Jayco has kicked off its 2023 Masters Dealer training, which takes place the weeks of Dec. 4 and 11.
Approximately 400 RV dealer partners from across North America are scheduled to attend, along with nearly 100 Jayco personnel conducting the training and handling logistics. The annual event is conducted on the Jayco campus in Middlebury, Indiana. Jayco has consistently held annual in-person dealer training for over 40 years (with the exception of a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic), with approximately 20 years being in the Masters format – an acronym for Marketing and Skills Training for Excellence in RV Sales.
“We’re excited for the opportunity to host Jayco dealer personnel, this week and next for our annual on-site Masters Sales Training,” stated Nic Martin, vice president of sales. “Our dealers make a significant investment to send their people here and we don’t take that lightly. We intend on arming them with all the tools they need to share the Jayco story when they return home to their respective dealerships.”
The dealer personnel, which includes sales, PDI, service, warranty, management and principals, are being hosted at the Hilton Garden Inn and Inn at Saint Mary’s, both in South Bend, Indiana. They are shuttled each morning via motor coaches to Jayco and attend training throughout the campus on products, marketing resources, customer experience management, materials, processes, tools and more. The training includes line tours for both motorized and towable products, where regional sales managers and product directors explain the distinct advantages of Jayco units and the construction differences, the company said.
The purpose of Masters is to arm Jayco dealers with the full complement of knowledge on the company, selling resources and products. For those who are unable to attend from dealerships in person, Jayco has established an online learning management system that offers all the elements of Masters virtually. In 2022, over 2,600 dealer partners completed the online curriculum. That number combined with the in-person training set an annual attendance record for dealer Masters training in 2022 and 2023 looks to eclipse those numbers.
At the end of each week, a graduation ceremony takes place at the Gillespie Conference & Special Events Center. The evenings begin with speeches from Jayco leadership, followed by dinner and conclude with the presentation of framed certificates of completion and branded Jayco apparel for each attendee.
“Masters is an investment in our dealers to help prepare them for their upcoming shows and the selling season that follows,” stated Ken Walters, Jayco president and CEO. “It reinforces the differences that make Jayco so unique and while there are elements of the product features, benefits and advantages throughout the program, the real focus is on our culture and the people behind it. It gives our dealers an opportunity to see firsthand what makes this brand and these people so special.”
Dealers interested in participating in the Masters online curriculum can contact masters@jayco.com for more information.
