RV News May 22

RV News The Voice of the RV Industry

May 2022

Ride Control Suite Spot +

Winnebago Reveals New Models, Technology to Dealers . . 10 OE Awning Suppliers Increase Features, Protection . . . . . . 22

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Go RVing Revamps 2022 Campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Winnebago Reveals New Models, Technology to Dealers. . .40 4/21/22 3:18 PM

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Contents VOL 46, ISSUE 5 | MAY 2022

DEALER PROFILE

40 The Quietly Incognito Conglomerate 40 DEALER PROFILE

Canada’s largest dealership group now boasts 32 stores across five provinces. Growth has come as the parent company and its 84-year-old president have flown under the radar.

INSIDE

10 Winnebago’s Next Direction 10

RV MANUFACTURER

Winnebago told its dealers the manufacturer’s three key focus areas at its National Dealer Meeting.

22 Lights, Sensors, Awnings

OE awning suppliers are upgrading features to meet OEM and consumer demand in the category.

30 Time to Go

Armed with new material for the first time since 2020, Go RVing is tweaking the focus of its Go on a Real Vacation media campaign.

22 OE AWNINGS

48 The Ride Control Suite Spot

United Safety Apparatus is working to build a better motorhome driving experience, pairing its flagship Safe T Plus steering control system with a new product suite.

30 GO RVING

T 2

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rvnews.com

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A DYNAMIC FAMILY OF BRAKE CONTROLLERS Powered by a bluetooth-enabled system and customizable app, Echo provides the most advanced braking experience on the market. This unique controller utilizes your smartphone to control and monitor all trailer brake activity with no need for extra modules, controls, buttons or knobs.

Echo is available in three configurations to best fit your lifestyle and vehicle.

ECHO® MOBILE • Zero-tool, plug-and-play install between vehicle-trailer 7-way connectors

ECHO® UNDER-DASH • Simple, dash-mounted installation using included adhesive pad or zip ties

ECHO® IN-LINE • Plugs in behind existing 7-way socket with USCAR connectors

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Departments

RV News The Voice of the RV Industry 685 S. Arthur Ave., Unit 6 Louisville, Colorado 80027 (720) 353-4003 rvnews.com PUBLISHER

Dana Nelsen dana@rvnews.com (720) 353-4003 Ext. 7889 EDITOR IN CHIEF

Chris Freeman

chris@rvnews.com (720) 353-4003 Ext. 1064 ASSISTANT EDITOR

Beth Stone-Ehrhardt

56 AFTERMARKET SUPPLIER

beth@rvnews.com (720) 353-4003 Ext. 1066

70 THE BEST OF

DIGITAL EDITOR news@rvnews.com (720) 353-4003 Ext. 1065

56 A Tall Order for Service Safety

Easy Access Industrial Design owner Dan Visser hopes to prevent service technicians from falls and injuries with the company’s specialty work platforms.

ART DIRECTOR

Jim Nissen

adproduction@rvnews.com (720) 353-4003 Ext. 1063

70 The Best Of: Jacks, Lifts, Levels & Ride Control

CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS

Dana Nelsen

The best products from the industry’s aftermarket jacks, lifts, leveling and ride control suppliers are highlighted here.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Greg Artman, Mike Bensi, Diane Bishop, Val Byrd, Jered Sobel

UPCOMING TBO CATEGORIES:

JUNE Power Solutions & Management JULY Made in the USA Products AUGUST Safety Equipment

IN EVERY ISSUE

ADVICE

Letter from the Editor . . . . . . 6 Advertiser Index . . . . . . . . . . . 80

RV News The Voice of the RV Industry

May 2022

F&I Practitioners Act as the Glue . . . 62 Leadership Training: From Break Room to Conference Room . . . . . . . 64 Connecting the Customer Engagement Circle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Stop Tracking Closing Ratios. . . . . 68

ON THE COVER

Ride Control Suite Spot +

Dealers . . 10 Winnebago Reveals New Models, Technology to . . . . . . 22 OE Awning Suppliers Increase Features, Protection

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4

. . . . . . . . . 30 Go RVing Revamps 2022 Campaign . . . . . . . . . .

Dealers. . .40 Winnebago Reveals New Models, Technology to

United Safety Apparatus CEO Bryan Maggi, grandson of company founder T.L. Sexton, bought the supplier in 2013.

Subscription requests, address changes should be sent to dana@rvnews.com.

Send letters to the editor and feedback on the publication or website to chris@rvnews.com.

RV News magazine ISSN 0193-2888 is a trademark and copyright of DRN Media Inc., 685 S. Arthur Ave., Unit 6, Louisville, Colorado 80027. www.rvnews.com 2022 DRN Media Inc. All printed rights are reserved.

RV News magazine is published monthly by DRN Media Inc. 685 S. Arthur Ave., Unit 6, Louisville, Colorado 80027 (720) 353-4003. ©

POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to DRN Media Inc. 685 S. Arthur Ave., Unit 6, Louisville, Colorado 80027. Any and all items submitted to RV News magazine become the sole property of DRN Media Inc. Submitted items and any and all content within RV News magazine or on its website cannot be reproduced, republished or reprinted unless written consent from the publisher is given. Advertisers and/or their agencies assume all liability jointly and severally for advertisements that appear in the printed and online editions of RV News magazine.

Editorial content, including columnists and opinion articles do not necessarily represent perspectives or opinions of RV News magazine, DRN Media Inc., or its staff, owners or principles.

RV News is published by DRN Media Inc.

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Dave

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Letter > FROM THE EDITOR

Cautious Optimism Surrounds Industry

D

escribing the RV market today can be a bit tricky. What you know yesterday may change today and be transformed again tomorrow. After two years where industry participants knew only one speed – full steam ahead, all the time, every day – the pace of business may be shifting.

A recent dealer survey, conducted

by Thompson Research Group (TRG) at the end of March, found dealers reporting towable inventory levels have returned to normal. More than 80% said those levels normalized at the end of 2021 while the rest have seen levels return in the first quarter of 2022.

The result is stunning when looking back just two quarters earlier. TRG’s survey report from September 2021 found dealers estimating restocking would continue into the end of 2022 and possibly 2023.

Motorized inventory likely will take the rest of the year or longer to restock. The chip and chassis shortages plaguing motorized builds for more than a year show no sign of improving soon.

Yet as late as March, dealers expressed cautious optimism about towable inventory and sales. Then, as I wrote in the launch email for our April magazine one week later, things already changed.

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Reports swirled of large dealer order cancellations, manufacturers cutting back plant operations and RVs stacked outside yards waiting to be delivered. The headwinds facing the industry are real, including supplychain challenges, rising interest rates and falling consumer sentiment. How they will affect business this year is a true unknown because we are in uncharted territory.

There are no historical comparisons to understand what comes next. The past two years shifted the way the RV industry will operate.

As a case in point, dealers in the TRG survey said they saw trade-in and trade-up traffic increase at the start of the year. Rather than RV buyers trading in every three to five years, which historically has been the norm, buyers were looking to upgrade in as few as one or two years. This practice may continue, particularly if there is inventory available to trade into.

Having consumers unexpectedly trade-in RVs would increase consumer demand precisely at a time when overall demand might slow because of the headwinds I mentioned before.

Yet we cannot be sure whether this is a new trend, an anomaly or simply a blip.

Caution is the word of the day.

Be smart and conservative in your planning.

Chris Freeman

Made in America Issue

Every year RV News presents our Made in America issue in July. We are very excited about this year’s theme. We are featuring the women around the country making a difference in the RV industry. They are this generation’s Rosie the Riveters.

We are calling the feature American Made-in (pronounced Maiden) to bring a spotlight to all the women helping make parts, supplies and RVs. This is a chance for companies to highlight up to three women – or to get a whole team picture together – to say thanks for all they do to help our industry and companies be successful.

More details are available on pages 8 and 9. You will see examples of the kinds of pictures we would like, the details about each person we want you to submit and the way in which you can submit entries.

The deadline to get material to us is Memorial Day. We encourage everyone able to participate to do so. This is our great chance to recognize workers we do not have a chance to feature every month, and we are looking forward to showcasing as many as we can.

Thanks for reading,

Chris Freeman

Chris Freeman Editor in Chief

rvnews.com

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Made-Ins

RV American Maidens

Celebrating the RV Women Who Make Things Happen Now accepting submissions for our July 2022 special issue

T

he 2022 July issue of RV News magazine will celebrate all the women who work in RV factories and manufacturing plants who help produce vehicles and parts/accessories related to the RV industry.

Most magazines give all the attention to the women who are the top brass, the corporate ladies and women in management, but RV News believes the RV industry is filled with amazing “Rosie the Riveter”-type employees who are the ones who truly make things happen. They are the women who do the “making.” A huge portion of what defines “Made In America” within the RV industry is because of their hard work. We are axing the “Maiden” moniker for RV women. We are redefining “Made In” America with a new name for this group of outstanding women. We want to celebrate RV American Made-Ins.

Single Entries or Teams We don’t want to leave anyone out so companies can submit employees in two ways. Companies can send RV News up to three individual women to be exclusively and individually featured, or they can send a single team shot of all the women together, supplemented by up to two additional women who serve as distinct representatives of the entire team of exceptional women who work at the company.

If a company is reluctant to take the initiative to do what it takes to have a woman featured, any distinguished lady can submit themselves or submit their coworkers. We’ll quote Rosie the Riveter here: YOU CAN DO IT! To have the women’s picture and write-up appear in the magazine, the photo must be high resolution (300 dpi). The photo should show the featured woman in her natural work environment.

The featured woman must be looking at the camera and she can either be doing some element of her job (action shot) or can strike the iconic Rosie the Riveter “We Can Do It” pose. Under no circumstances are bandanas required. Women’s facial expressions can be anything. Look happy! Look tough! Look determined! Look serious… but most importantly be you, in all your glory. Photos should show the woman from head to toe so we can edit the image and crop it as needed to make each woman look their best in the environment they are in within the photo.

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Companies with female factory workers are eligible to have their employees featured. We’re looking to feature women on manufacturing lines, working in shipping/receiving, assemblers, packaging associates, engineers, designers, quality control reps, cleaners, maintenance departments, welders, forklift drivers, etc...

These are the blue-collar workers who strive each day to put food on the table for their families, who sometimes come home tired after a long day’s work but who take immense pride in the work they do and things they make each day.

There is no cost for a woman to be featured in the magazine.

It is absolutely free.

More Than a Photo RV News seeks more than mere photos. We want to tell the RV industry and the world why each woman is an amazing American worker. With each photo, please send a brief write up with the following information: 1 The woman’s name 2 The woman’s job title (Not everyone has a fancy title so the woman’s department can be listed instead) 3 The name of the company she works at 4 How long she has worked for the company 5 A short paragraph describing the primary job responsibilities she performs each day and/or what specifically she makes for the RV industry.

6 Every woman has a voice that should be heard. A one or two sentence quotation from the woman about any one of the following subjects: a Why she takes pride in her job. b What motivates her to work so hard. c Something specific she does at her job that she believes she excels at in a way few others can. d What she feels is her greatest career achievement e A statement about herself that she feels defines her.

7 For group photos of women, we need the name and job title or department of each woman in the picture listed from left to right… like this: (Left to Right) (Top Row) Jessie Hansen, line worker; Mary Smith, Shipping/ Receiving Rep; Diane Yoder, Graphics Applicator; (Bottom) Lisa Felder, Quality Assurance; Gita Goldenberg, Forklift driver; Bernada Ramirez, 2nd shift supervisor.

8 Finally, as a reward for being featured, we are going to send an exclusive “RV American Made-In” T-shirt to every woman we highlight in the magazine. To do this we will need the woman’s shirt size and where we should mail each of the shirts. The shirt is free, really.

9 Please include the phone number and email address of each woman so if our editors have questions about the write-up submitted, they can contact them.

Images and info can be sent to RV News Editor-In-Chief Chris Freeman by going to this website and filling out the simple submission form: www.rvnews.com/americanmadein. Please contact Chris Freeman at chris@rvnews.com or by calling (720) 749-1064. The deadline for submissions is Memorial Day, May 31. A sample individual write-up is shown to the right.

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Sample Submission:

Sherri Brock Stock Cut Department Lead Graphix Unlimited 20 Years at Company

Sherri joined Graphix Unlimited in 2002 and immediately set to work on learning nearly every production floor job. She settled in the stock cut department and became the department lead six years ago. Her role is pulling large rolls of vinyl to be cut to size. Once the rolls are cut they head to the print room, where they will get decals. Sherri’s team sets the pace for production flow, because without the rolls, the rest of the production process stops. She said she biggest source of pride is doing her job as efficiently as possible.

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“I like working here. Graphix has always been very family-oriented, and I appreciate that from a company. My first five years here, I didn’t miss a day and was never late.”

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Feature > WINNEBAGO NATIONAL DEALER MEETING

Winnebago’s Next Direction At their Winnebago brand business national dealer meeting, executives discussed their vision of a new business environment. Winnebago Outdoors President Huw Bower said new products, better service and technological advances will power the manufacturer to success.

By RV News Staff

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Winnebago Outdoors President Huw Bower addressed dealers at the National Dealers Meeting in Savannah, Georgia.

About 200 dealers gathered in March to attend the Winnebago National Dealer Meeting.

A

lone figure stood on a lit stage before the Winnebago brand’s national dealer body in March. Huw Bower was making his initial public appearance before the collective group at the fi rst Winnebago dealer event to occur in several years.

Two hundred dealers peered up at Bower in the Savannah, Georgia, conference room. The crowd leaned forward as the Winnebago Outdoors president revealed his vision for the company’s future.

The night before Bower’s kickoff speech, Winnebago celebrated manufacturing its 500,000th motorhome.

Bower began his speech by explaining rvnews.com

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Winnebago towables on display at the National Dealer Meeting included a selection of Minnie and Micro Minnie travel trailers. how Winnebago’s next half-million RVs will require ever-evolving investments in technology, service and product development.

“How do we win in this future environment?” Bower asked. “We first need to define ‘winning’ in a new way.”

“Winning,” he said, starts with establishing a north star to ground Winnebago’s efforts. He said ambition and fanatical devotion is needed to win.

“Setting that vision gives dealers a sense of transparency. It gives a sense of accountability. It gives a sense that we have purpose,” Bower said. “When you start to set future milestones and objectives, you have to connect them.

They have to have meaning.”

Future Built Upon the Past

Winnebago Industries, which includes Winnebago, Grand Design and Newmar in the RV industry and Barletta and Chris-Craft in the marine industry, has improved profitability the past two years. In fiscal 2021 (September 2020 through August 2021), the company reported record revenues, record gross profit margins and a 2.2% market share gain.

During the first two fiscal quarters of 2022 (through February), Winnebago Industries’ portfolio of companies matched quarterly record revenues and increased RV market share by 1 point. The company reported a 14.3% total retail market May 2022 | RV News

11

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Feature > WINNEBAGO NATIONAL DEALER MEETING share for the three months through the second 2022 fiscal quarter.

“From an operating perspective,” Bower said, “the last two years have been extraordinary. If you can tell that story, people are going to go, ‘OK, I get it. That is exciting.’”

Bower said telling dealers about Winnebago’s recent success solidified ties, particularly for dealers evaluating their past OEM relationships and choosing their future ones.

“People are searching for the mainstays of their portfolio in the dealership.

Winnebago deserves to be the mainstay of dealerships,” he said. “When you think about the quality we have, and where we are going with our strategy, I think people feel confident that this is going to be an important part of their sales strategy going forward.”

Dealer registration opened at 8 a.m. March 15. The three-day event kicked off with an evening reception March 14.

People are searching for the mainstays of their portfolio in the dealership. Winnebago deserves to be the mainstay of dealerships.”

– Huw Bower

Four Pillars

To continue recent momentum, Bower laid out four executional pillars to achieve Winnebago’s future vision.

1. Quality manufacturing takes precedence.

He said while delivering industryleading quality, Winnebago will strive to match capacity with demand. “I refuse to accept incremental volume,” Bower said, “at the expense of quality.”

2. Winning market share through product innovation .

Bower cited Winnebago’s efforts with its electric RV concept vehicle as an example.

(Middle) Stephen Heese, president of Chris-Craft, attended the national dealer meeting, where he gave a presentation to the Winnebago Industries board of directors. Chris-Craft is a boat manufacturer owned by Winnebago.

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3. Improving consumer RV shopping experiences, beginning online and concluding at unit delivery.

He said the company will invest in digital technology to connect rvnews.com

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Feature > WINNEBAGO NATIONAL DEALER MEETING dealers with Winnebago’s consumerfacing technology investments (its vehicle owner app).

4. Enhancing the after-sale consumer experience .

Bower said elevating ownership experiences requires more than improved service/repair encounters.

He said Winnebago will strive to create a genuine, enduring, allinclusive consumer connection that goes far beyond warranty repairs.

(Second from right, facing) Bower talks with attendees following his opening presentation.

“A lot of dealers now are adapting to the environment,” he said. “They are making digital investments. They are leveraging relationships with new customers—often new to RVing— relationships with younger customers, more diverse customers.

“When I step back and think about how I can help, I am going to make sure my product is really appealing for that next generation. It has all the features and benefits they want and expect. I can also help how we connect with customers during that shopping experience, how we represent our product and our website, how we transfer leads from our website and nurture leads from our website over to a dealership, and how they close the deal.

“Winnebago’s future includes enhanced sales training/enablement tools, better delivery of service and an enduring connection with a consumer beyond that point of sale. All these things are there to reinforce what dealers do in this two-tiered distribution system we value so much.”

The Consumer Journey

Winnebago representatives show dealers technology the manufacturer is unveiling in 2022. It includes upgrades to the manufacturer’s website, increased support for the dealer-focused SourceBook app and a consumer app.

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Bower shared Winnebago’s customer journey map to outline the goal of delighting consumers at every touch point, at every shopping and ownership experience moment.

“I think the customer journey road map is really instructive…the sequence we want…and where we can get the biggest bang for our buck and in what order,” he said. “That road map helps us prioritize where we put our time and money.”

Bower hopes to create a seamless, omnichannel consumer experience rvnews.com

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Robe

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Feature > WINNEBAGO NATIONAL DEALER MEETING

Dealers gather to discuss Winnebago motorized products on the showroom floor, including the Type B Solis National Park Foundation motorhome. beginning with a suite of digital shopping tools to nurture high-quality/ high-quantity dealer leads. The tools include websites to help consumers choose an RV type/ideal model by featuring side-by-side floorplan comparisons that include dealer pricing quotes.

Additionally, Winnebago expanded its factory concierge service. When consumers visit Winnebago’s website, live factory experts answer their questions. The experts then connect consumers with dealers as “super leads.”

“Together we aim to simplify the shopping experience, equipping customers with the information they need to make purchasing decisions, while also driving more high-quality ‘super leads’ to dealers,” Bower said.

Winnebago’s other future investments include increased SourceBook app support. The platform is a digital training tool to optimize dealer sales training.

“Our first goal was to provide a single source of truth for our dealer partners,” he said. “As we look forward, we plan to add much more content.”

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Winnebago also plans to launch a new consumer mobile app for 2018-2022 RVs. Bower said the app will improve consumers’ familiarity with their RVs and help with service requests.

“This app allows us to remain connected to our consumers and to help them unlock the full potential of their experience with Winnebago,” he said.

“The goal is to be convenient, secure, real time, predictive and service oriented.”

Although the app will roll out this year, Bower said he expects continual app improvements during the next three years.

“A lot of these capabilities require sequenced investments,” he said. “You have to lay out where you want to go, but then you sequence investments over multiple time periods. So, we sequence and understand how one capability will give us the steppingstone or the foundation for the next, and the next, and the next.”

Bower said Winnebago is dedicated to being an industry leader in aftersale consumer experiences.

“Our parts delivery service, our warranty administration, our technical support services, our factory support center in Forest City, all those things together ladder up to give a best-inindustry service experience,” he said.

“It is best, but it is not good enough for the future consumer. So, how do we then take all that capability and accelerate it?”

Bower said Winnebago will work to improve parts delivery/lookup services, technician training and warranty service administration.

“Those things are all foundational, but we can go beyond that and say there is a big part of a warranty expense associated with a lack of training…on the consumer’s part,” he said.

“Things break through lack of knowledge. How do we reinforce that knowledge element and training and education of consumers so they are equipped to use their RVs? We are working on that as well. It is a big effort, it will take time, but it is a sincere focus area for us going forward.” rvnews.com

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Winn

R E D E S I G N E D. R E F R E S H E D. R E M A R K A B L E. M E E T T H E N E W A D V E N T U R E R® We’ve upgraded our top Class A gas coach with attractive new styling and features to enhance your comfort and experience in camp and on the road, including available heated/massage theater seating, Shakerstyle cabinets, comfortable king bed, and our Winnebago Connect® system that allows you to monitor and control major systems remotely.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ADVENTURER

SCAN THIS QR CODE OR VISIT W I NNE B A G O . C OM / I N S I DE R ©2022 Winnebago

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Feature > WINNEBAGO NATIONAL DEALER MEETING National Park Tie-Ins

(Second from left, facing) Winnebago Towables Vice President Joel Eberlein describes 2023 model year changes to Hike towable floorplans.

Among the new features in Winnebago’s Type A Adventurer are two chottomans. The chairs’ backs fold down to function as ottomans when not used for seating. The ottomans also have interior storage space.

John Millis, Winnebago gas Type A product manager, helped give the Adventurer a new exterior and interior refresh for the 2023 model year. The redesign is Adventurer’s first in six years.

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Winnebago unveiled three new motorhomes and two new towables units in Savannah. Two National Park Foundation motorized RVs were shown.

The gas Type A Vista/Sunstar and Type B Solis brands featured special 2023 editions created with the National Park Foundation.

John Millis, Winnebago’s gas Type A product manager, said the Vista 29 took its cues from the National Park Foundation’s collaboration with the Type B Travato. The Vista 29 has a unique, full-body paint exterior themed with the park foundation.

The model featured the Canyon Lands exterior. Winnebago soon will release a new Glacier National Park edition featuring more blues than browns.

The RV’s side has an armless awning, longer than typically found on a Vista, Millis said. The longer awning overlaps with a Batwing awning, which wraps around the entire coach’s rear.

The 270-degree Batwing awning comes only on the park foundation edition.

“We have just about doubled the square footage of canopy space on this coach,” Millis said.

The Vista 29 includes a rear coach LP connection and an exterior tailgate kitchen. The Batwing awning covers the area while users are cooking.

The 30-foot-long motorhome can access 80% to 85% of national park RV sites, Millis said. The National Park Foundation edition replaced the Vista’s standard two wet-cell house batteries with a 320-amp-hour lithium-ion battery. Millis said the change gives Vista RVers nearly three times the power capacity. In addition, the special edition Vista 29 switched the single factory-installed solar panel with three 115-watt panels.

“So, it is a very versatile coach, a very functional RV that can be a family coach, a two-person coach or an entertainment coach,” he said.

Inside, the Vista 29 features a new Town and County interior décor. The interior has Salinas oak cabinetry and an overall rustic feel, “which we thought was very appropriate for the National Park edition,” Millis said. rvnews.com

4/21/22 2:32 PM

“We wanted to come up with a great package, not just aesthetics but a great balance of aesthetic and function that focuses on that national park theme…” he said. “It is a coach that captures the essence of being at a national park or boondocking in Bureau of Land Management space somewhere in Utah or Colorado.”

Mass production of the Vista 29 begins in May. The Solis National Park Foundation edition also has a new exterior with special edition upgrades. Product Manager Russ Garfin said the new graphics package mimics GPS maps, tying into the National Park Foundation outdoor theme.

The vehicle features new, black aluminum wheels and a raised rear storage area to provide slide-out drawer space. The drawers have repositionable dividers.

Inside, Solis has insulated blackout curtains with upgraded decorative

designs. The refrigerator door insert looks like stained glass with a GPS-style pattern matching the exterior.

A lot of these capabilities require sequenced investments.

You have to lay out where you want to go, but then you sequence investments over multiple time periods.”

– Huw Bower

“A lot of RVers have an affinity for the national parks. This is a badge people like to wear,” Garfin said.

“People love it. It is a no-brainer really, with features that are not need-to-have but want-to-have.”

Solis mass production begins this summer, with availability beginning in the fall.

Finally, the gas Type A Adventurer 35F received a new exterior/interior as well. Millis said the last Adventurer model redesign happened six years ago.

“We decided it was time to put some resources into it,” he said.

The 35F features front cap LED lighting for a more contemporary exterior. Inside, the bestselling floorplan’s new interior décor has an updated dashboard and a new chottoman— an ottoman with inside storage that converts into a chair for extra seating.

Adventurer mass production will begin after the July 4 break.

New Towable Products

Dealers also got to see Winnebago’s new Hike and Minnie floorplans.

Minnie’s new 2327TB floorplan— based on the Micro Minnie 2108TB— has twin beds that convert into

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Feature > WINNEBAGO NATIONAL DEALER MEETING a king bed. Product Manager Adam Christoffersen said by incorporating the floorplan into the Minnie line, dealers can sell the popular model as an 8-foot wide, 27-foot-long laminated trailer rather than the 7-foot wide, 23-foot long Micro Minnie.

The larger Minnie provides additional storage options with a bedroom wardrobe, overhead bedroom storage, a secondary storage cabinet at the foot of the bed, plus a walk-in kitchen pantry.

The Hike 1316TB floorplan has twin bunk beds. The 16-foot travel trailer includes a sofa that folds up flat against the door sidewall. When the sofa folds flat, the rear door can open to load bicycles or other large outdoor gear. Floor D-rings secure gear during travel.

“We are being told that consumers are looking for the ultimate versatility when it comes to storage solutions, gear-hauling solutions and flexible sleeping arrangements, because everybody’s needs are different…,” Christoffersen said, “how they live, work and play while on the road. We want to provide as much flexibility as we can to meet as many needs as we can.”

The 1316TB also includes the same Batwing awnings on past Hike 100s.

Designers adjusted tie-down straps and loopholes to alter the exterior shower screen. Now, the sidewall has an electro‐galvanized sheet (EGS) backing. Magnets on the awning secure to the EGS backing to simplify set up and tear down, Christoffersen said.

Mass production of new Minnie and Hike 100s will begin in June.

Anticipation

Winnebago Industries’ Chief Financial Officer Bryan Hughes said Winnebago was among the first to identify Type Bs as a potential growth segment. Today, Winnebago dominates the category, with a 42% market share in 2021, according to Statistical Surveys Inc. Hughes said creating RVs to enhance off-road/adventure consumers has been another strong area in Winnebago’s portfolio.

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“With our history of innovation and identifying some of those emerging segments, we have been able to provide a lot of value to that customer,” he said.

“Using the Wayne Gretzky analogy, you skate to where the puck is going to be, not necessarily where it is right now.

You have to know your customer really well to be able to do that. I think we will continue to be nimble and agile, to pivot quickly and anticipate where the market might be going or the customer might be heading.”

Using the Wayne Gretzky analogy, you skate to where the puck is going to be, not necessarily where it is right now. You have to know your customer really well to be able to do that.”

– Bryan Hughes

Winnebago sees consumers embracing electric vehicles. Dealers who did not attend the Tampa SuperShow saw the e-RV concept Type B motorhome in Savannah for the first time. Hughes said a subsegment of the RV market, early-mover types of consumers, showed strong interested in the concept.

“Just like we are seeing a lot of interest in an electric chassis on the automotive side, there is a lot of interest, broadly speaking, in an electric concept,” he said.

Hughes said the future will reveal if RVers are willing to compromise on vehicle range or price point to buy an e-RV. He said Winnebago believes consumers who enjoy the lifestyle and care about the outdoors will pay a premium for it.

Travato’s extended lithiumpowered packages gave some evidence of RV consumers’ willingness to pay

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a premium for electric capabilities. The Type B motorhome’s Pure Advanced Energy System packages give RVers the ability to remain off-grid over extended periods.

“People are willing to pay a premium to have that ability to be off the grid and not dependent on shore power,” Hughes said. “There is a subset of people that do not necessarily want an e-RV for, call it green purposes, but rather the utility of being off-grid and not dependent on shore power. It is a much bigger market beyond the ecologically conscious or green-minded consumer.”

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Brand Leverage

Winnebago’s leaders discussed leveraging the manufacturer’s “iconic brand” to fuel their future.

Bower told dealers that communications today create tomorrow’s sales.

He said Winnebago’s core owner audience is maturing. The company needs to welcome the new RV generations to ensure Winnebago is the single brand asked for by name.

To that end, the company will enhance brand awareness with both current and future owners.

Bower said Winnebago’s research indicated consumers see little differentiation between RV brands. The company plans to redesign its marketing to change that perception.

“If you think about our traditional buyers, Gen Xers and boomers, they have always looked for practicality and the comfort of their home wherever they go,” he said. “As we think about this next generation, they look for a higher order of benefits. They leave home for an adventure.”

The campaign will create a unique marketplace position for Winnebago, Bower said. The goal will drive interest and qualified lead traffic to dealers.

“You will help deliver an outstanding purchasing and ownership experience that will drive loyalty and repeat business from this new audience that does not just want an RV,” Bower said. “They are going to want a Winnebago.”

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Trends > OE AWNINGS

Lippert Components’ Scott McKinnon is the company’s awnings and lamination product manager. He has been with the company a decade.

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Lights, Sensors, Awnings Today’s OE awnings provide far more than shade. Lighting, wind sensors and upgraded awning protection have become standard features in supplier offerings.

By Diane Bishop | Photos by Stillson Studio

W

hen Scott McKinnon, Lippert Components awnings and lamination product manager, started in the industry four decades ago, new RVs arrived without awnings. Dealers installed the aftermarket product based on customer preferences.

Awnings have now been standard equipment for decades. However, today’s power awnings are a far cry from the 1980’s aftermarket, manualcrank versions.

“OEMs are now focusing on, ‘What does the end user want and what does that end-user experience look like?’”

McKinnon said. “The industry as a whole has had to focus on quality features and benefits to keep up with the rest of the world.”

Brent Clark, Dometic Corp. senior OEM new business development manager, said consumers fixate on RV features and benefits similar to how they shop for autos.

“I think the RV industry has taken the same stance as automobile manufacturers in making more features standard,” Clark said. “In RV, awnings are one aspect of that.”

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Boxed Out

Legless awnings, also called boxed awnings, are moving from optional to standard status in the industry.

Clark said, though common on toy haulers, legless awnings have become standard equipment on traditional fifth wheels and travel trailers during the past five years.

The industry as a whole has had to focus on quality features and benefits to keep up with the rest of the world.”

– Scott McKinnon

“With the popularity of smaller units and vehicle-based camping, you are starting to see box awnings pop up in situations where you do not have enough space for the traditional arms of the past,” said Tom Montague, Dometic RV OEM sales vice president.

Clark agrees, stressing how an RV’s limited sidewall exterior real estate

sometimes dictates using armless awning options.

Lippert’s McKinnon concurred, saying universal legless awnings will be the next big industry evolution.

Lippert now has extended-length, legless prototypes, but he said they are not yet ready for market.

“With Thule, our Belgium partners, we designed a legless 22-foot awning that extends out 9 feet,” McKinnon said. “We built in all the features and benefits, gave everybody what they wanted, but at this time, it does not hit the price point that would make it a standard staple.”

Dometic is also testing longer, legless sidewall awnings, attempting to replace the dual, powered awnings many RV manufacturers now use on the camp-side.

“It takes a beefier tube to allow that,” Clark said, “because longer awnings start to sag in the middle. We have a couple of pieces we are testing in the 22- to 24-foot range to see if that is a possibility.”

He said the new versions would preserve space on sidewalls by eliminating the second set of awnings legs,

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Trends > OE AWNINGS

(L to R) Mark Wolschlager, senior OEM account manager, shows Clark the company’s webpage featuring Dometic’s awning options.

which often reduce window space and areas for external TVs. “OEMs are trying to make everything fit, and if you use only one awning, you have that extra space,” Clark said. “It allows us to give OEMs more fabric without putting two awnings on the wall.”

Additionally, Dometic now offers an EZ Model 9600 box awning—a 96-inch rear-wall awning for new, narrower-body toy hauler models.

“It used to be that toy haulers were all wide-bodied,” Montague said, “but now you are seeing them get back to the standard fifth wheel and travel trailer width of 96 inches.”

Topping Out Slides

(L to R) Brandon Bastian, Dometic’s testing lab manager, and Joseph McClish, engineering lab technician, use a wind machine to determine awnings’ strength and resilience.

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Most RVs today include OE slide-out awnings. Many new RVers are unfamiliar with mandatory slide top cleaning and care. Few consider climbing on the roof before retraction to sweep off leaves and twigs.

Montague said RV rental unit owners prefer rental vehicles with OE topper awnings to ensure clean slide tops when RVs are returned. He said the product prevents unnecessary damage when renters fail to take meticulous care of the RV. Beyond original equipment, aftermarket awnings sales continue to grow, particularly among slide-topper products.

Mark Boessler, Lippert’s aftermarket senior vice president, said slide toppers are Lippert’s No. 1 aftermarket category, with Solera as arguably the largest awning brand in both OE and aftermarket business.

Lippert will offer its new Solera 5000 Series sidewall awning and Solera 5000 Series slide topper on 2023 model year RVs. The new Solera 5000 Series slide topper is the company’s first upgrade since Lippert initially offered awning slide toppers. The Solera 5000 Series slide topper’s design and aesthetics match the similarly named new sidewall awnings.

Dometic sells an OE slide-topper bracket to RV manufacturers who do not offer standard slide toppers.

“We give them the brackets they rvnews.com

4/21/22 2:32 PM

(L to R) Dometic Corp.’s Brent Clark, senior OEM new business development manager, and Tom Donahue, RV OEM sales vice president, lead the supplier’s awning team.

mount to their slide out,” said Dometic’s Clark. “When it gets to the customer, it is ready to go. All the customer must do is buy the slide topper from the dealer. We did that as a pull-through product. The customer sees the brackets and is told that they are ready for a Dometic slide topper.”

Lippert’s OE prep system also remains popular in the aftermarket.

Boessler said the OE prep system, available since 2020, helps dealers upgrade and install aftermarket awnings faster.

The prep spares service techs from attaching hardware to the walls because the OEM preinstalls the fixtures. As a result, dealerships save between seven to 10 minutes on installations, a 20% to 30% time-savings. rvnews.com

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“It is a big investment that we have made into the OE side to make the brick-and-mortar dealer relevant to the sale, relevant to the install,” Boessler said. “So that is a big win.”

Montague said the feature offers a semblance of security in dark or remote areas where a traditional street light pole is not near the campsite.

Lit Up

Awning open/close speed is another OEM consideration. Clark said when storms roll in, consumers often must retract awnings quickly.

“If you are out on a hike or on an ATV away from camp and the wind starts picking up, the wind sensor will sense the awning’s vibration,” he said.

“At a critical point, it will quickly retract the awning automatically, helping prevent awning damage.”

Montague said dealers are equally cognizant of awning extension/retraction speeds as well. Dealer employees

Manufacturers are increasingly asking for additional lighting options, but OE awning lighting required more.

“OEMs initially said the price point with the light was too expensive,” Clark said. “Now they just accept it.”

As new RV consumers spend more time camping off-grid, increasing an awning’s lighting quantity is slowly taking precedence. According to Clark, a long light running the RV’s campside provides RVers ambient light without being neighbor-intrusive.

Speed Up and Override

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Trends > OE AWNINGS

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constantly open/close awnings to demonstrate the feature to consumers.

Lengthy awning demos reduce time spent highlighting other RV features.

“The speed of setup and breakdown becomes a major consideration,” Montague said.

Although many awning manufacturers offer similar opening times, retraction times vary. Montague said Dometic’s 9100 power awning cuts retraction times by using a tension spring inside the tube.

RV manufacturers have worked to standardize manual override in the industry when power loss prevents extension/retraction.

McKinnon said Lippert initially offered OEMs awnings without manual override to reduce pricing.

Manufacturers quickly learned any price savings was not worth nixing the feature. He said if users had to travel but power loss prevented them from retracting the awning, they would cut the fabric or tie the awning with a bungee cord to the RV’s side.

“That is a bad day,” he said.

Lippert’s manual override now operates through a separate gearbox attached to awning motors/heads.

When consumers lose power, McKinnon said, a cordless drill effortlessly rolls the awning in without damaging it.

Other awning manufacturers have also adopted manual override as a standard feature.

12:00 PM

Rolling Fabric

Fabric is evolving. McKinnon said fabric quality has markedly improved, giving Lippert’s customers a far superior product than materials available before Lippert entered the awning business. OEMs report increased consumer satisfaction with awnings’ color spectrums.

“Lippert’s fabric suppliers have stepped up with fabrics that are mold-resistant and UV-protected types of vinyl,” he said. “They have better lamination and printing of colors.”

Dometic is transitioning its OEM customers to double-sided fabrics, which have been available as aftermarket options for years but OEMs did not widely use. White on the fabric’s underside reduced cost, but Dometic believes the savings do not outweigh the consumer benefit, Montague said.

“We just feel that it is a better look than having that white on the bottom,” he said. “With white, you can see where dust and debris collect. It makes the awning look dingy. When you color it on both sides, it masks the dirt and makes the awning look better.”

To create longer-lasting seams, Dometic is now planning to transition to a welded, rather than sewn, fabric.

Power

Awnings offering solar power are on the horizon, Clark said, referencing rvnews.com

4/21/22 2:32 PM

one awning manufacturer exploring replacing its fabric with solar panels.

“It does not perform like a shade awning, but it provides 1,200 watts of solar power,” Clark said. “I do not think you are going to see a retractable awning that has solar anytime soon due to the constant wear from rolling and unrolling. But some type of solar panel along the arms or attached to the arms and facing out is possible.”

Clark said Dometic’s other awning power advancements have included a power channel on the awning arm. The power runs accessories like charging stations, floodlights, Bluetooth speakers and oscillating fans.

With the popularity of smaller units and vehicle-based camping, you are starting to see box awnings pop up in situations where you do not have enough space for the traditional arms of the past.”

– Tom Montague

“The idea was to give the dealer one accessory and have the customer buy additional accessories in the aftermarket,” he said. “We thought it was the next greatest thing, but it did not grow legs.”

Finally, Clark thinks OEMs will start thinking outside the box regarding where to place awnings and what they can do.

New Awnings

Numerous 2023 RV models will include Lippert’s new Solera 5000 Series awnings.

“This is a higher-quality awning,” McKinnon said. “We wanted it as robust as it could possibly be.

Redesigned arms mean the wires required to power up an awning are tucked into C channels to control their movement. The new version is stronger, while also offering a cleaner look. rvnews.com

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Trends > OE AWNINGS

Lippert’s Solera aftermarket display aids dealers in showcasing the company’s awnings, slide toppers and awning accessories.

Lippert associate Marshall Lewis hangs awnings to be powder coated.

Lippert associate Samantha Fleener wraps an awning before it will be shipped.

The channels will allow OEMs to add accessories such as lights or a sound system to the awning.”

Lippert’s Solera 5000 Series awning will provide interchangeable components on the head, letting RVers color-coordinate their awning with their coach.

The 5000 Series will incorporate Lippert’s patented pitch feature. The feature lets RVers extend the awning, pitch it to one side, then tilt it to gain more sun or shade. Additional features include a manual override system, an accent light in the arms that OEMs can use to illuminate a customized logo, and a newly designed speaker system in the awning’s arms rather than the head.

“Awnings used to be an afterthought,” McKinnon said. “At Lippert, we wanted to create something cool that added to the coach.”

He said the company partnered with a single RV manufacturer for proof of concept.

“Anytime you add a new design or a new style, jigs have to be made and procedures have to be thought out and run,” McKinnon said. “Starting out with one customer instead of 100 customers is really important to the process.”

Dometic is looking to expand its awning reach in the Type B segment.

The company offers manual and power awnings on the Sprinter, RAM and Ford Transit.

“The B van market has definitely grown,” Montague said. “That is a space we definitely want to be a part of as well.”

Additional Aftermarket Offerings

L

ippert’s universal manual and powered awning arms are popular aftermarket products. The arms fit Lippert’s Solera awnings but also others made by top competitors. Boessler said stocking the replacement awning arms in inventory is a nononsense investment.

“For dealers, this is a no-brainer,” he said. “They do not have to stock three different sets of hardware.”

Boessler estimated Lippert’s universal arms save consumers wanting to add power to a manual awning between $1,200 and $1,500.

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Dometic updated its packaging for aftermarket delivery to eliminate awning damage sustained during shipping.

“We have all had something delivered by Amazon or FedEx, and we just have our fingers crossed that it showed up in one piece,” Clark said. “Think about a 15- to 18-foot awning.

It is going to be beaten up during travel. Our new tank packaging, which consists of a corrugated cardboard packet inside of a square box, has eliminated potential damage, and that’s exciting.” rvnews.com

4/21/22 2:38 PM

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4/21/22 2:37 2:35 PM PM 4/21/22

Feature > GO RVING

Go RVing’s 2022 media campaign will highlight diversity and youth among RV consumers. The focus is based on data collected by Go RVing in recent years.

Time to Go After Go RVing won multiple awards for its “Go on a Real Vacation” media campaign, the organization’s 2022 campaign plans will redefine the meaning of “Go.”

By RV News Staff

T

wo years ago, RV industry professionals watched the world shut down mere weeks before camping season kicked off.

Rather than free falling like many travel and tourism markets, however, RVing interest skyrocketed. A pastime usually favored by retirees and families suddenly glowed with broader appeal even as the world went dark, said Courtney Bias, director of strategic marketing and communications at Go RVing.

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Now as times normalize, marketers such as Bias are keen to determine whether the buying power was short-lived or is sustainable long term.

At Go RVing, she said, the path to solving the mystery involves data, and plenty of it.

Go RVing is the RV industry’s commercial voice, representing manufacturers (through RVIA) and dealers (through RVDA). The program’s mission is to educate and inspire potential RVers through authentic storytelling

and to unite RV manufacturers, dealers and campgrounds. Serving as both brand and call to action, Go RVing provides industry resources such as consumer leads, best business practices and marketing collateral.

After the group’s highly successful 2020-2021 media campaign “Go on a Real Vacation”—which reached 1.9 billion consumers via broadcast, radio and digital properties—Go RVing is redefining how to reach receptive audiences. rvnews.com

4/21/22 2:32 PM

Go RVing marketing campaign materials will feature various RV types after more than a dozen OEMs provided RVs for Go RVing’s two photo shoots.

In April Go RVing launched its rebrand with a new logo in various colors.

Print marketing materials will include pictures shot in California.

“Now that we have consumers aware and engaged on the ‘real vacation’ part of the tagline, the real connections RVing can provide in a virtual world, it is time to emphasize and home in on the ‘go,’” Bias said.

“For us, we are looking at how do we get one more weekend out of those recent buyers, how do we keep enticing them to go?”

In 2022, the company will highlight the lifestyle and RV experiences beyond the campground, as well as the rvnews.com

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Go RVing and FCB Chicago staff worked on the California photo shoot in January to create marketing material for the new campaign.

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Feature > GO RVING travelers behind the adventure. Sarah Neely, Go RVing senior manager of strategic marketing and data analysis, said one goal is to include everyone in the narrative and represent them in the advertising.

“Whenever we are talking about diversity, it is not just skin color,” she said. “It is diversity in units, activities and people represented within our communications.”

Bias and Neely both agreed, the messaging is clear: “Whoever you are and whatever your calling—just go.”

New Perspective

Adventure enthusiasts are among the top consumer focuses for Go RVing’s 2022 media campaign.

What I never want to get lost is that families, and creating happy family memories, are still very much at the core of what we do and who we appeal to.”

– Courtney Bias

Go RVing staff have a goal to introduce more inclusive images and messages in the 2022 campaign than previous marketing efforts included.

Fishing and boating were the country’s largest conventional outdoor activities in 2020, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

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For years, Go RVing worked to understand who is interested in RVing and why. As younger, more diverse buyers change the data, they alter Go RVing’s outreach strategies as well.

Selling the RV lifestyle requires a certain finesse, Bias said. Unfocused marketing efforts—what she calls “buckshot advertising”—may work on a $1 soda can, but an RV is a much larger purchase.

“It is not something that is attainable for everyone, so we are really trying to identify those people who have the (necessary) income and who are open to the idea of RVing, thereby tapping into the demographics and psychographics: Who is out there?

Who wants to go travel? Who is likely to purchase this RV and why?” she said.

With professional guidance from media partner FCB Chicago, Go RVing set out to create fresh content appropriately reflecting shifting demographics and consumer preferences. rvnews.com

4/21/22 2:32 PM

“Back in 2018, we started this journey by engaging millennials, thinking about them in a different light and how their lived experiences contrast from the previous generation,” Bias said, crediting the age group with inspiring the viral #vanlife movement. “Their (deliberate) shift in lifestyle really got everything jumpstarted, and now we have to keep things going.”

As Gen Zers come of age, Bias said, OEMs and dealers face similar challenges and opportunities to appeal to a ripening consumer with unique, age-defined priorities and preferences.

“This is a generation that has never known a time without a computer, Alexa or Siri,” she said. “We all have to ask ourselves how it is going to continue to play out. What does the future of RVing look like and, as marketers, OEMs and dealers, how do we reach and retain these consumers?”

RV News 1 2/10/22 Go RVing andAditsMarch.pdf media buying

agency, UM, analyzed various campaign information collected over the past two years and used the results to inform data-driven advertising decisions in 2022. Doing so, Bias said, will attract the right audience to this year’s campaign and drive quality leads to Go RVing’s website as a relationship-building starting point.

“We do something called full-funnel modeling,” she said. “Data experts at our agency partners take the information, slice and dice it and provide us with detailed feedback: What is effective or not, are we hitting the right audiences and bringing in the right people, plus are we not only getting people’s attention at the top of the awareness funnel but also bringing them down through that funnel to eventually purchase an RV at one of our member dealerships?”

Bias said the goal is to introduce more-inclusive imagery and messaging 3:50 PM previous marketing efforts did. than

(L to R) Sarah Neely and Courtney Bias of Go RVing stepped away from the RVDA Convention in Las Vegas last November to watch the fountains at the Bellagio.

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Feature > GO RVING

In the fall of 2021, Go RVing conducted a live photo shoot in Indiana to collect material for its 2022 marketing campaign.

The live shoot was Go RVing’s first since 2019.

Because in-person collaboration was restricted the past two years, Go RVing relied on “impersonal” stock footage to create material during the 2020-2021 campaign, she said. Bias described this year’s Indiana and California photoshoots as liberating, saying live shoots allowed creative forces to portray the “Go” campaign messaging more authentically and meaningfully, redefining what “Go on a Real Vacation” means to different people.

“We want to make sure that when we are doing this, we are being inclusive for the right reasons and not just putting people in an advertisement because that is what society says we should do,” she said. “We are thinking about diversity from the perspective of how do we make sure everyone sees themselves in our materials, and how do we start inviting more people to the party?”

The result, Bias said, is captivating footage accurately depicting the evolving faces, intentions and stories behind the RV adventures, from traditional families and retirees to child-free explorers and outdoor enthusiasts.

“We are making sure each generation, demographic and lifestyle preference is brought into the fold of Go RVing—that we are grabbing attention in the right way and retaining it,” Bias said.

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Tom-ay-to, Tom-ah-to

For Neely, capturing life stages beyond typical demographics was vital to show how RVing can comfortably carry a person from childhood through retirement. She pointed to young couples enjoying a peaceful getaway, artists honing their craft in nature, a group of friends making memories at a music festival, or grandparents camping alongside their grandkids.

With these new shoots though, dealers benefit from a lot of variety, right down to choosing materials featuring units that best align with their own business focus.”

– Sarah Neely

“What I never want to get lost is that families, and creating happy family memories, are still very much at the core of what we do and who we appeal to,” Bias said. “Campgrounds are great for that, but everywhere is kind of great for that, and that is what we intend to show.”

Consumers can take their RV to Disney, set up at the beach, or explore remote but accessible public lands, Neely said. Enroute travelers can trade their overnight stay at a Walmart or Cracker Barrel for an upgraded boondocking experience at a participating private residence or winery, thanks to growing trends like the membership RV travel club Harvest Hosts.

Because the RV lifestyle is constantly evolving, Bias and Neely agreed on the need to highlight diverse geographic settings and activities to best represent the campaign messaging. Settings include beach camping at Sand Dunes State Park, traversing the desert and hiking in the mountains.

“Every spot we picked is a place people can go, escape and actually camp with their RV,” Neely said.

OEMs, including Winnebago, Forest River and Thor Industries, provided multiple RVs to showcase. The offerings were especially noteworthy, Bias said, given the ongoing supply chain challenges within the industry.

The campaign features specific RVs to complement certain life stages, scenery and activities, Neely said. Though a family is unlikely to adventure in a smaller RV, she said a teardrop, pop-up or truck camper is appropriate to convey a solo fishing trip.

The goal, they agreed, was to secure enough diverse material to sustain rvnews.com

4/21/22 2:33 PM

numerous marketing efforts throughout the year. Annual marketing work includes royalty-free imagery, customizable marketing materials, taggable TV spots and B-roll footage used in local broadcast advertising.

Dealers can access new campaign materials via Go RVing’s website and industry-only portal. The site gives manufacturers, dealers, campground operators, state associations, show promoters and their agencies access to qualified consumer leads and marketing materials connected to the national campaign.

Reach and Retain

In fall 2020, Go RVing revamped its entire website, including a fresh design, updated content with geographic-specific itineraries, and engaging features such as a “Find My RV” quiz and an interactive compass.

During the first quarter of 2021, Go RVing reported its website’s paid search function generated more than 200,000 clicks. Nearly 15% were “Find a Dealer” searches, a significant increase compared with 774 dealer searches and 6,100 rental searches in January 2020.

Neely underscored new and diverse content as foundational for potential buyers to see themselves in the lifestyle. She said representation ensures stories resonate when a person lands on the website.

“This concept of ‘Oh, we need to be more diverse’ is not something new that we just came out with in 2022,” Bias said. “We have really been trying to highlight different people, lifestyles, experiences and stories for the past seven to 10 years, but now we are getting some real momentum. In partnership with our media agencies, we have been able to shine an even brighter light on what diversity means on a more global scale, plus what that means from an advertiser’s perspective.”

Neely also noted a prohibitive knowledge gap recently. Many new RVers on the road are unfamiliar with their unit, she said, as well as efficient setup and tear-down methods and leave-no-trace principles. rvnews.com

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NSA May 22 Ad Approval.indd 1

4/14/22 6:45 PM

May 2022 | RV News

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Feature > GO RVING

Staff sets up equipment to capture stream fishing pictures during the January California shoot.

As such, consumer education remains central to website content.

She said dealers should expect a more sophisticated landing page strategy in 2022, with emphasis on customizing content based on a person’s interest. For example, a consumer clicking an ad targeted at parents will land on a page highlighting family activities.

“It is really all about bringing our target audience in, connecting them with GoRVing.com and then sending them out to find the brands they may want—and to a dealer on our site who has that brand they are interested in,” Bias said.

The recent revamp included a new, improved industry-only portal.

“It was really difficult when we could not physically get out to do new production, which meant reduced assets to share with dealers,” Neely said. “With these new shoots though, dealers benefit from a lot of variety, right down to choosing materials featuring units that best align with their own business focus.”

The ability to customize marketing materials was a direct request from dealers at RVDA, Neely said. Soon, Go RVing will launch an e-commerce section where dealers can co-brand marketing materials and tailor messaging to best reach their local markets.

Neely said their dashboard area is another useful dealer tool. Because 36

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the dashboard directly ties in with Google Analytics, dealers can view trends on Go RVing’s website in real time, including top search terms and page views.

“It is a great way to see what the chatter is and then be part of the conversation by capitalizing on those trends through your own website and social media,” she said.

To ensure dealers know how to leverage those conversations, Go RVing is including resources tailored to connect with new consumers and growth targets. Among the material is a three-part webinar series designed to help dealers address and understand Black RVers and minority buyers with whom they might not have much experience interacting.

Constructed through a collaborative effort with Earl Hunter of Black Folks

Camp Too, the series unpacks some traditional barriers to Black campers’ entry and details how dealers can remove such roadblocks. Hunter explains how RV education can be particularly intimidating to cultural groups with virtually no exposure to RVing.

“It is a generational fear. We had been hearing that when we go to experiential events and try to reach that audience, to meet them where they are,” Neely said. “I think Earl, from his experiences within the RV industry (as SylvanSport’s vice president of sales), brings that voice to life.”

Bias agreed Hunter’s authenticity as an RV industry professional and avid camper are critical to explaining the messaging and to understanding what the industry can do to be more inclusive. She said Go RVing plans to produce more webinars tackling similar topics, as well as providing workshop-style formats similar to RVDA. A broader, industry-wide diversity summit is on Go RVing’s shortlist.

“We are not just talking the talk; we are walking the walk and committed to putting the work in behind it to ensure we are doing everything right,” Bias said.

Looking Ahead

Bias and Neeley are not only studying who is buying what and taking rvnews.com

4/21/22 2:33 PM

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Feature > GO RVING

The focus for Go RVing’s 2022 campaign is emphasizing “Go” in its Go on a Real Vacation plan.

Staff scout locations near the hills in California during Go RVing’s January photo shoot.

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it where but also crunching the data on how buyers are purchasing.

“It is not necessarily what dealers should be doing today, but what they need to be thinking about tomorrow and beyond,” Bias said, noting the importance of anticipating future trends.

The buy-now-pay-later concept— which divides a total purchase into multiple equal installments, with the first due at checkout—continues to gain popularity, especially among younger generations. Although the payment method has been available for years, the option exploded in popularity as more people shopped online.

“Millennials are basically buying cars out of a vending machine now, so what does that mean for the future of RV dealerships?” Bias said. “We have to consider how a buy-now-pay-later option, or buying and selling everything online, may unfold, and we have to explore how it can or will impact dealerships.”

Go RVing is focused on gathering detailed consumer data and collecting qualified leads to encourage new RV sales at member dealerships. Bias said the used RV market stands to gain greater momentum in the coming years.

“There are still going to be those who only purchased an RV to carry them through the pandemic,” she said.

“As we reach the end of that spectrum, the industry likely will have an influx of units. How will that impact not only the used market but also the new?”

Neely said the group considered such trends and questions, among others like homeschooling’s and telework’s longevity, when crafting targets, goals and messaging for the 2022 “Go on a Real Vacation” campaign.

“I think this year is huge for us, with finally being able to have those two photoshoots alongside our new agencies, building upon everything we have been working toward the past few years and creating this really beautiful, diverse and inclusive campaign,” Bias said. “Debuting a new body of work that we have been working toward for really eight to nine years and seeing it come to fruition is, really, the first big measure of success.” rvnews.com

4/21/22 2:33 PM

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Feature > DEALER PROFILE

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rvnews.com

4/21/22 2:33 PM

The Quietly Incognito Conglomerate Entrepreneur Pat Butler leaned on his automotive industry experience to develop his RV dealership model. Twenty years later, Leisure Days RV is the largest Canadian RV dealer group due to strategic acquisitions.

RV News Staff | Photos by M3K Photography

A

t a time when surveillance cameras and online algorithms track a person’s every move, finding a successful businessperson flying under the digital radar is unusual.

Leisure Days RV owner Pat Butler prioritizes keeping a low profile.

Colleagues described Butler as a private person who shies away from the limelight but said Butler’s preferred anonymity does not hinder his ability to make valuable professional connections.

His company recently became Canada’s largest RV dealer chain.

Leisure Days RV’s leader is finding it more difficult to remain inconspicuous.

Crediting his success to a nose for strategic investment and a stomach for high-risk, high-reward decisions, Butler is wasting little time resting on laurels. At 84 years old, he oversees daily operations and remains focused on the business’ next chess moves.

“We are still evolving the company to catch up to him,” said Lynn Norton, company secretary-treasurer. “He is

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still pedal to the metal every single day. One of Pat’s greatest assets is his incredible vision for the future. We as a management team are so fortunate to benefit from his 60 years of experience in the automotive industry.”

I have been buying businesses and real estate for over 50 years, so at this point, I trust my gut instincts more than anything.”

– Pat Butler

Butler, known as a shrewd businessman with a penchant for detail, cut his teeth and sharpened his entrepreneurial skills in the auto industry before purchasing Ottawa-based RV Canada in 2003. He said his younger brother Joe’s automotive and RV dealership in Kamloops, British Columbia, named

Butler Auto and RV, was his inspiration for entering the RV industry. Through his brother, Butler learned the RV business was complementary to automotive and highly profitable.

“I felt the RV industry was 20 years behind the automotive industry but presented an opportunity,” he said.

“At the time, there had been no consolidation; it was mainly a familyrun industry, with RV stores closing at 12 p.m. on Saturdays and not open during the evenings. I saw a great opportunity to organize the industry, similar to the operations of the automotive industry, and then take it to the next level.”

Shortly after entering the RV market, Butler opened his second dealership in Kitchener, Ontario, and laid a foundation for rapid acquisition-based growth. Within four years, his investment portfolio swelled to 15 stores. The most recent acquisition, Cape Breton Trailer Sales, elevates Leisure Days RV to 32 retail locations across five provinces.

May 2022 | RV News

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Feature > DEALER PROFILE

Leisure Days RV is building stores such as The RV Place with a car dealership styling.

RV Canada General Manager Mike Garrick.

(L to R) Butler and Lynn Norton, Leisure Days RV secretary-treasurer, prepare to board the company’s plane to visit a dealership.

“Pat is a great example of someone who is down to earth and has really made it on his own,” Norton said.

“As a result, he appreciates the entrepreneurial spirit behind the success stories of the family-owned and -operated dealerships we acquire. We are able to bring new processes to our acquisitions but also like to learn new processes from these families to bring to our group and share best practices.”

Butler said family-run RV dealerships are often comfortable selling their businesses to Leisure Days RV because the company underscores a positive workplace culture and top-rated customer service. Additionally, Butler tries diligently to keep store names, brands and staff intact.

Over time we have learned how to develop the trust of the owners and develop a win-win approach to a sale.”

– Pat Butler

“Over time we have learned how to develop the trust of the owners and develop a win-win approach to a sale,” Butler said. “They have businesses they are proud of, some of which go back generations. We want them to be happy selling to us, because when they are, we are better positioned to be successful and carry on their legacy.”

Acquired Appreciation

The RV Place in Perth, Ontario, is a dealership Leisure Days RV built. The showroom is 9,600 square feet.

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Butler and Norton agree that corporate principles such as integrity, respect and teamwork guide both personnel and the dealer’s acquisition processes.

The company considers many factors when considering an acquisition, including real estate location, size and exposure to expansion capabilities.

Butler listed the business’ reputation, product lines and staff experience, as well as gross sales and profitability as equally important characteristics. rvnews.com

4/21/22 2:33 PM

Leisure Days RV analyzes a dealership’s overall digital presence, including website functionality and consumer reviews. During on-site visits, company leadership evaluate daily operations, merchandising setups, staff knowledge, friendliness and cleanliness.

Butler said the very first thing he checks is the business’ washroom. He said bathrooms reveal a dealership’s attention to detail and commitment to basic housekeeping.

The company does not have a set annual acquisition count. Butler said every purchase includes different situations, outside influences and terms affecting a dealership’s readiness to sell. Some deals may take five-plus years to finalize, while others wrap up in six months.

“On the one hand, we can be patient, if required, to wait for the right time when a dealership is ready to sell,” Butler said. “We also have the financial strength and business experience to put deals together quickly, so when there are opportunities, we can facilitate a transaction efficiently.”

The important takeaway, he added, is owners know their dealership is in good hands when they are ready to move forward.

Butler rarely rebrands acquired locations, which he said is a nod to the previous owners’ hard work and legacy.

He said rebranding can destroy a dealership’s unique personality and can break hard-earned trust with the local community. Brand preservation maintains the established foundation, he said, and retains goodwill with customers and staff.

Norton said a key component of Butler’s business philosophy is cultivating relationships with existing employees. When an owner leaves, staff become the de facto connection to the business’ past customers.

Identifying ways to boost their morale increases the dealership’s potential success, he said.

Just like a sports team that builds a star roster, Leisure Days RV works to emphasize each team member’s worth. With every acquisition, the rvnews.com

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Leisure Days RV Group Inc. ONTARIO (20) RV Canada

Bella Vista RV Centre

31 Booth St., Oro Medonte, ON L0L 1T0

2098 Prince of Wales Dr, Nepean, ON K2E 7A5

Big Country RV

7350 ON-15, Carleton Place, ON K7C 3P2

Open Roads RV

1174 Carp Rd, Stittsville, ON K2S 1B9

MARITIMES (10) New Brunswick

CRC RV Fredericton

Ottawa Camping Trailers

2984 Woodstock Rd, Fredericton, NB E3C 1P9

Camptown RV

Lyle Bongard’s R.V. Sales Ltd.

4815 Bank St, Gloucester, ON K1X 1G6

1346 Bankfield Rd, Manotick, ON K4M 1A7

417 RV

1801 Russland Rd, Vars, ON K0A 3H0

The RV Spot

2984 Woodstock Rd, Fredericton, NB E3C 1P9

CRC RV Salisbury (Jayco Exclusive)

(Jayco Exclusive)

46713 Homestead Rd, Steeves Mountain, NB E1G 4H8

Safari RV

Leisure Days RV Center Moncton

3881 County Road, Alexandria, On K0C 1A0 2747 Chamberland St., Rockland, ON, K4K 1M7

The RV Place

15747 Highway 7, Perth, ON, K7H 3C8

1000 Islands RV

2-409 County Rd 2, Gananoque ON, K7G 2V4

Leisure Days Kingston

485 O’Connor Dr, Kingston, ON K7P 1J9

Leisure Days Smiths Falls

34 Silver Fox Dr, Salisbury, NB E4J 3E2

Sackville RV

6 Cattail Ridge, Sackville, NB E4L 3S1

RV Canada Saint John 57 Millennium Dr, Quispamsis, NB E2E 0P8

Doug’s Recreation

165 Lombard St, Smiths Falls, ON K7A 5B8

116 Cougle Rd, Sussex Corner, NB E4E 2S6

Leisure Days Pembroke

Country Campers Sales

2009 Petawawa Blvd, Pembroke, ON K8A 7H1

McIntosh Hill, NB

Freedom RV

NOVA SCOTIA

Leisure Days RV Kitchener

CRC RV Super Centres

Lakeview RV Centre

231 Truro Heights Rd, Truro Heights, NS B6L 1X2

663 Stewart Blvd, Brockville, ON K6V 5T4 2522 Cedar Creek Rd, Ayr, ON N0B 1E0 (Jayco Exclusive)

63020 Sunny Valley Rd, Owen Sound, ON N4K 5N6

Len’s RV Centre (Jayco Exclusive)

305 Main St, Brighton, ON K0K 1H0

Quinte RV Centre

(Jayco Exclusive)

Leisure Days RV Centre

45 Treaty Trail, Millbrook, NS B6L 1W3

BRITISH COLUMBIA (1)

980 Hwy 2, Trenton, ON K8V 5P5

Butler Auto & RV

Hiemstra Trailer Sales

142 Tranquille Rd, Kamloops, BC V2B 3G1

980 Hwy 2, Trenton, ON K8V 5P5

(Jayco Exclusive)

May 2022 | RV News

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4/21/22 2:33 PM

Feature > DEALER PROFILE company evaluates current employee pay plans.

“If we identify specific staff that we believe merit increases in pay, then those individuals are given immediate pay increases,” Butler said. “We want to make sure staff are paid fairly, and not below what the industry standard might be for a specific position.”

He said the gesture is intended to show employees how the company values them to build loyalty and longevity.

Although acquisitions are Leisure Days RV’s main expansion path, Butler’s vision includes new construction as well. The greenfield business’ endeavors integrate best practices from Butler’s automotive industry days.

For example, in September 2021, the company debuted a new 9,600-square-foot location in Perth, Ontario. Leisure Days RV plans to open another location later this year in Brockville, Ontario. Spacious showrooms with sleek finishes give the décor a “high-end car dealership” vibe, Butler said.

“These greenfield dealerships are defined as new markets,” he said. “We buy the land and choose to construct the building from the ground up versus buying an existing dealership, so the strategic value becomes adding a new market—both Perth and Brockville are new markets for us.”

Investing Within

Norton said Butler frequently takes calculated risks and invests within to improve the business at large.

One example, he said, is Leisure Days RV’s transportation model.

About 15 years ago, company leadership evaluated third-party freight fees and delivery schedules.

Butler determined the best way to secure long-term financial health was to bring transportation services in-house, so he launched a trucking company. The plan, he said, was to independently regulate the delivery process and improve companywide efficiency.

Twenty company-owned trucks maintain operational flexibility.

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The fleet enables management to adjust RV pickup schedules in the U.S. and receive dependable next-day delivery at locations across Canada.

Butler said the versatility has proved invaluable during the pandemic when border and driver protocols created unprecedented delivery challenges.

“Plus, if we can shorten the time from ordering units to having them in customers’ hands, then that adds real value,” he said, “especially in a market where supply from manufacturers is taking more time.”

As they say, ‘Time is money.’ Having private plane access is a tremendous timesaver and ensures our team has all necessary resources to execute our aggressive growth strategy and stay on top of our growing business.”

– Pat Butler

To further expand Leisure Days RV’s transportation capabilities, Butler recently purchased a private plane to ensure senior leadership can provide immediate and ongoing support to the company’s many locations. In addition, management can meet regularly with U.S. OEMs at will. The plane enables pursuing new business ventures in a timely fashion, he said.

For example, Butler noted a recent situation in which two company executives in Nova Scotia traveled by private plane to quickly ink a business deal. Relying on a commercial airline with flight connections and complex security protocols could have restricted scheduling and presented delays.

“As they say, ‘Time is money,’” Butler said. “Having private plane access is a tremendous time-saver and ensures our team has all necessary resources to execute our aggressive

growth strategy and stay on top of our growing business.”

Company leadership agreed the financial commitment is significant, but the trucking company and private plane investments continue to pay dividends despite rising fuel and labor costs. Butler said transportation autonomy gives Leisure Days RV an edge in the industry’s evolving landscape. Dealer locations can share resources more easily, he added, expedite sales and service and better sustain cross-continental relationships.

Lifelong Learning

Transportation expenditures connect the individual locations. Butler said comprehensive education strengthens them.

Over the years, Norton said, Leisure Days RV assembled a leadership team to support Butler’s endless drive and corporate vision. The hands-on owner personally seeks out self-starters with a proven history of delivering stellar results. He values managers who are unafraid to roll up their sleeves to finish a job correctly the first time, Norton said.

Performance expectations are high.

To meet goals, Butler invests in leadership training, daily coaching and industry shows/events. Ongoing mentorship reinforces the company’s values and expectations. Key performance indicators (KPIs) ensure accountability.

After two years of planning, the Canadian company is set to open a 3,000-square-foot training facility at its new Ottawa corporate headquarters in 2022. Service technicians and managers across Canada can congregate at the facility to develop critical skills to better serve customers.

The facility includes a large training room and multiple collaborative spaces. Training spaces feature modern audio/visual equipment, whiteboards and an oversized outdoor lot to accommodate hands-on RV training. Staff can freshen up in the locker room, relax in the lounge area or prepare a meal in the kitchenette. rvnews.com

4/21/22 2:33 PM

Service advisor Tyrone Morrison books a customer appointment.

RV Canada rentals associate Michel Ferland.

Parts Manager Brendan Irwin searches for a replacement jack.

Sales rep Robert Rosen presents Leisure Days’ new RV membership program to consumers.

(L to R) Service advisor Austin Holder helps receptionist Kathleen Blampied answer a customer’s question about scheduling a service appointment. rvnews.com

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Receptionist Marie-Claud Brasseur takes a message for an RV Canada sales rep.

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Feature > DEALER PROFILE

(L to R) RV Canada General Sales Manager Abdel Hanhan updates Butler on the dealership’s recent Jayco Melbourne Type C deliveries from the manufacturer.

Butler said the plan is to kick off a pilot program with local dealerships, rotating between half- and full-day educational sessions scheduled monthly. Once the training process is perfected, he said the program will be rolled out company wide.

Because locations are spread out geographically, and often operate independently, Leisure Days RV conducts regular service calls to share best practices and “bring the collective power of the group to the forefront,” Butler said.

He believes new corporate training efforts will create better coordination within and across the many service departments, resulting in streamlined service/repair standards, he said.

“As a business grows, it is important to evolve with it by refining policies and investing in areas that matter,” Butler said, stressing the facility will be integral to future employee retention.

Butler partly attributes the industry’s qualified technician shortage to 46

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scarce accreditation programs. Without a properly defined education track, many prospective technicians are left ill-prepared for real-world service scenarios, he said. The situation often presents dealerships with an uphill battle when hiring.

Butler said he is unaware of an accredited technician program in Ontario. Leisure Days RV envisions developing its own, he said, in conjunction with a local college.

The company foresees its accreditation program as a combination of in-class and on-site instruction.

Academics would span applied mathematics, parts, tools and equipment, as well as workplace safety. Advanced coursework would cover construction, hydraulics, slide-out systems and much more. Butler said today’s RV technicians are expected to be well-rounded service professionals with vast knowledge in various unit systems and components, from

electrical to plumbing. As such, he said collaborative, hands-on learning will be central to any future program requirements.

For Leisure Days RV, the prospective program serves as an opportunity to bridge the current professional gap and pave an avenue from internship to full-time employment.

Should the extensive planning evolve from brainchild to reality, Butler said, Leisure Days RV would lead the only designated program of its kind in Ontario.

“Even more, I see this accreditation program as part of Pat’s legacy. It would be his life’s work coming full circle by helping the next generation,” Norton said. “He sets a high bar, expects a lot, but he is also incredibly generous and wants our company to play an active role in the future of this industry. There is a reason why our senior management team has very little turnover.” rvnews.com

4/21/22 2:33 PM

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4/21/22 4/11/22 2:33 6:53 PM PM

Feature > AFTERMARKET SUPPLIER

The Ride Control Suite Spot United Safety Apparatus built its company on the Safe T Plus steering control system. CEO Bryan Maggi is banking future success on helping provide a better motorhome driving experience.

By Diane Bishop | Photos by Adrian Shelby Photography

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rvnews.com

4/21/22 2:33 PM

(L to R) Josh Walker, plant operations manager; Kathy Doran, executive operations manager; Bryan Maggi, CEO; and David Leake, national sales manager; review company marketing materials.

S

ince 1980, United Safety Apparatus has empowered motorhome consumers to easily navigate America’s highways. The company engineers and manufactures the Safe T Plus steering control system in the United States but sells the product globally in 22 countries.

Late in 2021, the manufacturer combined its Safe T Plus line with eight new enhancement products.

Called the Better Ride products solution stack, the ride control suite tightens an RV’s steering/suspension system to create a stress-free driving experience. The company said, by

rvnews.com

* May book.indb 49

installing the products, RV dealers provide customers a safer, more comfortable ride.

“The No. 1 complaint we hear from RV customers is the impact of oversteering,” said Bryan Maggi, United Safety Apparatus CEO. “Motorhome drivers become exhausted because they are in a constant battle with the steering wheel, trying to keep these gigantic vehicles within a 12-foot lane.

All the products, and particularly Safe T Plus, dramatically reduce the effects preventing a motorhome driving experience from being comfortable and fun.”

Motorhome drivers become exhausted because they are in a constant battle with the steering wheel, trying to keep these gigantic vehicles within a 12-foot lane.”

– Bryan Maggi

May 2022 | RV News

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4/21/22 2:33 PM

Feature > AFTERMARKET SUPPLIER Maggi said motorhome consumers fall into three categories. The first category consists of people familiar with driving-condition struggles and know of existing aftermarket improvements. The second group is also sensitive to motorhome driving difficulties but are ignorant about available solutions. The third segment is unaware the coach’s handling could be vastly improved and lack knowledge of existing ride control solutions.

“Side winds, passing trucks and blowouts do not discriminate among these types of consumers,” he said.

“A motorhome owner may be on their third or fourth generation RV and has lived with these driving hazards and oversteering effects merely because they did not know something existed to improve their driving experience.”

Maggi said most new RV consumers have never driven a large motorhome before their initial purchase. They expect the motorhome to drive like an SUV, he said, and are shocked when the RV does not.

The Better Ride products solution stack includes the Safe T Plus and seven additional items: a trac bar, radius rods, Steady Plus sway bar, Koni shocks, a motion control unit, SumoSprings, a drag link and a bell crank.

Ultimately, when you build the service department up, you build client loyalty. The rest of the business grows with it.”

– Bryan Maggi

“OEMs and dealerships do a magnificent job of building a beautiful machine, but clients often get behind the wheel and, by the time they get to the second state on their journey, they are ready to sell the vehicle because of unforeseen ride control challenges they experienced.”

Products Working Together

Safe T Plus uses mechanical coils and hydraulics to return a steering wheel to a neutral center position after a driver executes a turn.

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The Better Ride products solution stack includes the Safe T Plus steering control, a trac bar, radius rods, Steady Plus sway bar, Koni shocks, a motion control unit, SumoSprings, a drag link and a bell crank. rvnews.com

4/21/22 2:33 PM

Associate Barry Williamson installs Koni shocks. The shocks are among the Better Ride products solutions.

(L to R) Richard Jones, Tara Cail and Jacob Taylor prepare Safe T Plus products to be shipped.

Zack Ricks installs a Safe T Plus steering control system at the company’s plant in Tallapoosa, Georgia. rvnews.com

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United Safety .5 V May 22 Ad Approval.indd 1

4/20/22 1:56 PM May 2022 | RV News 51

4/21/22 2:33 PM

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Feature > AFTERMARKET SUPPLIER Together, Maggi said, the Better Ride product collection provides a better ride working in tandem than each product does individually.

Maggi said some motorhomes experience a driving condition called fishtailing. The effect happens when the vehicle’s rear shakes or wags, which forces the driver to oversteer the coach.

“Safe T Plus controls the front of the vehicle, keeping it straight, but drivers still feel that wagging effect from the rear,” he said. “One of our Better Ride products is a trac bar made by Super Steer. When the trac bar is installed on the vehicle’s rear, suddenly the rear end is anchored down and no longer has that wagging effect.”

The Safe Plus Seven

Safe T Plus uses mechanical coils and hydraulics to return a steering wheel to a neutral center position after a 574-264-3437 | EQSYSTEMS.US driver executes a turn. The stabilizer also reduces the effects of side winds, oversteering, road wandering EQ Sixth Page May 22 Ad Approval.indd 1 4/5/22 2:51 PM and navigation issues if a front tire blows out. The seven new products comprising the Better Ride suite make driving safer and more enjoyable.

1. The trac bar is a stabilizing bar that provides additional stability to steering and handling, decreasing rear fishtailing effects.

2. Radius rods are suspension links connected to the axle to prevent front suspension forward/rearward movement. Installing the rods will make steering more responsive for better turns. The rods inhibit “vehicle float” by reducing the sawing sensation drivers experience in the steering wheel during turns.

3. The Steady Plus sway bar transfers weight to different suspension corners as a vehicle turns. The weight transfer reduces consumer understeering/oversteering required to bring a vehicle to a straight neutral position. The sway bar also decreases a “top-heavy” feeling consumers experience when driving during strong side winds or when traversing over speed bumps.

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4.The Koni shocks minimize vertical movement when the RV encounters bumps. The shock absorbers work in tandem with Safe T Plus to minimize horizontal movement as well.

The shocks also smooth out “porpoising” effects, where the vehicle bounces independently from front to rear. Typically, a vehicle’s front suspension hits a bump followed by the rear. The two bounce independently of each other, creating an oscillating motion. Severe conditions can make drivers feel as if the wheels are leaving the ground. United Safety Apparatus said porpoising occurs more frequently on motorhomes under 35 feet long.

5. The aftermarket motion control unit, used in motorhomes with airbag-equipped suspensions, mitigates excessive sway, body roll, bounce and rocking motions. The product is installed along the airbag supply line to modulate air movement in and out of the airbags.

6. The drag link connects the steering gear with the steering gearbox drop arm. Drag links reduce drop arm rotational motion, helping to straighten crooked or off-center steering wheels.

7. The bell crank reduces a motorhome’s side-to-side movement. The pressure from a steering gearbox is transmitted through the bell crank arm joint on the driver’s side. The pressure can cause premature wear to the joint and contributes to a feeling of excessive and loose steering wheel play. The bell crank in the Better Ride product suite handles greater steering forces to prevent premature wear while also keeping a vehicle’s handling from moving side to side or drifting on the road.

Comprehensively, the product stack maintains proper motorhome front/rear alignment, ensuring tire surfaces remain in contact with the road. After a service tech installs the Better Ride products, a simple alignment correction completes the service work order to give drivers a revolutionary driving experience. rvnews.com

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Permanently Attached

Investing in Manufacturing

To meet future increasing consumer demand, United Safety Apparatus added a new $1 million Safe T Plus manufacturing line in April. The addition is expected to cut product manufacturing time by 62% and triple product output.

“The new machinery will enable us to manufacture more products, with more precision, at a higher output rate,” Maggi said.

The company’s original manufacturing plant was in central Atlanta. Heavy traffic regularly disrupted truck deliveries, he said, impeding shipping schedules. The new facility, located west of Atlanta, is far from traffic snarls hindering product fulfillment.

Maggi said the company plans to build a second facility to house the inventory and shipping departments.

Since 2020, Safe T Plus has grown 78.3%. In the first quarter of 2022, business rose an additional 37% over last year. The company had no supplychain issues until the start of 2022 when suppliers ran short of steel.

“We had to ration our product to the market,” Maggi said. “That has been resolved, and we are now back at full production.”

In April, the company began offering on-site Better Ride product training to its U.S. network of 93 authorized Safe T Plus dealers.

Attendants learn how to install Better Ride products in roughly an hour.

The training includes test drives so mechanics can feel the difference before and after product installation.

Dealerships completing the training program will earn a Safe T Plus Better Ride certification.

“At that point,” Maggi said, “we start sending business their way and letting clients know they are trained and authorized.”

In June, the company will launch an aggressive consumer marketing campaign to drive business to authorized dealers.

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Feature > AFTERMARKET SUPPLIER

(L to R) Doran, Walker, Maggi and Leake comprise the leadership team at Safe T Plus.

dealership, Maggi said. He noted how some dealerships have struggled to find skilled labor.

Because unskilled workers can install Better Ride products, Maggi said the products provide a major advantage for dealerships struggling with labor shortages.

“From what we have seen over the last four years, parts and service departments have become an afterthought for some businesses,” he said.

“Ultimately, when you build the service department up, you build client loyalty.

The rest of the business grows with it.”

Maggi said his Better Ride solution stack presents four service department advantages to strengthen dealerships.

1. The steering control products provide a critical solution for clients’ motorhome driving challenges.

Motorhome owners are smart, Maggi said. Dealers do not have to sell consumers on how the products improve the ride; all they must do is educate the customer about the benefit. “The client will tell the dealer the problems they are having while driving,” he said. “Dealers just need to identify the products that address those problems.”

2. Better Ride products increase profit margins. Maggi said he has seen and evaluated most steering control products in the market, citing how many have a 20% profit margin for dealers. Safe T Plus and the Better Ride 54

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product line boast a 40% or more profit margin. “Dealers then add on their $150- to $200-per-hour service charge,” he said. “This is very lucrative for them.” With an average labor charge between $450 and $500, plus the product’s cost, Maggi said dealers’ service tickets can be $2,800 or more before fees.

The new machinery will enable us to manufacture more products, with more precision, at a higher output rate.”

– Bryan Maggi

3. Maggi noted that when dealerships put customers’ interests first, the business becomes a trusted consumer advisor. Their customers tell family and friends about the dealership’s exceptional service, thus becoming brand ambassadors.

4. Better Ride products’ quick installation builds client loyalty.

Maggi said dealers greatly differentiate themselves when they turn clients within a day or two, rather than scheduling them weeks out.

“Customers are frustrated when they call a dealer and hear they are two

to six weeks from getting any service work,” he said.

To help dealers quickly turn inventory to maximize profit, Safe T Plus does not require them to carry large inventories, Maggi said. Dealers can begin with as few as three Safe T Plus steering controls fortified with other select Better Ride products.

“We are not interested in dusty pallets,” he said. “The good news is typically where you sell one, you sell many because they all complement each other.”

Maggi compared the RV market to the housing market during uncertain economic times. He said at such times, consumers may not purchase a new home but instead invest in refurbishing their current one. Because presentday chip and generator shortages have stymied new motorhome manufacturing, he predicts consumers will have more interest in improving the RV they already own.

Maggi said dealers must ask themselves what role their service department will play in the ongoing trend.

He said enhancing existing customers’ driving experiences breeds loyalty while maintaining and improving existing relationships.

“It also casts a wide net to bring in new business,” Maggi said. “Client captivity means dealerships are capturing all of the customers’ business throughout their RV life.” rvnews.com

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Feature > AFTERMARKET SUPPLIER

(L to R) Easy Access Industrial Designs fabricator Will Carnell, President Dan Visser and assembler Greg Brown display a Joe Scaffold 2.0 600 series platform system next to a Forest River Sandpiper RV. v

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A Tall Order for Service Safety Canada’s Easy Access Industrial Design has spent nearly two decades creating specialty work platforms to safely enable service technicians to repair RVs.

By Diane Bishop | Photos by Keystone Creative Photography

D

an Visser had the vision to bring safety to the RV industry.

Visser surmised the best way to avoid injuries caused by falling was to prevent falls in the first place.

A 2021 report from Canadian RV rental company CanaDream lent credence to Visser’s foresight. The report stated personal protective equipment (PPE), such as fall arrest harness systems, should never be the first or only method to reduce the risk of falling.

The report stated, “PPE like a Fall Arrest Harness System is protecting you only once a fall has occurred, and when Fall Arrest Harness Systems are used, in addition to potential body injuries (head, arms, legs during the fall), the possibility of suspension trauma is also a serious concern.”

Suspension trauma, which is potentially fatal, occurs when a person is suspended motionless in a vertical position while in the harness.

Visser was 16 years ahead of the report’s results when he founded his

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company, Easy Access Industrial Design. The company builds specialty work platforms designed to help RV service techs safely reach the tall areas of RVs when repairing front caps, awnings or graphics, for example.

When it comes to safety, it is not about pricing; it is about quality.”

– Dan Visser

The Canadian company’s continued focus on safety has led to new products and features to keep RV workers on the job and out of danger. The products’ portability also offers innovative solutions for RV dealers/ manufacturers short on workspace.

Additionally, the platforms can significantly reduce the time needed to make repairs.

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Feature > AFTERMARKET SUPPLIER “I am designing products to keep a person from falling off a rooftop,” Visser said. “I need to make sure that I am designing them as safe and robust as possible. You cannot skimp on the quality required to provide that kind of product. When it comes to safety, it is not about pricing; it is about quality.”

Durable Construction

Quality begins with the platforms’ construction. All Easy Access work platforms are made from high-tensile, airplane-grade aluminum. The aluminum’s strength has been favorably compared to carbon steel’s strength but at less than half the weight.

Visser said the material makes all Easy Access work platforms durable, lightweight and easily portable. All platforms are compliant with safety standards from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the CSA Group (formerly the Canadian Standards Association) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

Easy Access’ safety solutions include handrails to guard against falls and provide safe entry/exit from the work area. Decks are perforated and dimpled to prevent slipping.

All Easy Access work platforms fold flat for easy transport and storage.

Visser said he recognized space is a premium in RV work areas and designs products accordingly.

“These days, service shops are often fighting for floor space because of all the extra equipment,” he said. “Our wheelbases are wide enough to be stable and still fit underneath the chassis. With deck widths as narrow as 20 inches, technicians can be right up against their work zones and leave enough space so other technicians can pass by with room to spare.”

For dealerships and manufacturers leasing their buildings, Easy Access work platforms can replace roof-installed work access systems.

“In addition to saving these companies money, these platforms can be set up anywhere in their building,” Visser said. “Our platforms do not require a dedicated bay. They can be set up outside.”

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Work Platform Products

Easy Access’ first product was the Scissor Deck, a height-adjustable work platform.

After using the platform in their shops, customers went to Visser with enhancement ideas.

“All the products we supply to the RV industry are based on customer requests,” he said. “We have requests for customizing our products and that develops into a more advanced version of what we had previously.”

For example, one customer liked the Scissor Deck but needed a bigger platform. Easy Access expanded the original Scissor Deck by developing a bridge plank placed between two or more decks. The new product, labeled the Scissor Deck System, offered more than 20 feet of continuous elevated walkway.

Instead of having a precarious approach to the RV by having a ladder leaning against the RV, techs can have an approach deck with handrail protection to step onto the RV.” – Dan Visser

“We developed the Scissor Deck System so it could be wrapped around an RV,” Visser said. “This gave techs a walkway that can go around the back or front of a Class A.” Scissor Decks are available in six models. The smallest is the 4000 Series, with a 4-foot deck and a 44-inch maximum deck height. The 9000 Series, the largest work platform, has a 6-foot deck and a 105-inch maximum deck height.

Easy Access launched a new product line—Sturdy Deck—in 2017 to meet the industry’s heavy-duty work platform needs. Sturdy Deck models are rated at 500 pounds and tested to 1,000 pounds. They are available as fixed-height work platforms with extendable leg options or as mobile work platforms with fixed or adjustable heights.

The company’s latest platform is the Stack Deck. Stack Decks can be used to replace stepladders. The work platform has a 20-foot reach. Customers can join two or more Stack Decks together with a connecting bridge plank to create a continuous walkway.

“The Stack Deck can be used on its own to work on one area of an RV, or it can be upgraded to wrap around the entire RV,” Visser said.

Reaching Higher

In 2019, Visser noticed the need for safe RV rooftop access.

“Why not prevent people from falling,” he asked, “by providing decks surrounded by handrails instead of allowing them to fall and have serious injuries?”

During that period, CanaDream’s national health and safety director contacted Visser.

“They wanted protection for their techs doing rooftop work,” he said.

“They also wanted to avoid using harness systems.”

Before Easy Access’ launch, anti-fall protection often involved harnesses secured to a building’s ceiling. The harness protection systems’ costs are often more than smaller dealerships can bear, Visser said. In addition, fall protection harness systems are difficult to move to a new facility.

Visser’s company was tasked with designing a safe, wraparound work platform system that was portable and separated quickly.

After 18 months of working with CanaDream, Visser developed the Rooftop Containment System. The system surrounds technicians with a handrail perimeter. The handrail contains service technicians rather than using a fall arrest system such as a harness.

The height-adjustable Rooftop Containment System can be used while working on specific RV rooftop areas.

After CanaDream installed the containment system at its Montreal location, the company ordered systems for its five other locations.

With the Rooftop Containment System’s safety success, Visser said designers were interested in creating rvnews.com

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(L to R) Carnell, Brown and Visser fold up the Joe Scaffold 2.0 600 series platform system.

Carnell prepares to weld platform materials to strengthen the aluminum frame’s bonds.

Visser examines Joe Scaffold 2.0 600 series platform parts. rvnews.com

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Brown climbs a Stack Deck platform, used to safely access RV rooftops.

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Feature > AFTERMARKET SUPPLIER a platform to wrap around an entire RV. Visser and his fabrication team used the Stack Deck design to create the Surround RV Rooftop Containment System. Because the containment system wraps completely around an RV, technicians can access the entire rooftop.

“Instead of having a precarious approach to the RV by having a ladder leaning against the RV, techs can have an approach deck with handrail protection to step onto the RV,” Visser said. “This system is ideal for RV service shops looking to provide safety for their technicians working on RV rooftops.”

Solution-Based Work Platforms

(L to R) Visser, Carroll and Brown build safety platforms with a handrail perimeter. The platform’s handrail prevents service technicians from falling and replaces fall arrest systems such as a harness.

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All Easy Access products are solutionbased, Visser said, noting the collaborative effort between customers and Easy Access team members on new product development.

“We are the pioneers in designing safe work platforms, and they have been long overdue in the RV industry,” Visser said. “Often, customers will say, ‘How come these were not available 20 years ago? Where were you?’”

RV customers such as Paul Gertler of Clear Creek RV Center in Silverdale, Washington, have been quick to offer their praise for the platforms.

“Our workers like the Scissor Deck 7000 Series because they can split up the system, wrap it around the front of an RV or use it along the sides,” Gertler said.

“We have used it so far mainly for roof work and front caps on trailers and Class Cs. We look forward to using it for detailing.”

Easy Access’ developed the Overhood Maintenance System when Fraserway RV, a large, Canadian-based dealership, presented Easy Access with a problem.

Fraserway wanted a compact work platform so technicians could work above the hoods of Type Cs, whether applying decals, working on windshield glass or doing bodywork.

The Overhood Maintenance System includes Sturdy Decks built in a fixed, 61-inch configuration. The system is designed specifically to work around heavy vehicles, such as trucks and RVs, and fits over Type C engine covers, including the Dodge Ram 5500 chassis.

“The head of detailing from the company’s main branch called me and rvnews.com

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said, ‘I am 5-foot-2. I can stand on this thing, and it is great, but I need another foot of height,’” Visser said.

“So, I designed a taller one for them, and she is as happy as can be.”

The company’s latest product, released last year, is the RV Line Manufacturing System.

The product came about when an RV company launching new manufacturing operations reached out to Visser. Supply chain issues left their usual work platform system, which wraps around RVs on the line, unavailable. Visser said the customer needed a system to quickly pull out and push in, and one with adjustable lengths, depending on the size of the RV moving down the line.

“He asked how long it would take to make one of these systems,” Visser said. “My team and I were able to design the RV Line Manufacturing System from scratch and have it for him in two months.”

The modular system connects four Scissor Decks side to side with four quick-remove bridge planks.

“When it is time to move the manufacturing line, a bridge plank is slid onto the adjoining Scissor Deck,” Visser said. “The four connected Scissor Decks can be easily wheeled in or out of place.”

A new improvement to Scissor Decks is powered height adjustability.

The advance was timely with the RV Line Manufacturing System’s introduction, Visser said, because a single worker can use a drill driver to quickly adjust the work platform’s height.

The powered Scissor Decks use a worm-gear winch, powered by hand drills, to automate lifting.

Nonpowered Scissor Decks use a spring-assist system to manually adjust height.

“It is all about saving time in the shop,” Visser said. “Using our work platforms enables the service tech to stay at their work site for extended periods because they do not have to adjust the location of the ladder.

Adding power options make setup and tear down and height adjustment even faster.”

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Advice > F&I MANAGEMENT

F&I Practitioners Act as the Glue I

n full swing, and most F&I practitioners are running with their hair on fire about now. The first quarter is filled with shows, open houses and big advertised sales every weekend. Practitioners have been working bell to bell, dotting their Is, and crossing their Ts to accelerate deal approvals, sign out scheduling and accelerate funding as quickly as possible.

In this swirl of activity, F&I practitioners must sell products to earn themselves, and the company, a living. In addition to trying to meet established goals and penetration percentages, F&I coaches are offering best practices—even though most never worked in the department themselves.

My last article described understanding buyer and generational changes. While working in retail dealership operations, we are in the people business as well as the RV, auto or powersports industries. Our responsibility is to

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become a student of the business with a degree in people.

F&I practitioners should provide Gen X and Gen Y consumers with all available information, as quickly as possible. To do so, implement a standardized process. The process gives consumers information to put them at ease without using pressure.

One important suggestion is to get an immediate turnover, including a phone close, at the point of sale. Only the F&I practitioner or sales manager should be taking a credit card over the phone to secure a deal. Having a consumer on the phone with their credit card is a perfect opportunity to open a product dialogue.

The problem with the suggestion is many stores leave turnover decisions at the point of sale to the salesperson. Yes, the practice still goes on, even in RV dealerships today. The sales manager must implement a policy requiring 100% turnover at the point of sale to avoid this situation.

An Effective Buyers’ Process

Once F&I practitioners receive the deal folder, they have time to review the documents for appropriate management approval. The F&I practitioner also gathers knowledge about the buyers to assess their ability to secure a loan. During this time, consumers can tour the parts and service area. Consumers can consider additional value offerings before their introduction to F&I. A parts consultant with thorough RV lifestyle knowledge and actual experience with ownership enhancements should introduce buyers to the F&I practitioner. The parts consultant should suggest products and prearrange packaged parts and accessories deals. The deals can be added to the purchase before loan paperwork is submitted to lenders.

After consumers’ parts and accessory visit ends, F&I practitioners should approach them in

their comfort zone, the salespersons’ desk. As practitioners, be prepared to discuss everything from financing to product needs.

Establishing common ground first is usually the best approach to bring the consumers’ defense walls down. Be prepared to answer questions directly. Answering directly is usually the best way to build confidence in the new relationship. If you do not know an answer, assure consumers you will find the answer for them.

Protect Their Investment

As you build a face-to-face relationship, discuss RV maintenance and repair options. Will consumers perform their own repairs, and be exposed to the financial burdens if they do? This question always opens a dialogue for F&I practitioners to discuss a solution. Remember, you are the consultant and the expert providing solutions.

As practitioners, be prepared to discuss available marketing materials during the face-to-face interview. Some practitioners use ballpark figures at the salesperson’s desk, then discuss specifics in the office. Details should encompass exterior/interior protection packages, extended service contracts and other products.

Your presentation should include common repair coverage and expensive repairs or replacements such as refrigerators, air conditioners, toilets and PC boards.

Inform buyers that roadside benefits start the day of purchase.

The value you are building is locking in today’s rates and costs to prevent future expenses and rising labor rates. The presentation should discuss coverages like a fixed savings account, protecting you from being exposed to changing market rates. rvnews.com

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Once you bring the customer to the office to discuss financing and credit, present the products and package pricing on a menu. The menu should be based on a monthly budget. Consumers usually receive the monthly amount better than pricing.

If you think about cell phone, iPad and other technology device costs, I have difficulty getting my head around pricing. Phone apps can cost $1.99 or more, and even a special coffee or latte at the corner store can run between $5 and $25. Explaining to a Gen X or Gen Y consumer that a product package costs $10 or up, by comparison, is not a bad value. Reduce the package from a ridiculous price, then close on the payment.

Closing Over the Phone

Consumers who were in the store Saturday are calling the salesperson to close the deal over the phone Monday or Tuesday. When this happens, F&I practitioners should consider two things: pursuing turnover opportunities and buyers’ age demographic.

Why did the consumers not close Saturday? Maybe they were shopping for another RV, or they wanted to discuss financing options with their bank. Regardless, F&I practitioners should receipt the down payment with the customer’s credit card. Getting a credit card over the phone is a perfect reason to turn the call over to the business office. For compliance reasons, many stores let only F&I

practitioners or sales managers take a buyer’s credit card number.

F&I practitioners should actively pursue finance opportunities and product sales over the phone.

When you are talking with consumers, keep in mind the generation they represent.

Ask consumers how much time they have because you need to review some items with them.

Explaining the process and what to expect removes unknowns and the burden of the unknown. Include in your presentation the ability to immediately email or text a brochure. By doing so, you can ask consumers to open the marketing material and review with them.

As far as pricing, tell them you will send a package plan, then email a menu after discussing the value.

Some will say sending a menu is a poor idea. In my travels, consumers complain more about feeling pressured when they decide without a chance to review their options. When you are open and transparent about products, consumers more often are pleased.

In closing, identify your buyer’s generation and lead your presentation as a consultant. Gen X and Gen Y prefer a consultative approach and the chance to solve problems with a button push or phone call.

Be the consumers’ solution provider and build repeat customers.

They will be buying more RVs in the future. Have a great selling season.

Greg Artman National Training Manager Diversified Insurance Management, a Higginbotham company

Greg Artman is the national training manager for Diversified Insurance Management, a Higginbotham company. He spent more than 20 years in the automotive, RV, powersports and marine industries as a finance training and managing representative, of which the last 17 years have been with Diversified Insurance Management. He worked as management in numerous dealerships.

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Advice > LEADERSHIP MANAGEMENT

Leadership Training: From Break Room to Conference Room T

he pandemic and ongoing trend of reshuffling employees are redefining how and where people choose to work. Companies are implementing interesting benefits and perks to attract and keep talent. As a business consultant and trainer, I have the pleasure of visiting companies and seeing the environments they provide for their employees. I get to experience diverse company cultures.

Last week I visited a company that had just moved into a new location. The facility was chosen to provide an upgraded work environment. I toured the new kitchen space, which offered beverages, gluten-free snacks, vegan snacks and even beef jerky to cover all bases and make everyone happy.

The office was spacious, providing conference rooms and isolated areas for people to take phone calls.

I listened carefully as my guide explained her hopes on how the new space would work to attract top talent and engaged, loyal employees.

When I asked her how recruitment and employee retention had changed following the relocation, her response was not as shiny as the new space we toured.

She sighed. Many of the struggles at the old space moved with them to the new building.

Little progress had been made on effective communication between employees and between employees and management. Many of the seats in the all-new workstations sat empty. Crippling employee turnover continued.

Better snacks aside, the new space failed to address the dominant obstacle at the old location. Management was the problem, and the issue had not been addressed.

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Most, if not all, business leaders today face the daunting task of deciphering how to retain employees and how to attract new hires. Many attempt to do this by offering an ideal combination of perks and benefits and attractive work-from-home/in-office ratios.

While many companies may change or improve benefits, few change or adopt the tactics and strategies the management team uses to lead its staff.

Which is unfortunate. According to Gallup, when managers manage well, employees are: •More engaged at their jobs.

•More likely to have an excellent quality of life.

•More likely to strongly agree that they have opportunities to do what they do best each day.

Gallup, and others, has shown employee engagement is a primary driver of company performance.

Employees report that when they are engaged and have opportunities to do what they excel at, their work is meaningful. They feel appreciated.

They say supervisors consider their best interests. Employees believe they are entrusted with the company’s success and therefore strive to do well. When that kind of mindset exists, productivity typically increases.

Can mere company perks do that? I do not believe so, and the stats back my opinion.

While better benefits definitely do not hurt, creating a positive leadership strategy will go much further to address your employees’ needs, desires and performance.

Leadership Strategy

What is a leadership strategy?

A leadership strategy aligns the company’s objectives to the leadership team’s needs through investments in leadership training.

Or put simply, it ensures you invest in training the leadership team to accomplish the goals of your business.

Your benefits should support the goals of your business, culture and the people you try to attract and/ or retain in the organization.

A solid leadership strategy exists when you and your executive team: • Understand your business strategy and goals When I first started consulting, I found myself jumping in to create or fix various organizations’ leadership strategies. I quickly learned that skipping this step is like pulling your car out of the driveway without knowing where you are going.

An overly complex set of goals is unnecessary, but as a company, are you clear on your priorities? What does success look like at the end of 12 months?

For example, one client wanted to double his revenue in three years. The revenue number excited his executive team. High-fives were exchanged in celebration when setting the lofty goal. When I asked how many managers were needed to achieve the target, excitement quickly waned. The team realized reaching the goal required extensive work and resources.

Fermenting your business strategy allows you to determine how many leaders are needed and where they are needed to achieve desired outcomes.

• Understand being a leader Knowing the number of managers is one thing, but comprehending the qualities of good leaders is another.

Successful leaders and managers help employees feel valued, appreciated and aligned to expectations.

They coach others, versus being taskmasters. Companies that craft an intentional leadership strategy

spell out what effective behaviors look like in their organization to lead and manage well.

You may know your company values, and that is a great start.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, you are not the only one in your business. And thus, many versions of your company values may exist.

Each employee may have their own version. I had one client, for example, who hated his company values. He had created them when he and his business partner founded the company. However, after six years and adding 120 team members, he realized that the business had shifted. The expectations were different. We worked together not only to update the company values but also to create a small set of connected leadership behaviors necessary to lead other people in the company.

• Don’t promote based on experience Many of us have had managers who were promoted for all the wrong reasons. Perhaps they were in the role the longest or were the biggest producer in a previous job.

However, the skills that enabled someone to excel in a prior position seldom transfer over. This is not the same expertise that makes employees feel valued, appreciated or engaged. Companies with a leadership strategy promote and hire based on the traits required to be a successful leader, versus what made the candidate effective in the past. Using a leadership strategy means that you are hiring the best people to lead others.

• Focus on continuous improvement Just as you would replace old coffee or snacks in the break room, a strong leadership strategy is constantly improving and evolving. rvnews.com

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Leaders and managers are placed into a role and given resources to enhance their performance and development. Identifying and aligning necessary investments in leadership development with the company’s strategy, goals and aspirations is important.

One of my clients has grown so much that it now has a team of middle managers. While the business poured significant energy into identifying job titles and finding people to fill those roles, it failed to understand the need for initial training or how to communicate with that new group. Two years after forming a new level of leadership, the company is only now addressing the needs around training and development.

• Highlight the leadership benefits at your company The next time you post an open position, how likely are you to showcase your management team as much as you show off your break room? Displaying pictures of managers is not necessary, but doing so enables you to show the team’s achievements in developing, engaging and appreciating others.

A past mentor once told me that the true measure of leadership success is what team members can accomplish during and after they have worked with a leader. Rather than listing the number of office square feet in the job posting, your recruiting process would highlight the number of promotions generated within the team, the

number of new skills developed and how the company supports employees outside of work during difficult times.

• Ensure systems are in place to support the strategy Bad coffee might turn off candidates, but even greater turnoffs are a complicated onboarding process or an outdated feedback system (i.e., performance reviews). To support the culture and leadership the organization wants to create, you must have easy-to-use, effective systems in place that touch the employee experience.

If you are unsure whether your systems are supportive, you could invest in a large audit or review.

However, implementing one or two processes within your own company is easier. For instance, try to take time off, or enter your feedback into your performance review. Once you are complete, ask yourself if you would want to work for your organization given those processes. If the answer is no, it is time to make changes.

To make your company an inviting workplace, start in the conference room—not in the break room.

Mike Bensi Consultant and coach, Bensi and Co.

Mike Bensi helps organizations build strategies transforming their culture and employees, as well as the leaders who support them. Bensi trains leaders on the importance of culture, putting employees first and the role leaders play in accomplishing both.

Bensi previously worked with small companies, global organizations and government. He is the author of “The Success of Failure” and is a keynote speaker on employee engagement, HR, and leadership. mbensi@mikebensi.com rvnews.com

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Advice > SALES MANAGEMENT

Connecting the Customer Engagement Circle O

ver the past decade, omnichannel marketing’s importance received great attention, and for good reason.

With the information pipeline flowing at maximum volume and speed, businesses need new processes to attract consumers’ attention to promote their products and services.

At risk of dating myself, I was a child in the age of corded telephones, traditional grocery stores and Blockbuster video.

The internet was nonexistent.

Fax machines were considered magical.

We used hardback encyclopedias to research topics for book reports.

No one had an answering machine. If you called someone and they did not answer the phone, you called back later.

Imagine that!

Life was simpler, and effective marketing also was far less complicated.

Back then, many people read the newspaper most days. We listened to local radio and delighted at billboards’ creativity, or simplicity.

Boy, how things have changed.

The total estimated circulation of U.S. weekday print newspapers peaked at 63 million copies in 1984, according to Pew Research.

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By 2017, circulation dropped to around 30 million. Unsurprisingly, some publications’ digital versions saw increased interest.

For example, The New York Times reported a 42 percent digital circulation gain and The Wall Street Journal saw 26 percent growth. This illustrates the changing trends in how consumers choose to receive information. These changes have been escorted into our lives largely on the arm of affordable technology. Smartphones, computers and their offspring—social media apps—are major game-changers.

The world was headed this direction. The past two years’ associated lifestyle changes accelerated the change. We were literally pushed into the virtual world, for a while anyway. Again, all retailers must add a digital marketing plan to their toolbox.

Enter omnichannel marketing.

Here is how omnichannel marketing plays out in everyday life.

When consumers look for a product or service, they might begin their search on their smartphone. Then consumers might switch to a tablet or laptop and scan Instagram for ideas. Then they might go to Waze or Google Maps

for directions to your brick-andmortar space.

Next, consumers remember they received a direct-mail flyer from the business, so they browse the flyer for information. Billboards, radio and printed mailers are effective, but they are not enough.

In 2022, building your retail store’s online presence is imperative. Offering an eCommerce option is not just recommended but expected. Notes from a September 2021 IBM/NRF study more succinctly make the case: “(Shoppers) expect stores to be digitally enabled and for brands and retailers to support hybrid shopping journeys, which blend physical and digital channels.”

As Senior Vice President of Customer Care at Time Warner Cable, John Bowden, explains: “Multichannel is an operational view—how you allow the customer to complete transactions in each channel. Omnichannel, however, is viewing the experience through the eyes of your customer, orchestrating the customer experience across all channels so the experience is seamless, integrated and consistent.

Omnichannel anticipates customers

may start in one channel and move to another as they progress to a resolution. Making these complex ‘hand-offs’ between channels must be fluid for the customer. Simply put, omnichannel is multichannel done right!”

You can find marketing partners to help you achieve your outreach goals in print and digital channels. Partners could be third-party providers or national and regional distributors.

For example, NTP-Stag’s Parts Via eCommerce platform enables consumers to buy branded products. Consumers can then choose to ship their purchases to a qualified network retailer/installer.

Finding a partner who can provide a similar service will enable your retail store to reach consumers before they walk through your door.

In NTP-Stag’s case, the dealership signs up for the program, selects vendors with whom to partner, and then becomes a location the supplier can ship to when consumers place orders.

Look to other digital marketing tools to build strong digital connections as well. Tools enabling dealers to share their products through social media channels

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or email blasts provide additional venues to reach consumers.

For example, NTP-Stag has Social Share and Email Share tools available. The Social Share tool includes prewritten texts and product images dealers can download and paste into their social media posts. The Email Share tool will add a dealer’s predesigned product content with a subject line, image and text into an email template. A Flyer Template tool, much like media available from the Go RVing Dealer Portal, lets dealers download a single-page product flyer containing pricing and contact information to offer consumers.

Lastly, remember to include an SMS (short message service) program, also known as text messaging, when building digital connections.

Text messaging is very effective, especially in a tight budget environment, and continues to become more popular.

When we hear a notification, we tend to instantly look at our phones.

For me, text messaging outreach is a call to action. A couple times each month, I receive text messages from retailers I shop on regularly. Usually, the messages include a sneak preview of an upcoming sale or a special coupon to use in the store or online. Sometimes the messages simply announce a new product line or event.

One retailer offers a 50% bounce-back coupon three times a year and, if you select the option, will call you once before the coupon expires to remind you to return to the store and use it.

Granted, the reminder call is prerecorded, but the effort is considerate and effective. Why not add text message advertising to your marketing toolbox this year?

Engaging consumers and enhancing their brand experience is vital.

The customer shopping experience has never been confined to the retail space and in-person visits. The experience starts wherever, and whenever, potential shoppers become aware of your operation and motivated to patronize your business.

Perhaps they visit your website, call the store or drive past your lot. This is where the first impression is made. Your goal is to bring those customers into the

store, deliver a great product and/ or service and keep them engaged and willing to return.

Omnidirectional marketing is the future and “the now” concept to connect the customer engagement circle. For more information about these and other marketing or merchandising services, contact your marketing partners today.

Val Byrd Customer Merchandising Manager, NTP-STAG

Val Byrd is NTP-STAG’s customer merchandising manager. She has worked in the RV aftermarket for the past 20 years and is a leading RV retail expert on store layout/design and aftermarket product display. Previously, she worked in the grocery industry as a retail manager, buyer and promotions manager.

503-570-0171 ext. 2289 | vxbyrd@ntpstag.com

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Advice > SALES MANAGEMENT

Stop Tracking Closing Ratios I

was recently helping two different dealers use Sobel University systems and techniques, and they both asked the same question.

“What is a good closing ratio?”

They explained their concerns moving into the current market, which was the reason they reached out for help. As some dealers are advertising heavy discounts, stopping hiring and slowing their inventory intake, these two dealers wanted to know how they stack up.

Were they losing market share or burning opportunities that would go to the competition? Did they had the right inventory, and were staffs in a strong position to continue to capitalize as high fuel prices, European unrest and inflation are on everyone’s lips?

“What is a good closing ratio?” is not the right question to answer.

Instead, we will examine four key steps in your selling process requiring weekly inspections. With each step, you will outline goals to ensure performance and growth.

Although you must regularly examine more than these four parts, they will have an immediate effect on closing ratios.

wer in up. it more e to buy.

Introduction to Management

Do you truly believe if a customer does not buy from you today, you are cheating them out of experiencing: •The best dealer in the market •The best store •The best-trained salespeople •The company that will provide the best after-sale service •The most knowledgeable staff •The staff that will give the best follow-up •The best company to earn their repeat and referral business?

If your answer is not a quick yes, you will probably have a hard time with this statistic: 68

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Our best customers require a 100% introduction to management before leaving the dealership.

Requiring sales staff to check in with a manager helps them better serve customers by increasing product information, discussing available market conditions and current inventory on hand, reviewing incoming inventory options, ordering possibilities and different payment options, presenting the to speak to another salesperson and directly with a manager and many more.

Tracking and recognizing the lack of manager introductions is an easy staff pay raise. If you are not tracking these, manager introductions are an easy trend to miss, given all the manager’s other responsibilities.

Sales staff likely would not check in with their manager before a customer leaves if the salesperson believes the customer will return, if the customer is theirs alone, if the salesperson does not have the best store is not the best in the market or if a manager is unavailable.

Dealers spend money on advertising to attract consumers.

The dealer has operating costs to provide salespeople a chance to help customers. The customers belong to the business, not any individual salesperson. No customer should walk unless a manager talks to them.

Track Source One Opportunities Percentage

A “Source One” is a customer you have never worked with making their first trip to your dealership.

Track and set customer group goals so staffing can be effective, ongoing follow-up can be inspected and future sales staff employment can be tied to both.

A salesperson with a 100% Source One ratio speaks only to new clients. This is nearly impossible,

indicating the salesperson is not following up. Worse, they must be providing horrible service in front of other customers. Even a poorly skilled salesperson should at least have some customers return to them, if for no other reason than you carry quality inventory.

The higher a salesperson’s Source One percentage, the more actions you need to take.

Your goal is to have staff continually lowering the Source One ratio. Many salespeople have whole days where they work only with repeat and referral customers (0% Source One). Your objective is to have more days with 0% Source One ratios until sales staff are fresh-customer free and not relying on the front door to make a living.

If salespeople do not provide great customer service and outstanding follow-up, terminate them. There is no gray area here.

Manager Check Point Percentage

A Manager Check Point (MCP) refers to sales staff checking with their manager before showing an RV. The goal is to have a 100% MCP.

The benefits of MCP include more knowledge of inventory to show, better aged-product control, a clear understanding of financing possibilities, gaining more experience, and better customer time use. Involving a manager early also means, if the manager is needed later, they are not coming into a conversation cold.

If over 90% of deals written up become sales, but 90% of customers do not buy each visit, then you need much earlier manager involvement. The higher the MCP percentage, the more dramatic the increases to write-up and closing percentages.

Necessary Sales Opportunities Percentage

Necessary Sales Opportunities is the number of customers your salespeople speak to in a week relative to the number needed to achieve profits and sustainability.

Let’s use the number 14 (roughly two or three per day). A salesperson who speaks to 14 customers in a week would have a 100% Necessary Sales Opportunities percentage. If they spoke to seven rvnews.com

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customers the next week, their percentage would drop to 50%.

By tracking the percentage, you can isolate: • Whether a salesperson’s presentations are effective • Who needs training • Who needs to speak to more or fewer customers • Whether follow-up is scheduled and an individual priority • Whether the right salespeople are talking to the right customers at the right time • Whether you are staffed correctly Top performing salespeople always talk to the fewest customers because they have better skills and can spend more time with each opportunity. Top performers might have a 50% ratio in this area. Salespeople with a 50% rating need a rotation to get them in the game more often.

You might, however, have a salesperson who talks to 28

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customers in a week, reaching 200%. This salesperson is not delivering the service quality your dealership demands. Seeing a percentage so high is an immediate call to action.

Limit this salesperson’s customer count within the rotation, require them to spend time on follow-up and to get sales training ASAP. You must then hire more salespeople. If sales staff spend two to five hours to sell your product correctly and speak with more than three customers in a day, when will they have time for development and follow-up?

Positive Reinforcement

These are just a few areas you must track weekly and monthly. I hope you can see how data tracking can increase productivity.

Some data is usually available to track your sales department, but tracking the wrong information will

limit your growth. To receive a free Sales Recap form, reach out to Sobel University with the contact information below. In addition to the items covered here, the form will include other areas to track as well.

I began by saying tracking goals are imperative. Let me close with why.

With goals, we can provide positive reinforcement publicly for your top performers who are doing

well. We can also encourage similar behavior in others.

Ultimately, you have one objective when tracking data: Isolate problem areas, fix them and improve your staff’s quality and competency.

Jered Sobel President of Sobel University

Jered Sobel serves as president of Sobel University, a company providing training for management, salespeople and consumers across North America. He is best known for designing the industry-standard onboarding sales training manual and co-authoring the consumer guide to purchasing an RV. Among his previous work experiences are roles as a dealership salesperson, a general sales manager and hiring dealer staff.

253.565.2577 | jered@sobeluniversity.com

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The Best Of Jacks, Lifts, Leveling & Ride Control In THE BEST OF aftermarket product section this month, we turn our attention to jacks, lifts, leveling and ride control products. The products in those categories listed here represent the best aftermarket RV products available to carry in RV retail stores. Retail store managers should consider adding these products to their mix if they do not already carry them.

Jacks, lifts and levelers are a staple in retail stores because they are essential to RVers. RVers vary greatly in experience/skill and when RVs are not properly leveled, it can cause major damage to the vehicle. Some RVers might want to save money on supplemental leveling products because they are fairly disposable products for entry-level units. Costconscious products might appeal to these consumers.

Jacks are a product dealers need to keep well-stocked for their repair shops. Consumers frequently damage jacks as they leave campgrounds or other sites, and retail stores should have ample replacements. Those

replacements can be manual jacks, for entry-level-priced travel trailers.

However, replacements most likely will be electric jacks. Other items, such as jack leg extensions and jack feet, can provide frustrated consumers options as they try to avoid breaking their next replacement jack.

Another key jack feature is ensuring a variety of lift weight capacities. As varied as RVs are today in weight, repair shops need jack options matching vehicles’ weight requirements to avoid liability problems when a replacement jack breaks.

Finally, ride control products can aid RVers during their road trip. Products including suspension enhancements, steering stabilizers and shock absorbers can improve difficulties RVers have driving motorized RVs or pulling towables.

By improving steering and ride, RVers may be encouraged to use their RV more often, so retail store associates should be well-versed in products and their benefits to become a consumer’s hero on their next vacation.

Want To Be Featured In The Best Of? Call (720) 353-4003 to find out how your company can be included.

Upcoming TBO categories: JUNE Power Solutions & Management

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JULY Made in the USA Products

AUGUST Safety Equipment

EQ Systems

EQ Systems’ hydraulic lifting and leveling system kit for Type C and small Type A motorhomes includes 13-inch stroke jacks, two in front and two in the rear. A 12-volt hydraulic pump runs up to six jacks and four hydraulic slide outs. The kit includes Smart-Level controls, harnesses, hosts and all mounting brackets and hardware. The pump has a manual override function.

The Smart-Level controls are compatible with iPhones, Android phones and the InCommand Control System. eqsystems.us

Stromberg Carlson

The Travel Trailer Level and Stabilizing kit is a 14-piece starter kit with everything needed to stabilize a single- or double-axle trailer. The kit includes: one Base Pad Peak, four Base Pads, two Base Pad Levelers, two Wheel Chocks and a handled storage bag to keep all he products together. Together, the level and stabilizing products provide support, stability and leveling to an RV. Made in the USA. strombergcarlson.com

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The Best Of > JACKS, LIFTS, LEVELING & RIDE CONTROL

Lippert Rieco-Titan Products

The 2,500-pound-rated Electric Camper Jack system features a 36-inch lift and 360-degree swiveling power head for installation ease. A wireless remote control operates both wireless and wired versions. A single button can raise and lower all jacks, each jack independently or any combination. The system offers coded security, a remote on/off panel and a built-in, 15-minute automatic safety shutdown. The powerhead is weatherproof sealed, and the jack is powder-coated to resist corrosion. riecotitan.com

Ultra-Fab Products

The Phoenix 4000 tongue jack includes a 10-year warranty. The tongue jack’s ball screw technology reduces noise and increases speed. The jack travels 10 inches in 18 seconds. The Phoenix 4000 includes two intelligent memory settings to quickly return to the hook-up height. The tongue jack auto extends and retracts. The Phoenix 4000 includes an adjustable footpad, 2.25-inch outer tube and an emergency crank socket. ultra-fab.com

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The Power Stance tongue jack operates with an industry-first 2-way to 7-way plug powering system. The tongue jack has a 3,500-pound capacity. An integrated safety chain storage ring enables RVers to clip chains rather than dragging them or wrapping them around the jack. A storage inlet stows the trailer’s 7-way connector.

The jack includes a durable plastic headcover and four built-in LED lights. Helical cut gears reduce noise. A Power Swap auxiliary cord can be added to any Power Stance to connect the jack directly to a tow vehicle. lippert.com

NTP-Stag Private Brands

The Husky Brute electric tongue jack has a 4,500-pound capacity and an 18-inch stroke.

The jack operates with a button push. It features a three-sided LED light system to enhance visibility during hookup. The Husky Brute’s low-friction ball screw design draws less amperage, creates less heat, reduces noise and extends motor and jack life. huskytow.com

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Horizon Global

Bulldog’s Powered Jack has a 4,000-pound lift capacity and quickly positions with 22 inches of total travel. The jack includes an integrated gearbox and motor, a drop leg and corrosionresistant surfaces. An onboard LED light can be angled to light up the coupler. The Powered Jack works when power is lost with an emergency manual override function. Bulldog’s Powered Jack has a limited five-year warranty. bulldogproducts.net

Progress Mfg./Fastway Trailer Products The Flip Automatic Jack Foot extends a trailer jack by 4-6 inches. The extension eliminates 48 cranks in one direction. Flip’s expanded contact surface area requires no woodblocks or rocks to be put under the trailer jack. Installation takes less than 30 seconds. The Flip works with nearly every 2 1/4-inch tongue jack, round or square.

The Flip comes in 4-inch and 6-inch sizes, each with a 4,000-pound lift capacity.

The 4-inch Flip has a 1,600-pound tongue weight while the 6-inch version has a 1,400-pound tongue weight. fastwaytrailer.com

The Original Leak and Roof Repair Tape The Tape that solved those pesky water leak problems is back. The original formulation that was a must have in every RV Tech’s, and RV’ers toolbox is available again.

Contact your favorite parts & accessories distributor and pick some up today.

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The Best Of > JACKS, LIFTS, LEVELING & RIDE CONTROL

Camco Mfg.

The Curved Leveler provides as much as 4 extra inches of lift to help level an RV weighing up to 30,000 pounds. The Curved Leveler’s lightweight material features a honeycomb design to increase durability. The drive-on curved design allows consumers to only drive on to the leveler to the height required for leveling. A chock keeps the leveler at the correct height. Curved Leveler’s included chock has non-slip rubber grippers on the bottom. camco.net

Origen RV Accessories

The SnapPad XTRA was Origen’s first permanent jack pad and remains its best seller. The XTRA jack pad is engineered to “snap” on to various 9-inch round automatic leveling system jacks. XTRA comes in 4-packs and 6-packs.

SnapPads are made from recycled tire rubber to withstand weather and road conditions. SnapPads are shake tested to as much as 50 times the force of gravity to ensure they stay in place. rvsnappad.com

Torklift

The Stableload suspension enhancement is made from stainless steel. The suspension enhancement “pre-activates” the stabilizing effect designed for rear springs by keeping rear springs actively under load. Stableload contacts at four points, rather than two, to complement a vehicle’s factory suspension.

Stableload can be turned on and off with the lower leaf spring design to return to factory-set ride conditions when not towing or hauling. The kit includes four Stableloads to outfit a vehicle. Stableload has a lifetime warranty, including vehicle factory leaf spring coverage. torklift.com

Valterra Products

Stackers can be used to level an RV or as a heavy-duty jack pad. As a leveler, the pads stack to provide various heights to safely drive on and off.

As a jack pad, Stackers can be deployed under a scissor, hydraulic, fifth wheel drop down or stabilizer jack. Stackers can be used with gross vehicle weights up to 40,000 pounds. Each stacker includes an EZ grip handle.

Stackers come in 4- and 10-packs. valterra.com

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Roadmaster, Inc.

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Roadmaster’s auxiliary Rear Anti-Sway Bar kit for the 22K Ford F-53 Class A motorhome chassis improves handling and control. The kit features a solid steel, 1 5/8-inch one-piece induction forged bar. The bolts in place in addition to the factory rear bar, increasing tension and dramatically reducing sway. The kit includes all mounting brackets, hardware and urethane bushings. Roadmaster’s Anti-Sway Bar kits are available for most popular motorhomes. roadmasterinc.com

Gino Francesconi +1 (219) 379-4699

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Jack-E-Up

Jack-E-Up is a set of brackets designed to remove a trailer jack from the trailer after the trailer is properly coupled. Benefits include fewer bent jacks and dented tailgates. The brackets lock the jaw in place when the jack bears the trailer weight. When the tow vehicle sustains the trailer weight, the jack can swivel, and one-sixth of a turn in either direction will release the jack from the A-frame tongue for removal. jack-e-up.com

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The Best Of > JACKS, LIFTS, LEVELING & RIDE CONTROL

Andersen Hitches

The Camper Leveler works with single-axle and multi-axle vehicles up to 30,000 pounds. The leveler will level at any increment between a half-inch and 4 inches. The Camper Leveler includes a Tuff Chock to place under each leveler. Camper Leveler has a lifetime warranty. andersenhitches.com

SuperSprings International

Trailer SumoSprings are made from micro-cellular polyurethane.

The springs are airless air springs to remove sway, hop and vibration from towable RVs. The trailer springs mount above the trailer leaf spring assemblies to create a cushion between the axle and trailer frame. The design provides an average 68% G-force reduction to the trailer. Benefits include damping, reducing sway and bounce and increasing driver control and ride comfort. supersprings.com

Ultra RV Products

Koni Evo 99 RV Shock Absorbers are designed specifically for independent front suspensions with limited shock travel. Large piston holes and a custom valve stack ensure extra body control.

A 50-millimeter bore piston reduces internal pressure to smoothly operate over rough roads. A digressive valve stack and modular piston design control bouncing over bridges and large bumps. The Evo 99 series piston is nearly 40% larger than the 8805 FSD series.

The larger diameter enables Evo 99 shock absorbers to handle more force. urvp.com

Hopkins Manufacturing

Never Fade graduated RV Levels feature a liquid that will never fade.

The levels include a bubble indicator with markings indicating the inches required to raise or lower the trailer or vehicle. Two Never Fade levels are included per pack. Levels can be mounted via optional fastener holes or a self-adhesive back. Never Fade levels are 3.75 inches wide by 1.75 inches tall. By using both levels, RVers can level front to back and side to side. hopkinstowingsolutions.com

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DICA

RoadWarrior Jack Pads are available in 12-inch, 15-inch and 18-inch diameter options. The 12-inch pads weigh 8 pounds and have a 25,000-pound weight capacity. The 15-inch pads weigh 9 pounds with a 35,000-pound capacity. The 18-inch pads weigh 12 pounds with a 50,000-pound capacity.

RoadWarrior Jack Pads are waterproof and guaranteed not to rot, splinter, crack or break. TuffGrip handles aid carrying. rvjackpads.com

Hydralift

The Cargo Carrier-Lifts for motorhomes carries cargo up to 1,300 pounds and tows a tow vehicle. Carrier-Lifts are available for Type A gas and diesel motorhomes, as well as Type B and Type C motorhomes. The Type B and Type C Carrier-Lifts include a 500-pound lift capacity. The Carrier-Lifts are a bolt-on application for most vans and RV chassis. When not in use, Hydralift folds to the vehicle’s back. hydralift-usa.com

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The Best Of > JACKS, LIFTS, LEVELING & RIDE CONTROL

Trailersphere

Trailersphere’s tongue jack covers protect jacks from dirt, harsh elements and weather. The cover includes electric plug and safety chain protection. A lock grommet provides security opportunities.

Reflective strips increase visibility and a side zipper eases cover placement. A soft inner fabric protects against scratches. Air vents allow the cover to breathe. trailersphere.com

Blaylock Industries

The EZ Jack is a gradual mechanical jack used to change tires on dual-axle trailers.

EZ Jack has a 10,000-pound capacity per axle. The jack also serves as an RV leveler and a wheel chock. EZ Jack is made from aircraft-grade aluminum. EZ Jack is made in the U.S. and has a lifetime warranty. blaylockind.com

Logicblue Technology

LevelMatePro is a wireless vehicle-leveling system designed to use with motorized and towable vehicles. The leveling system reports the height required to reach a level position. It is accurate to 0.1 degrees.

LevelMatePro connects with a smartphone or tablet and the app displays all leveling information. For towables, LevelMatePro lets users save and recall hitch positions. logicbluetech.co m

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RVA Co.

RVA leveling jack cylinders are fabricated in the U.S. and exceed original design specifications. Cylinders are available in three configurations specific to motorhomes’ gross vehicle weight rating: 16,000 pounds, 22,500-32,000 pounds and 35,000-45,000 pounds. Replacement leveling system parts are available for RVA products designed for Monaco, Holiday Rambler, Safari and Beaver Motor Coaches made in the 1990s and through the early 2000s. Electrical and hydraulic components also are available. rvajack.com

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Coming in June • Newmar Dealer Meeting • Type B Motorhome Trends

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Advertiser Index Brown & Brown Dba Reed Brothers . . . . . . . 65 Dave Carter & Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Dometic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Eq United . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Eq United . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Go Power By Dometic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Graphix Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Hanwha Azdel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Harmony Enterprises Dba Earthkind. . . . . 20 Hengs Ind. USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Icon Technologies Limited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC Intellitec Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Jaeger-Unitek Sealing Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . 75 King . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Lavanture Products Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Lippert Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover Lippert Dba Curt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 MBA Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 MTI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 80

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Thank you to our advertisers for their ongoing support of RV News magazine

National Auto Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Newmar Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 NSA RV Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 NTP-Stag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC Origen RV Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Popup Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Rieco-Titan Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Roadmaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Robert Weed Plywood Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 RV/MH Hall Of Fame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Southwire Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Stromberg Carlson Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Truck System Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barn Door Cover Ultra-Fab Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 United Safety Apparatus, Dba Safe-T-Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 United States Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Winnebago Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

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ALWAYS BE READY FOR THE ROAD.

TIRE LINC® TIRE PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE MONITORING SYSTEM Always be ready for the road. Upgrade your RV with the tire pressure and temperature monitoring system (TPMS), that sends you tire notifications directly to your phone.

• Monitors and alerts drivers of high or low tire pressure and temperature • Easy, do-it-yourself installation • Works with OneControl ® app on iOS and Android devices • Kit includes 4 sensors and can also monitor up to 20 tires simultaneously Download the Lippert OneControl app via the Apple App Store or Google Play and take control of Tire Linc technology.

Apple and App Store are registered trademarks of Apple Inc.

Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.

WHENEVER, WHEREVER, WE MAKE YOUR EXPERIENCE BETTER. | lippert.com

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