Features
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Suppliers Set Up Shop in New Venues
Given that suppliers only got actively involved in Open House Week in Elkhart, Ind., over the past few years, it…
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ModVan Updates Camper Van Concept
Sometimes, the greatest innovations are born out of lessons learned – and that is certainly true for P.J. Tezza, creator…
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Competitors Partner for County RV Service Center
Keith Foulds and Mike Vrzich went from being competitors to partners in a California RV endeavor almost accidentally. Each of…
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Bio-Pak Offers a Powerful Biocide-Free, Environmentally Friendly Holding Tank Treatment
As the world becomes more conscientious about protecting the environment, it’s essential for RV dealers to offer environmentally friendly alternatives for…
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Reflection Fuels Grand Design’s Growth
Since its inception in the summer of 2013, Grand RV’s easy-to-tow, luxury Reflection fifth wheel brand has methodically climbed market data…
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Religious Colony Revives TrailManor
A unique experiment mixing capitalism within a religious and socialistic culture is unfolding on the plains of southeast South Dakota,…
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How to Select the Right Refrigerator to Match the End Users’ Travel Habits
We believe the right refrigerator can make or break a camping experience. The most important question to ask when choosing…
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Way Interglobal Expands, Introduces More Products
Even from its humble beginnings in an industrial area of Elkhart, Ind., Way Interglobal Network had visions of a bigger…
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Considerations for Charging a Battery in a Trailer
There are endless ways to customize the setup in a trailer to ensure it will perform how your customers want…
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Class B Startup Storyteller Overland Preps for Mid-Year Launch
A variety of vehicles – from rockets to commercial airliners – have been developed and built in Alabama over the…
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5 Proven Strategies to Sell More RVs
How do we find ways to improve our methods and sell more RVs? Our RV Sales Survival Guide includes 5…
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All in the Family, Part 2
Editor’s Note: Part 1 of our excerpt from July’s “All in the Family” special feature can be read here. Whether…
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Blog: Five Military Lessons to Improve the Retail Customer Experience
Retailing is a business model that is challenged by e-retailers and customer expectations that demand an ever-improving customer experience. Despite the…
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All in the Family, Part 1
Whether it’s families enjoying the great outdoors together thanks to an RV or families helping build our industry, there is…
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Walex’s Commando Combats Waste Buildup
Imagine heading out on the road with the family for your annual vacation, or buying a used RV for your…
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Go Power! Puts a Charge in RV Life
When Go Power! – a solar power solutions company based out of Victoria, Canada – decided to enter the U.S.…
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A War Vet’s Insight Into Being a Leader, Pt. 2
Editor’s Note: A version of this story appeared in MyCentralJersey.com. This blog post is Part Two of a two-part story…
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FCCC DriveTech Delivers an Automotive Experience
Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. has been on a roll in recent years, introducing one technological innovation after another. So perhaps…
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A War Vet’s Insight Into Being a Leader, Pt. 1
Editor’s Note: A version of this story appeared in MyCentralJersey.com. This blog post is Part One of a two-part story…
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ReRun Turns Heads with Its ’72 Chevy C30 Custom Camper
Invariably, a passion for custom builds most always comes down to one wildly varying but commonly shared experience: The cool…
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Are Your Customers Calling You Back After You Leave a Voicemail?
The RV industry is a tricky one. On one hand, you have an incredibly traditional market offering that delivers consumers…
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Folsom Lake RV Took a $1M Step Into Going Green
Having been in the RV business for 36 years, Charles Langdon, president and co-owner of Rancho Cordova, Calif.-based Folsom Lake…
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Welcome to One Control RVs
Sure, Lippert Components OneControl Smart RV Technology will let the RV’s owner control his lights or awning or a host…
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The Argument for Chat Rooms
Customer service is the backbone for a successful business. Sometimes owners and executives in the RV industry understand this is…
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Continuous Progress
Doing one thing well may seem straightforward enough, but it’s the rare company that can stick to such a viewpoint…
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Manteca is Master of Towables
Bucking trends and a keen eye for innovation are Manteca Trailer & Motorhome’s calling cards. As the RV retail market…
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The Leadership Factories, Part 2
Editor’s note: The CEOs of the two largest RV manufacturers in the U.S. – Thor’s Bob Martin and Forest River’s…
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How to Upgrade Your Patio Space
One thing almost all RVers have in common is that they enjoy spending time outdoors. Having a dedicated patio space…
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How Government Regulations Changed the World of Manufacturing
Editor’s Note: To read more in this series on by Mike Keller, click here and here. Growing up in a…
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How Texting Saves Time in Service and Parts Departments
When it comes to RV transactions, most customers make one or two major purchases from a dealership. What keeps them…
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Mericle of Miracles
“Location, location, location,” at least among dealers in the RV industry, often translates to “freeway, freeway, freeway.” Yet one Colorado…
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Class C’s Important to Rental Market
As more North Americans gravitate toward the RVing lifestyle, the desire to test the waters often materializes by renting an…
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Taking Braking Safety to a New Level
Components like RV electronic stability control have come a long way in ensuring that the trailer brakes bring the trailer…
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Customer Loyalty, the Most Important Metric, Part 2
Editor’s Note: This is Part Two of a two-part column. For Part One, click here. Business is besieged with metrics. Return…
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Spark of Innovation
The late Bob Mackie was an electronics engineer whose passion for innovation led to the founding of REDARC, an Australian…
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The Leadership Factories, Part 1
Editor’s note: The CEOs of the two largest RV manufacturers in the U.S. – Thor’s Bob Martin and Forest River’s…
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How Online Reviews Can Grow your RV Dealership
The RV industry has always been an interesting one. On one hand, it’s an incredibly traditional industry that targets a…
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4 Keys to Write-Up Success
1. Work only one RO at a time. All ROs/job sheets should come back to a central repository, whatever the…
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Customer Loyalty, the Most Important Metric, Pt. 1
Editor’s Note: This is Part One of a two-part column. Business is besieged with metrics. Return on investment, website visits,…
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What You Can Learn from Your ELR, Pt. 2
Editor’s Note: This is Part Two of a two-part column by Don Reed that appeared in the March 2019 issue…
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Dometic Keeps it Cool (and Hot)
Just about everyone in the RV industry recognizes the name Dometic. However, a name that to one person may represent…
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Gallery: RVX Readies for Dealers
SALT LAKE CITY — RVX The RV Experience doesn’t start in earnest until this morning, but the Salt Palace convention…
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5 Methods to Establish an Advertising Budget
For more than 50 years, businesses of all sizes have assigned an advertising/marketing budget to promote their services and products.…
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What You Can Learn from Your ELR, Part One
Editor’s Note: This is Part One of a two-part column by Don Reed that appeared in the March 2019 issue…
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How to Craft an Internal Memo
Ideally each department would work together for common dealership goals. But conflict arises when we are trying to do our…
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Great Recession Survivors, Pt. 2
Editor’s note: This article marks the second installment of a two-part series looking back at the 2008-09 Great Recession’s impact upon…
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Upsell by Helping Customers
Upsell, upsell, upsell. Work in retail long enough and someone in charge will loudly beat the “upsell” drum. It’s presented…
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3 Key Strategies to Close the 198-Day Gap
198 days. This is the magic number that RV sales teams need to keep in mind as they plan an…
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The Threat of Chinese Tariffs on the Aftermarket
When President Donald Trump first announced the 10 percent tariff in September 2018, the reaction was far from uniform in…
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In Search of Happy Customers, Pt. 2
Editor’s Note: Part One of this column by Chuck Marzahn can be found here. Customer satisfaction. It’s like the Holy…
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Entegra Coach Expands Footprint
Expanding a highline motorhome brand – even in upbeat economic times – can be a challenge. The number of customers…
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Managing Power Supplies
Storing power in auxiliary batteries is the most common way to ensure a reliable power source for using the appliances…
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How Call Tracking Can Benefit RV Dealers
Imagine: An employee answers the phone and talks to a caller for a few minutes. Moments later they’ve hung up and…
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In Search of Happy Customers, Pt. 1
Customer satisfaction. It’s like the Holy Grail, isn’t it? Everybody wants it and searches diligently for it, but it can…
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Winners Are Losers
Some see danger when they make mistakes. Others see opportunity. Regardless of how you see it, it is written: “The…
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Defining a Qualified Lead, Part 4: Qualifying Leads in Person
Now that we have defined a qualified lead, gone over characteristics to help you define a buyer profile and reviewed types of leads through…
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Forecast 2019: A Look at What to Expect
Businesses should enjoy brisk economic tail winds in 2019, according to economic experts, who say corporate profits will continue to…
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Defining a Qualified Lead, Pt 3: Types and Stages of Leads
So far in our series on Defining a Qualified Lead, we have gone over what a qualified lead is and…
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How to Keep Your ‘A’ Players, Pt. 2
Editor’s Note: For Part 1 of this column by Phillip M. Perry, click here. Include Everyone One more hazard for…
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To Train or Not Train?
Training of all dealership personnel is crucial if you intend to succeed in this industry. You wouldn’t think dealers would…
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5 Ways Texting is Changing Your Dealership
For years, RV dealers have been looking for ways to appeal to new, younger audiences, and texting is the new…
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Great Recession Survivors, Pt. 1
Editor’s note: This article marks the first installment of a two-part series looking back at the 2008-09 Great Recession’s impact…
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Defining a Qualified Lead, Pt. 2: Understanding Buyer Characteristics
In the first part of our series, we went over what a qualified lead is and the importance of understanding your buyers…
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Using Predictive Maintenance to Improve Efficiency
RV manufacturers commonly face the challenge of keeping their fleet, machinery, and other assets working efficiently, while also reducing the…
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How to Keep Your ‘A’ Players, Pt. 1
It’s a nightmare scenario for any business: A star employee suddenly decides to jump ship for the competition. Out the…
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How Chinese Subsidies Changed the World
In my lifetime, I have gone from a Laissez-faire capitalist to a protectionist capitalist and then back to a freer…
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Seal the Deal
In the 1967 movie “The Graduate”, protagonist Benjamin Braddock (played by Dustin Hoffman) struggles to define the direction of his…
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Super-Size Your Sales
You’ve stocked your shelves. Hired your staff. Placed your ads. Now, how can you get the most return from your retail…
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How to Write a Powerful Press Release, Pt. 2
Editor’s Note: Part One of this blog by George Carson can be found here. Of the “Five W’s” (as mentioned…
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11 Ways to Use a Text Messaging Platform
Everyone texts. In fact, texting is the most preferred communication channel across all generations. More and more, customers want a quick and easy…
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Defining a Qualified Lead, Pt. 1: Is My Lead Qualified?
Editor’s Note: This blog post is Part One of a four-part series that will be released weekly. Dealers have the…
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Creating the Championship Mentality
Editor’s Note: A version of the guest blog appeared in RV Executive. I’ve found that the secret to dealer success…
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How to Write a Powerful Press Release, Pt. 1
Editor’s Note: This blog post is Part One of a two-part series. A press release is a way to introduce…
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Gaining Online Prospects Through Marketing Automation
When a customer walks into your dealership, your sales team can observe the customer before they make an approach. For…
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Digital Technology Drives Excellent Customer Experience
The challenge racing across businesses today is how to improve, scale, and sustain an excellent Customer Experience (CX). Customer Experience is…
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Airstream’s Class B Classics
Becoming an iconic brand, regrettably, can sometimes become a barrier to innovation for some companies. That has not been a…
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Super-Sized Expansion
New York-based RV One has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years – expanding to seven locations with estimated…
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Suspension Upgrade
Late-model pickups can seemingly do it all: haul a heavy load, pull a large fifth wheel or trailer and chauffer…
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Time to Stock Up
Distributor shows annually give dealers a chance to stock their stores with their most-requested items all at one time with…
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Furrion’s RV Chef Collection Expanding
Furrion bills itself as a company focused on luxurious mobility and contemporary living – and its latest additions to its…
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Living the Dream in Wyoming
In 2003, when Dalton and Chari Frederickson founded Dalton’s RV in Sheridan, Wyo., they were stocking and selling one RV…
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Converting Dealers to Solar
BURNABY, British Columbia, Canada – At the end of each fiscal quarter, Michael Hamanishi, president of Samlex America, grabs the Russian…
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All Revved Up
Heading into 2019, a rebound is underway at REV Recreation Group’s Class A motorhome business. New Vice President/General Manager Pat…
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Eye on Driving Safety
A driver getting behind the wheel of a sedan, SUV or pickup faces the risk of blind spots and other…
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Pointing Toward Success
Lisa Liegl Rees grew up with the RV industry in her blood. Her father, Pete Liegl, founder of the nation’s…
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Cool Your Customers’ Heels (And Keep Your Business Running Hot) With These Products
Winter doesn’t have to be the slow season for RV shops because there is plenty of work to do even…
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The New B’s
Class B motorhomes as a market segment are on the move. Consider that wholesale shipments to dealers are on track…
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A Powerhouse in Power Supply
BURNABY, British Columbia, Canada – When RV power supplier Xantrex created the Freedom 458, it was something of a mixed…
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Creating Classic Coaches
Greg and Stephanie Williams like a challenge. It’s a good thing they do, given that customers seem to enjoy giving…
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RV Windows to the World
As windows on coaches become less of a functionary portal and more of an opening to the great outdoors, Lippert…
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Vermont’s ‘Candy Store of Campers’
The lure of the outdoors, a booming family business, and the opportunity to rejoin his parents in their work drew…
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2018 Elkhart Open House Week Preview
By all accounts, this year’s Elkhart Open House Week is likely to be bigger (and better) than ever. Show watchers…
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A Clear Advantage
Glass and windows seem to go together like pen and paper, like peanut butter and jelly or like lock and…
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Winegard Tuned in to the RV Market
When John Winegard started his TV antenna business in earnest in 1954, telephones came with party lines, Russia’s Sputnik satellite…
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Cherokee Nation
Over the past few years, the Cherokee brand has quietly but methodically risen to become Forest River’s best- selling fifth…
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Rangeland Thrives on Female Perspective
Like any other woman who has risen to the top in a male-dominated industry, Dania Filippetto can recite a litany…
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Boom Times for Noteboom RV
Look through a list of the top RV dealerships in the nation and many share one thing in common: They’re…
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Trailblazing Toy Haulers
In 2004, the founders of Heartland RV redefined RV manufacturing with the launch of their first RV, the Landmark luxury…
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Park Models on the Move
If the word “momentum” can be assigned to a type of RV that’s built and then hauled to a site…
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Surviving the Storm
SILSBEE, Texas– In the real estate business, the old saying goes, the three most important factors are: location, location, location. Likewise,…
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