Business Profile: Noteboom RV

FAMILY RV DEALERSHIP EXCEEDS CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS

By Bob Fitch

Mary and Greg Noteboom at Noteboom RV west of Harrisburg .

Greg and Mary Noteboom are prime examples of the old adage: “If you want something done right, do it yourself.”

About eight years ago, “We were looking to buy an RV and we were never impressed with anyone who helped us,” Greg said. “I’ve got professional sales training and I’ve done professional sales and I didn’t receive that anywhere when we were shopping for an RV. I thought, ‘I can do it better – and I did.’”

Mary said, “We wanted to buy accessories. The dealers we visited didn’t have any in stock or they didn’t want to sell us what they did have. We thought we could do it better.”

So, in 2014, they started Noteboom RV on property they owned in Sheldon, Iowa. Mary said, “Greg basically lived in our camper the first summer. I’d go back-and-forth from our house in Sioux Falls over to the camper with the kids.” At the time, their daughter Meegan was a newborn and daughter Morgan was three.

They moved the company headquarters to Harrisburg on property at the corner of Highway 115 and 273rd Street (a/k/a Minnesota Avenue and Willow Street). The company still has its location in Sheldon, too. “We’re just beginning our seventh year and we’ve grown faster than we could imagine already,” Mary said. Noteboom RV is in the midst of constructing a new service center which has a target opening date in May.

Greg’s background in sales and the auto repair business has been important to the growth of the business, but he is quick to credit the dedication and professionalism of their 21 employees . “Many of our employees have come from other dealerships because this is the place to be. We’re a family dealership with a family feel and we’re honest. We value employees. Employees are not just a number.” Mary agreed: “We are the family-owned RV business in this area. Our staff are all like family. And we feel like many of our customers are part of the Noteboom RV family.”

Fundamentally, their customers buy RVs for the same reasons the Noteboom family likes to camp – the chance to escape from concrete jungles and traffic to discover green forests and wildlife. The company’s goal is to help customers choose the best RV for their needs and customize it to best suit their personal adventures .

Noteboom RV has a fully stocked RV parts and accessories department with everything from RV tires to kitchen appliances. Their Heartland RV accessories fit into place on many makes

Noteboom RV carries several different lines of recreational vehicles .

and models, plus can improve the ergonomic design and performance of the ride. Greg said, “We inspect and test our components first before we add them onto your camper. Whether it’s a replacement for a damaged piece or an upgrade, you can count on the integrity of our collection . ”

He said quality maintenance and restoration can revive and prolong a camper’s life. “We train and industry-certify our technicians through top-tier programs, while also providing them with state-of-the-art equipment.”

In addition to this attention to detail, Noteboom’s prices have helped them build a customer base which extends far beyond their home territory in southeast South Dakota and northwest Iowa. Customers have come from all corners of the country, including California, Oregon, Washington, Florida, New York, Louisiana, Texas, Missouri and Georgia.

While the construction on Highway 115 had some negative impact on the company, the Covid crisis has proven to have a positive impact. Mary said, “People still want to go places. People can social distance in a camper. They want to go see the kids, but they don’t want to stay in a hotel. And other people have purchased because they need a place to quarantine . ”

Heartland RVs are Noteboom’s top-selling brand, but they are also dealers for Keystone, Crossroads, Dutchmen and Forest River. On top of selling, servicing and accessorizing new and used fifth wheels, travel trailers and toy trailers, Noteboom RV also provides financing. “We want to lay out all the financing options. We can work with you to form customized payment plans to help your RV credit and create a fair policy for you,” Mary said .

Greg said, “We value the opportunity to create a long term relationship with our customers, and we do that by making sure to exceed your expectations . ”