RVDA Bestows Quality Circle Awards

(Fairfax, VA) — RVDA will honor 25 RV brands built by 12 manufacturers with its Quality Circle Award just prior to the opening of the National RV Trade Show in Louisville, KY, on November 29.  These brands/manufacturers received at least 15 dealer responses and scored 80 percent or above in overall dealer satisfaction in the association’s 17th Annual Dealer Satisfaction Index (DSI) survey.

The towable RV brands/manufacturers receiving awards are (in alphabetical order): Coachmen Catalina/Freedom Express; Coleman Travel Trailers/Fifth Wheels (built by Dutchmen Manufacturing); Dutchmen Kodiak; EverGreen RV; Jayco Folding Campers; Jayco Designer; Jayco Eagle; Jayco Jay Feather; Jayco Jay Flight; Jayco SUTs; Keystone Fuzion/Passport/Residence/Springdale/Summerland; Keystone Montana/Cougar; Keystone Sprinter/Bullet/Outback/Sydney; KZ Coyote; KZ Durango; KZ Inferno; KZ Sportsmen; KZ Spree; Lance Truck Campers; Open Range; and Prime Time LaCrosse/Tracer.

The four motorized RV brands/manufacturers receiving awards are (in alphabetical order): Jayco; Pleasure-Way; Tiffin; and Winnebago/Itasca/ERA.

“Dealers believe the DSI is a tool to help improve communication and the overall relationship with their manufacturers,” said RVDA Chairman of the Board Tim O’Brien of Circle K RVs in Lapeer, MI.  “Through their responses in the DSI, dealers tell us that these RV brands have done an outstanding job of working with their retailer partners over the past year.”

Five manufacturers of eight towable brands, and one motorized brand received DSI Honorable Mention awards for receiving scores of 80 percent or above in overall dealer satisfaction, but not enough dealer responses to qualify for the Quality Circle Award. They are (in alphabetical order): Airstream, DRV Elite/Mobile/Select Suites; KZ MXT; Lance Travel Trailers and Starcraft Antigua/Travel Star in the towable category; and Triple E in the motorized category.

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

The 17th Annual DSI survey was conducted between April and July 2010.  Four hundred and twenty-three (423) dealers responded to the DSI this year, and provided 2,125 brand ratings, an average of a little more than five per dealer.  A summary of the DSI survey aggregate results will appear in the December issue of RV Executive Today.

RVDA is the national association representing RV retailers. The association’s members include RV dealers, RV rental operators, and RV AfterMarket sales and service locations.  RVDA of Canada is a national, volunteer federation of provincial and regional RVDA associations which exists to protect and promote the interests and welfare of RV Dealers across Canada in order to enable the industry to maximize its potential.

Nikki

Nikki is a writer and editor for Do It Yourself RV, RV LIFE, and Camper Report. She is based on the Oregon Coast and has traveled all over the Pacific Northwest.