2019 October Newsletter

News from RVDA

Newsletter

News Highlights • RVDA of Canada Annual Meeting with Featured Speaker Dan Fricker • ‘Healthy RV’ing’ Canada Prepares for Early Flu Season brought to you by PURIFYD SYTEMS® • 2019 Parts Workshop October 30, 2019 • The RV Compass –Fall 2019 is available now

Inside this issue: The Secret Strategy 4-5 for Meaningful Sales Meetings

By Dave Kahle RVDA of Canada Annual Meeting with Featured Speaker—Dan Fricker

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From Meeting to Exceeding Customer Expectations

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‘Healthy RV’ing’ Canada Prepares for Early Flu Season—brought to you by PURIFYD SYSTEMS®.

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New Service Management Guide, 12 Ed Order Now!

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2019 Parts Workshop October 30, 2019

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October 2019

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Dear Members, This fall I have had the pleasure to attend several of our provincial RVDA annual general meetings. It is truly a pleasure to meet with so many of our dealer and associate members. While there are some regional differences in the topics and concerns being covered during each forum; overall, the Canadian industry is robust and dynamic. Thank you for your hospitality. And I would also like to thank all of the hard working RVDA staff who work behind the scenes to make these events a success.

I recently also attend the Elkhart Open House.

Thank you to all of the manufacturers and suppliers for an outstanding event again this year. The new supplier exhibit at the Hall of Fame was an added benefit to the event. While 2019 new unit sales have been slow, there was a renewed enthusiasm at this year’s event which should bode well for next year.

Our next event will be the 2019 RV Dealers Convention/Expo in Las Vegas. The Convention/Expo strives to offer an education program with a mix of both recognized RV industry training experts and new presenters.

There will be 40 plus workshops. Visit www.rvda.org/convention for workshop descriptions, promo videos, and the schedule.

We will also be holding our annual meeting at the convention, on Wednesday, November 13. Our AGM, sponsored by iA Dealer Services, will review key association initiatives undertaken over the past year, and will give you the opportunity to meet the RVDA of Canada Board and staff, as well as to network with your fellow Canadian participants.

This year, we will feature Dan Fricker as our speaker. Dan Fricker is the Head of Business Operations for Shopify Studios and Former Social Lead for CBC. Dan has high-level insights on marketing strategy, social media, and advertising while balancing it all in a very palatable way that people can easily understand and adopt for their businesses.

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I would like to remind you that the updated Service Management Guide (flat rate manual) is available for purchase from our national office. Technical and service experts reviewed and updated the 100+ pages of average work unit times for the most common functions RV technicians perform. These are real life examples. The manual is available in print or in a CD format.

The RVDA of Canada recently approved a new member program with DT/Atlas Tire Wholesale. DT/Atlas Tire is a prominent figure in Canada’s independent tire distribution market with more than 25 warehouses across Canada. They are able to service a broad area and offer several daily deliveries.

This new Program will offer the following benefits: • A wide range of products including ST radial tires and wheels for trailers.

• Speedy access to inventory and prompt shipping throughout Canada, giving dealers the ability to fulfill the consumer’s requirements in a timely and efficient manner.

• Return Privileges.

• This program will allow for standardized pricing throughout Canada.

Further details will be available shortly.

As I first began writing this message to you, I realized that this would be my last Chairman’s message to you, as my term will be coming to a close in November. The year has gone by remarkably quickly but I am very proud of the accomplishments of the association. This year has truly been an enriching experience that has left me feeling fortunate to have had the opportunity to represent you. Thank you.

All the best,

Herb Cowen, Chairman of the Board RVDA of Canada

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The Secret Strategy for Meaningful Sales Meetings

By Dave Kahle Oops! Got a sales meeting coming up in two weeks, better get ready for it. Let’s see, what should we do? I’ll go over last month’s numbers, that’ll take a half hour. Then…I know! The credit manager has been complaining about the state of receivables lately. I’ll have him come in and complain directly to the sales guys. That’ll take about an hour. Now what….

Does that scenario sound familiar? All too often that’s how we plan our sales meetings. The focus is on how to fill the time, what information we want to transmit, and who we want to present it. When the focus is on the agenda, it’s easy to wander off, to fill the time with needless details, and to end up with a boring and non-productive meeting.

With a meeting like that it’s no wonder that most sales people would rather be in the field, doing their jobs, than killing time at a sales meeting.

Here is a powerful strategy guaranteed to make sales meetings more meaningful for your sales people, and more valuable for you.

Instead of starting with an agenda, start at the end. By that, I mean focus first on the end result that you want from the agenda. Then, build the agenda to achieve that focus.

Here’s an example. Let’s say you have a range of new prices on some of your current products. You are planning to spend an hour presenting them and answering questions.

That sounds good. Who could object to that?

So, your sales meeting agenda looks like this: 1. Present new prices.

Let’s dig through it to come up with the end. Why are you presenting the new prices? You might say, “So the sales people will know them and understand why we are changing prices.”

OK, why do you want that?

“So they will be able to convey them to the customers.”

Why do you want to do that?

“So the customer will accept the new prices without too much objection.”

What you really want, then, is the customer to accept the new prices without raising too much of ruckus about them?

“Yes.” And you want sales people to convey the prices in a way that accomplishes that?

“Yes.” OK, so let’s start there. In order to get what you want, the sales people will need to make some commitments with deadlines as to when they will present the new prices, and then they’ll need to be trained in the best way to present them.

The question now becomes: What can you do in the sales meeting that will ensure that your sales people will convey the new prices to their customers in a way that will be acceptable to the customer?

At this point, if it were me, I’d start at the end – having the sales people make specific commitments to deliver the prices to the appropriate customers. That’s the behavior you want. But, you’ll also need to equip them to do that – that’s the training piece . So, It’s about ending up with the sales people filling out a document as to when they‘ll convey those prices to the impacted customers.

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In order to ensure that they knew how to do that well, I’d think about doing some role-plays so the sales people could practice conveying the prices.

The role-plays would also allow them to identify some common objections, and practice responding to them. Before I could do the role-plays, I’d have to demonstrate to them some of the best practices for communicating the price increases.

And before that, I’d have to describe the price increases, the rationale, and the best way to communicate them. Now, I have my agenda: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Describe the rationale for the price increases.

Describe the best way of communicating them.

Demonstrate the best way to communicate them.

Organize a role-play so everyone can practice.

Discuss what they learned in the role-play.

Repeat the role-play.

Have each sales person create a list of which customers need to have the new prices.

Have each sales person identify a date by which he/she will have communicated the new prices.

Ask each to report, by a certain date, on how well it went.

Look at the difference in the two agendas. The first is unfocused, and emphasizes the time and general subject matter. The second is precisely focused on an end result, incorporates interactive exercises, and is very practical.

The difference was where you started. Start at the end.

One important observation. If you are disciplined about this, you’ll soon discover that the end of every sales meeting is almost always expressed in some behavior that you want from the customer, and therefore some behavior that you want from the sales force. In other words, you want the sales people to stop doing something, to start doing something (like in the example), or to do something better.

Every sales meeting, and every item on every sales meeting agenda, ought to be designed to bring about some specific change in the sales person’s behavior.

Let’s test this with some common sales meeting agenda items.

Let’s say you are going to present a new product. Why? “So the sales people will sell it.”

The change is behavior in the sales people selling something they have never sold before. Start there and work backwards.

Or, you are going to have the president (VP, CFO, etc.) come in and present the new strategic plan for the company. Why? “So the sales people will know what our plans are.”

“Why?” “So they will feel good about where the company is going.”

“Why is that important?”

“So, they will be more committed to the company.”

“What will they do differently if they are more committed?”

“I suppose they will be less likely to leave for another job.”

“So, what you really want is for the sales people to not look for another job while they are working for you.”

“I guess.”

OK, start there and work backward. You can still have the President talk, but now he has a focus on his presentation, will be much less likely to digress, and will speak to the practical needs of the sales force.

Here, then, is the secret for making every sales meeting practical, meaningful and worthwhile: Start at the end, with a description of the change in behavior that you want in the sales force, and work backwards from there.

It will make all the difference. *Originally published: https://www.davekahle.com/the-secret-strategy-for-meaningful-sales-meetings/ Dave Kahle is one of the world's leading sales authorities. He's written twelve books, presented in 47 states and eleven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations. Sign up for his free weekly Ezine. His book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime, has been recognized by three international entities as "one of the five best English language business books.” Check out his latest book, The Good Book on Business.

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From Meeting to Exceeding Customer Expectations Why Customer Service Training Matters

Positive reviews.

Returning clients.

New customers.

Higher revenue.

Brand loyalty.

By increasing customer satisfaction, your business can have all of the above! As we start wrapping up the season and reflecting on this year’s success and lessons learned, what did your team do to earn a 5-star review from your customers? Were they able to take customer service to the next level? How can you ensure your employees meet and exceed customer expectations next year?

Incorporating customer service training for employees has many benefits: it leads to greater customer satisfaction, helps maintain professionalism, build confidence in handling disputes, increases revenue and business bottom line, to name a few. At the same time, it promotes greater job satisfaction, increases productivity and engagement, and facilitates recruitment and retention. Do you have seasonal staff? Ongoing training program built into the company culture gives them a reason to return and an opportunity to step into a different role within your company.

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If you are looking to elevate customer service quality in your operation, look no further than the SuperHost program. It is an affordable and relevant suite of courses recognized as the standard for customer service excellence. Does your team: Can you benefit from some fundamental training on service quality, or a refresher on customer service principles? The Foundations of Service Quality introduces the principles of providing customers with a quality experience with emphasis on the importance of delivering exceptional customer service. It touches on workplace communication, problem solving, customer and employer expectations, and more.

Interact with a diverse customer base? If your team interacts with all types of customers, the “one size fits all” strategy simply will not work. The Service For All online course makes a great add-on to any in-house training program or to help gain a better understanding of how to work with people of diverse backgrounds and cultures. Participants will learn about expectations and best practices around various groups, including but not limited to, different age groups, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ/2S (Two-Spirit), indigenous, and numerous ethnic groups.

SuperHost Certification program is readily available online to accommodate busy schedules of your staff. The self-paced training program is flexible and widely accessible from anywhere with internet access.

To learn more about SuperHost Certification, contact Andrea Hinck, Manager of Industry Training, at 604 633 9787 ext. 225!

go2HR is BC’s tourism human resource association. Delivered online and in the classroom, SuperHost by go2HR offers relevant, up-to-date customer service training that meet the current needs and expectations of employers.

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We are pleased to introduce a new regular column called ‘Healthy RV’ing’ brought to you by PURIFYD SYSTEMS®. This new column will provide actionable information on health related trends applicable to both RV dealerships and their customers.

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Canadian retail sales statistics are now available for both motorized and towable recreational vehicles.

These statistics will allow dealers to better manage the inventory on their lot by knowing which units are selling in their area, which price points are attracting buyers as well as knowing the local trends affecting their marketplace.

The RV retail sales statistics compiled by Statistical Surveys Inc. are the result of matching manufacturer VIN numbers with RV registrations.

The RVDA of Canada endorsement agreement includes free access for national monthly figures only, for members only. Going forward, these figures will be published in the RVDA of Canada bimonthly newsletter and archived at the “RV Statistics / National RV Sales” link on the member side of www.rvda.ca.

This information is copyrighted to Statistical Surveys Inc. and for your use only, not for distribution. In order to protect your endorsement benefit, please honour that confidentiality.

To purchase more detailed statistics – by province, region or city – please contact Scott Stropkai of Statistical Surveys Inc. at 616-281-9898 ext 128 or sstropkai@statisticalsurveys.com.

To learn more about Statistical Surveys Inc., visit www.statisticalsurveys.com.

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Elite Insurance Company is a subsidiary of Aviva Canada Inc., one of the leading Property and Casualty insurance groups in Canada which provides insurance protection to more than 3 million Canadians.

Aviva Canada is on a mission to change insurance. "At Aviva, we listen to our customers' views and opinions because by listening and acting on your feedback, we become better at what we do. We want Aviva customers to feel they are being treated as people, not as a number. We want our customers to be confident and comfortable that they have the right insurance to cover their needs. And we want our customers to have a positive experience at Aviva. We've already started the change by introducing our claims service satisfaction guarantee which you can learn more by visiting www.ClaimsGuarantee.com Elite Insurance Company is Canada's largest insurer of specialty personal insurance products since 1954, covering recreational vehicles, mobile homes, antique & custom cars and pleasure crafts. To learn more about Aviva Elite and their mission to change insurance visit their website: www.avivacanada.com Aviva Elite

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The Second Quarter Economic Review is intended to deliver a comprehensive look at the economic indicators affecting the RV industry in Canada. These products are intended to provide members with current economic information, which can assist them in gaining insights into the changing economic dimensions of the RV industry and the economy at large.

Download this report on RVDA of Canada member site under Member services / Industry Relations tabs (login required)

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Feeling frustrated about all aspects of parts? What to stock? What to keep on or off the shelf? How to anticipate what's hot and what's so last season? How to make your show room as fabulous as your online store and vice versa? How to work with service people (and people in general)? Lastly, the golden question (geez, you have lots of questions), where to get training for parts people???

We are bringing you a full, 9AM to 4PM day of training to answer all and more of your questions above to Halifax, NS on October 30, 2019.

We will help you focus on the art of selling so you can sell ANYTHING parts! Yes, brands, make, model year and all of that fine detail matters (eventually). But, first, you need to be able to anticipate what customers want and even strongly suggest what they think they want before they know they actually wanted it!

Step aside AI! This is real experience and intelligence!

We will help you get excited about selling parts (again) and even help make that TP display sexy (if you must).

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Register early! Registration deadline is not until October 7, 2019 but only 15 spaces are available to those that want to improve their parts selling scores.

Four Points Sheraton Halifax 1496 Hollis St. Halifax, NS B3J 3Z1 Phone: (902) 423-4444

Classes are held from 9AM to 4PM. Each class is limited to 15 students.

A room block is available at CA$173 per night plus applicable taxes for traditional queen room.

Register no later than October 7, 2019 to ensure your technician has access to hands-on training this fall!

Reservations can be made by calling (902) 423-4444 and Room block will be released on Sept. quote RVDA or reserve online.

27, 2019.

Cost per person: CA$ 250+GST ($262.50)

Yes to training in Halifax

Sponsored by

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RVDA Member Discount Programs & Benefits

Discounts on hotel rooms – access to Choice Hotels program discounts of 15-20% at over 325 hotels in Canada & 6,300 hotels worldwide, & some complimentary services at select hotels. Aeroplan or Choice Privileges points can be earned. Book travel be online, on your mobile device or via a toll-free number.

on select Exclusive discounts up to 35% off select FedEx services when shipping within Canada, to the US, or internationally.

If you have a FedEx account, simply enroll in this program through the dedicated FedEx webpage that can be found at the member link If not, see the member benefit page for a link to do so. View FedEx services at www.fedex.ca.

Discounts and offers for top attractions, shows and other entertainment!

Now you’ll have access to exclusive discounts, special offers and access to preferred seating and tickets to top attractions, theme parks, shows, sporting events, movie tickets, hotels and much more. Be sure to visit often as new products and discounts are constantly being added!

on tools An array of products at very competitive prices in over a dozen Maintenance, Repair & Operations (MRO) categories, with two discount structures – based on national volume and on catalogue prices. Inventory at each branch location is tailored to the local market. For a complete list of products available, a credit application form to sign up for an account, & a contact for complete details on this program, click here.

Petro-Canada SuperPass Credit Card Discount With use of the Petro-Canada SuperPass credit card, members of Explorer RV Club & RVDA of Canada can realize significant savings, convenience, control & security.

Click here for an information / application form & contact information

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RVDA Member Discount Programs & Benefits

Discounts on 3 payroll & employment compliance resources An exclusive 20% discount on 3 of their publications: Human Resources PolicyPro, Human Resources Advisor and HR infodesk; & free trials of information services. The constantly-updated information will help you understand employer obligations & legal requirements, & stay updated with Canadian federal, provincial & territorial employment legislation.

Substantial savings on UPS services Preferred pricing with UPS for Canada-wide, USA and other destinations for expedited and standard services via Wholesale International Couriers and Freight Forwarders through UPS’ website. Visit the member link or contact information to set up an account.

Discounts on promotional products Volume-based preferred pricing on a wide range of promotional products in over 700 categories. Imago Marketing is able to distribute to all locations across Canada Visit the member link above for the member code. For more information, contact Jessie Lo at jlo@imagomarketing.com or 604.304.6246.

Discounts on Dale Carnegie Training programs 10% discount off local pricing for any Dale Carnegie Training program.

Contact your local training office for class details / dates, or find an office near you. Download & present this offer to them to qualify for the discount.

Marks: Discounts (in-store) on select workwear 10% discount on the numerous items listed on our member program card, including work clothing, gloves, belts, winter and safety accessories and CSA-Approved Footwear. Show your card at the check-out counter

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Did you know about the RV Careers website?

The RV Careers site was developed to raise awareness to career opportunities available in the Canadian RV industry. It provides some background information to the various departments found within an RV dealership, apprentice and technician training opportunities. It also contains information for employers on how to hire and work with apprentices and apprenticeship authorities and how to access the numerous Federal, Provincial and private grants available.

Hiring?

When you visit the site, the first thing that should jump out at you is “jobs.� And, the call-to-action would be to see what jobs are available and to look deeper for the job and training requirements.

You can add, edit or remove your job posting whenever you like. You will be able to receive job applications via e-mail. Before this listing expires (in 45 days), you will be notified to either update or delete the posting.

You have full control of your job postings!

To post a job, go to the employers tab and log in using your RVDA of Canada user name and password. Contact RVDA of Canada at 604-718-6325 or e-mail if you do not have this information.

Upcoming Events

Newly added events include career fair, RV lifestyle, trade show, workshop, and online training events.

The news listing will keep you and your staff up to date on training and industry events.

Education for those currently working in the industry vs. those looking to enter the industry If you currently work in sales, parts, or service, you will want to visit the Education page.

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There are training and educational programs for technicians, parts/service management programs, sales, marketing and F&I programs, administration/ accounting programs and awards available.

For apprentices and anyone wishing to

become an apprentice, detailed information can be found on the Become an apprentice page. There are many programs such as youth and pre-apprenticeship where high school students can get practical work experience. If there isn’t one in your area, there’s information available under the Employer page on how to start and implement your own apprenticeship program.

Financial incentives and assistance programs There are many financial incentives for both apprentices and employers to participate in an apprenticeship as well as assistance from Provincial and Federal governments and your local RVDA. On the financial incentive page, it lists numerous benefits for apprentices to participate in an apprenticeship and for employers to hire apprentices. There are numerous Federal, Provincial and RVDA Financial assistance programs such as bursaries and grants.

If you have any suggestions or comments about how we can improve the site, please email us or comment on the RV Careers Facebook page!

News from RVDA Canada

RVDA of Canada Mission Statement: The RVDA of Canada is a national federation which exists to protect and promote the interests and welfare of RV Dealers across Canada in order to enable the industry to maximize its potential.

Newsletter Editorial Staff The RVDA of Canada Member Newsletter is produced and distributed through the national association office : RVDA of Canada, Richmond BC For Inquiries please contact us at: #145 – Coppersmith Way Richmond, BC V7A 5J9 Ph: (604) 718-6325 Fax: (604) 204-0154 www.rvda.ca powered by rvhotlinecanada.com

Board of Directors

Emails :

Vice-Chairman, Gord Bragg, Hub City RV, Lantzville, BC

Eleonore Hamm, eleonore_hamm@rvda.ca Anita Lien, anital@rvda.ca

Executive Committee Chairman, Herb Cowen, Pike Lake Golf Centre, Pike Lake, ON

Post your Positions at

Treasurer, Josée Bédard Roulottes Chaudière Lévis, Quebec

To post a job, simply go to the employers tab and log in using your RVDA of Canada user name and password.

Past Chairman, Jean-Francois Lussier, Horizon Lussier, Marieville, QC

Contact RVDA of Canada at 604-718-6325 or e-mail if you do not have this information.

Directors

Amee Inocencio, ainocencio@rvda.ca

www.RVCareers.ca

WWW.BUYLOCALRV.CA RVDA of Canada’s “BUY LOCAL” campaign promotes “Buy your RV close to home.

It’s better in the long haul, to consumers.

We encourage you to download a copy of brochure available at the member’s website.

Dale Hopkins RV City

Ken Dobson Leisure Time Sales

Jim Gorrie GNR Camping World

Kyle Kehoe Kehoe RV

Roland Goreski Campkin’s RV Centre

Bruce Marsh Cape Breton Trailer Sales

Marc Rémillard, Centre du Camping Rémillard

Collin Yaretz South Thompson RV Ltd.