Manual cranking can be time consuming and physically demanding. Husky Super Brute Power Jacks offer a better solution to level your trailer or connect it to your tow vehicle. These feature-packed jacks can lift up to 5000 pounds and offer a full 18” stroke. Super Brute jacks are engineered to produce less friction and draw less amperage than competitive jacks. Smart Stop™ technology cuts power to the motor before hitting a hard stop which reduces motor wear and contributes to long lasting performance. A high-output LED system illuminates the A-frame tongue area for easy hookup and flashes when powered on and off. An optional 40’ range controller is also available to monitor leveling when operating the jack. Level up your tongue jack to a Super Brute for superior performance that won’t let you down.
Midwest RV Center answered consumers’ requests for details about RVs for sale, using technology to make the information easily accessible.
8 Next Level: Q&A with Huw Bower
Winnebago-brand President Huw Bower reflects on the past year and updates dealers on the company’s recent successes.
The
As portable refrigerators and electric cooler demand grows, suppliers are offering new products in the segment.
Dometic’s 300 Series RV toilet line is among the best-selling toilet lines in the aftermarket. Company leaders attribute the success to three major factors.
42 Precise Process
Patrick Industries’ Precision Painting Group paints motorhomes and fifth wheels away from OEMs’ plants before returning them to the manufacturers for final finish.
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.
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Numerous items and pastimes catch my attention. However, I am a sucker for only a few. Among those are cheesecake, singlemalt scotches and trivia contests.
Point me in the direction of a brewpub or a whiskey bar and you will find me following the smell of peaty scotch and cigars. Offer me a dessert tray at the restaurant and I generally will turn it down—until I see cheesecake.
Trivia contests, though, are my jam. My family grew up playing Trivial Pursuit and watching “Jeopardy” every night. Any time I visit a restaurant or bar hosting video trivia, I ask how to participate. So, I wanted to start this letter with a trivia question for you: What two issues present the biggest hurdles to RV consumer purchases in 2023?
I would play the “Jeopardy” theme music here to give you a minute to consider, but the best I can do is stall through writing more words (admit it, you hear the theme in your head).
Here are the answers: Interest rates and extraordinary negative equity on trade-ins.
closely.
Many believe the biggest headwind to consumers’ RV demand is the economy, whether that is inflation raising prices or consumers’ uncertainty about their job status. However, the people I am talking with say interest rates are the biggest thorn.
Interest rates continue to rise, making monthly payments more difficult for dealers and lenders to square with consumers’ budgets.
In trying to stem inflation’s surge, the Federal Reserve has raised interest rates nine times to 5%.
However, recent events may force the Fed’s hand in a different direction. The concern over recent bank failures, including Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, as well as the monetary infusions to prop up First Republic Bank and the guided sale of Credit Suisse, rattled the markets and the financial industry.
Experts expressed concern that the Federal Reserve’s rate hikes left previously well-capitalized banks on the verge of collapse. The result may be the Federal Reserve slowing rate hikes, or pausing them altogether, to ensure financial stability within the banking industry.
Finding interest rate certainty could be a huge boon to RV sales.
Numerous dealers and lenders have cited how RV consumer interest remains high, with many eager to purchase. However, the sticker shock from inflationary pricing and continually rising interest rates scuttled many deals in the first quarter of 2023. By letting interest rates settle for some time—a quarter, maybe six months—industry experts say consumers will decide to buy RVs they previously have put on hold.
However, the second concern may not go away soon. Consumers who bought RVs at the market’s top from 2020 to early 2022 are looking to trade in their RVs. Yet when these consumers try, they discover they are incredibly upside down on their RV loans.
Some experts have said consumers trying to trade in an RV are as much as
$50,000 underwater in just two years because they bought at prices well above the RVs’ current market value. How can RV lenders find ways to make loans with such high negative equity?
Math is math, as one told me, and the only way to try and recover negative equity is by extending loan terms or putting cash deposits down. Most loan terms already are at 240 months (20 years), the maximum offered by most RV lenders. Loans made at 180 months (15 years) can be extended to 240, but often the extra 60 months is not nearly enough time to recover large negative equity amounts. Consumers may have down payments but would be stretched to put down enough to overcome their sky-high negative equity values today.
I am told the issue could take two to three years to resolve.
Neither rising interest rates nor trade-in difficulties are trivial concerns. Each may have different timelines for resolution, and experts I have talked with remain cautiously optimistic consumer demand will increase the second half of the year.
To get there, however, the industry may need to find creative answers. Thankfully, the answers will not have to be made in the form of a question, and industry players have more than a few seconds to ring in with the correct responses.
Thanks for reading,
Chris Freeman Chris Freeman Editor-in-Chief
One year ago, in Savannah, Georgia, Winnebago-brand President Huw Bower addressed the manufacturer’s dealer body as a group for the first time.
Since the meeting, Bower has traveled the country to meet with dealers, suppliers and consumers. He attended his first Elkhart Extravaganza event in September 2022; Bower planned to attend the 2021 event before it was postponed.
Through the company’s fiscal 2022 year, which ended Aug. 27, 2022, RV market share for Winnebago’s parent company, Winnebago Industries, reached 12.7%, a new record, up 20 basis points from fiscal 2021.
With no dealer meeting scheduled for 2023, Bower sat down to provide lessons learned since his last dealer meeting, and what he would like to tell Winnebago dealers if they were gathering again this spring.
At last year’s dealer meeting, you laid out a four-pillar strategy to achieve success. Starting with the first pillar, “Quality manufacturing takes precedence,” how has Winnebago progressed in the past year on that pillar?
Huw: Yes, the first pillar is about operations excellence, capacity and quality. We have invested in our quality teams over the course of the last year, focusing on three core areas: built-in quality, designed-in quality and supplier quality.
We specifically worked on the warranty experience, that experience of quality that our customers first perceive in our vehicles during the first 90 days of ownership. We are making great strides in reducing the number of warranty claims we have in that first period of ownership, which is crucial to our customers’ initial
satisfaction and experience with our brand and the dealership.
The second pillar involved winning market share through product innovation. How has Winnebago boosted its innovation in the past year? How has the work on the eRV2 motorhome prototype pushed innovation forward?
Huw: Our digital savvy and our digital capabilities have matured by leaps and bounds in the last 18 months. That is important when you have an electric vehicle because there is an ecosystem of benefits that people expect.
We have matured a number of different capabilities internally, from mastering high-voltage electric systems, putting together manufacturing plans for electric vehicles, setting up supply chains for more sustainable products to build into these vehicles, and
setting up an integrated, connected ecosystem that puts a connection between the consumer, their phone and the vehicle for the first time in our Winnebago fleet.
I think the eRV demonstrates that perfectly and synthesizes many of these themes. However, this second pillar is about more than just digital or electric products; it’s about winning with an innovative, customercentric product across traditional ICE and emerging platforms.
We have a core portfolio that we are investing in all the time. We have a number of really cool products coming out. We have a Vita/Porto (Type C) motorhome coming out on a Mercedes chassis. This is an improved version of a prior product. It hits a nice price point, and it is just a beautiful execution, consistent with those themes of high-quality fit and finish and human-centered interior design.
We have a partnership with Adventure Wagon, where we introduced a modular Revel, basically. It is not a Revel; it is an adventure wagon. It has a flexible interior for individuals who have that rugged, utilitarian sort of focus. Their lifestyle can really take advantage of that Adventure Wagon and Winnebago partnership.
We have the traditional Revel now with Raptor Guard, an exterior guard which is a really cool addition to that Revel lineup. We have a Spitfire Orange Ram chassis in the Solis and the Travato, which is a nice pop into the portfolio.
We have our award-winning Hike 100 FLX—RV of the Year—spearheading a towable portfolio that has a number of new floorplans. Finally, we just refreshed our Class A gas line with a 30th anniversary Adventurer and our award-winning National Park Foundation Vista/Sunstar.
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The third pillar involved improving the consumer shopping experience. What has Winnebago done in the past year to improve consumers’ experiences?
Huw: The third pillar really was about transforming the shopping experience and making the shopping experience easy, simple and intuitive, in partnership with our dealers. We have improved our website to include digital access to dealer inventory. All of the dealer inventory is loaded on our website. When a consumer browses a Revel page on our website, you can click on the nearest dealer to you and look at their inventory and still be on our website. We do not lose the consumer.
Dealer pricing is also available on our website. The lead management system has been improved and streamlined through the WinnLead system. We are really proud of how we are working with our dealers to deliver a better digital shopping experience.
When that customer comes to the dealer, we have a SourceBook platform, which is our training and education platform for retail salesmen and women and servicemen and women. We deliver targeted, high-quality content to them about how to best sell and how to best service our vehicles. That platform is gaining a lot of traction within the dealer network.
Finally, the fourth pillar involved enhancing consumers’ experiences after a sale. Often the aftersale experience revolves around service, but you said technology would be a key to enhancing the experience. How has technology changed consumers’ experiences?
Huw: We deliver good customer experiences through rapid service delivery, sales and a service team that is best in class. We also complement that with this connected initiative, the Winnebago Connect system, where we stay connected to consumers beyond the point of sale. It is not a process where we sell to the dealer, the dealer sells to the customer and then the customer is on their own. We want to be deeply part of their RV experience beyond the point of sale. That digital connection to them, through our Winnebago app, allows them to continue to learn about their vehicle. It allows them to connect with us through WIT, our owners’ group, and then stay connected to the brand through the life cycle of their ownership experience. We feel very good about the foundation we have laid in the last year since the dealer meeting.
Would you consider holding a dealer meeting every year rather than every other year?
Huw: It is a bit of a shame we do not have a dealer meeting every year because I would love to showcase this to our dealers. We have a really strong story. I am proud of the team and the foundation we are building. We have a clear direction. We hold our dealer meeting every two years, so we are looking forward to our next meeting in March 2024.
Where do you go from here in each of those areas?
Huw: There are a number of initiatives in every single area where we continue to extend. We think these are the right things to focus on, so we are proud of that.
The eRV really pulls together a lot of those themes—how to sell, educate and generate excitement. It is about
how to transform the ownership experience through the connected app. It is about how you build a higher quality vehicle through the operations. Then you just lead with customer-centric innovation, which we are demonstrating through this eRV2 prototype testing program, with consumers right at the center, right at the steering wheel of our development process.
Winnebago introduced a new marketing/branding campaign last year. How successful has the campaign been?
Huw: Really, really great. We showcased two things at the dealer meeting last year. One, we are proud of our heritage and the 500,000th vehicle that we have made. It is a milestone for the industry, a milestone for the brand. Second, we introduced our new brand campaign: Go Where You Feel.
We want to emotionally connect to consumers, to unlock what they aspire to do with their vehicles, that dream of being on the road and fulfilling that dream. Winnebago is there as a natural partner to help you fill that dream. That connection with the Go Where You Feel campaign was launched at the dealer meeting and rolled out over the course of the summer.
There are a number of digital touchpoints, which goes to our efficiency, and they are the best way for us to reach a large number of people. We had great collateral, a great shoot and featured a great product.
The message was not about ‘Our widget has this, this and this.’ It is about ‘This is the emotional benefits that you get from being on the road again,’ where you feel Winnebago is your trusted partner to do that.
We conduct a brand health tracker. At every point in the funnel, we have thousands of respondents whom we tap into, and we do it at regular moments in time. This will be the third brand health tracker we have done.
Between the first and the second, it was business as usual. As you would imagine, at every point in the funnel,
from familiarity, awareness, purchase intent, etc., we were pretty flat.
The Go Where You Feel campaign was launched and we took off in every area. Awareness went up. Familiarity went up. Intent to purchase went up. So that message resonated well.
What was really nice to see was that it resonated well with our core buyers, but especially with new buyers and millennials. That is the future. That is the customer we want to win. So creating that connection, that emotional connection, between Winnebago and future consumers was important for us. I think it is really, really successful.
Finally, you provided dealers new information about the kinds of consumers who buy different RVs based on their intent to use the RV. Have dealers found more success matching consumers to RVs with this new data?
Huw: They have, exactly right. The WinnLeads program we put in place as part of our suite of benefits provided
to dealers tracks exactly that. We have a dedicated concierge team within Winnebago who calls leads to make sure they are getting the response we would like them to receive from dealers, and the follow-up happens in good time. We look at our lead conversion rates, and we are very pleased with how the conversion rate of our leads increased with the overall lead generation.
How many leads we had that could then be converted was very pleasing. I think we have an opportunity to continue to enhance that. Through automated marketing campaigns, we can give consumers just the right information and just the right message at just the right time, as they click on our website for the third or fourth or fifth time on that page.
We know that information. So, we will send them the message that is appropriate for where they are in the funnel. It is exciting what we can do with the digital platform we have.
It is exciting what we can do in partnership with our dealers, who are really embracing the sort of investments and changes we are putting in place across our platforms.
Portable refrigeration and electric cooler demand is on the rise. Consumers are slowly learning of their benefits and how they enhance the RV lifestyle.
By RV News StaffNew players have entered the portable refrigeration and electric cooler market. Suppliers are introducing products with rugged, monochromatic exteriors, futuristic features, numerous sizes and price points. Both RV manufacturers and aftermarket retailers are slowly getting on board to capitalize on the evolving trend.
Consumers make choices based on the versatility of their activities and group sizes. In turn, portable refrigeration is changing how consumers recreate by helping RVers camp longer and use their RVs with comforts they previously enjoyed only at home.
Data from Future Market Insights (FMI), a global custom market research and reporting company, show increasing RV use, technological advances and burgeoning interest in the outdoor lifestyle are all factors driving powered cooler and portable refrigeration growth.
According to FMI, between 2022 and 2032, the category is projected to
rise by 6.4% annually over the decade, catapulting from $1.71 billion to $3.19 billion in sales.
“There is a growing trend of more people becoming outdoor enthusiasts,” said Adam Donahue, Dometic vice president, outdoor marketing. “They are more health conscious. They care about fresh food, healthy vegetables and frozen ice cream.”
Gary Starr, GoSun business development, said portable refrigeration products are becoming more affordable and eliminate the need for natural gas or conventional power. He said those factors also are driving the market.
FMI indicated technological advancements such as recessed power input panels, automated thermostats with digital displays and heavy-duty magnetized covers are contributing to the category’s expansion.
General Electric (GE)
The research firm said many post-pandemic consumers are more conscientious of their lifestyle choices. They are more focused on outdoor recreation and now desire compact and advanced refrigeration.
Refrigeration Commercial Director Kelly Mills stressed how consumers want coolers/freezers that work in an RV, by the pool, at their kids’ weekend soccer games and when hiking. She stressed versatility is driving demand.
You want to have the minimum exterior capacity, so the smallest footprint, with the largest amount of interior space, and you want that to achieve the maximum temperature delta from ambient using the minimum amount of power.”
– Adam Donohue
Most consumers are comfortable with the classic full-of-sloppy-ice, red-onthe-bottom, white-on-the-top cooler, Dometic’s Donahue said. While passive coolers, requiring ice or ice packs to cool contents, have a place, the active or powered cooler category is the latest trend. He said compressor-driven active coolers are particularly popular in the U.S. because they offer a greater delta, or cooling range, when compared with ice models.
Some suppliers say the term “cooler” is outdated. They instead refer to their products as “portable refrigeration.”
“We probably need to get away from calling it an electric cooler and focus more on a portable refrigerator, because that is really what it is,” said Trent Jacobi, GE executive product manager for top freezers, freezers and undercounter refrigeration.
Other suppliers differentiate between RV-installed vs. uninstalled refrigeration.
“When a cooler is installed, it becomes a refrigerator,” Camco Marketing Project Manager Noah
Cronan said. “When it is portable, it becomes a cooler or a powered cooler.”
Despite the category label, technology made playing the ice-melting game unnecessary, and many consumers continue to discover the difference.
“When the customer buys a powered cooler, that signifies a sort of investment in wanting to do things differently than grandpa did,” Dometic’s Donahue said. “We love that because… that camping experience becomes so elevated with the experience of really good food, and fresh food, and drinks… it has the opportunity to increase the adoption and retention of that customer to this lifestyle.”
Some suppliers have been in the refrigeration segment for decades, while others entered the market within the past five years. All offer products in numerous sizes and with varying features to help consumers chill out.
Donahue said, “For any company or any brand in the space, there are three linked variables that when you achieve them in balance or harmony creates a
really great product. You want to have the minimum exterior capacity, so the smallest footprint, with the largest amount of interior space, and you want that to achieve the maximum temperature delta from ambient using the minimum amount of power.”
Camco dove into the portable refrigeration market in 2020 with dual-and single-zone portable options. The company now offers seven gray/black portable refrigerators in sizes ranging from 20 to 95 liters and a temperature
I always have Klondike bars. (With a conventional cooler) you take them out and the chocolate is melting down your hand. It does not work.”
– Noah Cronan
range from minus-4 degrees Fahrenheit to 68 degrees.
Cronan said iceless coolers are a game-changer, and the convenience is helping the category grow.
“I always have Klondike bars,” he said. “(With a conventional cooler) you take them out and the chocolate is melting down your hand. It does not work. With dual zones, you can have cold drinks on one side and ice cream on the other.”
Camco portable refrigerators require a 12/24-volt DC adapter or a 120-volt AC adapter. Each refrigerator features an LCD control panel, interior light and R134a refrigerant; consumers can control the cooler via a smartphone with the Camco app. Larger sizes feature a handle and wheels for portability. They are equipped with 3-mode, low-voltage protection to prevent dead car batteries.
Cronan said Camco’s customer service, fulfillment options and spare parts availability set the company’s offerings apart.
Dometic traces its history to 1922, when Carl Munters and Baltzar von Platen pioneered absorption refrigeration technology. The duo created a company called Electrolux, which became Dometic in 1968. In 1974, two brothers, Theodore and Peter Waning, invented the first battery-powered, hermetically sealed, closed-loop cooler. They founded a company called Waco. Dometic bought Waco in 2007. In 2021, Dometic acquired Igloo.
Today, Dometic manufactures its portable refrigerators and electric coolers at its plant in Zhuhai, China. Donahue said manufacturing its own product, plus years of technical investment, research and design enabled Dometic to deliver unique portable refrigeration. He said each is designed for a specific space.
He said Dometic designs coolers for maximum interior capacity and minimum power use—one amp per hour during average use.
Dometic’s newest offering is the slate/mist-hued CFX3 in 25- to 99-liter sizes. The 25- to 45-liter versions feature single-zone cooling. The 45-liter edition occupies the same footprint as the 35 liter but is taller. The 55-liter CFX3 includes an ice maker.
Larger-sized CFX3 coolers provide dual storage compartments with independent temperature control for simultaneous cooling and freezing. CFX3s use VMSO3 compressor cooling technology that cools to minus-7 degrees Fahrenheit. Each fridge/freezer can be powered by 110-volt AC, 12/24-volt direct current or solar.
Each CFX3 has a color display with soft-touch buttons, interior baskets, fender frames for product protection and a battery protection system. Consumers can control the cooler with a CFX3 app.
The company sells a PLB40 Ah Lithium Iron Phosphate battery to power the cooler.
GE Appliances has been making appliances, including refrigerators, since 1907. The company debuted a 50-liter and 75-liter capacity GE Profile Electric Cooler in black/ concrete gray at the end of 2022.
GE’s Mills said, “Who better to do this than GE, as a company that has been in the refrigeration industry for 70 years.”
The coolers come equipped an LCD temperature display, three USB ports, an exterior mesh storage pouch, a lighted interior, four tie-down points and lift-out wire baskets. Consumers can charge the cooler using an AC connection or an included 12-volt DC power adapter. The GE Profile compressor technology cools contents between minus-6 degrees Fahrenheit to 68 degrees with R134a refrigerant.
compartments give consumers the option to take ice to their destination.
The company offers an optional handle and wheel kit. Michael Watanabe, GE industrial designer, refrigeration products, said GE made the kit easy to install and remove to make the cooler portable without sacrificing stability during overlanding transport.
The cooler has cap-touch buttons to ease cleanup and a dimmable backlit LED panel to avoid waking nearby sleepers.
Watanabe said, “We balanced very sleek, minimalist aesthetics with something that could still take a lot of beating and weathering from living outdoors.”
Dual-zone
have a temperature range from minus-6 degrees Fahrenheit to 68 degrees.
The 75-liter cooler features two compartments for simultaneous freezing and cooling use. The two
The rough-textured exterior is scratch resistant. The handles are recessed, but an optional swing-out handle and wheels kit is available. The optional swing-out handle, when folded, fits into a recess to prevent campers from stumbling over it in the dark.
GoSun
GoSun entered the powered cooler category in 2019 with its Chill electric cooler. In 2021, the company released the larger Chillest model, which sports two compartments that cool or freeze. The company will unveil a smaller, super-portable electric cooler this summer, Starr said.
“Our three things are: Can it run on the sun? Can it be super energy efficient? And is it fully portable?” he said.
The 40-liter Chill is GoSun’s most popular offering, Starr said. The cooler has a brushless compressor and meets strict EU standards for gas usage. The Chill’s delta range is minus-4 degrees Fahrenheit to 68 degrees. Consumers
can select specific temperatures as well as power sources via an LED panel located on the top of the Chill. The cooler has a telescoping handle, two cloth pouches, bungee cords and a side-mounted bottle opener.
The Chill provides “multimodal power” connectivity with the help of an included GoSun power bank lithium power source. The cooler can be directly plugged into a 12-volt car port charger with the DC connection cord. The Chill has an AC household outlet and a 2.6-pound power bank for other power options.
Consumers can charge GoSun’s power bank via an AC adapter, GoSun’s flexible solar panel or GoSun’s table with an included solar panel.
In business in North America since 2013, Truma released seven portable refrigerators/freezers in 2020. The company introduced its C30 model a year later. Truma’s portable refrigerators come in three categories from 30 to 96 liters. Each cooler has a steel- reinforced lid and sides, stainless steel hinges, an LED interior light, a USB charging port, a digital display, upright bottle storage, removable baskets, a three-stage discharge for battery protection and a drain for cleaning. A 12/24-volt connection is available on both ends and a 110-volt AC connection is on one side. All coolers can be controlled with a Truma Bluetooth app.
The Adventurer fridge/freezer is available in 69- and 96-liter sizes, features a two-way split lid, weighs 69-79 pounds and chills to minus-8 degrees Fahrenheit. To address RV consumers’ needs, the cooler only draws 0.8 to 1.1 amps-per-hour.
Nick Dunning, Truma business development manager, said quality and durability set his company’s coolers apart. As evidence, he said the portable coolers are designed to take “harassment” in the overlanding arena, and the reinforced lids enable consumers to use the cooler for seating. Truma offers a two-year warranty.
Suppliers said the pathway to future category growth is mostly impeded by lack of consumer awareness, but all have opinions on the category’s future.
GE’s Jacobi said, “More people need to know about these (refrigerators/coolers).”
GE Senior Marketing Manager Jennifer Solomon is spreading the word about the company’s product offerings. She said the supplier is working to identify OEM and aftermarket partners in Elkhart, Indiana, as well as retailers throughout North America that want to capitalize on GE’s legacy brand and reputation.
Camco’s Cronan said the number of RVs sold annually may have an impact on the segment’s product sales.
“Portable refrigerators are often less expensive and definitely more versatile than conventional refrigerators,” he said, “and some campers might opt to install them instead of standard fridges.”
He said electricity is more accessible than ever at campgrounds, and flexible power options like solar are gaining popularity. Cronan said both are major plusses for powered coolers.
According to Dometic’s Donahue, trends toward 12-volt power and solar will continue. In 2021, Dometic acquired four solar companies, including two in North America, to provide consumers power options for Dometic’s powerdemanding products.
He said RV dealers are “the best source of truth for the consumer,” especially
when consumers seek aftermarket cooling solutions and need information on the power choices available. He said dealers understand each customer’s entire RV ecosystem, including available solar power resources and various integrated loads, and make the best recommendations to consumers.
Truma’s Dunning said the influx of portable refrigeration competitors collectively will increase product awareness and drive future innovation as each seeks new competitive advantages.
Truma’s Dunning predicted that although the appliances are already efficient, new technology will likely trickle down into the portable refrigeration sector from other markets such as residential air conditioning or automotive. He said new low-GWP refrigerants, improved compressor technologies and more efficient insulating materials could affect the category. He cited Truma’s long history as a technology-driven company and said the supplier will certainly pursue ongoing innovation in the years to come.
With so many OE and aftermarket sources of portable refrigeration, the battle for category supremacy will continue. While the segment’s future popularity is all but certain, which company will become the leader is unclear.
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Dometic sells numerous behindthe-scenes RV products like furnaces, water heaters and roof-mounted air conditioners. However, one Dometic product that RVers interact with daily is its toilet.
Michael Walsh, Dometic’s director of service and aftermarket in the Americas, called Dometic’s toiletsa platform product—and not just because RVers can sit on it, as they would a proverbial throne.
Walsh said Dometic’s aftermarket toilets are among the top sellers in the industry thanks to the company’s design, attention to hygiene and commitment to dealer/customer education.
Ace in the Hole
Walsh said Dometic’s 300 Series RV toilet line, including the 300, 310 and 320, is the bestselling line in America, including Dometic’s other toilets. The 300 Series line constitutes 80% of Dometic’s toilet sales. Response to the line has been so positive, he said the company is confident the 300 Series
will spearhead greater growth for dealers and Dometic.
The company builds its modular toilet products to be interchangeable with each other and all other toilet brands. The toilets can be easily accessorized; Walsh said the result is a toilet line ideal for upgrades or replacements.
“It started with wanting to make sure the line of toilets represents an upgrade opportunity that was universal in as many applications as possible,” he said. “That is why we adopted a residential standard two-bolt pattern that allows us to retrofit the most common toilets we see out there from competitors.”
Walsh said building a modular toilet has made replacing or upgrading them less complicated for repair technicians. The suppler ensured that, whether repairing current Dometic models in an RV or replacing/upgrading to a 300 Series toilet, dealers will need fewer repair parts to complete replacements.
requirements. Because of the 320’s size requirements, Walsh said the 310 is Dometic’s most popular model in terms of universal fit and feature popularity.
In building the 300 Series line, Dometic first conducted research to determine consumers’ RV toilet needs. Walsh said the company used the data to make intentional product design choices.
For example, all Dometic toilets are deliberately designed with flush pedals on the right. Although North American consumers may be right- or left-handed, he said they will be right-footed because consumers use their right foot to press automobile accelerators.
Walsh said all toilet models’ flush valve seal has a burst pressure several magnitudes greater than many RV toilet valves. Dometic built the flush valves with increased burst pressure to decrease the toilet’s susceptibility to freezing damage, Walsh said, although winterizing still is recommended.
In the company’s research, Dometic discovered upgrading to a ceramic bowl in the 310 and 320 models made them similar to consumers’ home commodes. The change also makes the bowl easier to clean and maintain.
“It also provides a nice upside for dealers who are servicing a product,” Walsh said, “knowing that they do not need a unique assortment of repair parts for each individual model of toilet. We can provide the floor seals, bowl seals, valves and the accessories like hand spray items. That way, we are making it easier for dealers to be more likely to have the items at their fingertips.”
Dealers can replace or upgrade toilets with a Dometic 300 or 310 model without altering the toilet’s footprint in an RV. However, because the 320 model has a full residential-size bowl, the toilet requires 2.5 more inches than other models from the back of the toilet to the wall.
Dealers working in tight RV bathrooms may be unable to upgrade to a 320 model due to additional space
All three toilets have an 18-inch seat height option and a low-profile height option at 13.5 inches. The shorter profile height accommodates step-up RV bathroom designs. The toilets are available in white, bone or off-white.
Dometic also addressed hygiene concerns with the 300 series. The foot pedal flush keeps users further from the bowl. Walsh said the flush mechanism on some RV toilets is like a pull tab on the back of the toilet.
“It is like reaching around and giving the toilet bowl a hug,” he said.
The 310 and 320 models feature a 360-degree ring flush. Water jets encircle the entire bowl rim. Walsh said some toilets have only a single jet at the toilet’s back, which does not provide the same flow quality. The result is the bowl remains less clean after a flush.
It also provides a nice upside for dealers who are servicing a product, knowing that they do not need a unique assortment of repair parts for each individual model of toilet.”
– Michael WalshHales attaches toilet bases to the bowl. Assembler Brad Humrichouser. Dometic Crew Coach Chalana Reining.
The 300 series toilet bases sit flush with an RV bathroom’s floor, leaving no gaps. The flush installation makes sweeping around the toilet easier and prevents dirt from getting in the recesses often found at other toilet bases, Walsh said. Dometic offers as an accessory add-on a tailored toilet wand to clean the toilets’ bowls.
Walsh said marketing the toilets and their benefits requires educating the public. He said the best place to do that is where RVs are sold.
“Having it called out in dealerships is going to pay dividends for us down the road,” Walsh said.
Over the past year, Dometic began offering various fixed displays to place in retail showrooms and parts stores, calling attention to a toilet on display and its features.
“With Dometic, we are in a unique position, just because we have such great relationships,” Walsh said. “We have a field sales team. We have a robust customer service team. We are unique in the industry with our ability to reach and connect with the dealer.”
Dometic is hoping to drive sales through a rebate program. Last summer, the company ran a water heater rebate program. This summer, Dometic will do the same for its toilets to increase awareness and sales.
“(Retailers) will know we are not asking them to give up a share of dollars or share of margin; we are investing in that, too,” Walsh said. “That campaign will have a collateral campaign to support dealers with in-store messaging to create awareness
Training has been a really big push for us. We have been seeing a lot of traction, or engagement.”
– Michael Walsh
about the savings that are available through these consumer rebates.”
Walsh said Dometic invested heavily in training as part of the company’s marketing strategy.
The company has trained over 1,500 retailer employees about Dometic products. The training was designed to help sales staff determine the correct approach to promoting the products, gaining sales and helping customers.
“Training has been a really big push for us. We have been seeing a lot of traction, or engagement,” Walsh said. “Turnover at dealerships, new staff coming in, seems to be a constant. So, there is always a need to keep them up to speed. We are hoping our robust training curriculum is doing just that. Live webinars, recorded webinars, canned training presentations, there is a lot we have put together, and toilets are an integral part of that.”
Retailers can find upcoming training sessions listed on the supplier’s business-to-business website,
www.dometic.com/d4B. The site requires a login and password, which dealers can obtain through Dometic or their local sales representative. Under the Resources section, dealers can find training sessions and sites listed, as
well as sign up for live webinars and accessing recorded training sessions.
Retail staff just seeking recorded product training can access videos directly by visiting https://dreambroker. com/channel/lfxuao7z#/menu.
Midwest RV Center in St. Louis replaced RV manufacturers’ printed brochures with a digital QR solution. Two dedicated staffers create and manage 200 vehicle-specific web pages tied to the codes.
By RV News Staff | Photos by Fire in the Skies PhotographyWhen many RV manufacturers decided to discontinue printing their traditional glossy product brochures that had been dealership staples across the U.S., Randy Starkey had a problem.
The brochures were vital to RV buyers at Midwest RV Center in St. Louis, a $45 million annual gross revenue dealership where Starkey is general sales manager. Consumers relied on the brochures’ images and specifications to make purchasing decisions.
Starkey said the information was too important to deny consumers. The dealership switched to using quick response (QR) codes—small, square, two-dimensional matrix barcodes. The codes provide direct links to online information.
Nearly every cell phone and mobile digital device include QR code reader software. Starkey’s decision to attach
unique QR codes to each RV on his lot provided customers direct access to digital versions of slick manufacturer brochures previously stacked inside the dealership.
“I had the idea of adding the codes about a year and a half ago,” Starkey said. “We embedded the links to the digital versions of the manufacturer brochures on our website, and then put the QR codes on each RV we have. We also have QR codes consumers can access to take them to the vehicle detail page on our website, so they can get the specifications on that specific unit.”
Midwest RV Center’s QR code transition has been a boon at consumer RV shows.
“Everyone at the shows wants a brochure, so how could we get them what they want?” Starkey said, recalling the conundrum he faced two years ago.
Adding QR codes directly to each RV at shows gave consumers a way to access Midwest RV Center’s website, download the digital manufacturer brochures and spec sheets and refer to the data after they returned home.
“They are all carrying their phones anyway,” Starkey said. “This way, at the shows, they do not have to carry around a stack of brochures. They can download directly from our web page, too. It is a great way to look at specific models or specific brands.”
The dealership stocks about 160 new RVs and about 50 used units on its lot. Employees maintain and update more than 200 QR codes as the inventory changes monthly.
Starkey said potential customers appreciate QR codes’ convenience.
“I think it has been very well received,” Starkey said. “We still have some folks who want to have a physical brochure, but the vast majority are OK with being able to scan the QR code and have all of the information at their fingertips.”
Two employees take fresh photos of each model when it arrives. The photos are tied to newly created QR codes, which are then integrated into social media posts and scheduled email campaigns that market the dealership’s inventory.
“We print and paste the QR codes on the rigs as we place the codes on our website,” Starkey said. “With all the information available at their fingertips, shoppers can go on our lot, look at the unit they are interested in, and scan the code to see all the data. When they come back into our dealership, they already have all the details—including measurements and weights—right on their device, and they are familiar with it.”
This way, at the shows, they do not have to carry around a stack of brochures.”
– Randy Starkey
While Midwest RV Center’s staff was quick to adopt QR code technology into their sales process, employees still adhere to “old-school” techniques to welcome customers.
Starkey said small gestures influence consumers’ impressions of the dealership. Attention to detail increases buyer referrals.
“We meet and greet every customer at the door,” Starkey said. “I mean every single one. We have someone stationed at the door from the time we open until the time we close. Greeting them that way allows us to build some rapport with customers and allows us more time to do an interview and know what their needs are before they go out onto the lot and look over a unit.”
Midwest RV Center employs 10 salespeople. Starkey said the company’s greeting policy may sound simple but has been instrumental to Midwest’s success.
“It is just like if you were sitting in your home and someone knocked on the door,” he said. “We get up and answer our door every single time and welcome them to our dealership. We are going to treat you like family, find out what your needs are and take you through the process slowly to ensure you get the perfect RV.”
During the sale or when a buyer takes delivery, their picture is taken. Midwest RV Center then posts the photos on its website and social media platforms and displays them on the dealership’s screens. The pictures also are displayed on the dealership’s screens as the consumers arrive to pick up their RVs.
With all the information available at their fingertips, shoppers can go on our lot, look at the unit they are interested in, and scan the code to see all the data.”
– Randy Starkey
Buyers receive a T-shirt emblazoned with the phrase “Midwest RV Made Me A Happy Camper.”
“People absolutely love those T-shirts,” Starkey said.
Midwest offered customers an incentive to wear their shirts at a recent RV show. Everyone wearing a Midwest RV Center shirt who stopped by their show booth received a card good for a $25 discount on parts at Midwest.
“About 50 people showed up wearing the shirts,” he said.
The dealership also strives to ensure contact with customers continues after the initial sale. Consumer follow-up is ingrained in Midwest’s sales policies.
“They get an email from me after they take delivery, and we send out service reminders,” Starkey said. “We also do free roof inspections for every customer and send out reminders for those every six months. It cuts down on surprises and ensures someone likely won’t have a leaky roof.”
Starkey said constant communication reassures consumers how valuable they are to the dealership. He said, as an ongoing RV resource, after-sale communication helps consumers embrace the RV lifestyle.
Ensuring customers know Midwest RV Center is locally owned and operated also is important, he said.
“As this industry evolves, and you have more corporately owned stores,
we have tried hard to communicate that we are family-owned and operated,” Starkey said. “We do not have anyone making decisions out of some corporate office. We have all the decision-makers sitting right here every day, accessible to each customer.”
Midwest RV Center dedicates one of its 46 employees strictly to hitch installations. Austin Campbell, the dealership’s hitch expert, came to Midwest three years ago. The dealership diligently markets Campbell’s expertise to consumers.
“Having someone on staff with seven years of experience with hitches really cuts down on customers making mistakes with hitch work,” Starkey said. “He can take his knowledge and go out and talk to a customer about what will and will not work on their specific tow vehicle, fifth wheel, travel trailer or flat-tow-behind vehicle. He has done so many (installations) that he knows precisely what can and cannot be done.”
Campbell grew up on a farm, working on hitches with his father. He said he knows no other RV dealership providing the hitch service Midwest RV Center offers.
“Most dealerships send customers to other truck outfitter businesses that specialize in modifying vehicles,” Campbell said. “Here, we can offer everything from basic hitches to fifth
wheel setups, weight distribution hitches and even base plates.
“In the summer, I usually do about 10 vehicles a day,” he said. “When it is a more complex fifth wheel hitch, I can do three a day.”
Gone are the days of simply welding a hitch to a vehicle frame. Campbell said installing hitches now involves following detailed instructions for programming vehicle computers and sensors.
“Newer vehicles are coming prepped for specific brake controls and wiring harnesses,” he said. “A lot of those have different sensors that you have to deal with, and you have to program a lot of that stuff yourself.”
Campbell said he explains to customers the importance of ordering parts directly from vehicle manufacturers. Manufacturers provide specific make and model hitch setups.
“There are no such things as universal parts anymore,” he said.
Campbell also aids the Midwest RV sales team by helping customers understand what will work best for their towing needs.
“Hearing it from a guy who specializes in hitches carries more weight than hearing it from a salesperson,” Starkey said.
Campbell laughed as he remembered a most unusual hitch request.
“I once did a hitch for a guy in a Porsche who wanted to tow a pop-up trailer,” he said. “We get all kinds.”
After more than two decades of painting RVs, Patrick Industries’ Precision Painting Group works as an extension of OEMs’ manufacturing lines.
By RV News Staff | Photos by Stillson StudioBeauty may only be skin deep—or for RVs, paint and graphics deep—but it can play a key role in attracting a would-be buyer’s eye.
An RV selling based on its appearance alone is unlikely, but an RV’s exterior can play a key role in getting someone to look at the floorplan, kick the tires and decide that, yes, this is the one.
Although some industry suppliers may think they are working closely with OEMs, few work more closely than suppliers working in the OE RV paint segment. A prime example is Patrick Industries. The company moves semi-finished vehicles from RV manufacturers’ plants off-site to paint but then returns them painted to RV manufacturers—in effect, becoming a remote part of the OE’s manufacturing line.
Patrick Industries has been in the RV painting business since 2014, when the supplier acquired Precision Paint Group’s assets, which included Precision Painting, Inc., Carrera Custom Painting, Inc. and Millennium Paint, Inc. Today, Precision Paint Group operates five facilities in the Elkhart area, with about 500,000 square feet under roof. Premium Paint was acquired in 2017 and Mike’s Custom Painting was acquired in 2022. Between the five facilities, the Precision Paint Group may paint 25 or more RVs daily.
Precision Paint Group works with OEMs’ higher-priced units at an off-site production line. An RV’s price point often determines whether the vehicle receives paint or vinyl graphics.
Mike Leman, vice president of paintoperations for the Precision Paint Group, said he even gets occasional calls from fifth wheel owners who wonder about upgrading vinyl graphics to a paint job.
“Paint is expensive,” Leman said. “There is a lot of work that goes into it, and you must reach a price point where it makes sense to put paint on it. It does not make sense to put thousands of dollars of paint on a $25,000 travel trailer.”
Although painted exteriors are expensive, Leman said many customers fail to understand how much work and time goes into an exceptional RV paint job.
“We really have to be in sync with each OEM,” he said. “We like to do a one-for-one exchange, so as we pick a unit up, we are dropping another one off, so they can keep their line flowing smoothly with the rest of their production.”
Drivers with commercial certification move the RVs, and Precision employs several people just to maintain proper transit coordination with its numerous clients. Precision also must decide which paint shop receives which specific vehicles.
“Each location is kind of designated for a particular customer or customers,” Leman said. “We also like to keep the standard designs and easier designs all together at one plant. The higherend stuff that takes longer is going to run through one of our higher-end paint shops.”
Once an RV is in the appropriate paint shop, a lengthy preparation process begins. The process is made
Paint is expensive. It does not make sense to put thousands of dollars of paint on a $25,000 travel trailer.”
– Mike LemanBrittney Hundt, layout striping associate, lays down tape on the RV before painting begins. Taylor Ables, layout striping, measures taping lines to ensure even patterns. Two layout striping associates finish preparing a fifth wheel for painting.
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easier because RVs arrive semi-finished —without awnings, exterior door handles and other similar exterior parts. RVs also arrive with seams uncaulked to facilitate painting.
The first preparation stage is an initial power wash to remove dirt, grime and salt the RV accumulated while being moved. Next, any additional parts are removed, if necessary, before painting. The RV then moves to the prep department.
“The prep department is where they mask off the windows and anything that should not have paint on it,” Leman said. “Since paint needs a rough texture to stick to it, once the unit is masked, it is sanded and then cleaned again to remove things like oil and contaminants.”
Once the preparation work is finished, the RV goes to the paint booth where the vehicle typically receives a single base paint color. After the paint is dry, spray masks or stencils are applied to begin painting the graphics.
“Wherever the stencil is applied, it will cover the first color, and that area will stay that color,” Leman said. “We will come in and paint the second color, tape it off and paint a third color, tape it off and paint the last color. Then, we remove all that tape in the spray mask and check for imperfections that might have happened during the painting process.”
After the graphics are applied, the clear-coating process begins. Leman said clear coating gives an RV shine and provides sun protection. A lessexpensive RV will receive three coats of clear coating. When the coating dries, the RV transitions back to the OEM.
Each location is kind of designated for a particular customer or customers.”
– Mike LemanPrecision Paint Group employees sand a motorhome before sending it to be painted. Rusty Garrod, paint prep associate, examines his work on the RV’s corner.
Leman bought Precision Painting in 2001 and owned the company until 2014, when Patrick Industries acquired the supplier.
The situation is more complicated for higher-end units.
“On the entry-level units, we are just going to put three coats of clear on and then let it dry,” he said. “On a higher-end unit, we will clear coat it, let it dry, sand it again and then put more clear coat on it. That gives a lot more depth and a smoother finish.”
After clear coats dry, regardless of the RV, the company wet sands and buffs the RV to smooth out the clear coat and knock down any dirt nibs remaining from the process. The RV then is cleaned and minor repairs are completed before returning the RV to the OEM.
Of the 370 employees in the paint operation, Leman estimated only 20% to 25% are paint technicians. However, not all paint technicians work in the paint booth.
“Some of those painters are repair techs that used to be in the booth and are now out and doing
final finish,” he said. “Perhaps there is an imperfection that we have missed. They are going to do the repair right, and they are so skilled you will never know it ever existed.”
Many Precision painters are trained internally. After new employees prove themselves by doing quality work in the prep area and demonstrate commitment, a strong work ethic and a focus on being quality-minded, Precision invests the money to train them to be painters.
The promotion is attractive to many employees because painters are paid more.
Leman said the company began to extensively focus on additional training about two years ago. Precision wanted to grow and needed more painters.
Patrick’s in-house training is a mix of actual painting experience and virtual learning. If a wall supplier has
a bad run resulting in defective walls, rather than sending the walls to OEMs, the defective walls may end up at Precision, where trainees will paint them.
“Obviously, there’s a cost to that—a cost to the paint,” Leman said. “The paint company we use, Akzo Nobel N.V., had brought in a virtual paint training system and we used it for about a month. That is when Patrick Industries decided we were going to invest in our own virtual training technology.”
The system is valuable for training painters, Leman said, but also aids training staff who spray fiberglass, which involves the same process but the sprayer uses a larger tip and different material.
“It is a really useful tool to get somebody who has never really held a paint gun and get them comfortable with the process,” he said.
Although adding new painters through training and the company’s nontraditional off-site paint methodologies are important to Precision’s success, Leman said the company’s relationships with OEM customers have also been essential to the company’s recent growth. He said communication is vital.
“It is not like we are selling widgets we can sell to whoever wants one,” he said. “It is very specific what design and colors a customer wants, and we have to learn their design preferences and their units.”
Although the OEMs and Precision work closely together, Leman said his company does little RV exterior design work. OEMs and Elkhart-area graphics companies handle the design work. Graphics companies must have a solid understanding of the painting process before creating a conceptual painted RV exterior.
“It is easy to design something on a computer, but when you put it into practice, it can drive up the cost because it will increase the amount of time it will take us to process that unit,” he said. “We do work together with the OEMs and the graphic designers to try and provide a
painter-friendly product that we are going to be able to repeat time and time again.”
At present, Leman said, more vibrant colors and angular shapes seem to be trending.
He said some manufacturers black out the mirrors, grill and wheels to enhance the mono-color look.
“Then, that solid color really pops,” he said.
Mono-color exterior paint preferences are not limited to adventure-driven or younger consumers. Retired extended-stay RVing couples also gravitate toward the conservative mono-paint option. Leman said many manufacturers’ biggest challenge is creating a single look appealing to several different age groups, especially as the greater RV consumer demographic begins to skew younger.
“Things are more linear,” he said. “The swoops and curves are kind of dated and people are looking for something different. Another trend we have seen from Jayco is an almost abstract design they have been testing out.”
Still another evolving look is mono-color units with no other painted design elements. Leman said the practice seems to have particular appeal with “weekend warriors” whose RVs are mostly devoted to hauling toys.
In the meantime, Leman said his company is working to develop new paint offerings for the market and grow its RV OEM customer base by encouraging RV manufacturers to use paint on more brands and models. Leman recently learned about a paint technology claiming to deflect heat, which the company is exploring.
“I have thrown out some ideas to a couple of the OEMs on how to process paint on entry-level units,” he said. “Maybe we could just put one solid color on it and then put the (vinyl) graphics on top of that. It would help the overall look and help protect the unit, as well.”
It is a really useful tool to get somebody who has never really held a paint gun and get them comfortable with the process.”
– Mike LemanAfter motorhomes have been painted, Leman reviews the work to provide feedback to Precision Paint Group managers. BY NORCO INDUSTRIES
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Graphics supplier Graphix Unlimited says manufacturers are requesting brighter colors and linear looks for RV exteriors. Some also are exploring adding graphics to RV interiors.
By RV News Staff | Photos by Stillson StudioGraphix Unlimited has always catered to the RV industry, but Melissa Vitali’s menu offerings often change.
As with any decor-related product, RV vinyl graphics are constantly in flux. The “daily special” quickly becomes “yesterday’s leftovers” in the cutting-edge, visually driven segment. Trendy colors and designs change with each model year. Vitali, president and CEO of Graphix Unlimited, said it takes a keen eye, or eyes, to offer OEMs the precision needed for RV consumption.
She said while her team continues to produce coveted RV exterior visuals for RV OEMs, her menu now has an entirely new page. Graphix Unlimited expanded its exterior vinyl graphics offerings and now provides RV interior visual graphic garnishments as well.
Although Graphix Unlimited has always been associated with screen printing and cutting vinyl graphics for RVs’ exteriors, the company is looking to expand its market by bringing its graphics offerings indoors.
The new interior graphics are not entirely foreign to the company. Beth Schoberg, a Graphix Unlimited designer who is focused on interior products, said the move partly stems from the company’s entry into the residential wallpaper market, which is enjoying a comeback. Many larger wallpaper companies have failed to embrace peel-andstick products, giving Graphix Unlimited’s Inspire 360 wallpaper brand a competitive advantage.
“A lot of people identify wallpaper with what their grandparents had in
their homes, and especially the nightmare of removing it,” Schoberg said. “What we produce is a peel-andstick product that is easy to put up, and if you want to take it down in a year or two, you can do that without damaging the walls if it was prepped properly. Wallpaper is very on-trend right now, and big patterns are particularly popular.”
Many RV manufacturers are now incorporating Graphix Unlimited’s interior products in their RVs; for example, Forest River applies maps on the bottoms of its Murphy beds.
“I was talking with Forest River Product Manager Cody Schade and telling him about our interior lines and that we are going commercial with them,” Vitali said. “I suggested we do something fun in the r-Pod because it is an easy one to put something in.
One thing led to another, and now it’s in all the r-Pod, Ibex and No Boundaries (No-Bo) models with Murphy beds.”
The company is pushing those interior offerings in diverse ways. Along with the website, Schoberg said the company is working with a marketing group to help identify influencers to promote the interior graphics to consumers, both on the RV side and for residential/commercial use.
“Social media is very important,” she said. “We have our social media person here in-house that is helping promote it that way, and we are getting out and selling it.”
website will feature a calculator to determine how many rolls of a specific design are needed for projects.
“Eventually, we will be offering murals as well,” she said. “That is another one of the interior products we plan to offer.”
Though Vitali jokes she would like to see the company’s interior line catch on within a couple of weeks, she said she is optimistic that by the next model year, items such as the Murphy bed map will gain popularity. RV interior designers likely will find many purposes for the new interior line and approach them with different concepts in the future.
“It may not catch on at all,” she said. “It may not work for some demographics, and that is okay, but we are offering it as an item for RVs as well as residential and commercial spaces. It is already becoming trendy in homes, so I suspect it may become trendy in the RV market as well.”
Exteriors are sporting simpler graphics in brighter colors than in the past. Some OEM customers are incorporating custom colors on RV exteriors. The reintroduction of scenic graphics is also trending.
Although the product works in homes and offices, Vitali said using interior graphics to create interest and to personalize RVs’ interiors is in its infant stage but will continue to grow in 2023. Graphics appeal to original owners wanting to make a statement with a wall or personalized space and will resonate with used RV buyers looking to remodel.
“It is nice we can offer something that. If the customer does not like it, they can take it off and replace it with something they do like,” Vitali said. “Being temporary and offering a new form of versatility is an added benefit.”
Two features help make the graphic offerings attractive on smaller projects such as RV interiors, Schoberg said. One is the product is print on demand. The second is Graphix Unlimited’s
“Everything now is very linear,” said Billy Villa, a designer with Graphix Unlimited. “It is a European style that is just cleaner and simplistic. It is really a minimalist approach.”
Villa said manufacturers used to request graphics featuring various blue and burgundy colors.
“I do not think it is for every product,” he said, “but certain units lend themselves to utilizing a custom color. It does not even have to be a big part of the design, just an accent piece to create some interest.”
Villa said when he began working at Graphix Unlimited a decade ago, elaborate, full-color scenes helped distinguish RVs from each other.
“We are starting to see little bits and pieces of that starting to come back,” he said, “but in a more simplistic, minimalist way that I think brings a little more life back into the designs.”
We look at automotive colors. We get reports from Pantone in what colors they are seeing today and what will be trending in the upcoming year or two.”
– Melissa Vitali
Magyar gathers peel-and-stick graphics sheets displaying examples of the company’s Inspire 360 wallpaper brand.
However, the linear, simplistic look is “off the menu” for some OEMs that manufacture motorized RVs and prefer more traditional graphics.
On the towable side, Villa said he began seeing artistic textures introduced about two years ago to appeal to younger consumers.
Visual texture and color inspirations can come from many places, according to Vitali.
“We look at automotive colors,” she said. “We get reports from Pantone in what colors they are seeing today and what will be trending in the upcoming year or two. I get influenced a lot by walking through a store, whether it is for the home or clothing or anything else and seeing the intriguing shapes, colors, textures and retail presentations. There is inspiration everywhere.”
Designer Villa, for example, was inspired to develop a textured design for an RV based on a holiday ornament from the office Christmas tree.
“It was kind of a geodesic pattern,” he said. “I studied it a bit and have tried to make it work on one of our projects.”
Vitali said for visual depth, contour and texture, her OE offerings can achieve a raised dome effect several different ways, resulting in a look similar to automotive nameplates. The effect is not typically something Graphix Unlimited exclusively does in-house.
“There are products out there where we work with other vendors to get them to the OEMs,” she added.
It is nice we can offer something (like an interior wall graphic).
If the customer does not like it, they can take it off and replace it with something they do like.”
– Melissa Vitali
Remembering that exterior vinyl use is not universal but vehicle price dependent is important, Vitali said.
“Fifth wheels, travel trailers and smaller units tend to stay with the vinyl,” she said. “Vinyl is more budgetfriendly to them. We see a strong paint presence in the Class A and Class C sectors. Occasionally, you will see paint on a fifth wheel as well.”
She said choosing to use vinyl or paint also depends on the particular RV’s target audience, mainly because older consumers with more money to spend tend to buy larger RVs.
Taking a graphics package from concept to an OEM’s factory floor is a lengthy process. Work begins long before the OEM starts manufacturing vehicles. On average, the design process can take six or seven months to perfect a concept. Villa said he has already started on the visuals for a 2025 model.
The process begins with Graphix Unlimited’s sales staff and employees’ relationships with an OEM’s product managers. Initial conversations start with design directions, including colors to be avoided.
the type of look they want to see. …We hope to knock their socks off in the first round, but it usually does not work like that.”
Once an RV’s graphics are tentatively agreed upon, Vitali said Graphix Unlimited will prototype a vehicle to see how the graphics install. Then, the team may make more modifications.
After everything is approved, Graphix Unlimited will deliver the cut graphics to the OEM as the manufacturing line needs them. Although OEMs have graphic installation teams, not every manufacturer installs the graphics at the same point in the manufacturing process.
“We have our team of staff designers and some subcontractor designers we use,” Vitali said. “They get design direction from the sales staff, and they come up with a variety of creations. It depends on the customer, the unit and
“Some will do it toward the end of the manufacturing process; some will do it in the middle of the line,” she said. “With some smaller travel trailers, they put the graphics on even before the fiberglass gets put on a frame. It varies quite a bit.”
Everything now is very linear. It is a European style that is just cleaner and simplistic.”
– Billy VillaForest River Product Manager Cody Schade sits in a 2023 No Boundaries travel trailer with a Graphix Unlimited map affixed to the bottom of a Murphy bed.
Any tough period in an industry creates numerous challenges for leaders. While we know business will soon pick up again, getting from here to there can be a brutal endurance test.
In times like these, we always hear “retaining talent” is a huge priority. How exactly does one go about this, especially when financial incentives may be harder to provide?
For starters, I would advocate we swap out the mental model from talent retention for something more active and human centered. Rather than holding onto a workforce, what if we focused on pouring into people?
The best leaders I have been around make doing three actions relentlessly a habit, especially when times are toughest—they connect, they communicate, and they provide a clear sense of purpose.
When did you last check in with each person you directly lead to see how they are actually doing—not as it relates to hitting the quarterly target you set or completing a critical project, but in their lives? Do you know your staffs’ spouses’ and children’s names, what each employee hopes to achieve at home or in their communities, the hopes, and even dreams, they have for their families?
At Lippert, we encourage every single team member to complete what we call a Leadership Action Plan (L.A.P.)—a simple card with three personal goals on the front side and three professional goals on the other. The front side is the personal side and asks us to name three areas in our lives we would like to intentionally develop.
These areas could be anything from family to finances to fitness to faith—everything is fair game. For each, we commit to one action item and make sure the goal is specific, measurable, actionable, relevant and time-bound—S.M.A.R.T., as the common acronym goes.
The “work” side is divided into self, team and business, encouraging a three-tiered approach to the impact each employee can have. Keeping our core values and leadership qualities at the center of these efforts helps focus our vision of making business a force for good in the world.
Here is what we have found: When we, as leaders, take time to check in briefly with our team members on goals they listed on their L.A.P. card and whether their goals are being realized, meaningful relationships develop more readily. If a leader starts by sharing their own personal and professional growth plan, that is even better. The practice demonstrates vulnerability and fosters human connection. At the most basic level, the conversation occurring sends the right signal: How you are doing matters to me.
However, the practice goes beyond benevolence. These conversations can surface important issues which otherwise might not arise until it is too late.
In fact, in doing an L.A.P. check-in two weeks ago, I discovered a team member’s frustration about his professional trajectory. I have to admit, I had a total blind spot about his frustration. If I had waited for an annual performance review to roll around, he might already have quit by that point.
Instead, we addressed his concern and are working together
to ensure we have an open plan going forward and will keep in touch about what we both can do to make his goal a reality.
Does launching an L.A.P. initiative throughout your organization seem daunting or unrealistic right now? Then start small. As French philosopher Simone Weil observed about 100 years ago, the most important question we can ask another person is a very, very simple one: What are you going through?
My advice, though, is: Make sure you really carve out space to listen to the answer.
It is not rocket science. Show your people you care about them, support them in setting and achieving meaningful goals, and they will stick around. After all, the sad reality is that working for someone who shows care and support is just not that common, and working for someone who does feels great.
One of my leadership role models is a man named Harry Kraemer, who led the global healthcare company Baxter International and now teaches leadership at the Kellogg School at Northwestern. When I taught business undergrads at the University of Notre Dame, I used the book Kraemer wrote called “From Values to Action: The Four Principles of Values-Based Leadership” as the primary textbook for the class.
Harry is humble, sharp and lives his life with intention. He is an endless font of pithy sayings and gives the following advice for leaders during any uncertain time: “Tell people what you know, what you don’t know and when you’ll get back to them to discuss what you didn’t know before.”
The simple, straightforward framing stuck with me because it feels less like strategy than candor. As leaders, we sometimes believe as if we should have all the answers—which is an impossible standard. Without a complete picture to paint, we sometimes wall ourselves off from our people rather than engaging with them openly.
One thing about human beings we know is, in communication’s absence, we often will fill in our own version of the facts, which is usually inaccurate, unproductive or worse than the actual truth. Rumors develop their own lives and gain momentum as they go. Nothing counteracts the phenomenon like the good old-fashioned truth, right from the horse’s mouth.
When we are stretched thin, we naturally skimp on communication because it takes time and attention, just like anything worth doing. Still, I have never met a leader who said they wished they communicated less with their people.
For that matter, I also have never encountered a team member who enjoyed feeling like they were kept in the dark.
When you tell your people what you know, what you don’t know and when they can expect to hear more, you once again increase the “connective tissue” among your team.
Connecting and communicating are doable in any company. This third action, though, can be a heavier lift, depending on your organization’s mission, vision and values. I will start with what the gold standard looks like.
As the story goes, JFK was touring NASA headquarters in the early 1960s. Walking down a corridor, he encountered a janitor carrying a mop.
“I’m Jack Kennedy,” the president said, stopping to shake hands. Then he asked, “What do you do for NASA?”
Without hesitation, the man replied, “I’m helping put a man on the moon.”
Comparing almost anything with the galvanizing, unifying effect the space effort had at that time in our nation’s history is difficult, but JFK left no doubt. Watching or reading his remarks from Sept. 12, 1962, at Rice University on the topic is worth your time. Among the many inspirational connections JFK made, perhaps the most famous line is, “We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”
The idea is certainly a notion with wide application in our current climate.
While we cannot all be the gifted orator Kennedy was, we can all commit to two intentions in the spirit of his example.
First, we can do our very best to ensure every single employee knows exactly how their job advances the overall mission. We do our people a disservice when we assume they know we value their role without clearly stating so.
A simple hack for this: On every job description, make sure the mission statement appears; then, under the title of the specific role, actually write a heading saying, “How this job supports the mission of (our company)” and spell out how that job directly contributes.
Doing so provides clarity, a sense of purpose, and always can be referred to when analyzing performance and the value a given position adds.
The second, higher-order task is for your executive team and board. The task is to ask, if you have not already done so, whether the company’s ultimate business goal is to make a profit or if, in addition to profiting, the company has an even loftier purpose to pursue.
If the answer is yes, then explore the link between the revenuegenerating activity and the higher purpose. The more direct you can make connection, the better.
For us at Lippert, our mission is making lives better through developing meaningful relationships with co-workers, customers and the community. We base everything we do on that.
Whatever your greater good, align it as clearly as you can with what your people do each day, and you won’t just “retain talent”—you and your people will change the world.
Adam Kronk heads up Lippert’s efforts around culture and leadership development. From running a boarding school with an overt focus on character formation; to founding a center for ethical leadership in the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame; to working to empower rural Cambodians; to serving homeless men, women and children at a residential facility in Indiana—Kronk’s career journey has centered on helping human beings become the best versions of themselves.
574.229.4874 | akronk@lci1.com
As the RV selling season starts to kick into full speed, many F&I professionals begin to skip some winter training knowledge and skills they learned. During the winter, Brown & Brown training sessions greatly emphasized Lifestyle Selling and explained how a roadside-like contract would fit into the selling style.
We still receive many calls weekly asking how the protection plan is important to an RVer and why the dealership should offer roadside assistance. Let me explain.
When a customer hears the word “roadside” during an F&I presentation, the word may bring about thoughts such as, “I have that on my insurance” or “I have AAA or another popular road club product.”
Many F&I professionals themselves do not understand the true benefit of the roadside assistance products available to them. Think for a minute about why a larger RV road club administrator changed its product name to “Camp Assist.” The company changed the name purely because the product’s main purpose is to assist campers in arriving to their camping destination safe and sound.
Let’s dive into this idea for a minute.
We encourage F&I professionals during their initial “meet and greet” to ask customers where their big camping trip will be. The Big Trip is the place most RV buyers have been to once in their life or have seen only in magazines or on Pinterest. Often, the sole reason new RVers bought their coach was to visit their dream location, which was previously unattainable because of price, reservation shortages or some other limiting factor.
The consumers’ excitement of visiting this dream vacation spot starts your path to making truly
priceless memories for your customers. When an F&I professional gains this valuable information through conversation, incorporating customers’ Big Trip into your presentation is exciting. The trip finally creates a relatable factor tying your protection plans to something valuable to the customer.
So how does roadside protection fit into the equation?
Most RVers and F&I professionals do not know any RV road club programs’ top three benefits. The first is 24/7 technician help by phone. The Brown & Brown training team sometimes jokes with new F&I personnel that this perk may be called the “Phone A Friend” benefit.
What better peace of mind can you give customers than to know a technician is waiting to take their call and walk them through common first-timer mishaps, such as locating breakers or knowing how to dump the black tank? YouTube videos do not replace an experienced, warm voice on the phone to walking consumers through how to fix common problems.
The second-most used RV road club program benefit is flat tire or tire blowout assistance, again, 24/7.
During training, I love to hear new a F&I professional say, “Why doesn’t the customer just change their own flats with their spare?”
As many industry veterans know, most towable RVs and motorhomes do not include a spare. More important, even fewer have a jack. Recently, our F&I training team conducted a large group training for a dealer, and I posed a question to the F&I and sales departments: “Has anyone ever changed a flat tire on an RV?” The simple response was silence from the audience.
We proceeded to play a video on how to change a flat tire on a 33-foot travel trailer. Most were amazed to
know the RV does not include a wrench to remove the lug nuts. More were amazed to learn you could not reach the lug nuts without first using a Philips head screwdriver to remove the cap over the center of the tire.
Next, we watched a video showing a customer needing a breaker bar to loosen the lug nuts with the appropriate side socket. The technician in the video proceeded to pull out a specialized floor jack requiring blocks under it to reach the frame’s height. The technician then hand-cranked over 200 times to lift the RV and remove the tire.
Dealership staff in the room quickly realized average customers could not change a flat tire themselves.
We continued the training segment by asking whether any RV ever breaks down on black top, on a sunny day, in a level parking lot. Again, the room realized most tire failures occur on the edge of the road, on uneven ground, or in rainy or snowy weather, amplifying the difficulty of changing a tire. Quickly, we began to hear from the room, “I could sell this product easily knowing just that.”
We reminded everyone, though, their pitch does not stop there. The RV road club plan would deliver and install the tire for the consumer, whether on the side of the road or in poor weather conditions. Most important, techs will arrive with the proper tools and equipment to get RVers back on the road.
This is when eyes opened wide in the room. Next, we asked who would pay for the tire if the RV road club brought it out. I smiled as I heard shout after shout say, “tire and wheel protection.”
Amazingly, the same epiphany the room had during training will carry over to your RV customers when you combine both offerings. One product finds them help, the other pays for the wheel and tire, so RVers can
keep traveling toward their Big Trip destination.
The third-most used RV road club program benefit is mobile technician dispatch.
Service capacity is a concern in many shops, creating a month or longer wait times. In some scenarios, an RV dealership may only accept coaches into service originally bought at their dealership. New RVers may have just one place to seek help when traveling: the mobile RV technician. For the average RVer, how will they know which technicians are reputable and provide quality service? As we know, Google ratings are not always accurate.
The RV road club has spent years vetting and seeking the best mobile techs across America, verifying they have insurance and state-required licensing. We pass this knowledge to our customers. F&I personnel can tell consumers, “Wouldn’t it be great to know that if something happens to your coach on the Big Trip that stops you from camping, a technician is a phone call away to diagnose the situation over the phone?”
If the tech on the phone needs to dispatch a mobile mechanic, they will send someone so your trip is not ruined.
The second epiphany moment is just around the corner.
During the same large group training we mentioned earlier, I asked the group, “Who pays for the mobile tech’s repairs?” The room was quiet, and then one F&I professional said, “The customer’s service contract.” That was the correct answer. It was another wide-eyed moment for the audience.
We now have tied the RV road club to an extended service plan and tire and wheel protection. To state simply, consumers call the RV road club for help, and the club finds them help. The service contract will pay for their mechanical and
electrical repairs, and the tire and wheel coverage will pay for new tires and rims. When you put all three products together, you have the perfect trifecta of mechanical, electrical and tire coverage on a coach. The combo is the peace of mind consumers need to make a Big Trip.
RV road club policies provide many more benefits, but those perks are used less often than top three defined here. Please make sure to review your exact policy to determine benefits and liability limits specific to your dealership.
With this approach at hand, most F&I professionals say RV road club contracts, when including cash deals, may quickly overtake their service contract production.
We dare go one step further and remind F&I personnel they need not always sell five-year plans. One-year contracts are great, too. One-year deals enable the customer to renew the contract next year, creating a recurring F&I revenue source for the dealership it previously may not have had. Some dealers even have their business development team contact consumers during the renewal process to pick up leads on possible trade-ins.
The key advantage to selling with this method is you can show customers how the product will work in relation to how they will use their RV, eliminating many objections that stem from customers’ misunderstanding of the protection plan’s value. You can define the process to most customers as “true value.” It parallels the excitement tied to the Big Trip.
This selling method also pushes your average-products-sold per deal to three in fast order. In a future article, I will discuss how to wrap both financial and environmental product offerings into your F&I product presentation.
The key takeaway is our RV customers want to join in on the RV lifestyle and create long-lasting memories. We need to listen to them and provide true beneficial protection plans—ones protecting their coaches and their RVing family memories for years and generations to come!.
National Rv And Marine Training Director With Brown & Brown Insurance, Dealer Services Division
Shawn Moran is the national RV and marine training director with Brown & Brown Insurance, Dealer Services Division. He started his career in 2002 as a business manager at an automotive dealership in upstate New York. In 2003, Moran became a successful finance director for a multilocation RV and marine dealership. In November 2008, he opened his agency, F&I Consulting Unlimited, where he quickly became known for his work ethic and knowledge of the RV industry. In July 2013, Brown & Brown bought the agency, creating the largest RV master general agency in the country. Moran provides personalized finance training to RV business managers. He conducts numerous weekly training sessions with small and large RV groups. 763.477.8127 | gartman@higginbotham.net
As the markets continue to adjust to the economic turbulence brought on by the pandemic, the RV industry so far has remained resilient to economic fluctuations. Spurred by renewed consumer interest in outdoor recreation, 2021 was a record-breaking year for RV shipments, with 2022 ranked the third-best year on record.
That is good news, but RV dealerships are not entirely immune to macroeconomic factors affecting consumers and businesses. In the short-term, economic impacts related to inflation, higher interest rates and the unusual labor market may challenge RV dealerships, especially because first-quarter shipments are expected to drop before picking up speed later in the year.
Weathering economic uncertainty requires striking a balance between immediate action and investing in and supporting personnel. Most economic signs indicate the labor market will remain tight in 2023, so keeping and attracting talent will be key.
HR policies can help you make such decisions with an eye toward your dealership’s long-term success. Here are three things to consider regarding the economy and your workforce.
This year, 26 states and 41 cities are set to increase their minimum wages. And while most will end up between $10 and $15 per hour, several cities will reach the $16 to $18 range. Some states, such as Arizona, have tied their minimum wages to the Consumer Price Index, meaning they could change every year. Only 20 states still follow the federally mandated minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, which has not increased since 2019.
This means dealerships must comply with increasing minimum wage expectations for nonexempt positions. Forward-looking employers will not only raise the floor, however. They also will revisit their entire compensation structure.
A comprehensive approach to compensation helps you spot and correct pay compression, which is when new or entry-level workers are making near to or more than seasoned employees.
We all know pay is an important motivator. It can drive productivity, performance and efficiency. Pay has significant impacts on retention and recruitment. When employees start
to feel the financial pinch, they may become less engaged and less productive. Ultimately, they are more likely to leave. Dealerships want to avoid all these outcomes, especially in 2023.
Rather than “setting and forgetting” their pay ranges, employers should audit their pay structure for pay compression. Over time, forgetting about pay ranges leads to new, lesser-experienced/skilled employees earning nearly the same as tenured staff. When I explain the concept to employers, I liken it to a growing child whose parents bought shoes at the beginning of the year but then try to squeeze the child’s feet into the same pair the next year. Much like a child’s growing feet, pay scale inequity generally happens subtly but has a wide impact, requiring monitoring.
An audit will help you find and correct pay equity issues so you can stay compliant with federal and local regulations as well as attract and retain a productive workforce.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports people continue to spend, even as savings dwindle, and 2023
industry projections seem to reflect consumers’ spending levels. You will need an engaged workforce to sell and repair all those RVs.
According to Gallop, engagement is “the involvement and enthusiasm of employees in their work and workplace.” Meta-analysis by Gallop from its Employee Engagement survey shows engagement correlates with better business outcomes “across industry, company size and nationality, and in good economic times and bad.” As such, employee engagement is a critical metric to attracting and retaining staff.
Unengaged employees’ consequences are grim: they tend to quit. One study found 51% of employees who left their jobs voluntarily said their managers did not ask about their jobs or futures in the last three months of their employment.
Avoiding engaging with employees is an expensive mistake. It can cost between half and two times an employee’s salary, depending on skill set, to replace them. The math makes sense, as costs compound from the recruiting process and time spent interviewing, conducting background and drug tests and getting new hires up to speed.
Usually, managers can make small changes to prevent workers from quitting, such as building in regular check-ins to their workday. Employees whose managers provide daily feedback are three times more likely to be engaged than those who receive less-frequent input.
Managers can use engagement surveys as well. Seriously consider the data and implement changes where needed.
Tools such as engagement surveys can help you avoid exit interviews. If you do have people leaving your business voluntarily, give the exit interview earnest attention.
Many businesses do not even conduct interviews, leaving valuable data on the table. Other businesses conduct the interviews but do nothing with the data. So, conduct the interview, listen to the feedback and implement changes. Doing so can prevent a mass exodus from happening and improve your organization.
Engagement has two primary benefits. As we have seen, engaging with workers helps increase retention over the long term. However, engagement also helps you determine your shortand long-term staffing needs—and how to use the staff you already have to meet those needs.
When you know a critical team member is on the way out, or you simply want to stay one step ahead, consider succession planning. Succession planning helps you fill key roles, the ones
keeping your RV dealership running and competitive, by identifying and developing the talent you already have to fill those jobs.
That way, you reduce your need to hire externally, which may be a boon in the coming year, when businesses likely will have a hard time finding skilled workers in their local market.
You can include upskilling in your succession planning, too. The practice gives your workers the flexibility to move around within your organization. Upskilling is especially important when roles are suddenly vacated or eliminated, and duties must be divided among other positions.
With upskilling, you identify where your current employees want to go and the skills they need to get there. Then, you help them acquire those skills through learning and development programs, job rotation, peer mentorship and more. As a result, upskilled employees are ready to take on new responsibilities when needed.
Although the probability remains difficult to accurately assess, economists still say there is a 25% chance of a recession, however mild, in 2023. Inflation, the labor market and other economic factors remain question marks as well.
From an HR perspective, weathering economic uncertainty by battening down the hatches makes sense. Maximize your workforce’s ROI by keeping them happy, productive and flexible.
Brianna Martin is a human resources consultant at workplace compliance and safety company KPA. She helps clients who need to train employees, tackle compliance issues and effectively manage HR processes across the employee life cycle. Among her tasks are helping with HR process automation, training and applicant tracking.
866.356.1735 | info@kpa.io
here comes change again.
Just when you thought you were catching up to all the post-Covid marketing trends.
I hate to burst your bubble, but you have not seen anything yet.
Do you know what AI stands for?
I suggest you familiarize yourself with AI, or artificial intelligence, as soon as possible.
A Google search describes AI as: “Artificial intelligence (AI) is a wide-ranging branch of computer science concerned with building smart machines capable of performing tasks that typically require human interaction and intelligence.”
A Whole New World
AI enables machines to model, and even improve upon, the human mind’s capabilities. From the self-driving cars’ development to the proliferation of smart assistants such as Siri and Alexa, AI is a growing part of everyday life.
Now, AI will affect your business. Plus, the change will happen much faster than you can imagine. By the time many cohorts recognize AI’s power and realize they cannot live without the technology if they want to compete effectively, they will be years behind.
AI will have the internet’s impact. AI will have social media’s impact. Do you remember life before those advancements? AI is as big, or even bigger. You need to get in the loop and on board as soon as possible.
So, how will AI affect your RV dealership? Let me give you a little insight.
Among the most popular new sites is ChatGPT. Chat GPT is an AI platform created by OpenAI. The platform has the ability and knowledge to answer your questions, but you also can feed in information to make ChatGPT smarter and more relevant with its responses.
Many believe AI can help you create content relevant to your dealership about 10 times faster than a human being. This technology will have massive implications on search and SEO.
Let me walk you through a 10-minute exercise I put the platform through.
I told ChatGPT: “Write me an article about how AI can help my SEO.” Here is the result.
“Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing your website to improve its visibility and ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) is becoming increasingly popular in SEO strategies. ChatGPT is an AI-powered language model that can be used to help with SEO. In this blog, we will discuss how to use ChatGPT to improve your website’s SEO.
1. Generate content ideas. ChatGPT can help you generate content ideas for your website. By inputting a topic or keyword related to your business or industry, ChatGPT can provide you with a list of ideas for articles, blog posts or other types of content. This can be helpful in identifying topics that are relevant to your audience and that can help you rank higher on SERPs.
2. Conduct keyword research. Keywords are an essential part of any SEO strategy. ChatGPT can help you conduct keyword research by providing you with a list of related keywords and phrases. By inputting a primary keyword, ChatGPT can generate a list of long-tail keywords that can help you rank higher on SERPs. Additionally, ChatGPT can help
you identify relevant keywords for your industry or niche.
3. Optimize content for search engines. ChatGPT can help you optimize your content for search engines. By analyzing the content on your website, ChatGPT can provide you with suggestions for improving your content’s readability, grammar and syntax. This can help you rank higher on SERPs by making your content more accessible to search engine algorithms.
4. Generate meta descriptions. Meta descriptions are the short snippets of text that appear under the title of your website on SERPs. ChatGPT can help you generate meta descriptions that are optimized for search engines. By inputting a primary keyword and some information about your website, ChatGPT can generate a meta description that is both informative and keyword-rich.
5. Improve user experience. User experience (UX) is becoming increasingly important in SEO. ChatGPT can help you improve your website’s UX by providing you with suggestions for improving your website’s design and layout. By analyzing your website’s content, ChatGPT can provide you with suggestions for improving your website’s navigation, load times and overall user experience.
6. Conduct competitor analysis. Competitor analysis is an essential part of any SEO strategy. ChatGPT can help you conduct competitor analysis by analyzing your competitors’ websites and providing you with insights into their SEO
strategies. By identifying the keywords and phrases that your competitors are targeting, you can optimize your own website to compete for those same keywords.
7. Optimize images. Images are an essential part of any website, but they can also slow down your website’s load times. ChatGPT can help you optimize your images for search engines by providing you with suggestions for improving their file size and formatting. By optimizing your images, you can improve your website’s load times and overall user experience.
8. Generate backlinks. Backlinks are an essential part of any SEO strategy. ChatGPT can help you generate backlinks by providing you with suggestions for guest blogging opportunities, linkbuilding strategies, and other ways to improve your website’s visibility. By generating high-quality backlinks, you can improve your website’s ranking on SERPs and drive more traffic to your website.
In conclusion, ChatGPT is a powerful tool that can help you improve your website’s SEO. By using ChatGPT to generate content ideas, conduct keyword research, optimize your content for search engines, generate meta descriptions, improve user experience, conduct competitor analysis, optimize images and generate backlinks, you can improve your website’s visibility and ranking on SERPs.”
So far, within two minutes, the AI platform created an article on how to help your SEO.
Next, I started at the top and asked ChatGPT to provide more information on the top three items listed in the article the platform created. The No. 1
AI business use in the coming years will be content. I made a simple ChatGPT request to provide headline information to help me generate some dealership content.
I told the AI platform: “Give me 25 catchy headlines to use for blog content for the RV industry.” Here is what ChatGPT produced:
• Discover your next adventure with our RVs
• Travel in style with our top-of-the-line RVs
• Escape the everyday with our RVs
• Unlock the possibilities of RV travel
• Find your freedom on the open road
• RV living at its finest
• Life is an adventure, travel in an RV
• Take your home on the road with our RVs
• Experience the best in RV travel
• Unleash your inner explorer with our RVs
• Go anywhere, stay anywhere with our RVs
• Discover your next home away from home
• The ultimate way to travel and explore
• Make memories on the road with our RVs
• Escape the crowds and find your own path
• Luxury RV travel for less
• RVing: The best way to see the world
• Get more out of your vacations with an RV
• The convenience and comfort of home on the road
• Find your next adventure with our RVs
• A better way to travel: RVs
• RVing: The ultimate way to explore and experience
• Travel in comfort and style with our RVs
• The freedom of the open road awaits you
• RV travel: Where every journey is an adventure
Building the headline list took another 60 seconds, and I already received some valuable information. Now I have some great thought starters for new content.
To drill down deeper here, you can ask ChatGPT to rewrite a headline as if you were a first-time RVer and add some humor to the article. In less than a minute, you would have more content.
The second item listed in my ChatGPT article about SEO was keyword research. Keywords are particularly important to useful content and increase SEO power. I used one headline, “Discover your next home away from home,” to write a blog about RV shows. To make the responses more relevant for SEO, I asked ChatGPT for information about keywords to put in my article.
I asked: “What search keywords should I use for a PPC (pay per click) campaign for an RV show?”
Here is the resulting keyword list:
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for 200 words on how to hook up your truck to a PullRite hitch for your fifth wheel.”
Here is what ChatGPT produced: “If you’re planning to tow a fifth wheel trailer with your truck, a PullRite hitch is an excellent choice. Pull-Rite hitches are known for their reliability, durability and ease of use. Here are the steps to hook up your truck to a Pull-Rite hitch for your fifth wheel:
1 First position the hitch: Park your truck on level ground and position the PullRite hitch in the bed of your truck according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Make sure the hitch is properly anchored to the bed of the truck.
2 Attach the kingpin: Back your truck up to the fifth wheel trailer and line up the kingpin with the hitch. Lower the trailer onto the hitch and make sure the kingpin is securely in place.
3 Connect the safety chains: Attach the safety chains to the truck’s frame using the hooks provided. Cross the chains under the kingpin to prevent the trailer from tipping in the event of a disconnect.
4 Connect the breakaway cable: Attach the breakaway cable to the truck’s bumper or hitch receiver. This cable is designed to activate the trailer’s brakes if it becomes disconnected from the truck.
5 Test the connection: Raise the landing gear on the trailer and slowly pull forward to make sure the hitch is securely attached. Check the lights, brakes and turn signals on the trailer to make sure they are working properly.”
As you can see, the reply was close but no cigar, but ChatGPT only took another minute to create the blog. The result shows why the human element will always be important to AI’s content creation.
To demonstrate AI’s power, I used ChatGPT to produce 90% of this article. I put the article’s framework in place in about 10 minutes and was able to create some very relevant content. Look for more content ideas as we educate ChatGPT more on the RV business.
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The process took another 60 seconds. Now I have a headline and keywords. I then can ask the AI platform to write a blog on why an RV show is a great place to shop for the perfect RV.
In the request, you can add as many relevant variables as you would like. The one key to AI is the better information you feed it, the better information you will receive.
To prove my point, I made a very simple blog request: “Write a blog
A final thought to leave you with: In just two months, ChatGPT reached 100 million consumers. TikTok, the most famous app today, took nine months to reach that many people. Additionally, many more AI formats are now available, and more are on the way.
Ron Wheeler is founder and principal at Wheeler Advertising. Ron has been a speaker at RVDA for more than 30 years and at NADA for more than 18 years. He has spoken on topics ranging from dealership branding to RV effectiveness, social media and digital marketing. He began his RV advertising career more than 30 years ago. Ron was RVDA Convention and Expo chairman for six years and also sat on the RV Hall of Fame board. His company works with RV dealers in more than 30 states and into Canada. 800.678.7822 | wheeleradvertising.com
If quality is what you want, RecPro is where you will find it. At RecPro, we strive for excellence in everything we do, especially with the products we offer. These products are designed and built in the USA, supporting American jobs and the American economy. Specifically, these RV products are built in Elkhart, Indiana, the heart of America’s Recreational Vehicle industry, using high-quality materials designed to perform and last. When you want quality, look for the RecPro name.
Camping accessories are a large, and largely untapped, revenue source for RV retail stores. The category was a $20.1 billion market in 2022, according to UnivDatos Market Insights, a global market research firm and a Universal Data Solutions subsidiary. By 2028, the category is forecast to grow 7% annually to $30.16 billion.
Only a fraction of camping accessories’ sales currently goes to RV retail stores. Online platforms such as Amazon and big-box retailers including Walmart and Gander Outdoors account for a large portion of the category’s sales.
As the pandemic’s effects have waned, camping accessory sales have not fallen. According to Patten Inc., a global ecommerce marketplace platform, monthly sales the first four months of 2022 were nearly identical to 2021’s record levels. In March 2022, category product sales on Amazon Marketplace totaled $157.023 million, up from $156.973 million in March 2021.
Tents and shelters topped the camping accessory sales on Amazon in 2021, the last full-year totals available, but RV retail stores can add other top sellers such as hydration and filtration products (ranked 2nd), knives and tools (ranked 6th), lights and lanterns (ranked 7th), camping furniture (ranked 8th) and
camping chairs (ranked 10th).
Technology-driven products bringing consumer comfort to the outdoors are hot items. Powered coolers keep frozen foods from melting before families eat them. Portable power stations keep devices charged while at the campsite. Chairs feature powered heating to provide comfort in cooler conditions. Many technology-driven accessories pair with mobile apps and Bluetooth for remote control.
Merchandising camping accessories can be a differentiator for RV retail stores from online and big-box competitors. Outside an RV in the dealership showroom, retailers can re-create campsite areas with chairs, tables, coolers, portable grills and dishes. The setup gives consumers an opportunity to see the products as they would be used on a real trip, rather than merely a picture or video of the same setup.
By helping consumers understand the vital accessories used at campsites, retail stores can become the consumers’ heroes. The consumers avoid making another trip to a big-box retailer to stock gear or, worse, leaving the campground entirely to purchase accessories they forgot to buy before the trip.
The GE Profile 75-liter electric cooler features dual-zone cooling compartments. Each compartment has a temperature range of minus-6 degrees Fahrenheit to 68 degrees. The cooler is powered by AC or 12-volt DC sources and includes three USB outlets with silicone protective covers. The cooler stores food, cans and tall bottles such as wine bottles of 2-liter bottles. An LED display controls temperature, power model and the interior LED light brightness. The cooler has three removable wire baskets and a black mesh storage pocket. Four integrated tie downs provide anchor points to secure the cooler when traveling.
geappliances com
The DuraCUBE portable Power station contains a 512-watt-hour LiFePO4 battery surrounded by a casing made from aircraft-grade aluminum. The power station includes a 500-watt pure sine wave inverter to power AC devices. Five USB ports enable multiple devices to simultaneously charge. A 100-watt MPPT solar charge controller monitors performance. The power station can be fully recharged with solar power in seven hours. The power station weighs 18.7 pounds and includes two DC input ports.
gopowersolar .com
The Picnic Basket measures 17 inches by 11 inches by 9 inches and collapses down when storing. The Picnic Basket has an aluminum frame and is made from polyester. Each basket has an inside zipper pocket and a clip to store items such as phones, wallets and keys. The Picnic Basket is available in a Scenic Sunset design and a Grey Plaid design. The Picnic Basket’s part number is CC-010SSB. campcasual com
The Elite 500-watt portable power station features 515 watts of pure sine wave power. The power station includes a lithium battery and recharges in as little as one hour, 40 minutes. The Elite power station lasts 1,000 life cycles from fully charged to fully depleted. Power stations include an AC and DC charging adapter and can be charged four or eight separate ways depending on the model. southwire .com
The C96DZ Dual Zone Cooler has a 96-liter storage capacity, about 101 quarts. The cooler features two individually adjustable temperature zones ranging from minus-8 degrees Fahrenheit to 50 degrees. The C96DZ cooler has a low enough amp draw to run off solar panel power, even in extreme heat. The cooler has a multi-voltage system and three-stage discharge protection for vehicle batteries. The C96DZ includes built-in bottle openers on both sides, a USB port and charter and an LED interior light. The cooler can be controlled remotely via Bluetooth and a mobile app. truma net
BigDog Bucket Chairs collapse into an included carrying bag for storage and transport. The chairs are made with lightweight aluminum framing and UV-resistant 600D polyester. BigDog Bucket Chairs have a 300-pound weight capacity and are available in various colors. The chairs have padded backrests.
faulknerfurniture .com
The Beach Fire Charcoal Grill is made from mirror-polished stainless steel. The grill features an adjustable 15-inch diameter grill grate. The grate can be raised or lowered to change cooking temperatures. The grill has a hinged lead and a sealed lower body to contain ash. An adjustable draft door on the lid helps consumers manage grill temperatures. The grill comes fully assembled and will be available beginning in May 2023.
magmaproducts com
Valterra Pet Life Vests include reflective strips, a rescue handle and a leash ring. Vests are adjustable and feature a mesh wraparound to provide comfort and speed drying.
Valterra Pet Life Vests are available in three sizes for dogs ranging from 16 to 70 pounds and with girths from 15 inches to 35 inches.
valterra com
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Camco’s TastePure RV Sediment Pre-Filter provides protection against dirt, silt, sand and debris in an RV’s fresh water supply. The compact pre-filter blocks particulates that can clog inline RV water filters. The pre-filter removes particles greater than 20 microns. The pre-filter fits Camco and other standard inline water filters.
camco net
Stove Wrap’s stove top and oven protectors help RVers eliminate cleanup after grilling. The reusable protectors can be cut to fit any gas/electric BBQ, stove, oven or air fryer. Stove Wrap is heat resistant up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit. The protectors are nonstick, washable and nonflammable. Stove Wrap protects cooking surfaces from drips, spills and scuffs/scratches.
stovewrap com
Lippert’s full campsite and patio product line includes patio mats, folding tables and Campfire Folding Chairs. The double-wide chairs are 38 inches wide and 38 inches tall with a 350-pound weight capacity. The frames are made from steel. Campfire Folding Chairs include a cupholder and stemmed wine glass holder. The chairs are available in dark gray and sand colors and include a carrying bag. lippert .com
Dometic’s Go Water Faucet and 11L Hydration Water Jug combine to transform the hydration jug into a running water system. The system requires no external power source. The water faucet operates with a single touch and includes an automatic shutoff. The Hydration Water Jug holds 11 liters of water and weighs less than 4 pounds empty. The jug measures 7 inches wide by 14.5 inches tall and 10 inches deep. The Water Faucet can be used with any water container and includes an integrated LED light. The Water Faucet dispenses 150 liters of water per battery charge. dometic com/en-us/outdoor/lp/dometic-go?
LED Patio Globe Lights feature 20 LED lights in 3-inch diameter globes. The colorful globes are space 12 inches apart. The 22-foot-long cord is a UL-approved power supply. LED lights use less power than traditional bulbs, saving money by lasting longer. An optional 12-volt adapter is available. LED Patio Globe Lights’ SKU number is 12-9008. primeproducts .com
The 18-inch Round Bistro tabletop is made from high-gloss fiberglass. The tabletop can replace tops sitting on standard RV table legs. The round tabletop eases maneuverability around the dining area. The top fits a tripod RV leg to use outside as a bistro table. The Round Bistro Table is part No. 33130. specrec .com
Stylish Camping’s LED
Illuminated Graphic Swirl
Mat measures 8 feet by 11 feet and includes LED lights illuminating the mat’s border. The LED cord connects to an included adapter and can be plugged into any outlet. The mat is waterproof and UV-resistant, helping colors avoid fading. The mat is made from polypropylene and is lightweight. The mat’s woven structure is suitable on grass and wooden decks. Mats can be cleaned by sweeping with a broom or spraying with water. Stakes can be driven through loops at each corner to secure the mat. stylishcamping .com
Portable Wine Rack Nets are available in 3-bottle and 6-bottle sleeves. Each sleeve can hold bottles up to 750 ml size. The nets can be permanently affixed to a door or wall. A carrying handle is provided to take wine racks from an RV to the campsite. Flexible nets enable carrying odd-shaped bottles while remaining secure. Portable Wine Rack Nets can carry liquor bottles as well as wine bottles. obecoinc com
GoSun’s Sport-E is a hybrid solar oven able to cook 24 hours a day. Solar power can be used to cook food during the day and a 12-volt input plug enables cooking without solar. A vacuum-insulated cylindrical oven has 39 ounces of food capacity to cook food such as vegetables, chicken strips or chicken wings. The oven heats to 350 degrees Fahrenheit while remaining cool to the touch on the outside. GoSun’s hybrid solar oven includes a carrying case, eight silicone trays and a power cord. gosun.co
Surface Mate patio rugs attach to various surfaces with four hooked-fiber strips with snap sockets sewn into the back corners. The rug can be staked securely onto soft ground surfaces with included ground stakes, washers and stake-down straps. On hard surfaces, adhesive-backed fastening discs can secure the rug. To permanently attach to a deck or patio, drill the four included snap fastener screw studs into the surface, then snap the rugs’ corners onto the screw studs. The rugs are UV-protected, mold and mildew resistant and finished on all edges to prevent fraying. prestofit com
The CL-35 Extend-A-Line has six independent chrome-plated arms. Each arm can support 10 pounds, totaling a 60-pound maximum load. Arms are available in 12-inch or 35-inch lengths. The arms fold to one side to store easily. Extend-A-Line mounts to an exterior RV ladder. An included bracket enables home RV storage without ladders. Alternate bumper and hitch mounts are available separately. Made in the USA. strombergcarlson com
The Cummins Onan PS300 portable power station emits no fumes or noise, can be used indoors and outdoors and runs on a lithium-ion battery. The PS300 includes two household outlets, a 12-voly DC port, three USB outlets and a built-in flashlight. The power station can be charged with a car charger or wall charger and pairs with Cummins’ SP60 solar panel. The PS300 provides 296-watt-hours or power, running at 300 watts with a peak output of 600 watts. The power station weighs 6.5 pounds and measures 9 inches tall by 5 inches wide by 9 inches deep. cummins com/na/generators/power-stations
The Switchback Heated Chair is Kuma’s first padded DuoHeat System controlled by Bluetooth. Consumers can download the Kuma Heated App and control the heat settings through a mobile device. The chair is rated for 265 pounds and comes with a beverage holder, phone pocket, carrying bag and a 10,000-milli-amp-hour rechargeable lithium battery. Heat settings range from 1-10 and can be viewed on an LED manual button. The seat and back are padded. The red/black paid chair is available in select stores now. The Sierra/black chair will be available in fall 2023.
kumaoutdoorgear com
The Omnia Stovetop Oven makes bread and oven-cooked foods using a cooktop’s heat. The oven has a stainless-steel base. Its mold is made from aluminum. The Omnia oven is 10 inches in diameter with a 2-liter volume. The oven can be used with any heat source except an induction stovetop. Numerous accessories, including silicone molds and an oven rack, also are available.
omniasweden com
Campfire Industries’ Wolf’em Stick enables consumers to simultaneously cook marshmallows, hot dogs and a biscuit over campfires. The stick features two rotary handles and a backward-facing, dual-pronged cooking fork.
The Wolf’em Stick is made with stainless steel and extends to 32 inches. The stick includes a biscuit attachment to wrap biscuit dough around and roast the biscuit. Wolf’em Stick packaging includes a cookbook featuring more than 30 recipes.
wolfem com
On the Road Again tote bags are made from upcycled durable mesh. The handles are made from remnant seatbelt webbing and accented with grommets for strength. A D-ring enables keys or sunglasses to be attached. The bag can be rinsed or hosed down and hung to dry. The bag measures 16 inches long by 8 inches wide. The bag’s handle is 10 inches long. ontheroadagainbags com
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Utica Cutlery Enamelware sets are available in five different wildlife scenes. The scenes were created by wildlife artist Jim Tosrud. The five sets are Eagle Camp, Elk, Deer, Turkey and Walleye. Four-piece enamelware sets include one dinner plate, one pasta plate, one bowl and one large mug. The 16-piece sets include four of each piece. All products are double enameled.
uticausa com
The Sirocco II fan features a gimbaled design to provide 360-degree directional airflow. The fan has three speed settings and draws just 0.35 amps on its highest 12-volt setting. The fan features four auto-off options at three, six, nine and 12 hours. The fan auto senses 12-volt/24-volt power to connect and stows flat at 3.8 inches long. The fans 7-inch blades are safe for fingers. The Sirocco II includes a three-year warranty and is made in Canada.
seekr caframobrands com
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Anti-lock braking systems (ABS) have been a requirement on all passenger vehicles in the United States for over a decade. So, why aren’t these life-saving systems standard on all RVs?
The Lippert ABS is a towing technology designed to let RV owners haul safer than ever. When users find themselves swerving in an emergency braking situation or avoidance maneuver, they can count on Lippert’s ABS to keep them safe.
Watch the video to learn more about Lippert ABS and find out what brands are currently helping owners protect what they love.
lippert.com
Emergency braking without Lippert ABS
Emergency braking with Lippert ABS
VIGOROUSLY TESTED IN HARSH WEATHER CONDITIONS TO PROVIDE A SAFER TOWING EXPERIENCE.