eight percent believed their inven-tories were too low, compared with almost10 percent who felt in April that theirinventories were too low. Also in April, a

little more than 74 percent of dealersbelieved their inventories were just right,and 16 percent felt they were too high.

Adequate financing available

As of midsummer, 96 percent ofrespondents felt the right amount of creditwas available for inventory financing, and72 percent believed an adequate amountof retail financing was available for theircustomers.

The generally upbeat attitude amongdealers was reflected in the fact that 36percent of those answering themidsummer survey said they plan to ordermore RVs during the second half of 2012than they did during the second half of2011. Twenty percent said they’ll orderfewer units, and another 20 percent saidthey’ll order about the same number asthey did a year earlier. Another 24 percentwere undecided.

OUT MARKET CONDITIONS

RV ORDERINGPLANS FOR SECOND

HALF OF 2012

IS THE RIGHT AMOUNT OFRETAIL CREDIT AVAILABLE?

IS THE RIGHT AMOUNT OFWHOLESALE CREDIT AVAILABLE?

A s summer winds downand the RV show seasonheats up, educating thepublic about enjoying the

great outdoors in an RV is the nameof the game. During the height of theshow season, there are consumer RVevents going on somewhere in thecountry almost every weekend fromOctober to March.

And most likely, you’ll be there,meeting both wanna-be and experi-enced campers. These are fun eventsthat give people thechance to get excitedabout an outdoorvacation, learn what’snew, and discover themany joys of owning anRV, be it a motorhome,travel trailer, or pop-up. For you,however, the challenge is gettingpeople to visit your show space.

You already know the necessity ofhaving an inviting-looking area withexpert staff on hand and printedmaterials with trackable promotioncodes. Now go to the next level anduse technology to help your dealer-ship get the most from the event.Using these 21 tips will get younoticed and yield a better return onyour RV show investment.

Pre-show promotion: • Decide on the specials,prizes, and promotionalitems you’ll use at yourshow space: These couldinclude coupons or evenscratch-off tickets for brandeditems such as beveragecozies, hats, t-shirts,camping items, ordiscounts. Consideroffering one or twobig prizes, such asan iPad, camping weekend,or app package, to build buzz.

• Build an RV show landing page onyour website: Write keyword-richSEO content for the page. Create aQR code directed to that page anduse it on printed show materials.Provide an offer coupon redeemableonly at your show location. Promoteall of your planned “at show”

marketinghooks.

• Launch anemail blast toyour entireconsumer listwith an invita-tion to visit your

space: Link to yourRV show landingpage.

• Blog about thedetails of your space and anybehind-the-scenes scoop.

• Spread the word on Facebook: Linkto your landing page, blogpostings, post photos of thepreparation, invitecomments, and discussspecials and promotionsyou’ll have at the show.

• Establish an RV showhashtag (#) on Twitter: Lookfor other complimentarybusinesses that will be at the

show and co-promote,using their hashtagsand yours.

• Develop a pre-RV show-themedPinterest contest

and encourage customersto ‘Pin ‘n Play.’

During theshow: • Create a Foursquare

event location, offering a special topeople who stop by your locationand check in.

• Do a dailydrawing andannounce thewinner on yourFacebook page:If they’ve“liked” yourpage, give them an extra goodie.

• Send out a call to action to yoursocial networks: Offer somethingspecial to the “next 25 people” whovisit a designated RV at your showspace and say “I love camping!”

• Offer a photo opp with a famous orwacky cardboard cutout: Snap yourown photos of folks having funwhile their pictures are being takenand use them on your socialnetworks.

• Show short, looping how-to videosand provide comfortable seating forweary shoppers (or their spouses):How-to’s might include trip ideas,

provisioning an RV,maintenance orsafety tips, orcampfire bananaboats. Bring apopcorn popper andprovide snacks forthe “show.”

• Hide a cache atyour space near a

unit you want to heavily promote:Add it to the Geocaching.comdirectory and promote it across yoursocial networks.

• Host an RV show photo scavengerhunt: Players receive the scavengerhunt list at your space, take photosof each item/location found, andupload photos to your Facebookpage, Flickr account, or designatedPinterest page in exchange for acoupon or goodie.

• Create a QR code that “likes” yourFacebook page, “follows” yourTwitter profile, or subscribes to your


Twenty-One Retail Show By Evanne Schmarder

e-newsletter andpost it around yourshow space.

• Hold a MeetUp orTweetUp at adesignated time:This will bring youronline friends together inperson.

• Upload video highlightsof the day to yourYouTube channel andpromote it on yoursocial networks.

Post-show follow-ups:• Launch an email blast with anoverview of the show: Link to all ofyour social networks that had shownews.

• Thank people who visitedyour show location, and listcontest winners on your

social networks.

• Add show news and follow-up toyour website.

• Keep the communication flowingand engage with your fans andfollowers: Ask how they liked theshow, what neat new things theysaw, which of your units was theirfavorite, and ideas for next year.

Take the time to recordand analyze your promotional

efforts and results. This datagoldmine will come in handy fordetermining how to spend your timeand budget in the coming showseasons. Are you doing anything techyat your RV show space that I didn’t

mention? I’d love to hear about it –drop me a line and we’ll trade notes.

Evanne Schmarder is the principalof Roadabode Productions, whichspecializes in digital marketing strategy,consulting, and education for the outdoorrecreation industry. She is co-author of“Unconventional Wisdom Works - 25Marketing Strategies to Build YourOutdoor Recreation Business Today,”and is the host and producer of the RVCooking Show. She is a small-businessblogger for the Huffington Post, as wellas a speaker and panelist. Schmarder canbe reached at [email protected] or702-460-9863.

Don’t miss Schmarder’s three work-shops, including “Putting Video to Workfor You,” at the 2012 RV DealersInternational Convention/Expo in LasVegas. n

13September 2012


RV DEALERSINTERNATIONALCONVENTION/EXPO w Tips

Agenda-At-A-Glance*Monday, October 18:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Expo vehicle set-up begins

8:00-11:30 a.m. RVDA of America board of directorsmeeting

Noon-3:15 p.m. RVDA of America board of delegates lunch& meeting

Noon-5:00 p.m. RVDA of Canada board lunch & meeting

3:00-9:00 p.m. Expo booth set-up

3:30-7:45 p.m. Proprietary workshops

3:30-5:00 p.m. Forest River Partners in Progress BrandCommittee meeting

5:15-6:30 p.m. Jayco Partners in Progress BrandCommittee meeting

Tuesday, October 28:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Proprietary workshops

8-9:15 a.m. KZ Partners In Progress Brand Committeemeeting

9:30-11 a.m. Keystone Partners In Progress BrandCommittee meeting

11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Winnebago motorized Partners In ProgressBrand Committee meeting

11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Prime Time Partners In Progress BrandCommittee meeting

12:45-2 p.m. Winnebago/SunnyBrook towables PartnersIn Progress Brand Committee meeting

12:45-2 p.m. CrossRoads Partners In Progress BrandCommittee meeting

1:00-6:00 p.m. Expo open

2:15-3:30 p.m. Heartland Partners In Progress BrandCommittee meeting

3:45-5 p.m. Dutchmen Partners In Progress BrandCommittee meeting

4:00-6:00 p.m. Reception in expo

Wednesday, October 37:30-8:00 a.m. Early bird coffee

8:00-9:30 a.m. Opening general session with Peter Ricchiuti

9:45-11:00 a.m. Concurrent education sessions

11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Concurrent education sessions

12:30-2:45 p.m. Expo open (lunch served 12:30-1:15 p.m.)

2:45-4:00 p.m. Education sessions for fixed-operationsemployees

3:00-4:00 p.m. RVDA of America annual meeting & RVDAof Canada annual meeting

4:15-5:30 p.m. Concurrent education sessions

Thursday, October 47:30-8:00 a.m. Early bird coffee

8:00-9:30 a.m. All-attendee education session

9:45-11:00 a.m. Concurrent education sessions

11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Expo open (lunch served 12:00-12:45 p.m.)




5:45-7:45 p.m. Celebrate the Great Outdoors IndoorsAfter-Hours Party (included withregistration)

Friday, October 57:30-8:00 a.m. Early bird coffee

7:45-9:00 a.m. F&I Legal Compliance

9:15-10:30 a.m. Ensuring your Sales Financing Agreementsare Complete

*Subject to change

Monday, October 13:30-5:00 p.m. Forest River5:15-6:30 p.m. Jayco

Tuesday, October 28:00-9:15 a.m. KZ9:30-11:00 a.m. Keystone

11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.Winnebago motorized11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.Prime Time12:45-2:00 p.m.Winnebago/SunnyBrook towables12:45-2:00 p.m. CrossRoads2:15-3:30 p.m. Heartland3:45-5:00 p.m. Dutchmen

BRAND COMMITTEE MEETINGS SCHEDULE

14

Schedulesubject tochange.

Monday, October 13:30 - 4:45 p.m.

Wheeler Advertising: Ron WheelerLocation: Miranda 7“Digital 360: A Complete Digital Dealer Program”

This session will explain what dealersneed for a dynamic digital salesmarketing game plan. How do youdrive more traffic to your website andhow do you convert that traffic intoprospects and customers? You’ll findthe answers here.

Tuesday, October 29:30 - 10:45 a.m.

Ally Financial: Bill ThompsonLocation: Brasilia 1“The Financial Services Pie: WhichPiece Is Right For You?” (Commercial,Retail, Insurance, Cash Management)

Ally Financial finances both new andused RVs, covering a variety of makes,and offers wholesale financing for RVdealers in the United States andCanada. It also offers wholesale insur-ance, working capital and real estateloans, an offset account cash manage-ment tool, and RV remarketing servicesto dealers, along with its exclusive AllyDealer Rewards program.

Auction123.com: Tracy AmatoLocation: Miranda 5“It’s a Popularity Contest: Easy Ways toDrive Traffic to Your Website &Inventory”

Attendees will learn how to get highersearch engine rankings, how socialmedia affects a company’s searchranking, the importance of a mobilepresence, and how listing inventory onmultiple marketplaces like eBay andCraigslist can increase website traffic.

ProResponse: David GoodisonLocation: Miranda 7“CRM: Myth Versus Reality”

This session will explore customer rela-tionship management, including whatto look for when shopping for yourCRM system, reasons why CRMs fail,best practices to ensure success for alldepartments, database management,and more. Even if you already have aCRM, you can learn how to make themost of it.

The following 10 proprietary workshops will be conducted byexhibiting companies on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning.

PROPRIETARY WORKSHOPS

R etired Navy Cmdr. Kirk Lippold, who spoke at lastyear’s convention about his experience as commanderof the USS Cole when it was bombed by al Qaeda in

October 2000, will return to the 2012 convention/expo to signcopies of his new book, “Front Burner: Al Qaeda’s Attack onthe USS Cole.” Lippold’s fast-paced presentation had conven-tion attendees spellbound as he recounted the frantic efforts tokeep the ship afloat after a bomb tore a gaping hole in theside, killing 17 crewmembers and wounding 39 more.

Lippold’s book is his attempt to not only describe whathappened, but also to analyze why it happened. He believesthat inaction by presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bushcontributed to the attacks of 9/11.

One anecdote from the book describes his decision after

the attack not to lowerthe American flag atsunset, the usual proce-dure for Navy ships inport. “I decided not tolower the flag, butinstead to bathe it inlights. It remainedflying for the next eight days, until we recovered all 17 of ourshipmates from the wreckage. We only lowered the flag at thememorial ceremony we held on the ninth day,” he says.

Lippold will be available to sign his book at the conven-tion’s reception on Tuesday, October 22, from 4-6 p.m., in theDiversified Insurance booth (#411). n

Lippold Returns for Book Signing

Tuesday, October 211:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Auction123.com: Clayton Stanfield(eBay Motors) and Robert Basha(Auction123)Location: Miranda 5“Sell More Units and Grow YourDealership with eBay Motors”

This class will teach dealers how tomaximize their success on eBay Motors.The speakers will present a list of eBay-specific best practices that covermerchandising, auction and pricingformats, managing leads, and how touse eBay Motors to grow your business.

IDS - Integrated Dealer Systems: SeanRaynorLocation: Miranda 8“Drive Sales and Develop EngagingCustomer Relationships with CRM”

Attendees will learn how to usecustomer relationship managementtechnology to drive more revenue intothe dealership and to develop more loyaland long-lasting customer relationships.You’ll learn how to use triggered emailmessages that are activated by specificcustomer actions, plus how to measureand improve salesperson productivity byautomating your daily traffic log.

LIVIN LITE Recreational Vehicles:Scott TuttleLocation: Brasilia 2“We’re Talking Millions Here –Customers and Sales”

The speaker will share insights on howto tap into the millions of consumerswho drive smaller fuel-efficient cars,minivans, and cross-overs and whocurrently have no reason to visit yourdealership. RV dealers who expand theirreach into this huge market demo-graphic can increase sales and profits.

RVMax Training Solutions: Don ReedLocation: Brasilia 1“Performance Improvement Plans thatMaximize Service Profits”

In this interactive workshop, attendeeswill learn how to better manage theessential eight controllable metrics tobuild profits in their service and partsoperations. RVMAX will provide allattendees with a performance improve-ment plan workbook and an interactivehandout for calculating individual profitimprovement opportunities. Topics willinclude increasing shop productivity byimproving repair cycle times andincreasing sales per repair order; priori-tizing internal and external partscustomers; the value of service menus,and more.

The Mobile Outfitters/LippertComponents: Andy Murray and Steve PaulLocation: Brasilia 3“Lippert Components and The MobileOutfitters: Taking RVing to the NextLevel”

Established in 1956 as a small steelfabrication shop, Lippert Componentshas grown into a leading RV industrysupplier. LCI’s newest division, TheMobile Outfitters, was created to bringthe company’s products to the after-market. LCI designs exciting new RVand trailer parts and accessories usinginput from customers and field experi-ence.

Wheeler Advertising: Ron WheelerLocation: Miranda 7“Advanced AdWords: A Dealer’s BestFriend”

Come see how the best dealers in thecountry use Advanced AdWords to gainmarket share and defend their territory.There’s nothing theoretical about thisseminar – it’s all facts and results. IfAdWords isn’t a big part of yourbusiness, it should be.

September 2012 15

I magine this scenario:Thanks to the amateurwinterizing job he did onhis motorhome, your

customer now has some split pipes.After mopping up the mess, helaunches the iPhone app he installedwhen he purchased the RV. First hereviews the service manual. From the

plumbing diagram, he can tell rightaway that trying to fix it himself is outof the question.

Going back into the app, thecustomer clicks “schedule serviceappointment.” After selecting hispreferred day and time and giving ashort description of his problem, heclicks send. A minute or so later, he

receives an instant message confirminghis appointment – he’s booked! Theservice manager even messaged him tosee if he’d prefer getting his repairsdone onsite.

You may be thinking, “Why do Ineed a smartphone app –customers can do all that now onmy website.” But most websitesaren’t optimized for mobiledevices – they’re often slow, almostalways too small, and sometimeseven missing entire sections. Anapp is always there, ready togo, constantly brandingyour dealership with thecustomer. A Web browsercan’t do that.

In the very near future,customers and dealership staff aregoing to be interacting using smart-phones and tablets. Forget the phone– customers hate automated switch-boards and being put on hold. Forgetyour website. In our fully connecteddigital world, customers will usemobile devices to view inventory, buyparts and service, or schedule a testdrive. Managers will access DMS“dashboards” showing real-timedepartmental performance. Sales staffwill use iPads to track ups and guidecustomers to the right unit.

Think this is years away?Franchised auto dealerships arealready using mobile devices to accessDMS and lead management software.They also have branded apps that doeverything I previously described andmore. In a March 2012 report fromglobal digital marketing firmComScore Inc., half of the 200million U.S. cell phone users usesmartphones. More surprising is thatalmost 20 percent of American adultsnow own tablets. If your customerdoesn’t have a smartphone or tabletnow, they’ll have one soon.


Why You’ll Soon Have a Smartp By Mike Martin

17September 2012

As anyiPhone

user knows,it’s the apps

that are mostappealing. They’re

inexpensive, easy touse, and often quite

useful – and if they’renot, the low to no price

makes them virtually disposable.Companies have taken notice. InOctober 2011, market data researcherDistimo reported that almost all ofthe top 100 U.S. brands have apps, adoubling in the past 18 months.

You don’t need to spend a fortuneon an app for your dealership. Whilecustom-built ones can easily costtwenty or thirty thousand dollars,there are companies that can provide areasonably priced “branded” app at amonthly cost that’s less than a doc fee.You can find them in Google or go towww.dealershipapps.com for a goodexample.

All indications are that smart-phones and tablets are going toprofoundly affect how your dealershipdoes business, just like desktopcomputing did 15 years ago. Whileyour dealership probably doesn’t havean app now, you will within the nextyear or so.

Mike Martin is general manager atQuantech Software.com. He can becontacted at 877/611-0622 [email protected].

Don’t miss his workshop,“Smartphone App for your Dealership?Why you’ll Have One within TwelveMonths,” at the 2012 RV DealersInternational Convention/Expo in LasVegas. n

phone App for Your Dealership


T oo often, dealerships findthemselves facing compli-ance and legal troublesdue to misunderstandings

around finance agreements with theircustomers. Many factors can contributeto these problems, but it typically boilsdown to inconsistencies, unansweredquestions, and lack of communication.With a little planning, these risks canbe mitigated, helping ensure your

dealership maintains good customerrelationships and profitability.

The best place to start is with thisquestion: What is the “agreement?” Itmay sound simple, but this issue is atthe core of making sure you have acomplete sales financing agreementthat all parties understand and approve.

Some individuals may view the“agreement” as the credit application,while others might view it as a buyer’s

order, retail contract, ormanufacturer’swarranty. It could alsobe a combination ofthese or other docu-ments, which may allcontain terms of thedeal. As you can see,defining the “agree-ment” isn’t alwaysstraightforward. And ifyou can’t easily deter-mine which documents comprise yourcomplete sales financing agreement, itmay be difficult to enforce it – particu-larly if terms highlighted in variousdocuments don’t agree with each other.

Many dealers find it’s easiest toanswer the question of “What is theagreement?” by simply making sureone document comprises the entireagreement between the parties. Oneway to do this is to include a provi-sion in a retail sales installment salescontract (RISC) that states the entiresales financing agreement betweenparties is in the RISC. Essentially, theRISC then becomes the onlydocument containing the entire andfinal terms of the transaction. Thisprovision is typically referred to as a“merger” or “integration” clausebecause it merges or integrates allterms into one document.

If a dealer is involved in litigationrelated to a sales finance agreement,the RISC should be the onlydocument needed to reference andinterpret the rights and responsibili-ties of all the parties involved – anadvantage of using this strategy.

However, merger clauses must becrafted very carefully or they can resultin disadvantages. For example, in aFlorida case last year, the court said adealership couldn’t enforce its arbitra-tion provision in the buyer’s orderbecause the RISC included a mergerclause that stated the RISC containedthe entire agreement. The problem?The arbitration provision was in the

Making Sure Your Sales Financing Agree By Chip Zyvoloski

Buyer’s Order, not the RISC, so theprovision essentially fell outside of theterms of the “agreement.”

One obvious solution would havebeen to include an arbitration agreementprovision in the RISC itself. Anotherstrategy is to include specific referencesin the RISC to other documents, sayingthat they’re part of the merged terms. Inthis scenario, the RISC and the refer-enced documents would be consideredthe entire agreement.

But how do you prevent a slippery slope where it feelslike everything must be referenced in the RISC? Contrary towhat you might think, incorporating everything by referenceinto a RISC won’t always ensure you have it all covered.Another Florida case highlights a situation where an agree-ment was found to be inconsistent because the RISC termspurported to be final conflicted with a separate conditionaldelivery agreement that said the terms might not be final.This highlights the importance of making sure that all docu-ments that represent the final entire sales financing agree-ment are consistent.

Dealers could also include cross-references within theRISC that explain the other documents that are included tohelp avoid any confusion among the involved parties. Somecontracts include a phrase establishing which documentcontrols if there’s a conflict, but it may not help if the docu-ments have such fundamental differences that they’reconfusing when read together.

For such a simple concept, this issue can be surprisinglycomplicated. While it’s yet to be seen how the market willrespond to recent court cases involving sales finance agree-ments, it’s clear that this is an area that deserves attentionfrom dealers and lenders.

Dealers need to determine what terms and documentsthey want to comprise the total sales and financing “agree-ment” and then use the different available strategies to putthem together as a unified whole.

Zyvoloski is a senior attorney for Wolters Kluwer FinancialServices’ Indirect Lending business, which monitors pending andenacted legislation that affects the RV, auto, and marine financeand dealer markets. He can be reached at:[email protected]

Don’t miss his convention workshop, “Ensuring Your SalesFinancing Agreements are Complete,” at the 2012 RV DealersInternational Convention/Expo. Zyvoloski will help dealersdetermine what questions they must address to avoid complianceand legal troubles; the anatomy of a complete sales financing agree-ment; and strategies for making sure financing agreements clearlyinterpret rights and responsibilities of all parties involved. n

19September 2012

ements are Complete


S everal years before the GreatRecession, I spoke atRVDA’s convention aboutmy theory that there are 10

secrets to dealership financial success.And I bemoaned what I had beenobserving – that sound fundamentalbusiness practices were eroding. I feltthen that businesses weren’t planning foranything other than unlimited futuregrowth, and that dealerships were losingfocus of the basics.

At the time, I had no idea of the pending economiccollapse. Nor could I have predicted the degree or magni-tude.

Much has happened to the industry in the intervening6+ years. So much so that one needs to ask: Are the 10secrets I introduced in 2005 still relevant today? Withhindsight and wounds still fresh from the painfully slow

economic recovery, I thinkit’s time to reassess thosesecrets. First, here’s what Ioriginally said in 2006 and2007.

Over the past 20 years,I’ve learned a lot from thebest teachers – successfuldealers. What they have incommon is passion, acommitment to excellence,and keen business acumen.

Let me share what I’ve observed about them.

• Get good financial information: Dealers make gooddecisions by first getting timely and accurate financialinformation. When times were flush, as they were until2007, dealers got by with what they could get from thebusiness office. When faced with leaner times, dealersneeded to make critical decisions that required moreand better financial info.

• Hire professionals: Successful dealers may havedifferent backgrounds, but in all cases, they hire to theirweakness, and they hire professionals. As dealershipsbecame leaner, it became more important than ever tohave good employees.

• Stick to budgets and forecasts: Dealers hold them-selves and key personnel accountable. They measuretheir budgets and forecasts against industry benchmarks.They set targets for sales, units, and gross profit. Notonly do they use them to predict the future, they alsouse them to reward results. Predicting the future was theonly way to survive the downturn. Budgeting and fore-casting is simply about discipline and accountability.

• Hold people accountable: Good dealers understandthat they “get what they inspect.” They use regularmanagement and departmental meetings to track andevaluate results. During the downturn, dealers becamemore actively involved in their businesses, holdingpeople accountable for results. The responsibility wasnot passed along to key managers. Dealers stoppedaccepting mediocrity.

• Reward the right behaviors: Dealers know that usingpay plans and other incentives to reward the rightbehavior works if the process is monitored and evalu-ated. With the downturn, dealers needed additionalincentives to keep the best performers. Becoming lean

A Post-Recession Look at the Ten Secretsto Dealership Financial Success By Stephan King

continued on page 22


was actually a reward for the top performers. It openeddoors and opportunity.

• Manage cash: Dealership sales have been rather unpre-dictable over the past six years, and holding onto earnedcash has been an absolute necessity. Successful dealers usebudgeting and forecasting to predict their future cashneeds. For them, managing cash is a daily occurrence,once which requires the help of qualified personnelproviding timely and accurate financial information.

• Unlock frozen capital: Dealers traditionally were shorton cash and high on debt. The recession forced them tofind cash from other sources. Successful dealers wereadept at unlocking frozen capital by speeding up collec-tion of receivables, reducing inventory levels, or deferringpayment of payables. Today, most dealerships have verylittle frozen capital.

• Reinvest: Successful dealers put profits, extra cash, andunfrozen capital back into their business. This hedge is aself-funded insurance policy for the proverbial rainy day.The recession was no mere rainy day – it was a full-blownhurricane requiring total discipline and commitment tosurvive. Dollars that left the dealerships in the early2000s were returned to the dealership by the end of thedecade. Reinvestment was paramount to survival.

• Manage debt:Managing debt is very similar tomanaging cash. Debt is the dealership’s lifeblood. It typi-cally is the primary source for funding inventory and isalso used to fund capital projects and level out cash flowneeds. Debt can also be a toxin to a dealership low oncash. It never fails – you can’t get credit when you need it.Sound familiar?

• Build wealth: Successful dealers build personal wealthand are financially secure. Their stores provide jobs andfinancial support to others in their communities.

I believe that the axioms I espoused in 2005 are stillrelevant. In fact, they represent the basic fundamentals ofdoing business, in good times or bad.

How are you surviving the recession and the uncertaintyof the future? Did you use any of the 10 secrets to help youget through the toughest economic stretch since the GreatDepression? Have you institutionalized the good behaviorsthat you honed during the tough times? Are you poised totake advantage of future growth opportunities?

And what are the post-recession secrets of future dealer-ship financial success? Have you given it any thought?

Stephan King, a certified public accountant, has spent morethan 20 years advising dealerships ranging from single-pointstores to large mega dealerships and publicly-held groups. Formore information, he can be contacted at 480-477-6478, or visithis website at www.skingcpa.com.

Don’t miss his workshop, “A Post-Recession Look at the TenSecrets to Dealership Financial Success,” during the 2012 RVDealers International Convention/Expo. n

continued from page 20

23September 2012

In today’s credit market, dealers arestill losing sales from customerswho have credit problems in theirpast. This doesn’t need to be the case.Many customers with credit chal-lenges still have good incomes and thedesire to buy an RV. They attend RVshows and visit dealerships, lookingfor their perfect getaway trailer ormotorhome. Finance and sales staffneed to identify these customers andcapitalize on these sales opportunities.

Get to know customersMany customers think they have

good credit when in fact they don’t.Nearly 40 percent of the Americanpopulation has a credit score below 700,reflecting some sort of credit challengein their past. Sales and finance staffsneed to work together to learn moreabout the customers who walk throughyour dealership’s doors. They shouldask customers: Are you current onpayment obligations such as auto loansand mortgage? Have you ever filedbankruptcy or had a home foreclosedon? The more information they collectabout customers’ financial capacity, theeasier it is to sell customers the unitfor which they qualify.

Sell customers units that fit

The right unit for a customer maynot always be their dream unit. As youget to know your customer, you’lllearn which unit is a good fit for themfinancially. Nobody benefits when acustomer gets excited about his dreamRV and is then declined by the bank.This sours the dealer-customer rela-tionship. So it’s vital to sell yourcustomers on units that fit their needsand finances.

Prepare customers for closing

Finance managers need to explainlender requirements and educate

customers on why they may notqualify for a prime loan or interestrate. Prepare customers for thecommon stipulations associatedwith a non-prime loan, such as W2sand recent paystubs. The F&Idepartment also should givecustomers hope and let them knowthere are many financing options.Stay positive and never let anapproval of any rate appear as anegative. Let your customers knowthat some lenders, such as MedallionBank, offer simple interest loans withno pre-payment penalties. Encouragethem to rebuild their credit and havefun while doing it.

Today’s credit market is full ofopportunities, if you know where tolook for them. Dealerships that haveanalyzed and refined their sellingprocess to customers with credit chal-

lenges are having a better year andhave a brighter future than those thathaven’t. Increasing sales to credit chal-lenged customers just may prove to bethe difference between an average yearand a great year.

John Haymond is vice president ofmarketing and business development atMedallion Bank, which provides retailfinance to the RV industry. For moreinformation, email him [email protected]. n

Financing Credit Challenged CustomersBy John Haymond


A World of TrainingADP Lightspeed

� Air Lift CompanyAirstream Inc.AIRXCEL - RV GroupAlly FinancialAmerica’s RV and MarineAuctionARIAtwood Mobile Products, LLCAuction123.com

� Automotive Finance CorporationBank of the WestBlue OxCarefree of ColoradoCequent Performance ProductsCertified Earth FriendlyTechnologies Corp.

� Chalet RV Inc.Coach-Net/National Motor ClubCoast Distribution SystemCole International Inc.CornerStone United Inc.Creative Products Group/RVLocksAndMore.comCrossRoads RVCruiser RV, LLC/DRV, LLCCummins Onan GeneratorsCustomer Service Intelligence Inc.Dealer Financial Services Group

� Dinosaur ElectronicsDiversified InsuranceManagement Inc.Dometic, LLCEasyCare RVEverGreen Recreational Vehicles, LLCFreightliner Custom Chassis Corp.GE CapitalGEICO PowersportsGirard SystemsHeartland Recreational VehiclesHoliday Rambler RV

IDS – Integrated Dealer SystemsInfinite Creative EnterprisesInterstate National DealerServices

� InterVac Design Corp.Joe Verde Sales & ManagementTraining Inc.Keystone RV CompanyKZ RV L.P.Lance Camper ManufacturingCorporationLeisure Travel Vans/Triple E RV

� Lifestyle Luxury RVLivin’ Lite Recreational Vehicles Inc.Marine One Acceptance Corp.Marzahn & King Consulting Inc.MBA Insurance Inc.Medallion BankMerrick BankThe Mobile OutfittersMOR/ryde InternationalNADA Appraisal Guides &NADAguides.comNCompass RVNewmar CorporationNTP Distribution

� NukleusOutdoors RV ManufacturingPacific Coachworks Inc.Parallax Power Supply - A Division of ConnecticutElectric Inc.Pettes & Hesser, Ltd.

Priority One FinancialServices Inc.Progress Mfg. Inc.ProResponse Inc.ProtectiveQuantechSoftware.Com Inc.R. L. Polk & Co.

� Rand McNally� Redwood RVReed Brothers Insurance Group,Div. of Brown & Brown Ins.

� Reese Roadtrek Motorhomes Inc.Robert Weed PlywoodCorporationRV 123RV America Insurance Mktg. Inc.RV PRO MagazineRV TraderRVDARVMaster By ExumaTechnologies Inc.RVMAX Training SolutionsRVT.com Online DealerClassifiedsShasta Recreational Vehicles, A Division of Forest River Inc.Sobel & Associates Inc.

Spader BusinessManagementStag-ParkwayStatistical Surveys Inc.Systems 2000 Inc.TekonshaThetford Corporation andNorcold CorporationTRA Certification Inc.U.S. Bank Recreation FinanceUnited States WarrantyCorporationUVS Junction

Wheeler Advertising Inc.Williams and Stazzone InsuranceAgency Inc.Winnebago Industries Inc.

� Wolters Kluwer FinancialServices

2012 Exhibitors as of August 13, 2012

Bold Corporate sponsor� 2012 new companies

exhibitingMfg. displaying vehicleMedia partnerRV Executive TodayadvertiserSpeaker



Follow the convention on:Presented by:

At this year’s conventionyou’ll find:• Educational Super Sessionsdesigned to help dealers navigatethe issues and opportunities theyface today

• Strategies to reach new customersthrough new technology andharness the power of social media

• A new series of fixed operationsworkshops for service and partsmanagers to improve efficiencyand profitability

• A full range of exhibitors lookingto help you make more money andsolve problems

• The outlook for the RV industry –be prepared for what happensafter the election

• RV brand committee meetings formany manufacturers

• Networking events to catch upwith your industry colleagues

Give your dealershipan edge this year…and make plans to attend the2012 RV Dealers International Convention/Expo.

OCTOBER 1-5, 2012 • RIO ALL-SUITE HOTEL & CASINO • LAS VEGAS

2012 SPONSORS

Visitwww.rvda.org for moreinformationand toregister.

Guided by:

STILL OPEN



Follow the convention on:Presented by:

Visitwww.rvda.orgfor moreinformationand toregister.

At this year’s convention you’ll find:• Educational Super Sessions designed tohelp dealers navigate the issues andopportunities they face today

• Strategies to reach new customers throughnew technology and harness the power ofsocial media

• A new series of fixed operations workshopsfor service and parts managers to improveefficiency and profitability

• A full range of exhibitors looking to helpyou make more money and solve problems

• The outlook for the RV industry – be prepared for what happens after the election

• RV brand committee meetings for manymanufacturers

• Networking events to catch up with yourindustry colleagues

Give your dealership an edge this year…and make plans to attend the 2012 RV Dealers International Convention/Expo.

OCTOBER 1-5, 2012 • RIO ALL-SUITE HOTEL & CASINO • LAS VEGAS

for the first registrant and

for additional registrants.

$999$999

YOU PAY:

Same pricesas last year!

RVDA Dealer Members OnlyNon-Member Rate: $1,199

OCTOBER 1-5, 2012Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino

Las Vegas

Company Name: ______________________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________

City: ______________________________ State/Prov:___________ Zip/PC:____________

Phone: __________________________________ Fax: _________________________________

E-mail: ____________________________________ ___________________________________

MAIL OR FAX A COPY OF THIS FORM TO:RVDA of America, 3930 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030-2515 • (703) 591-7130 • Fax: (703) 359-0152 • www.rvda.orgRVDA of Canada, 204-6411 Buswell St, Richmond, BC V6Y 2G5 • (604) 718-6325 • Fax: (604) 204-0154 • www.rvda.ca

METHOD OF PAYMENT (Note: all funds in U.S. dollars)

o Check Enclosed (payable to RVDA)

o VISA oMC o AMEX o Discover Expires: ______________

Card #: __________________________________________________________________

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Billing Address: __________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Signature:________________________________________________________________

CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:All cancellations must be in writing and received by August 31, 2012, to qualify for a refund. A $30 administrative fee will be deductedfrom each refund request received by July 31, 2012. A $100 administrative fee will be deducted from each refund request received betweenAugust 1, 2012 and August 31, 2012. No refunds will be made after August 31, 2012.* The RVDA Education Foundation is a tax-exempt organization as described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions may be tax-deductible as charitable donations.

SUPPORT EDUCATION - Optional Contribution to the RV Learning Center*

The 2012 RV Dealers InternationalConvention/Expo has a per-personvalue of: $1,865

$

$

TOTAL DUE:

o Please check here if you require specialaccessibility or accommodations.

Full Name and Title of Attendee: E-mail Address: You Pay:Badge First Name:

$999 first registrant

additionalregistrants$999

Brought to you by:

Same pricesas last year!


RV DEALERSINTERNATIONALCONVENTION/EXPO Convention

Registration FormDEALERS ONLY

RATE CHART (All funds in U.S. dollars)

RVDA Member Dealers $999Non-Member Dealers $1,199

27September 2012


2012 SponsorsBank of the WestGOLD SPONSOR2527 Camino Ramon NCB07 3 ADSan Ramon, CA 94583(800) 843-2327Fax: (402) 918-7134www.bankofthewest.com

GE CapitalGOLD SPONSOR5309 Longboat Blvd ETampa, FL 33615(813) 814-9623Fax: (813) 441-8928www.gecdf.com

ProtectiveGOLD SPONSOR14755 N Outer Hwy 40 Suite 400Chesterfield, MO 63017(636) 536-5704Fax: (636) 536-5740www.protective.com/dealerservicesrv.asp?ID=204

UVS Junction

1511 East State Road 434 Suite 3049Winter Springs, FL32708(407) 359-8878Fax: (407) 359-8878www.uvsjunction.com

Ally FinancialBRONZE SPONSOR3200 Park Center Drive Suite 400Costa Mesa, CA 92626(800) 700-8467Fax: (714) 327-1101www.ally.com

Diversified InsuranceManagement Inc.BRONZE SPONSOR400 Chisholm Place Suite 208Plano, TX 75075(800) 332-4264Fax: (972) 423-5200www.rvbestquote.com

Forest River Inc.BRONZE SPONSORPO Box 3030Elkhart, IN 46515-3030(574) 389-4600Fax: (574) 296-7558www.forestriverinc.com

MBA Insurance Inc.BRONZE SPONSOR8383 E Evans RdScottsdale, AZ 85260(800) 622-2201Fax: (480) 946-0288www.MBAinsurance.net

Reed Brothers InsuranceGroup/Division ofBrown & BrownInsuranceBRONZE SPONSORPO Box 9Columbia, KY 42728(270) 384-5800Fax: (270) 384-5400www.reedbrothersinsur-ance.com

Guided by:Rand McNally9855 Woods DriveSkokie, IL 60077(847) 329-6178Fax: (800) 934-3479www.randmcnally.com

F aulkner Furniture has addednew patterns to its line of

deluxe patio mats. Monte Carloand Vineyard patterns are avail-able in beige, blue, or green.Summer Waves comes ingreen/blue, tan/gold, or black.Mirage has two color choices:silver/gold or burgundy.Equestrian fans will enjoy WildMustang and can choose fromfive colors: black/silver, blue,brown, burgundy or green. FinishLine is perfect for race fans, withits black and white checkeredflags. Or show your patriotismwith Independence Day’s red,white and blue stars and strips.These fade-resistant mats comein three sizes: 6 x 9 ft., 9 x 12 ft.,and 8 x 20 ft. Made from 100percent PVC, they are easy toclean and mold and mildewresistant.

The Faulkner furniture lineis distributed across NorthAmerica to specialty retailers,pool and patio furniture dealers,and RV and marine dealers. Tosee the complete line ofFaulkner recliners, visitwww.faulknerfurniture.com.

For information, call 1-888-346-2184 or [email protected].

Deluxe PatioMats TakeIndoor Comfortand StyleOutdoors

PARTS & ACCESSORIES

SHOWCASE

29September 2012

31September 2012

Go RVing SweepstakesGenerates Thousands of Leads

G o RVing’s RV giveaway,conducted in partnershipwith Great AmericanCountry Network (GAC)

drew much attention this summer.The winners, Clinton and Pamela

Johnson of Hardinsburg, IN, won a 2012Lance Camper Ultralight travel trailer ina drawing.

The sweepstakes, which ran from March 1 through April 16, brought inmore than 23,000 leads for the GoRVing program from entrants who optedto receive information from participatingGo RVing dealers, manufacturers, andcampgrounds. n

Go RVing Co-chairman Tom Stinnett presents the Lance travel trailer keys tothe Johnson family at Tom Stinnett Derby City RV in Clarksville, IN.

Additional/New ContributionsReceived 7/01/11-8/08/12

CONTRIBUTORSThe RV Learning Center proudly recognizes these

Received7/01/11-8/08/12

TotalReceived

Last Contri-bution

Additional/New ContributionsReceived 7/01/11-8/08/12

Received7/01/11-8/08/12

TotalReceived

Last Contri-bution

Ace Fogdall, Inc. $500 $37,100 12/27/11

AIRXCEL - RV Group $500 $10,500 06/14/12

All Valley RV Center $500 $500 06/26/12

Alpin Haus $1,500 $17,000 06/29/12

Automotive Recruiting $30 $30 11/07/11

Beckley’s Camping Center $250 $250 06/05/12

Bowling Motors & RV Sales $300 $300 12/16/11

Byerly RV Center $10,000 $36,000 01/03/12

Camperland of Oklahoma, LLC $1,000 $4,350 06/25/12

Campers Inn of Kingston $5,000 $32,422 07/11/11

Camp-Site RV $250 $250 02/01/12

Circle K RVs Inc. $250 $6,000 06/08/12

Classic RV’s, LLC $10 $10 04/18/12

Dinosaur Electronics $500 $750 06/13/12

Bill & Kristin Fenech $2,500 $58,750 07/25/12

Fretz Enterprises Inc. $750 $750 06/18/12

Hartville RV Center Inc. $250 $10,500 06/11/12

Hilltop Trailer Sales Inc. $41 $1,622 07/20/12

Holiday Hour Inc. $100 $100 04/13/12

Horsey Family Memorial Fund $1,000 $68,000 06/28/12

J. D. Sanders Inc. $250 $2,750 08/07/12

Jayco Inc. $1,000 $18,500 12/27/11

Kroubetz Lakeside Campers $250 $250 12/02/11

Madison RV Supercenter $500 $4,000 08/22/11

Mayflower RV Inc. $250 $250 07/27/12

MBA Insurance Inc. $1,000 $14,100 05/14/12

Mike Molino $550 $11,311 07/03/12

Motley RV Repair $135 $8,075 11/04/11

Newell Coach $1,000 $1,000 09/01/11

Newmar Corporation $20,000 $135,000 10/28/11

Noble RV Inc. $500 $900 02/21/12

Pete’s RV Center $1,000 $1,000 05/07/12

PleasureLand RV Center Inc. $1,000 $76,350 12/16/11

Protective $23,118 $110,963 12/02/11

Quality Drive-Away Inc. $250 $250 06/05/12

RCD Sales Company, Ltd. $500 $2,250 07/20/12

Reines RV Center Inc. $2,000 $22,025 12/22/11

Rich & Sons Camper Sales $2,000 $6,000 11/02/11

Rivers Bus & RV Sales $500 $17,350 06/15/12

RV Assistance Corp. $3,000 $26,000 11/23/11

RV Outlet Mall $250 $1,800 06/14/12

Skyline RV & Home Sales Inc. $1,250 $1,250 07/03/12

Spader Business Management $1,000 $1,000 12/02/11

Tacoma RV Center $1,000 $1,500 06/15/12

Tiffin Motor Homes Inc. $2,500 $21,000 04/18/12

Tom Stinnett Derby City RV $500 $101,000 03/12/12

Topper’s Camping Center $500 $3,000 06/18/12

United RV Center $1,000 $2,000 10/17/11

United States Warranty Corp. $1,000 $5,250 04/13/12

Wilkins R.V. Inc. $1,500 $15,100 06/28/12

Winnebago Industries Inc. $6,000 $34,000 09/30/11

The Kindlund Family Scholarship Endowment $270,000

32

33September 2012

College student and working service writer/advisor JeremySullivan is the latest recipient of a $2,500 scholarship

from the RV Learning Center Scholarship Program, whichis endowed through The Kindlund Family Foundation.

Sullivan recently completed an associate degree in pre-business and is studying to receive an accounting degree atthe University of Cincinnati. He is employed at ColerainTrailer Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.

“We are extremely pleased to provide the RV LearningCenter scholarship to a student who is actively employed atan RV dealership,” says Newt Kindlund. “Jeremy is a greatexample of how higher education can benefit dealershipsand employees.”

Sullivan says his eight years at Colerain have beenrewarding. “I’ve learned a great deal about how anoutstanding business should operate, as well as how toappreciate the employees that help a business becomeoutstanding,” he says.

The Learning Center’s scholarshipprogram recognizes deserving studentsentering their sophomore, junior, orsenior year. Applicants are judged onacademic achievement, extracurricularactivities and honors, RV industryinvolvement, financial need, and a 500-word essay. The program has awardedmore than $54,000 to 22 students since its inception in2000.

The Kindlund family, which endowed the scholarshipprogram with $270,000, remains active in the RV industryeven after selling its corporation, Holiday RV Superstores,in 1999. Newt Kindlund serves on the RV LearningCenter Board of Directors. The center is a tax-exempt501(c)(3) organization. Contributions may be tax-deductible as charitable donations. Visit www.rvlearning-center.com for more information. n

Service Writer/Advisor at Colerain Trailer CenterReceives RV Learning Center Scholarship

Focus Group 09 recently celebrated its 25th anniversaryin Palm Springs, CA. Longtime member Crosby Forrest Senior(far left) says the group provides invaluable support andinformation. “They’re like a board of directors,” says Forrest.“If we have a question about rentals, we can ask ScottKrenek, or if we have a question about running more thanone store, we can get great input from Ed Collier.” Forrestalso credits moderator Lee Berryman with doing an excellentjob of guiding the group.

From left to right: Crosby Forrest, Dave Columber, SteveFrancis, Jeff Caldwell, Rod Ruppel, Ed Collier, Bert Adams,Scott Krenek, Lee Berryman, Dennis Fergus, Charley Anderson,Roger Sellers, Casey Bast, Dennis Dalheim, Lynne Dalheim

Subscribe now!q RVDA member rate (1 year/6 digital issues): $39.95*q Non-member rate (1 year/6 digital issues): $49.95*q New subscription(s) or q renewal(s)

RVDA members: Order multiple subscriptions for your office/company at reduced ratesand save even more! Call (703) 591-7130 for bulk rate info.

Payment method:q Check enclosed – Payable to The RVDA Education Foundationq Send an invoice – RVDA members only! or q AMEX q MasterCard q Visa q Discover

Name ________________________________E-mail __________________________________

Dealership address ______________________________________________________________

City __________________________________State ____ Zip_______ Phone ________________

Name on card __________________________Card # __________________________________

Signature ______________________________Security code________________ Exp. date ______

Billing address ____________________________________________________ Zip __________

Return this form to RVDA Education Foundation, 3930 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030.Questions? Call the member services hotline or (703) 591-7130, or visit www.rvtechnician.com.

• Articles on the latest tech-nical information

• Training and tech certificationinfo

• New products

• Customer service tips

• Safety issues

• Advice from industry experts

• A special subscribers-onlywebsite

• Printable PDF and onlineFlipbook versions

RV Technician, a digital bimonthly magazine, is the industrysource for detailed, in-depth articles geared for the profes-sional RV repairer. It’s written and vetted by master tech-nicians and covers every aspect of RVs, from electricalsystems to plumbing. It keeps techs up-to-date with:

P U B L I S H E D B Y T H E R V D A E D U C A T I O N F O U N D A T I O N ’ S

*Prices aresubject tochange


FRVTA–RV Learning Center Partnership$995 per year for each dealership location.Over 50 sessions available, 24 hours a day,seven days a week, with full access totraining through July 31, 2013.

The DLN offers your dealership:• Onsite training• Group training• No travel time or expenses • Self-determined pace• One fixed price of $995 for the subscription term

The DLN offers online training for:• RV Technicians – The certification prep coursehelps technicians get ready for the certification exam.Your subscription includes unlimited access to morethan 50 training sessions, reviews, and test prepara-tion sections. Also included are manufacturer- and

supplier-specific advanced repair and troubleshootingclasses designed to upgrade technicians’ skills.

Completion of these classes qualifies forrecertification hours. Classes are available24/7 throughout the program year,providing maximum flexibility.

• Service Writers/Advisors – Thisthree-hour program is valuable for both new

staff and experienced personnel preparing forthe RV Learning Center’s Service Writer/Advisor

certification.

• Greeters/Receptionists – This 50-minute sessionis suitable for all employees who need customerservice skills. It includes a final exam and certificateof completion.

• Dealers/GMs – This program features importanttopics for management, including lemon laws, LP gaslicensing issues, and the federal Red Flags Rule.

Company Name:____________________________________________________________________________________________

Address: ____________________________________________ City:________________________ State: ____ Zip: __________

Phone:______________________________________________ Fax: __________________________________________________

Mentor Name: ________________________________________________________ Phone: ______________________________

E-mail (at dealership) : __________________________________________________ Fax: ________________________________

**High speed Internet access required. RVIA service textbooks not included**_____ location(s) at $995 each = payment due: $__________________ (select payment method below)

PAYMENT METHOD Complete lower section and mail or fax to:

q PAY BY CHECK OR MONEY ORDER q PAY BY VISA OR MASTERCARD Florida RV Trade Association, 10510 Gibsonton Drive, Riverview, FL 33578, (813) 741-0488, Fax: (813) 741-0688

Name on Credit Card: ______________________________________________________________________________________

Card Number: ________________________ Security Code: _________ Expires: ______________________________________

Card Billing Address: ________________________________ City:________________________ State: ____ Zip: __________

Card Holder Signature: ______________________________________________________________________________________

For more information, call (386) 754-4285 or go to www.fgc.edu/rv-institute.aspx

Online Training with FRVTA’s

DISTANCE LEARNING NETWORK

DEALERSHIP REGISTRATION

35September 2012

The RV Learning Center is pleased to announce ithas renewed its partnership with the Florida RV

Trade Association (FRVTA) to provide online trainingfor RV dealership personnel through the DistanceLearning Network (DLN). This is the seventh consec-utive year the organizations have joined forces topromote the program.

A subscription includes unlimited access to morethan 50 DLN training sessions, coursework reviews, andtest preparation sections, which are available anytimethroughout the program year. The 2012-13 DLNprogram includes a range of subject matter to improvethe performance of dealership personnel, including:

• RV technician certification preparation course:More than 40 hours of instruction will help trainand prepare RV service technicians for the RVDA-RVIA RV Service Technician Certification test, andcompletion fulfills recertification requirements.

• Service writer/advisor course: This three-hourprogram is ideal for both veterans and new hires.Presented by service writer/advisor veteran AndreaBlackmon, the program helps prepare your personnelfor the center’s service writer/advisor certificationtest. Completion of the course counts toward recerti-fication requirements.

• Advanced/manufacturer specific training: Thisfeatures product-specific training from RV manufac-turers and suppliers from within the RV industry.

• RV greeter /receptionist course: A 50-minuteprogram that covers the importance of customerservice; the skills and expectations for the RV recep-tionist; the importance of making the right firstimpression; communicating on the phone; handlingdifficult customers; and organizational techniques forthe workplace. The program is suitable for anyonewho needs customer service skills and includes afinal exam and certificate of completion.

“The DLN gives dealerships the opportunity toengage in group training with a mentor,” says FRVTAExecutive Director Lance Wilson. “It’s extremely cost-effective training, delivered right to the dealership.FRVTA also provides mentor support and encourage-ment throughout the year, once the dealership is signedup for the program.”

“This program is available immediately for dealer-ships that want to get started on a comprehensivetraining program,” says RV Learning Center ChairmanJeff Pastore of Hartville RV Center, Hartville, OH.“With the RV industry outlook improving and dealershiring new people, the DLN is an ideal way to getemployees on the road to success.”

The only requirement to participate is ahigh-speed Internet connection. A video cableconnected to a television is also useful forgroup training. A one-year subscription to theprogram costs $995 per dealership location.The subscription term is August 1, 2012 - July,31, 2013.

For more information and a sign-up form, visit www.rvlearning-center.com, www.rvtechnician.com, www.rvda.org, www.frvta.org, orcall the RV Learning Center at (703) 591-7130 or FRVTA at (386)754-4285.

Dealers can learn more about the DLN and other trainingprograms during a special workshop at the RV Dealers InternationalConvention/Expo on Thursday, October 4. FRVTA Director ofTraining Jim Carr of Florida Gateway College will present “RVService Employee Improvement: A Service Manager’sResponsibility,” designed for service and general managers and othersresponsible for the daily operations of an RV service center.Workshop attendance can be applied toward certified servicemanager and service advisor recertification continuing educationrequirements. To register for the convention, visit www.rvda.org.

The RV Learning Center is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization.Contributions may be tax deductible as charitable donations.FRVTA’s purpose is to promote and protect the general welfare ofthe Florida recreational vehicle and camping industry. n

FRVTA and the RV Learning Center Renew Partnershipto Deliver Online Training to RV Dealerships


Credit Card ProcessingBank of AmericaMerchant Services https://[email protected](678) 784-0567

Bank of America Merchant Servicesoffers RVDA members an annualsavings averaging 10-to-15 percenton each Visa and MasterCard swipetransaction. Advanced equipmentprovides fast authorization, around-the-clock support, and improvedfunds availability for those with adepository relationship with thebank.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Disability Income Insurance/ Paycheck Protection BenefitsAmerican FidelityAssurance [email protected](877) 967-5748, Ext. 8699

Dealerships can provide disabilityinsurance to provide security for aportion of an employee’s paycheck inthe event they are unable to workdue to a covered accident or illness.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Emergency Roadside andTechnical [email protected](800) 863-6740

Coach-Net provides emergencyroadside and technical assistancesolutions to RV dealers throughoutthe U.S. and Canada and for manyRV and chassis manufacturers, RVclubs, and customer membershipgroups. Coach-Net provides dedi-cated service using over 150employees with advanced communi-cations technology tools combinedwith an extensive database of morethan 40,000 service providers. Thecompany employs trained CustomerService Agents and RVDA-RVIA/ASEMaster Certified Technical ServiceAgents.

Employee TestingCaliper Corp.www.calipercorp.comRalph [email protected](609) 524-1214

For nearly a half-century, Caliper hasconsulted with over 25,000 compa-nies on improving every aspect oftheir workforce – from hiring andselection to employee developmentand succession management.Starting with accurate, objectiveinsights our consultants gain fromour time-tested personality assess-ment, the Caliper Profile, we areable to help our clients reduce thehigh cost of turnover, help first-timemanagers excel and create solutionsthat are tailored, practical and adapt-able. Whether you are looking tohire top performers, develop talent,build teams or transform your organ-ization, we can help.

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Extended Service AgreementsXtraRide RV ServiceAgreement Programwww.protective.com/[email protected](800) 950-6060, Ext. 5738

The XtraRide RV Service AgreementProgram is offered through the AssetProtection Division of Protective LifeInsurance Company. The programhas been exclusively endorsed byRVDA since 1992. The XtraRideprograms and F&I solutions bringdealers increased profit opportunitieswhile providing quality protection fortheir customers. Protective is dedi-cated to providing the RV industrywith superior products and servicesgiven its ability to underwrite,administer, and market its ownprograms.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Health Insurance Mass MarketingInsuranceConsultants, Inc.(MMIC)http://www.mmicinsurance.com/RVDA/[email protected](800) 349-1039

MMIC contracts nationally with anumber of health insurance compa-nies to provide a wide variety ofbenefits. MMIC creates a customizedinsurance program best suited for

individual dealerships, rather thanbeing limited to plans from one insur-ance company. Coverage is availableto individual members and thosefirms with two or more employees.With group coverage, all active full-time employees including owners,partners, and officers are eligible.Spouse and dependent children underage 19 (23 if full-time student) arealso eligible to apply. The cost of thecoverage for the RVDA program maybe paid in whole by the employer orshared with the employees. However,the employer’s contribution must beat least 50% of the total cost.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Lead Qualifier ProgramCustomer ServiceIntelligence, Inc.(CSI)[email protected](800) 835-5274

The Scene: High Inventory-Low Sales.The Need: MORE SALES-Newmethods to meet circumstances. TheSolution: CSI’s Lead QualifierProgram. How it Works: Your salesleads are sent to CSI immediatelyfollowing: initial contact with yoursales staff- either in the showroomor by phone, website contact, GoRVing leads, and anywhere else youmight acquire leads. CSI then makesa personal phone call to each lead,captivating their attention beforeyour competitor does and estab-lishing impressive rapport! We willuncover the prospect’s initial impres-sion of your dealership and staff;fully qualify the lead including exactneeds and time frame for purchase;and provide you with their DEALMAKER!

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Pre-owned RV AppraisalGuidanceN.A.D.A. Appraisal Guides & [email protected](800) 966-6232, Ext. 235

The N.A.D.A. RV Appraisal Guide isan essential tool for dealers needingto determine the average marketvalue for used RVs. A new onlineprogram, RV Connect, is also avail-able that provides updated RVvalues, creates custom window

stickers for both newer and olderRVs, and more. These products areall available at the RVDA “membersonly” rate.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Propane and PropaneSuppliesSuburban [email protected](800) 643-7137

Suburban Propane offers discountsto RVDA members on propane alongwith attractive and safe equipmentfor refilling most any propanecylinder, 24-hour service, on-site“Train the Trainer” instruction fordealership personnel, signage, and aperiodic review of filling stations byexperienced safety experts.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

RVDA/Spader 20 GroupsSpader [email protected](800) 772-3377

RVDA/Spader 20 Groups managed bySpader Business Management helpdealers improve their managementskills, recognize market trends, andsolve problems. The groups includenon-competing dealers who shareexperiences to develop best practices.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Shipping DiscountsPartnerShip, LLCwww.PartnerShip.com/[email protected](800) 599-2902

The RVDA Discount ShippingProgram, managed by PartnerShip,provides RVDA members withsubstantial shipping discounts. RVDAmembers who enroll in the freeprogram will save on small packageshipments with FedEx and less-than-truckload (LTL) freight shipments withUPS Freight and Con-way Freight.Visit www.PartnerShip.com/79rvdafor more information and to enroll.

RVDA Endorsed Products

Visit www.rvcareers.orgRV dealers can accessresumes and post jobopenings through apartnership withBoxwood Technologyat www.rvcareers.org.

37

October 2012

Department Tasks:Dealer/General ManagerD-1 Department Managers MeetingD-2 Change AdsD-3 Check Go RVing LeadsD-4 Review Department ActivityD-5 Review Numbers

RentalsR-1 Review R.O.’sR-2 Check Rental ContractsR-3 Review Repairs NeededR-4 Place AdsR-5 Department Meeting

F & IF-1 Check On Outstanding TitlesF-2 Check Distress TitlesF-3 Log DealsF-4 Review LogF-5 Review Pricing PoliciesF-6 Department Meeting

Parts & AccessoriesP-1 Check Replacement Parts OrdersP-2 Check Weekly Parts OrdersP-3 Change DisplaysP-4 Review All R.O.’s - Make Sure Parts

Are ListedP-5 Review NumbersP-6 Department Meeting

SalesS-1 Check Internet LeadsS-2 Check InventoryS-3 Change DisplayS-4 Customer Follow UpS-5 Review R.O.’s on DealsS-6 Department Meeting

ServiceSV-1 Check Outstanding WarrantiesSV-2 Review All Carryover R.O.’sSV-3 Review NumbersSV-4 Review Actual vs. Flat Rate TimeSV-5 Department Meeting

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

RV Executive Today spoke with dealers to recreate themonthly calendar to make it more useful in planningyour month. Use the checklists below to track eachdepartment’s progress. If you have comments or sugges-tions, please e-mail the editor at [email protected].

28 29 30 31

Halloween

1 2 3 4 5 6

* Make copies of the calendar above for each department to track progress. September 2012


American Guardian855-400-0186 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Bank of the Westbankofthewest.com . . . . . . . . . . 17

Coach-Net800-863-6740 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Diversified Insurance Management, Inc.800-332-4264 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

GE Capital800-289-4488 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

IDS800-769-7425 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Interstate National/Star RV678-358-2170 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

MBA Insurance, Inc.800-723-9717 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Manheim866-Manheim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Priority One800-419-1341 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Protective888-274-5104 . . . . . . 13, Back Cover

RVT.com Online Dealer Classifieds888-810-2749 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Sentry800-447-0633 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Sobel & Associates253-565-2577 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Spader Business Management800-772-3377 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Systems 2000407-358-2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

TRA574-264-0745 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

ADVERTISERS INDEX

Don’t see your events listed? Visit

www.rvtrainingcalendar.comto upload your events

to the calendar.

As of August 18, 2012

RVDA Welcomes Our Newest Members7/1/12 - 7/31/12

Dealers

Auto Boss RV Inc.Mesa, AZ

B Young RVMilwaukie, WI

Sunshine Auto SalesLake Havasu City, AZ

Aftermarket

REMCO IndustriesAlexandria, MN

Technician Certification Self-Study Prep Course

FRVTA’s Distance Learning Network - Training for EveryPosition at Your Dealership

Customer Service Training through FRVTA’s DLN

Service Writer/Advisor Training through FRVTA’s DLN

ONGOING ONLINE EVENTS:



OCTOBER 1-5, 2012

p a g 1 0 - rvda...international convention/expo p a g 1 0 p a g e 1 2 p a g e 2 0 5 september 2012...

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