Parts & Accessories Inventories

parts-accessories-inventoriesParts and Accessories Best Practices
Best Practices: Parts & Accessories Inventories
Here are some best practices to help your parts department improve their efficiency and bottom line.

Service Management Best Practices
The 9th Edition Service Management Guide Available
The expanded Service Management Guide offers 99 pages of average work unit times for the most basic service functions performed by competent RV technicians.

The SMG is designed to provide reasonable guidance relative to the time required for competent technicians to complete assigned tasks. It is an important part of the service management system, but it is not intended to be the sole determinant of prices or rates charged in the sale of service.

The RV Learning Center for Service Operations Employees

The RV Learning Center’s resources can help service department employees to improve their RV diagnostic and repair skills, customer relations skills, and share new ideas on how to go the extra mile that can make or break customer loyalty.

Order Products and Resources for Service Operations Employees

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Certification: Service Advisor
Register for the RV Service Advisor Certification
The Certified RV Service Advisor examination gives working RV service advisors an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of a basic body of knowledge in the operational, technical, and human relations skills that help service advisors improve customer satisfaction and make the service and repair processes more efficient.

RV Service Advisor: Resource and Reference Guide
Click here for more information on how to order the RV Service Advisor Resource and Reference Guide. The Guide has more than 60 pages of information for service advisors, including a Job and Skills Analysis outlining the duties of a well-rounded RV Service Advisor and a collection of basic information and references every Service Advisor should know.

2005 Service Advisor Training
Here’s your chance to increase customer satisfaction and repeat business in the service center! The RV Service Advisor Training Program is designed to give RV service advisors a good overall understanding of the position so they can communicate effectively with customers and RV technicians.

The RV Learning Center for Parts and Accessories Operations
With dealerships’ Parts and Acccessories operations having such a critical impact on the dealership’s bottom line, RV Learning Center content is available to assist dealership employees in being more effective, creating high levels of customer satisfaction, and being more profitable.

Order Products and Resources for Parts and Accessories Employees

NEW Parts Employee Certification Available Through the RV Learning Center
After extensive work by RV parts experts and The Ohio State University, the RV Learning Center is launching a Parts Specialist and Parts Manager Certification Program in January, 2006. Continue…

AfterMarket Best Practices
Strategies for AfterMarket Stores: Variable Margins
How can using the concept of “variable margins” help you to set the right price for RV parts and accessories?

Part and Accessories Inventory: Best Practices
Here are some of the best practices that can help your parts department improve efficiency and profits.

Build Up Your Parts and Accessories Store by Working with Your Distributor
RV dealers rely on RV wholesalers for rapid delivery of parts and accessories, technical assistance, dating terms, and product education. On-time delivery and high fill rates are expected standards in today’s market. But, what other valuable services do wholesalers offer that can enhance your bottom line?

Accounting Best Practices
The Right Time to Sign on the Dotted Line
Q. Should F&I representatives ask their customers to sign the title paperwork first?
A. Prime presentation time is the first 20 minutes after crossing the threshold of the F&I office. Why waste precious minutes obtaining signatures on documents that may need to be rewritten? Instead, follow these steps to a more efficient method of securing paperwork.

Cashiers Check Scam Artists Continue to Target RV Dealers
RVDA continues to receive reports about various scams using fake or stolen cashier’s checks to buy and rent units.

Use Caution When Accepting Credit Cards Over the Phone
Recently RVDA has received several calls about credit card fraud. Learn what you can do to protect your dealership from becoming a victim of credit card fraud.

Some Things Old & Some Things New
My file cabinets are full. Can I toss credit bureaus and bank turndown notices?

What Does the FICO Score Mean on a Credit Report?
This article discusses what a FICO score means and how you can use it in determining how you extend credit.

The Value of Tracking F&I Performance
This article discusses the importance of tracking F&I performance.

Cashier’s Check Scam: Targeting RV Dealers
RVDA continues to receive reports about various scams using fake or stolen cashier’s checks. This article reviews what you can do to protect yourself.

The Right to Reserve
The Consumer Federation of America, a consumer interest group, is leading a California initiative to limit a dealership’s reserves participation to $150 per finance contract. Faced with this challenge, Jan Kelly writes about what dealers add to the financing equation that actually assist consumers. Read about these four critical elements.

Technology
Retail F&I for RV Dealerships: The Future of E-applications
This article reviews the virtual future of retail F&I. Where will RV customers take the buying process?

Compliance and Regulatory Issues
New Federal Rule Requires Dealers to Properly Dispose of Consumer Credit Reports and Other Sensitive Information
The rise of “identity theft” means RV dealers and others who pull credit reports or collect other sensitive consumer information, such as employment records, during the course of doing business must be especially careful to protect that information from would-be thieves.
The article outlines how dealers can comply with a new federal rule, which requires businesses to use “reasonable measures” when disposing of this information.

Identity Verification-Is Your Dealership Breaking the Law?
Did you know that you are required to screen all customers against the Office of Foreign Assets Control’s (OFAC) list of potential terrorists, money launderers, and drug traffickers? It’s true. And businesses that fail to comply risk serious legal and financial consequences.

An Important Reminder About Federal Cash Reporting Requirements
Congress and the Bush Administration want to make it clear to RV dealers and all other vehicle dealers, that they will not accept would-be money-launderers’ dirty money. This article will help you stay compliant with federal cash reporting regulations.

What Every Dealer Needs to KNow About F&I Regulations
The following Q&A with Washington State Attorney General Christine Gregoire highlights some of the biggest violations dealers commit every day in F&I. Although some answers provided are from the Washington Attorney General’s office, the interpretations apply to dealers in all states.

Is a Privacy Notice Still Required When I Complete a Customer’s Credit Application?
Find out how the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act affects when your dealership uses a privacy notice.

Back to Basics- Credit Reports 101
The credit report is a tool essential to almost any consumer finance transaction. Most finance companies require that businesses like RV dealerships undergo some form of prequalification before submitting a loan application. Here’s how to hone your understanding of the key elements that make up a credit report.

Why do F&I Personnel Need to Have an Insurance License?
In this article Jan Kelly explains why your F&I personnel need to have an insurance license even though they don’t write insurance.

Tips for Dealer Compliance with The FTC’s Information Safeguarding Rule
The Federal Trade Commission has new compliance requirements for motor vehicle dealers who offer finance and insurance products. The “Safeguards Rule” requires dealers to develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive, written information-security program designed to protect their customers’ sensitive personal information from identify theft and other misuse. Here’s how to ensure your

Handling Negative Trade Equity Situations
This fact sheet reviews the issues associated with the “being upside down”, technically known as “negative trade equity.” This buyer’s situation requires special attention in the F & I process.

The ABC’s of Regulation Z: Complying with “Truth In Lending” Advertising Requirements
In this informative article, Jan Kelly, President and CEO of Kelly Enterprises, presents information on truth in lending law, “trigger” terms used in advertising, and other important aspects of this Federal directive. It is the dealer’s responsibility to become familiar with all provisions of the Federal Truth in Lending Act (Regulation Z) and to ensure dealership advertisements are in compliance with these Federal directives.

RV Loan Interest Deduction
RV Loan Interest is Often Tax Deductible
Often, interest paid on an RV loan is tax deductible as home mortgage interest. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has laid out rules for determining when this interest is tax deductible.

The RV Learning Center for Rental Dealers & Rental Professionals

Employees can use the RV Learning Center to gain valuable insights into changes in customer demographics, ways to improve customer satisfaction and build the operation’s bottom line while providing customers with a satisfying, enjoyable RV-rental vacation.

Order Products and Resources for Rental Dealers and Rental Professionals Image

Accounting Best Practices
Safeguarding and Building Your Rental Company’s Credit Rating
An important element in obtaining financing is keeping your credit report in good shape. Here is some advice from the Small Business Administration (SBA) on building and keeping a good business credit rating.

Providing & Reducing Chargebacks on RV Rental Transactions
Credit cards are an important part of the RV rental business, but a chargeback can have a big impact on your bottom line. Jose Antonio Valdes, fraud investigator and assistant vice president of First Union’s Card Products Division in Miami, provides some guidelines to reduce the impact of chargeback on your rental business.

Advertising
Successful Advertising Guidelines for Rental Businesses
Here are some rental advertising guidelines that can help increase your visibility to your customers. Remember, a well-planned and consistent advertising program is essential to the growth and prosperity of your rental business.

Compliance and Regulatory Issues
Conversion: The Laws and What You Need to Do to Protect Your Rental Vehicles
Conversion is a civil tort committed when a renter fails to return rented personal property, such as a rented vehicle and is also a crime in some states. In 12 states mere failure to return a rented vehicle within a statutory period after the due-in date is a crime, and local police departments are authorized to arrest the customer who refuses to return a rented vehicle, or put the converted vehicle on a list of stolen vehicles circulated throughout the state. In other states, however, rental companies must jump through one or more hoops to change this civil misdeed to a crime so that the police departments will take action.

Customer Profiles
Rental Customer Demographics: Know Your Customer
Including those who rent RVs, there are an estimated 25 million RV enthusiasts in the United States. What else should you know about your customer?

Hiring
Hiring the Right Employees: Moving From Good to Great!
Today’s consumers want to interact with friendly, knowledgeable and satisfied employees in their business dealings, including renting an RV. Hiring the right people is crucial to your success-it’s one of the key building blocks for going from “Good to Great,” according to Nancy Boyer of Boyer, Dimich & Associates.

RV Technician Magazine
keeps you up-to-date
on the latest information regarding:
* Training/Tech Certification Info
* New Products & Updates
* Recall Listings
* Advice from Industry Experts
* Best Practices for Service Advisors
* RV Tech Industry News
and much more! If your career goal is to make RVing a smooth and enjoyable ride for your customers, this magazine is an essential tool.

Distance Learning

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Having a successful career, but being able to continue and further your education can become a hassle. Finding time to travel to different locations to be trained is not always an option in a busy field, such as an RV Technician. The distance learning network offers satellite and broadband internet training that can be broadcasted straight to your dealership, allowing for on the spot training without worrying about training locations or missing a day of work

TROUBLESHOOTER CLINICS
Troubleshooter Clinics assist RV dealerships through 40 hours of intensive classroom training and hands-on experience. The clinics help technicians quickly diagnose and repair most major RV component parts and make successful repairs on the first attempt. During these sessions, technicians receive a comprehensive review of the most important RV systems from industry experts. For a program brochure and registration, please click here.
The Learning Center Faculty

Who Are the RV Learning Center’s Faculty?
The RVDA Education Foundation has worked with well-established industry trainers to ensure the dealership-department based curricula are taught to the highest standard. As RV Learning Center faculty, these trainers bring years of industry experience to RV Learning Center course work and continue to provide the strongest educational programming in the industry.

Meet the RV Learning Center Faculty:
Kelly Enterprises

Kelly Enterprises is a full service training and consulting company for the RV, auto & marine industries. Founded by Jan Kelly in 1989, Kelly Enterprises is dedicated to increasing dealer profits through increasing customer satisfaction and building customer retention. Jan Kelly has a dynamic presentation style using humor and real world examples.Learn more…

Marzahn & King Consulting, Inc.

Marzahn & King deliver professional consulting and training in all phases of dealership operations to help the dealership reach its full potential. Chuck Marzahn and Tom King are well known and recognized consultants and trainers in the Recreational Vehicle industry. They have worked with many dealers at all levels in dealerships throughout the United States and Canada. Learn more…

Motley Consulting and Teaching

Gary Motley serves as a consultant and trainer to RV dealerships on parts and service related issues. He’s conducted a variety of service related workshops at the RVDA Convention and throughout the year. He is a member of the RV Technician review committee and frequent contributor to RV Technician magazine and served as an instructor for RV Learning Center programs over the Distance Learning Network. Learn more…

Sobel & Associates

Sobel & Associates is a national sales training and consulting firm. Established in 1991 by Randy Sobel, the firm has built a reputation for teaching sound sales fundamentals that are enhanced by the most advanced, cutting-edge sales philosophies available. Learn more…

Spader Business Management

Spader Business Management is a full-service, business development company. Spader Business Management is known as a trusted leader in the industries we serve. How did we get there and how will we stay there? Knowledge. Experience. Vision. Learn more…

Life Lessons

Bob Ash, through Life Lessons, offers presentations and seminars that train, inform and motivate on a wide variety of management and organizational behavior topics. Subjects include: team building, personal growth, managing change, and leadership. Learn more…

GM Management Workshops

GM Management Workshops
GM Management Workshops

Pre-Owned Inventory
The Pre-Owned RV Dilemma: Increasing Dealers’ Share of the Used Market & Increasing Consumer Loyalty to RV Travel By: Beth Rogers
One of the “mega issues” the RVDA Board of Directors is working on is how to bring more of the pre-owned units, now sold privately, into dealerships for inspection and re-sale.This story takes an in-depth look at some marketing and communication strategies dealers can use to drive the pre-owned buyer to the dealerships and explores some of the barriers dealers face in capturing more of the used RV market.

Leadership & Motivation
Renew Your Passion- Become an Enthusiastic Leader
By: Chip R. Bell In this article, learn four ways for you to create a culture of passionate customer focused professionals.

The Stairs of Customer Loyalty
By: Dr. Tony Alessandra Many companies follow the same formulas for bringing them closer to what they think their customers really want. Concepts like “customer focus” and “customer satisfaction” are warmly embraced. Today, who isn’t focusing on satisfying customers?
Creating Value- Make it Sustainable
By: Kevin Cashman
Creating authentic value goes beyond getting financial results. Getting financial results is not what the magic of leadership is all about. Even poor leaders get results – often at unacceptable costs. We can achieve our goals but harm our health; get results but damage out morale; make earning but jeopardize customer relationships; push for cost savings but diminish quality; advance our career but destroy our family.

Business Facts of Life: Teach These to YourYour Employees
This article discusses the ways in which effective leaders keep their people out of a gray area by setting and clarifying expectations for them. Here are a few business “facts of life” you can share with your employees to ensure your dealership’s success.

Management Best Practices
Promoting Your Dealership By: Melissa Broadus
It’s a new year and dealers are looking at their marketing strategies. As always they are looking to market their products to current customers while pulling in new prospects with fresh ideas. This year, many dealers will focus their advertising on building relationships with customers and customer loyalty.

Cash Flow is King
If you believe this statement and you are the owner of a dealership property then the accounting world has two words for you “Cost Segregation”. Property can represent a big investment for your business. Fortunately Uncle Sam lets you recover some of those costs by writing them off as depreciation on your federal and possibly state income tax returns.

Succession Planning and Strategies Selling or Buying an RV Dealership
What questions should you ask when exploring options for selling an RV Dealership?

Financing
SBA Loans: Size Standards for RV Dealerships Are you looking for financing assistance through a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan? Here are the standards the SBA uses to determine loan eligibility.
Employee Recruiting, Hiring, and Management
Legal Protections for Reservists and Guard Members Employeed by RV Dealers
By: Brett Richardson
America’s military is relying more and more on reservists and other part-time soldiers to accomplish its many missions. There are a number of legal protections for Reservists and Guard members called to active duty that RV dealers should be familiar with should they employ a Reservist or Guard member.

Why Good Employees Fail By: Joe Lescota
It’s a familiar scenario. You interview many candidates and finally select one who rates a “10” – someone you’re confident will be a great asset to your dealership. Six months later you ask yourself why they aren’t with you anymore. How did the “10” you hired turn out to be the “1” you fired?

Hiring the Right Employees: Moving From Good to Great!
Today’s consumers want to interact with friendly, knowledgeable and satisfied employees in their business dealings. Hiring the right people is crucial to a dealership’s success.

Finding and Hiring Great RV Salespeople
What does it take to recruit and hire a great RV Salesperson? Find out here!

Fair Labor Standards Act Considerations For RV Dealers
This fact sheet provides general information concerning the application of the Section 7(i) overtime exemption from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) regarding employees of retail and service establishments, who are paid on a commission basis in whole or part.

Harassment Policy Click here to review a sample dealership harassment policy.

How to Stay on The Right Side of Government Regulations

New Federal Rule Requires Dealers to Properly Dispose of Consumer Credit Reports and Other Sensitive Information
The rise of “identity theft” means RV dealers and others who pull credit reports or collect other sensitive consumer information, such as employment records, during the course of doing business must be especially careful to protect that information from would-be thieves.
The article outlines how dealers can comply with a new federal rule, which requires businesses to use “reasonable measures” when disposing of this information.

Do You Have Written Pay Policies?
Reviewing dealership pay plans to make sure they are written clearly is a good idea in case a compensation with an employee does arise, according to compensation experts.
“From a legal point of view, a verbal understanding concerning compensation is every bit as binding as a written understanding,” says wage and hour attorney Jim Hendricks of Fisher & Phillips in Chicago. “It is simply a matter of credibility: whose description of the pay plan will the judge or jury believe?”
If there is some kind of written description of the pay plan and the writing is clear and unambiguous, the judge or jury will enforce it as it is written, even if one party claims it is unfair, according to Hendricks.
“On the other hand, if there is any ambiguity in the writing, the court will construe it against the party who drafted it, which is almost always the dealer,” Hendricks said.
For suggested pay plans for dealership employees, call the member services hotline.

The RV Learning Center Faculty
RV Learning Center faculty bring years of industry experience to the RV Learning Center and continue to provide the strongest educational programming in the industry. Click here for the more information on RV Learning Center faculty members and training programs they offer.

The RV Dealers International Convention Expo
RV retailers from across the U.S. and Canada are marking their calendars for the 2006 RV Dealers International Convention/Expo when it returns to the Rio All-Suite Casino Resort in Las Vegas on Sept. 26- Sept. 29. Click here for more information and a registration form.

Motivation
Countdown to Sales Excellence
Greatness in sales doesn’t come from doing extraordinary things. It comes from doing the ordinary things extraordinarily well, by becoming brilliant in the basics and devoting yourself to a series of diligent daily disciplines that give you the edge. Use the ten points in the Countdown To Sales Excellence to as your guide to measurable and sustainable sales success beginning today.

Why RV Dealers and Managers with Clear Goals Continually Improve
Do you have clear, specific, written goals for your dealership for one year from today? The Big Problem With Goal Setting: Too many people confuse long hard work and good intentions with setting realistic and achievable goals and having a good plan to follow. Learn how to set realistic and achievable goals.

Four Things You Can & Must Control
Set yourself up for success with these four tips from Dave Anderson.

Compliance and Regulatory Information
RVs and the FTC’s Sale of Used Motor Vehicles Rule
The vast majority of motorhomes and travel trailers are exempt from the Federal Trade Commission’s Sale of Used Motor Vehicles Rule. This fact sheet spells out the specifics on this important rule regarding “as is” or “Buyer’s Guide” labels on motor vehicles.

Do Not Call List Q&A
Find out what circumstances allow motor vehicle dealers to contact their customers who’ve added their names to the national “do not call” list. This list prohibits most telemarketing calls, including those from vehicle dealers, except under the circumstances outlined in this article.

Sales Managment Techniques
NEW! RV Trade-In Appraisal Check List

Marketing Advice for 50-plus Consumers
Bill Novelli has some advice for businesses marketing to the over 50 crowd. Think of these affluent and active people as “zoomers” – instead of aging baby boomers.

Dealer Sees “Orphan” Owners as an Opportunity
The RVDA Boards of Delegates and Directors has identified increasing the number of pre-owned units sold by dealerships as a “critical issue.” According to the most recent University of Michigan’s survey of the RV market conducted for RVIA, 68% of all RVs were purchased as pre-owned units, but only one in five units out of that group were bought from a dealership. That means four out of five used units were purchased from the private party.

Benchmarking Sales Department Productivity
As I talk with dealers around the country, I find most will comment on how good of a year they are having. This leads me to the question, “what means are you using to measure or determine sales are better?” Most will respond with the increase in unit sales and gross margins. Unfortunately this can lead to the misconception that your sales are doing as well as you might perceive.

Sales Techniques and Training
When Selling, Questions are the Answers
Selling is nothing more than problem solving. You can’t solve a problem that you have never identified! Yet this is exactly what the average salesperson does when they use what I call the Australian walk-about method of showing RV’s. By this I mean showing every RV on the location hoping that they will accidentally find something that will fit the prospects wants, needs, and pocketbook requirements.

Selling the Benefits of Time
Most salespeople list the benefits of ownership solely by selling the features and benefits the physical RV has to offer. Although this is an excellent strategy if done properly it misses another huge benefit that very few prospects, or salespeople, take into consideration, the number of days the RV could be used. Most prospects think in terms of using the RV for vacation days and an occasional weekend. If they think only in these terms than the total cost per days used then it is a legitimate concern.

Ten Ways to Take the Fight Out of the Sales Process
Without meaning to, you can create a fight in the sales process from the moment the prospect sees you (or hears your voice on the telephone) until the time you try and close the deal. Being aware of and acting to eliminate these flaws will shorten the sales process and make it more profitable. At this week’s meeting make sure everyone is focused on the information in this article to remove the fight from their own sales process.

A Few More Thoughts On Closing It has been my experience that too many salespeople will spend hours showing RV’s and then never ask for the order. I guess there can be a number of reasons for this, but none that make any sense. Some excuses may be fear of rejection when hearing a no, believing the getaway story that they aren’t going to buy until next year, ignoring buying signals, or simply not knowing when or how to close. This article discusses turning questions into closes, trial closes, and positive closing statements that can be used while showing an RV to a prospect.

A Dozen Things Your Salespeople Can Be Great at and Still Not Get Past Average Sales
It takes more than a smile and product knowledge to succeed in sales and too many of you are missing those extra sales simply because your salespeople haven’t been taught the other things they need to know about ‘how to sell RVs in today’s market’. At a quick glance, a lot of your salespeople seem to be doing everything that it takes to sell more RVs… They’re happy, they love their job, they love the dealership, they love their customers and they may even put in double shifts every day. The problem is, they still only end up with a below average number of units for the month (eight is average). Here are a dozen things they may be very good at, and still not produce the unit sales and gross that you were hoping for
They Came, They Saw and They Left…. Now What?
The RVDA published a statistic several years ago stating that on average, an RV Dealership will spend between $600- $750 in local trade area marketing for each lead that walks through their door. That is a lot of money! And for what? The easy answer: to drive qualified RV consumers through the dealership’s door. However, the more important question is what happens once they walk through the door?

Selling an RV When it’s Not in Stock
In today’s market with all the floor plans available and in many cases limited display area, floor plan money plus yearly changes, it is almost impossible to always have what every prospect wants in stock. So, what do you do when you have a viable prospect but not the RV they want in your inventory?

Overcoming Fuel Cost Objections
How can you overcome your prospective buyer’s concerns about rising fuel costs?

The RV Learning Center for Sales Managers & Sales Professionals

The sales department can use the RV Learning Center to gain valuable insights into customer buying behavior, improving customer satisfaction, and making the sale.

RV Learning Center

RV Learning Center
RV Learning Center

Welcome to the RV Learning Center

Welcome to the RVDA Education Foundation RV Learning Center! The RV Learning Center provides programs and resources aimed at educating dealers and their employees.

Here’s how to get where you need to go:

Take A Virtual Tour of the RV Learning Center! Click here to launch a four-minute video presentation.
Click! The dealership departments are listed on the left of every page. Choose the department you’re interested in and click.
Can’t find it? Use the search engine in the top left corner of every page and hit “go!”
Want to network with other dealership employees? Check out the communities page and connect with industry experts and other people in your position. Talk about challenges you face on the job, find new and better ways to get the job done, and share solutions for success.
Fairfax, VA – The RV Learning Center is issuing a series of Federal Regulatory Guides developed to help RV Dealers and their employees understand and stay in compliance with various federal requirements that impact RV dealers.

The first in the series, The Cash Reporting Guide, has been updated to reflect changing laws that require RV dealers to report large cash transactions to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network in addition to the IRS. This guide includes a summary of the cash reporting requirements for RV dealers and an explanation and example for using the IRS/FinCEN Form.

The Do Not Call Registry, the second in the series, explains how the new registry works and how it pertains to RV dealers. The guide includes a sample Do-Not-Call List Policy, an explanation of the fines associated with violation of the policy, as well as guidelines for obtaining written permission for solicitation.

These publications are available for $25 for RVDA members and $40 for non-members. Visit www.rvlearningcenter.com for an order form. The RVDA Education Foundation is a tax exempt organization as described in section 501(C) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions may be tax deductible as charitable donations.

RV Learning Center Offers New Sales Training Publication:
The Selling Cycle by Jan Kelly

Fairfax, VA – The RV Learning Center has just released The Selling Cycle – a publication for RV sales professionals who want to increase sales and improve customer satisfaction and loyalty. Continue…

New Federal Rules Do Not Impact Overtime Exemptions for Most Dealerships
Compiled by RVDA Staff

The new federal “Fairpay” rule for “white collar” workers has no impact on overtime exemptions for most dealerships.

The rule is designed to simplify overtime exemptions for executive, professional, and outside sales employees. The rule does increase the numbers of workers eligible for overtime pay – raising the annual employee salary threshold from $8,060 or less to $23,660 or less. Continue…

Service Advisor Training Now Available on Video through the RV Learning Center

By: Dave Horne, RVDA Education Services Coordinator

The RVDA Education Foundation’s RV Learning Center now provides RV Service Advisor Training on both videocassette and DVD. The nine-hour program trains existing and new service advisors in “best practices” that will increase their competency on the job as well as prepare them to take the newly developed RV Service Advisor Certification Examination. The program is designed to give RV service advisors a good overall understanding of the position so they can communicate effectively with customers and RV technicians. There are seven main skill areas of the training program:News

RV Learning Center Scholarship Available:
Application Deadline is June 3, 2005

The RVDA Education Foundation’s RV Learning Center Scholarship program, is now accepting applications for the 2005-2006 school year. The program awards scholarships to rising sophomore, junior, or senior college undergraduate students interested in majoring in business, finance, economics, or accounting.

Recipients are selected based on academic achievement, a 500-word essay on their goals and objectives in college, extracurricular activities and honors, and financial need. Applicants must be employees, or dependents, at RV dealerships or other RV-related companies. Dealer principals and their dependents are not eligible.

The scholarships are made possible through the generosity of the Newt and Joanne Kindlund Family. The Kindlunds founded the first publicly-traded RV dealership. The Kindlunds sold the company in 1999. Newt Kindlund remains an active participant in RV industry affairs and currently serves on The RVDA Education Foundation Board of Directors. The Kindlund Family, to date, has pledged $270,000 to the Foundation’s scholarship endowment.

“I am pleased the RV Learning Center is able to recognize outstanding commitment to learning with the scholarship program,” said RVDA Education Foundation Chairman of the Board Rick Horsey of Parkview RV Center in Smryna, DE. “The industry owes the Kindlund family their thanks for funding this excellent program.”

For more information on the scholarship program, as well as an application form, visit www.rvlearningcenter.org, send an e-mail to info@rvda.org, or send a fax to The RVDA Education Foundation at (703) 591-0734. The deadline for applications for the 2005-2006 academic year is Friday, June 3, 2005.

The RVDA Education Foundation is the educational arm of RVDA. Because the Foundation is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, donations to the Foundation may be tax deductible as charitable contributions. For more information on the scholarship program and an application, click here.

A Dozen Things Your Salespeople Can Be Great at and Still Not Get Past Average in Sales
by: Joe Verde

It takes more than a smile and product knowledge to succeed in sales and too many of you are missing those extra sales simply because your salespeople haven’t been taught the other things they need to know about ‘how to sell RVs in today’s market’. Continue…

Featured Articles

The Texas Recreational Vehicle Association (TRVA) will support the RVDA Education Foundation’s RV Learning Center with a $15,000 pledge.

“I know that I can speak on behalf of my members when I say that TRVA is most appreciative of the efforts being put forth to develop the RV Learning Center. In these very competitive times, the more knowledge that the Center can offer dealers in Texas, the more positive effect it will have on the bottom line,” said Clark McEwen, Executive Director,TRVA.

Show what you know by taking the
RV Service Advisor Certification Exam!

The RV Service Advisor certification examination gives working RV service advisors an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of a basic body of knowledge in the operational, technical, and human relations skills that help service advisors improve customer satisfaction and make the service and repair processes more efficient.

All certified service advisors, upon notification of passing exam scores, will receive a plaque with a certificate and a patch acknowledging their status as Certified RV Service Advisors.

All currently employed RV Service Advisors, RV Service Managers, or RV Service Writers that have a minimum of one year’s service advisor-related experience are eligible to take the test.

Register for the exam here , call (703) 591-7130, or email info@rvda.org.

RV Learning Center Readies RV Parts Personnel Program
By: Andrew Jacobs, Education Program Manager

The RV Learning Center, in conjunction with the Ohio State University’s Center on Education and Training for Employment (CETE), has nearly finished its work on training and certification testing programs for RV Parts personnel. .